[noobandroid]

The Dekoni EarPadz for the Sony WH1000XM4 are currently undergoing a revision process due to an unexpected QC concern.

Sales on existing XM4 pads are currently being recalled, and we expect the revised XM4 pads to be available by early-mid March.

To make sure you don't miss the full release, be sure to subscribe to our email list for the latest news and more!

*From Dekoni site.

no wonder i didnt get email from them about the release

 

[ZoomB]

I just got these yesterday and I'm interested in learning a few things about them as I'm a little confused now after a bit of testing.
In wireless mode I think they sound great and I switched them to LDAC, the ANC is amazing and I'm trying to figure out after wearing them for longer if the headache like discomfort is from clamping force or the ANC running on for too long.

So what's going on in Wired Mode when I turn them on ? The ANC starts and they don't use their internal DAC ? I have them connected to the iFi Zen and while I can't pin point it I feel like there's a slight difference in soundstage from when they're wireless. And I think they're equalized differently (brighter) in wireless mode, if that makes sense... I'm using 2 songs to test differences :
Roger Waters - The Ballad of Bill Hubbard
Rebeca Pidgeon - Spanish Harlem

After going back and forward between wired and wireless I'm now even more confused and I don't even know which mode sounds better, which is why I'm trying to get some clarity on how these work in wired mode and if its a technical downgrade from wireless.

 

[OhmAlone]

So what's going on in Wired Mode when I turn them on ? The ANC starts and they don't use their internal DAC ? I have them connected to the iFi Zen and while I can't pin point it I feel like there's a slight difference in soundstage from when they're wireless.

If you power them on, then they are always using their internal dac/DSP. Once they’re powered on, there are three modes: noise canceling, ambient sound (i.e. making outside sounds louder), ambient sound control off (i.e., no noise canceling and no enhancement of outside sounds).

IMO, these sound the best in the third mode: wired, powered on, with no noise canceling. If you don’t really need the NC, you’re not out and about, and you have a source with a headphone out, I believe you’ll get the best sound this way. I would never use these wired without powering them on because I believe the drivers need the internal DSP to behave properly. Once you wire them, though, you will lose any EQ settings you made in the app. They need a Bluetooth connection for those settings to load.

 

[ZoomB]

If you power them on, then they are always using their internal dac/DSP. Once they’re powered on, there are three modes: noise canceling, ambient sound (i.e. making outside sounds louder), ambient sound control off (i.e., no noise canceling and no enhancement of outside sounds).

IMO, these sound the best in the third mode: wired, powered on, with no noise canceling. If you don’t really need the NC, you’re not out and about, and you have a source with a headphone out, I believe you’ll get the best sound this way. I would never use these wired without powering them on because I believe the drivers need the internal DSP to behave properly. Once you wire them, though, you will lose any EQ settings you made in the app. They need a Bluetooth connection for those settings to load.

So there's no "nerf" in audio performance if they're not processing sound via Bluetooth and one of those codecs right ?

 

[TaffyinLA]

If you power them on, then they are always using their internal dac/DSP. Once they’re powered on, there are three modes: noise canceling, ambient sound (i.e. making outside sounds louder), ambient sound control off (i.e., no noise canceling and no enhancement of outside sounds).

I'm not convinced 'Ambient Sound off' works as it's supposed to. I hear a slight amplification of external white noise when everything 'should' be off. If I switch the headphones off and put them on my head, I can barely hear the central air system in my house. If I switch the headphones on, then disable Ambient control, I hear the central air quite clearly amplified through the drivers. I have to switch on noise cancelling if I want to use them wirelessly at home.

 

[OhmAlone]

I'm not convinced 'Ambient Sound off' works as it's supposed to. I hear a slight amplification of external white noise when everything 'should' be off.

That’s interesting - should definitely be investigated by the board. I will try mine later. Never noticed it, but never really looked for it, either.

 

[OhmAlone]

So there's no "nerf" in audio performance if they're not processing sound via Bluetooth and one of those codecs right ?

No, unless you consider losing your Sony app EQ to be a major disadvantage. If you don’t EQ them from the Sony app, then you only gain in performance, since a wired audio signal is still superior to a Bluetooth one - well, in theory at least.

 

[MayaTlab]

I have a little question regarding DSEE extreme. I noticed that when it's enabled, if I play single tones in the 14800-15200hz range (for example from a website such as this one : https://www.szynalski.com/tone-generator/), I get a strange distortion at various points in that range. This is with AAC on a Mac. I haven't yet tested with another source or SBC.
Turning it off makes it disappear (and in general solves the problems I noticed when playing single tones at high frequencies with them). Is it something you've noticed as well ?

 

[OhmAlone]

I'm not convinced 'Ambient Sound off' works as it's supposed to. I hear a slight amplification of external white noise when everything 'should' be off. If I switch the headphones off and put them on my head, I can barely hear the central air system in my house. If I switch the headphones on, then disable Ambient control, I hear the central air quite clearly amplified through the drivers. I have to switch on noise cancelling if I want to use them wirelessly at home.

FWIW, I just tested this and noticed no difference in noise attenuation between fully passive/not powered on and powered on in Ambient Sound Control Off mode. Just my $.02.

 

[GrussGott]

After going back and forward between wired and wireless I'm now even more confused and I don't even know which mode sounds better, which is why I'm trying to get some clarity on how these work in wired mode and if its a technical downgrade from wireless.

Personal preference but I wouldn't run them wired unless you have to as they're not made for that - the ear cups are different shapes/sound profiles due to the proximity sensor and the DSP seems to correct for that.

IMO, if you don't need noise cancelling, there's no reason to use these HPs - there are better wireless options (drop panda) and MUCH better wired options. These will never sound right wired.

 

[OhmAlone]

Personal preference but I wouldn't run them wired unless you have to as they're not made for that - the ear cups are different shapes/sound profiles due to the proximity sensor and the DSP seems to correct for that.

The DSP remains active in wired mode as long as you power them on. The only difference in that case is the signal it’s receiving: Bluetooth audio vs. wired audio, minus a loss of the app EQ. Since wired audio is theoretically better than Bluetooth audio, this should be the best-sounding way to use these headphones. Not making any factual claims, of course, but I find they sound better this way, to my ears anyway.

 

[starfly]

The DSP remains active in wired mode as long as you power them on. The only difference in that case is the signal it’s receiving: Bluetooth audio vs. wired audio, minus a loss of the app EQ. Since wired audio is theoretically better than Bluetooth audio, this should be the best-sounding way to use these headphones. Not making any factual claims, of course, but I find they sound better this way, to my ears anyway.

What this guy said.

 

[jb2unique]

What this guy said.

I second that.

 

[ArchDragoon]

Here's the cursed image.

 

[greenkomodo1]

These having everything I want but just so uncomfortable...they are so painful can't wear them. The clamp force and my ears are getting crushed ((( I'm so sad. I've stretched them out over a few nights but same thing. Is it possible to replace the XM4 ear pads? If so which ones will fit to give more room? Still probably wouldn't help top of my head pain.