1 CommentI’m writing this on my last flight of a two-month trip around the world. It started in Japan in July—which I’ve already written about. It’s ending now after I spent some time in New Hampshire and Maine with my dad. As I’ve done for the last several years, I brought with me the Sony WF‑1000XM4 earbuds. I love their sound, and their noise canceling is very good. They’re fantastic, or should I say, they were fantastic. Sadly, the XM4s are not long for this world.
Headphones/earphones are a highly personal thing, and if you’ve found a set you really like, it’s understandable you’d want them to last well into the future. Between adventures, I’d use the XM4s periodically. Typically, I just use whatever I’m reviewing. Still, they were my go-to choice if what I was reviewing at that moment was particularly meh. So imagine my disappointment hearing a battery warning not even halfway through their normal playtime. Oh no. This was week one of ten. Double oh no.
As the trip continued, the battery issue worsened. At best, I’d get less than an hour before they’d have to go back into their case for a charge. I’d brought other earbuds with me (I’m me, after all), but none offered the all-around greatness of the XM4s.
True wireless earbuds just don’t have great longevity. I’d be surprised if you haven’t noticed. What is perhaps surprising is how rarely I’ve had this issue. I’m reviewing too many things to use one pair for very long. The XM4s were different. I bought them for a project. These were my earbuds. I’ve used them for years. I’ll miss them.
A conspiracy?
It’d be easy to point fingers at manufacturers for the mediocre lifespan of small personal electronics. The fault, as much as there is one, is the battery tech itself. As miraculous as lithium-ion is, given its light weight and energy density, it degrades rapidly. I’m sure you’ve all seen that. The tin-foil-hat types will shout “planned obsolescence!” but no material is perfect.
Phones and laptops often have settings to help maximize battery life, not just in the short term but to extend the life of the device. Limiting the charge amount and the charge speed can greatly increase a battery’s life at the cost of some usability. Earbuds don’t have that luxury. We want them small, light, loud, fast-charging, long-lasting, and high-performing. That’s a tall order. To be honest, it’s impressive they work as well as they do.
If you’re experiencing a similar issue, there are a few ways to obtain a stay of execution, if only a short one. Try taking the earbuds out of their case in the opposite order you usually do. Typically, the first earbud out of the case will connect to your device, and then the second will connect to the first. That first earbud will drain faster, putting more wear on its battery. You can also turn off the noise canceling, though that might defeat the purpose of having those earbuds to begin with. Along those lines, if you don’t care about noise canceling, there’s always the wired option. Personally, though, now that I’ve gotten used to no wires, it’d be hard going back.
It’s theoretically possible to replace the batteries, though if you’re not a DIYer, the cost of this might exceed the value of the earbuds. I might try this and do a story on it, but dissecting one of my favorite earphones seems . . . traumatic.
So the search begins for an all-around earbud for my adventures. I’ll still use Bose QuietComfort earbuds on planes. Their NC is just too good. Their sound isn’t, hence the search. The Noble Audio FoKus Rex5 earphones are close, but they’re a little conspicuous. Let’s call this a side quest to my normal SoundStage! Solo activities. I love a good side quest.
. . . Geoffrey Morrison
