Quick Look: Tuscan leather for your Sony
I have to confess, I have a bit of a fetish for cases. Fortunately this crazy hobby of ours affords me every opportunity to indulge in my case fetish, be it for storing IEMs and DAPs, taking gear on the road, or even covering and protecting individual items.
The latter is my focus here, with the latest case design from South Korean start-up Miter. I've already had the pleasure of reviewing some of Miter's larger storage cases, most recently the
Miter Classic, which is now the official keepsafe for all my portable gear at home.
So when Joey (the voice of Miter for us westerners) suggested I take a look at their new case design for the XM4, I jumped at the chance.
The Miter Case for the Sony WF-1000XM4 (to use its full name) comes in two versions: PU leather, in a choice of three colours (black, navy and red), and genuine leather in a choice of three colours (Turkish Blue, dark green and peach pink).
I chose black PU and Turkish Blue leather for the purposes of this review, but little did I know how much thought and effort went into this seemingly innocuous accessory.
For one, the leather case isn't just
any leather. Opening the black storage box the leather case was shipped in, the first thing I noticed was a small certificate of authenticity from none other than the famous Conceria Il Ponte leather tannery in Tuscany, Italy. Turns out Miter sourced genuine vegetable tanned Pueblo leather for their tiny leather cases!
Structurally, the case is a simple two-part affair: a cover for each of the top and bottom sections of the case. The top part covers the entire lid of the case, while the bottom part has a cutout at the back to allow for easy access to the USB charging port. The two-part design also ensures the charging case opens fully without impediment.
I can't say the PU leather case has anywhere near the uber-premium feel of the genuine Tuscan leather, but it's clean, simple and minimalist for those wanting less bling and more bang-for-buck (albeit the price difference between the two is a mere $5).
Both versions are very well made, the leather case exceptionally so. The fit is snug and the case won't come off with ease during regular use. The inside of the case is lined with a soft material that won't damage the scratch-prone Sony case, and the seams are cleverly placed on the back, so the facade appears seamless. Importantly, both cases don't interfere with the wireless charging function, and the case LED is clearly visible at all times.
In my opinion, the XM4 case, for all its compactness, utility, and style, needs protecting. The matte finish is susceptible to scratches, fingerprints or worse when dropped or thrown casually into a pocket or bag.
Initially I bought a basic silicone cover to protect it for a few bucks off Amazon, and it did the job just fine. But if you want to add a touch of class, or better yet make a statement with a genuine Italian leather coat on your XM4s, the Miter case is an excellent, inexpensive and genuinely stylish option.
Miter's XM4 cases can be found online here:
Leather:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09F5S2JN1
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B09F5S2JN1
PU:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09F5VP18J
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B09F5VP18J
regarding walkman….as long as you have one which can transmit ldac it doesn’t matter as you’ll send best quality to the sony which have their own dac chip on board.
let us know.
