[hldn]

Are the m4s still very buggy? Ive seen a couple of reviews where they mention it, and also read here on head-fi and other sites like reddit. It looks like the m4s has a lot of issuses? Or have the newest firmwares improved them?

Its the latest firm that introduced most issues

Are the anc on par with bowers & wilkins px8?

No

 

[cristian007]

Are the m4s still very buggy? Ive seen a couple of reviews where they mention it, and also read here on head-fi and other sites like reddit. It looks like the m4s has a lot of issuses? Or have the newest firmwares improved them?

Depends on what you mean by "buggy". The bluetooth connection was 100% stable for me during the last last couple of weeks, used daily connected to a MacBook and a Samsung phone. Battery life is solid, the app works fine, the sound quality is excellent. Call quality is very good so they work well as a work headphone for video calls etc. The touch controls are glitchy as you can accidentally trigger commands you didn't intend (as you'd expect with a user interface controlled via touch but that cannot be seen while operated - who thought this was a good idea?!). The app sometimes takes a bit of time to connect to the headphones and but overall feels polished and allows configuring settings that seem relevant/helpful - such as the wind noise reduction setting or the setting that allows you to hear your own voice during calls. (This, in contrast with the app of the Technics A800 that I've also tested that that doesn't do much, and that of the XM5 where half of the settings are either irrelevant or traps you want to avoid - such as "speak to chat" and the sound upscalling tech, each of which reduce the battery life by 30% or so making them last less than a day.)

Apparently the latest firmware update of the M4 reduced the quality of ANC. I upgraded to the latest firmware shortly after getting them so I cannot tell for sure as I don't trust my hearing memory well enough. For me it does the job well enough (not excellent) as it is, as I usually keep low volume music on while working, and that + the ANC work well together to help me maintain focus. The positive aspect of the ANC of the M4 is that it produces no "cabin pressure" effect (which I strongly disliked in other headphones), it produces no hiss when on (except when set to the maximum level which I don't do), and doesn't seem to interfere with the sound quality. Overall this means that you get a decent level of ANC while still benefitting from good comfort and good SQ. I had the chance to compare the ANC directly to that of the XM5 and the A800. The A800 produced so much cabin pressure that I discarded them immediately. The XM5 are significantly more quiet, to the level that I would be able to maintain focus in a relatively noisy environment even with no background music playing, while the cabin pressure is bearable (but still noticeable) and the SQ being less satisfying than that of the M4 (to my ears). So you got to pick your compromise. Based on some reviews I've read I would assume the ANC of the B&Ws was similar in quality, as apparently everything that is not XM5 is significantly poorer, while coming at the host of that higher cabin pressure effect (in which aspect the M4s are luckily an exception).

 

[Valen1901]

Out of curiosity. Does the Codec option in Configuration show anything for anyone anytime? Its always showing No Audio Stream for me. Not that it bothers me as the app is far from perfect. I run the app in a Pixel 6 phone, it did not show anything in Android 12 and it does not show anything in Android 13 either.

PS I'd swear the wind reduction has become way worse with the latest updates...

I have a pixel 6 pro, shows no audio stream for me too.

 

[cristian007]

For me it displays AAC when playing from the MacBook and AptX when playing from Samsung Galaxy.

I have a pixel 6 pro, shows no audio stream for me too.

 

[Valen1901]

Man im running out of patience for this update, was told it would be mid march

 

[KopaneDePooj]

I don't even have the headphones yet, and I'm running out of patience

Yep, my PX7 died during warranty period and I'm thinking of getting these, despite the ANC issue you guys are reporting, the potential creaking problems and the fact that I think that using "single tap" for any interaction is a flawed idea and the source of accidentally triggered commands, and the reason Sony never used single tap, and their implementation of touch is actually usable, soo despite all these I'm thinking of getting the M4, because I see no alternative in this price range and this sound signature/quality. I tested them and I love the sound! So I'm willing to put some silicone oil in the hinges If they'll creak and live with the flawed touch control-scheme and hope the ANC gets fixed.

I'm also not crazy about the fact that they auto turn on when taken out of the case. I like to be in control, maybe I just want to look at them, or put them around my neck without them auto turning on... Can this behavior be stopped by disabling the wear sensor, so only the on/off button remains active? Can someone please test this?

 

[crispytom]

I don't even have the headphones yet, and I'm running out of patience

Yep, my PX7 died during warranty period and I'm thinking of getting these, despite the ANC issue you guys are reporting, the potential creaking problems and the fact that I think that using "single tap" for any interaction is a flawed idea and the source of accidentally triggered commands, and the reason Sony never used single tap, and their implementation of touch is actually usable, soo despite all these I'm thinking of getting the M4, because I see no alternative in this price range and this sound signature/quality. I tested them and I love the sound! So I'm willing to put some silicone oil in the hinges If they'll creak and live with the flawed touch control-scheme and hope the ANC gets fixed.

I'm also not crazy about the fact that they auto turn on when taken out of the case. I like to be in control, maybe I just want to look at them, or put them around my neck without them auto turning on... Can this behavior be stopped by disabling the wear sensor, so only the on/off button remains active? Can someone please test this?

How would you say the sound signature is like?

 

[KopaneDePooj]

How would you say the sound signature is like?

I tested the M4 some 6 months ago so my memory of its sound is not so fresh, but I remember It was natural, balanced except for the elevated bass (done right), and it had a much wider soundstage than PX8 that I also tested around that time.

 

[crispytom]

I tested the M4 some 6 months ago so my memory of its sound is not so fresh, but I remember It was natural, balanced except for the elevated bass (done right), and it had a much wider soundstage than PX8 that I also tested around that time.

Interesting... for me its coming down to these the bathys and the new audeze maxwells. Hard to decide which factoring value and sound

 

[hldn]

With the old firm the ANC was still miles behind almost any other ANC headphones in the market, but with the newest firmware it's like there's almost no ANC at all. Plus trying to adjust it makes things worse. Of the 32 pages here almost half of them must be about it. Plus it's confirmed by Sennheiser (multiple times) that there's a lot of problems. My latest quote was a copy paste from a support ticket I opened with them.

Wonder if when they say +/- one week they mean 3 months. Because last time someone posted that Senny replied with "January".

Two weeks later, still no sign of the update...

About dog barks and keyboard clicks, I can assure you both the M4s with original firmware and any of the latest Sony generations were highly effective. Nowadays ANC cans don't just remove low frequency sounds but most frequencies.

I just check in here every few days a week to see if the vaporware that is this firmware update every becomes real, or is this like the full self driving Elon the dbag has been promising for years now

Man im running out of patience for this update, was told it would be mid march

I don't even have the headphones yet, and I'm running out of patience

Yep, my PX7 died during warranty period and I'm thinking of getting these, despite the ANC issue you guys are reporting, the potential creaking problems and the fact that I think that using "single tap" for any interaction is a flawed idea and the source of accidentally triggered commands, and the reason Sony never used single tap, and their implementation of touch is actually usable, soo despite all these I'm thinking of getting the M4, because I see no alternative in this price range and this sound signature/quality. I tested them and I love the sound! So I'm willing to put some silicone oil in the hinges If they'll creak and live with the flawed touch control-scheme and hope the ANC gets fixed.

I'm also not crazy about the fact that they auto turn on when taken out of the case. I like to be in control, maybe I just want to look at them, or put them around my neck without them auto turning on... Can this behavior be stopped by disabling the wear sensor, so only the on/off button remains active? Can someone please test this?

Hey guys, good news

I mailed Sennheiser again asking what did they mean with +/- a week and got a new answer!

According to the development department the update will be "coming soon"...

 

[Valen1901]

Hey guys, good news

I mailed Sennheiser again asking what did they mean with +/- a week and got a new answer!

According to the development department the update will be "coming soon"...

Coming soon could be a month for all we know, i know its gonna come out eventually but waiting for it is a chore.

 

[scarfacegt]

Hey guys, good news

I mailed Sennheiser again asking what did they mean with +/- a week and got a new answer!

According to the development department the update will be "coming soon"...

What will this update fix/upgrade if i may ask?

 

[KopaneDePooj]

When I tested the M4, I remember that every swipe up/down changed the volume in large increments - 2-3 or even 4 steps at once, I thought maybe it is my phone (Galaxy S10e) because I had an app from Samsung installed "Sound Assistant" that can modify volume steps. But now I see a video review stating the same behavior.

19:17 - Timestamp here >>



Is this normal operation? When I had the Sony XM4, every swipe registered ONE step volume change regardless of long/short swipe. If I wanted to increase/decrease continuously, I had to swipe and stop my finger on the cup. That changed the volume continuously, slowly, with beep feedback on every step.
Momentum does wild long increases with every swipe. Is there a way to change volume by ONE step without struggling to gently caress the cup?


And something else - I see a video review stating that when headphone in case, if you turn the case upside down the headphone auto powers on... can you confirm? / has this been fixed.

3:30 - Timestamp here >>

 

[KopaneDePooj]

Hi @ericpalonen - hope all is well.
Do you have any take regarding my comments/questions in my post above and post #486 ?
Community here seems very quiet about these.
I intend to buy the M4 but I need these matters clarified.
Thanks!

 

[Valen1901]

Hi @ericpalonen - hope all is well.
Do you have any take regarding my comments/questions in my post above and post #486 ?
Community here seems very quiet about these.
I intend to buy the M4 but I need these matters clarified.
Thanks!

I have them, as far as the volume swipe goes, you can do long swipes instead of one big swipe which gives you more control. My auto on/off works perfectly, i even put em in the case and turned it upside down, threw em on the bed and just tried to get them to turn on but they wouldnt. So it works well for me