[bflat]

You have a little more control over the LDAC performance by going into Developer Options in the Android Settings. The default is adaptive (it will dynamically change from, iirc, 330 to 990, depending on connection quality) which to me honestly works fine, but when I really want to ensure the highest bitrate I go to the Developer options.

Thanks. It looks Fiio moved that to their custom Audio options and I have that set for "LDAC Quality".

After trying a couple silicon ear tips (JVC, FA, Symbio), I like the fit and sound of JVC Spiral Dots. These should work out fine for everyday wear and save the OEM tips for the plane (which won't be any time soon). Spiral Dots do seem to add some sparkle and removes some upper bass for an overall more neutral tuning. Symbio was interesting - similar upper sparkle, but kept the upper bass of the OEM tips. I just couldn't get a comfortable grip with those. Need a size between small and medium. The only size FA I had were too small so didn't get a good seal.

 

[Devodonaldson]

Thanks. It looks Fiio moved that to their custom Audio options and I have that set for "LDAC Quality".

After trying a couple silicon ear tips (JVC, FA, Symbio), I like the fit and sound of JVC Spiral Dots. These should work out fine for everyday wear and save the OEM tips for the plane (which won't be any time soon). Spiral Dots do seem to add some sparkle and removes some upper bass for an overall more neutral tuning. Symbio was interesting - similar upper sparkle, but kept the upper bass of the OEM tips. I just couldn't get a comfortable grip with those. Need a size between small and medium. The only size FA I had were too small so didn't get a good seal.

Azla xelastec lessen bass, clear mids and treble. Sizes SS, S, SM,, ML, L, XL. after a few minutes, you almost don't even feel them anymore as they form to your ear

 

[bflat]

Azla xelastec lessen bass, clear mids and treble. Sizes SS, S, SM,, ML, L, XL. after a few minutes, you almost don't even feel them anymore as they form to your ear

Thanks for the suggestion. It turns out I had removed the foam from my Symbio tips and have not used those for a long time. Can't believe I forgot what makes Symbio special LOL. Anyway, putting the foam back into the S size works great now so I'm going to stick with Symbio. The Spiral Dots lost a little too much low end warmth for me.

 

[drftr]

I missed you guys but I somehow managed to unfollow this thread...

Just read up on all I missed and remembered seeing this link with EQ curves for all presets. Not my cup of tea at all (EQ) but if it helps you then I'm all for it:

https://crinacle.com/2021/06/30/sony-wf-1000xm4-review-the-audiophiles-perspective/

drftr

 

[kutya]

Can I use EQ with a non-android player? I remember reading somewhere that it doesn't work. Maybe? I would use it with an NWZ-A15 player

 

[riverground]

Can I use EQ with a non-android player? I remember reading somewhere that it doesn't work. Maybe? I would use it with an NWZ-A15 player

I'm actually not sure how well the XM4 handles EQ from non-adroid DAPs.

I think it's best to EQ it on your phone first, and then pair it with your Walkman as it stores your settings on the earphones themselves.

 

[nc8000]

Can I use EQ with a non-android player? I remember reading somewhere that it doesn't work. Maybe? I would use it with an NWZ-A15 player

You set the eq via the Sony app and those settings are the stored in the headphone and used for every source you pair with

 

[drftr]

You set the eq via the Sony app and those settings are the stored in the headphone and used for every source you pair with

In addition: It works the same as turning on ANC. Once you have toggled it on with headphones connected you can simply switch the app off and the XM4 will keep the setting until you actively switch it off again in the app. Not the answer you asked for but it may help understanding.

drftr

 

[mt877]

Can I use EQ with a non-android player? I remember reading somewhere that it doesn't work. Maybe? I would use it with an NWZ-A15 player

Yes you can, and for any Bluetooth device you have paired. From page 278 of the Sony NWZ-A15/17 Help Guide:

Digital Media Player NWZ -A15/A17

Setting sound effects during a Bluetooth connection

You can select whether or not to apply the following sound effects when you send content from your Walkman to a Bluetooth audio device.

[Equalizer]
[VPT (Surround)]
[Dynamic Normalizer]
[ClearAudio+]

1. From the Home menu, select [Settings].

2. Select [Bluetooth Settings] - [Sound Effect Preset] - desired device - desired setting. When you select [On], the sound effect setting is applied.

You'll probably want to turn off any EQ setting you may have set in the Sony Headphone Connect app first. I can already picture someone setting their favorite EQ in Headphone Connect app and also enabling sound effects during Bluetooth connection then ending up with a total mixed bag of settings affecting their audio playback.

 

[kutya]

Thanks for your answers!

I bought the XM4 yesterday.

I was a little scared of him because I had never had a wireless earpiece before, but so far I don’t seem to have regretted it.

So far, I’ve found so many negatives that out of 6-7 existing Sony players, 1 has been recognized so far, and neither HiBy nor iBasso players have been able to breathe life into it.

 

[Uebelkraehe]

These are really surprisingly good, bought them initially primarily because the overall total package seemed to be good, but with a bit of tuning and tip rolling the resulting sound is very agreeable.
I'm using the treble EQ preset with a bit of added clear bass and the "Sound by Sweden powered by Supra Comfort Foam Tipps" and the result is crisp sound with excellent powerful and rather well textured bass and most surprisingly an impressive soundstage. The latter seems to primarily be a result of the tips, though the EQ probably helps, too.
I won't sell my cabled IEMs any time soon, but the WF4s are definitely being used a lot more often than expected and without much regret. A surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one...

 

[raulromanjr]

I hate that I have to go into the developer's options to force 990/909kbps everytime I connect the xm4s. Once set, I have a rock solid LDAC connection at the highest bit rate for the duration of my listening session. Why does it always revert back to best effort?

 

[drftr]

XM4s FOR SALE??? Probably... I experimented with the SpinFits CP360 for a couple of days, and although that cleans up the bass, midd-bass, and low-mids in a tremendous way, I want to look for a better overall experience and balance. There's just too much mainly acoustic instruments that are too far off in my opinion. Still, I recommend experimenting with the tips if you're curious about improvements in sound profile, clarity, detail, and dynamics, as results were much better than I expected to be possible.

I also found this guide that may be helpful for some:

https://www.headphonesty.com/2018/04/ultimate-guide-selecting-perfect-iem-ear-buds-tips/

drftr

 

[joshnor713]

I hate that I have to go into the developer's options to force 990/909kbps everytime I connect the xm4s. Once set, I have a rock solid LDAC connection at the highest bit rate for the duration of my listening session. Why does it always revert back to best effort?

Same here, it's very annoying. I tried the tip someone here gave, to install the Sony Music Center app and set it there, but to my dismay I saw that the LDAC setting still reverted back to "Best Effort". Why is this so hard?

 

[jsmiller58]

I hate that I have to go into the developer's options to force 990/909kbps everytime I connect the xm4s. Once set, I have a rock solid LDAC connection at the highest bit rate for the duration of my listening session. Why does it always revert back to best effort?

@raulromanjr & @joshnor713 - this phenomenon of the LDAC bitrate resetting is normal Android behavior. I don’t understand why, but my guess is that Android developers wanted to default towards a solid wireless connection, and at the full 990/909 the connection is simply too flaky (often just putting your phone in your back pocket can result in cutouts…).

FWIW, and it may not be worth much (!), I used to obsess about making sure that I had 990 by continuously setting it in the developer settings. Now I don’t even bother after realizing that I really cannot tell the difference for casual listening and I would much rather have a solid connection. If I want the best possible SQ I would not be using Bluetooth earphones, I would be using wired IEMs…. But, that is just the way I look at it!