Long-term job exposure to loud noises is one of the most prevalent occupational health risks, and it can result in irreversible hearing loss. So, what can we do to stay away from it?
The answer is simple! As a method to prevent dangerous noise at work, I advocate the use of proper hearing protection.
Industrial and manufacturing areas, as well as farms, cafeterias, clubs, entertainment venues, workplaces, and schools, all have hazardous noise levels. To avoid work-related hearing loss, it’s critical to determine whether our work is noisy and, if so, what steps may be made to mitigate the problem.
Noise-canceling headphones are an excellent workplace option for increasing productivity since they not only eliminate loud noises but also improve concentration, resulting in increased output.
But all noise-canceling headphones are not the same. Some had other kinds of merits while some had others.
Two well-known manufacturers, however, are well-known for creating industry-leading top-rated noise-canceling headphones. We need to know about these names: The Bose 700 And The Sony WH-1000XM4.
However, they both have the dilemma that some qualities are nice in one and bad in the other. So, without further ado, here is a feature-by-feature comparison of Bose 700 vs Sony WH-1000XM4.
Let’s have a quick look at Jesse Chen’s comparison video on YouTube –
Feature-By-Feature Comparison Of The Bose 700 And The Sony WH-1000XM4
1- Design
Both the Bose 700 and the Sony WH-1000XM4 are wireless over-ear closed-back headphones, and each one comes in three distinct colors.
With matte polished ear cups and an adjustable steel headband, the Bose 700 Noise Cancelling Headphones have a modern and streamlined look. For touch gestures, the ear cup cover features a unique anti-stick coating.
The broad ear cups in the Bose 700 can’t be folded up into a compact form near the headband, making them bulkier than the Sony 1000xm4.
I’m a frequent traveler, so the Sony 1000mx4 will be worth buying for me because, unlike the Bose, it can be folded up nicely. The Mark series’ beautiful and refined design has been carried over to the Sony WH-1000xm4.
2- Comfort
The large, soft foam ear cushions coated in protein leather, as well as the rubberized headband, make the Bose 700 extremely comfortable.
The Sony 1000xm4’s headband and ear cushions, on the other hand, are constructed of velvety polished leather. The rubberized matte surface is also a significant improvement over their prior model.
On the Bose headset, the clamping force is more visible than on the Sony 1000xm4. But a thickly padded headband in Bose 700 provides greater pressure on my skull, causing some pain. If you’re just going to be wearing it for a few hours, it’s not a huge deal.
Because of its thinner and more cushioned headband, I prefer the WH-1000xM4 for long-term listening. Furthermore, its bigger ear cushions allow additional room for large ears while still providing adequate airflow to minimize perspiration.
3- Sound Quality:
Bose and Sony make some of the best-sounding headphones, but the Sony WH-1000xM4 is a different entity. Though the Bose 700 has a direct, dramatic, and precise sound, it can’t match the WH-1000XM4’s intensity of bass and clarity.
Sony’s massive drivers and QN1 technology assist to deliver detailed sonics that is powerful, vivid, and distortion-free.
I played a lot of random songs back to back to evaluate its tremendous bass. It was so fantastic to listen to with the WH-1000XM4 that I couldn’t help but shake my head.
While neither supports aptX HD, the 1000XM4 does support LDAC, which allows it to wirelessly play high-quality files from a suitable source. The sound quality of the Bose 700 is largely warm and balanced, as opposed to the Sony 1000XM4’s unnatural and polished sound.
The Sony 1000xm4 also comes with the Sony Headphones Connect app, which allows for more EQ adjustment than the Bose Music app. It’s far more adaptable than the Bose system or most phones’ built-in equalizers.
4- Noise-cancellation:
An adaptive eight-mic system is included with the Bose 700 headphones. This system works brilliantly, with six microphones successfully canceling out large volumes of ambient sound.
The Bose 700 cancels out low-frequency disturbances like buzzers and boisterous employees, as well as high-frequency noises like screaming dogs and car horns.
Given the fact that I have brought this headset for myself, I am the ideal person to speak about its real-life experience. With the ANC turned on, the motor sounds become a distant memory, according to me. As a result, the Bose 700’s total noise-canceling performance is absolutely amazing.
When it comes to the Sony WH-1000xm4, I must remark that there is tough competition between them.
With the functional blend of Dual Noise Sensor technology, HD Noise Canceling QN1 processor, and two feedforward microphones, even the strongest noises become faint murmurs.
A Noise-Canceling Optimizer is also included, which automatically adapts ANC to the surroundings for optimal noise reduction. Common sounds such as fax machines, noisy TVs, and electronic kitchen equipment clocks can be blocked. I can hardly hear any automobiles speeding down the sidewalk or the garbage trucks dumping rubbish in its front yard.
Overall, these two headphones do an excellent job of separating out ambient noise, but the Bose 700 is slightly better at filtering out high-frequency sounds. It is because, in Sony 1000xm4, lower-frequency sounds like aircraft engine buzzes are less likely to interfere with my listening experience.
5- Call Quality:
The Bose 700 has an eight-mic setup, as we already know. Four mics are among them, and they assist produce crystal-clear call quality. While standing around the corner from an extremely noisy power generator, I evaluated the call quality of both headphones.
The Bose 700 and the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones, both functioned admirably. Over the machine noise, the voice on the receiving end could plainly hear my voice.
However, that individual said that my voice sounded harsher and crackier using the Sony WH-1000XM4. On the other hand, I heard a lot of genuine voices on the Bose 700. So, in terms of call quality, I’ll keep the Bose 700 a cut above the rest. This headphone’s recording quality is also superior to that of the Sony 1000xm4.
6- Battery life:
We already know that the Sony battery lasts 10 hours longer than the Bose 700.
The reason for this is that Sony’s battery capacity is significantly superior to Bose’s in one. Sony’s rapid charging function is also worthy of appreciation. It gives me 5 hours of battery life within 10 minutes of quick charging whereas Bose offers 3.5 hours of playback for a 15-minute charge.
Furthermore, when comparing charging times, Sony’s high-capacity battery takes significantly less time to charge. I can use Sony WH-1000xm4 for a month without charging. On the other hand, Bose 700 only has a life of 2 to 3 weeks on a single charge.
I can use the Sony WH-1000xm4 nonstop for 10 to 12 hours for several days, however, the battery will be harmed. If I do this in the Bose 700, however, the battery life will begin to deteriorate after one week.
7- Connection Quality
The Bose 700 Noise Cancelling Headphone features a 2.5mm jack on one end and a 3.5 mm jack on the other, but the Sony 1000xm4 has a 3.5 mm connector on both ends.
The Bose headset only supports the high-quality Bluetooth codec AAC. On the iPhone, it is possible to get stable, high-quality audio, but this is not the case on Android. The Android operating system does not reliably encode and decode the AAC Bluetooth codec across devices. You may still listen using SBC, which is the Bluetooth codec with the lowest common denominator.
The Sony WH-1000XM4, on the other hand, has significantly greater codec compatibility, including SBC, AAC, and Sony’s proprietary LDAC.
LDAC is the finest codec we’ve tested for streaming multimedia over Bluetooth, despite some flaws. Multipoint technology is a new innovation in the Sony WH-1000xm4 that is also present on the Bose 700.
Because of this feature, the headphones may be paired with up to two devices at the same time. Sony, on the other hand, offers a wider range of connectivity choices, including Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, and Android Fast Pair.
All of them, notably NFC, can smoothly link to my smartphone. It links the headset and instantly turns on Bluetooth on the compatible Android handset. As a result, Sony 1000xm4 is clearly the victor once more.
8- Controls
Both headphones provide manual and touch settings, as well as on-ear detection. That means when I take off my headphones, the music will automatically halt and restart when I put them back on.
On the WH-1000XM4, the touch controls are smooth and faultless. I can easily handle the playback, volume, and phone calls because of their responsive tap and swipe movements.
It’s also simple to use the digital assistant or the listening modes (ANC, Ambient).
I can also use the touch panel or the Custom button behind the left ear cup to give instructions. Quick Attention and Speak-to-Chat are two significant features of this Sony headset. When I place my hand over the right ear cup or speak out loud, they will halt the music.
The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphone, on the other hand, has a wide range of available options.
The active noise canceling control, voice assistant access, and pairing buttons are all located on the device. A touch panel on the right ear cup allows me to manage the volume and playback.
Because the touch panel is smaller, the built-in expansion may interfere with some sliding movements.
Overall, I can say that the Sony 1000XM4’s control system is more intelligent than the Bose 700’s.
Do you want to choose the right earbuds for yourself, must go through our earbuds buying guide.
9- Apps and special features:
The Sony Headphones Connect app provides a comprehensive in-app connection. This software has a plethora of sound adjustment choices that can help me improve my listening experience in a variety of ways.
EQ settings, Sony 360 Reality Audio setup for in-ear spatial audio, and DSEE Extreme, which upscales compressed digital music files, are all included.
Using the Sony app, I can also modify features like voice assistant access, touch sensor control mapping, ambient sound controls, and speak-to-chat. In addition, depending on my location or activities, this Sony headset will allow me to automatically transition between noise-canceling levels.
On the other hand, the 1000xm4 provides a ‘find my headphone’ feature. But the Bose Music app is nowhere near as good as Sony’s.
With toggle controls, an Auto-Off function, and software upgrades, I’ll be able to customize noise-canceling and save three ANC levels. Furthermore, there is a Self-Voice option that adjusts the loudness of my voice during phone conversations.
But to be precise in the end, Sony 1000XM is far superior to Bose 700 in terms of apps and special features.
What Features Are Required To Buy Headphones?
The qualities listed above are some of the aspects that are essential in order to purchase an ideal pair of headphones for all of us. All of these things, however, change depending on how much money we have.
Apart from that, every set of headphones has these extremely basic characteristics. However, several functionalities should be included in our headphones such as:
- The driver in the headphones should be larger. It is the component that produces sound and is usually made up of a magnet, a voice coil, and a diaphragm. It’s not a hard and fast rule, but the bigger the driver, the better the sound.
- The sensitivity of the headphones should be increased. It indicates the maximum volume that a headphone may reach. The majority of headphones are approximately 110 dB/mW, and anything less than 85 dB/mW should be avoided at all costs.
- The impedance of the headphones should be greater. It is the amount of power necessary to make an earphone operate. 16 Ohms is a suitable impedance for headphones in general.
Frequently Asked Questions
- In Bose 700 vs Sony WH-1000XM4, which one has the better noise-canceling mode?
Overall, both two headphones do a great job of concealing ambient sounds, but the Bose 700 marginally outperforms the Sony WH-1000XM4 in terms of filtering out high-frequency noises.
- Can I go on a trip for a month with a one-time charged Sony WH-1000XM4?
Yes, you can since the Sony WH-1000XM4 can last a month on a single charge.
- Which one is better the Sony Headphones Connect app or Bose Music app?
Sony headphones connect app is far superior to Bose music app in terms of both controls and features.
Conclusion
The Sony WH-1000XM4 is unquestionably the winner of Bose 700 vs Sony WH-1000XM4 comparison and a better all-arounder, with superior noise cancellation, longer battery life, incredible sound quality, and several unique features.
Sony’s intelligent noise-canceling headphones with excellent sound improve our listening experience by allowing us to customize and control what we hear. With rapid charging capabilities, it can get up to 30 hours of battery life.
An expanded Smart Listening feature set and hands-free interactions with speak-to-chat make it one of the most products in the industry.
But still, it is up to you what you wanted to buy. Maybe you want a headphone with another feature that is not present in both of the headphones used in our comparison.
So, you can also consider any other headphone which has all features of your choice and which is also budget-friendly for you. There are many more headphones in the industry that are really comparable to the ones made by Bose and Sony.
Sennheiser PXC 550-II or Shure AONIC 50 ANC headphones are good options if you’re on a budget.
The PXC 550-II noise-canceling headphones include outstanding low-frequency noise suppression, compatibility for AptX and AptX Low Latency, and a comfortable design.
Shure AONIC 50, on the other hand, features a leather-wrapped design, multiple high-quality codecs support, a pleasant sound character, and outstanding ANC performance.