If you're trying to decide between Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 and Sony WF-1000XM4. They are both great ANC TWS earbuds with 3D surround support. There are a few major factors you should consider: Design, comfort, build quality, sound quality, ANC performance and voice call quality.
| Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 | Sony WF-1000XM4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price* | ||
| Release year | Nov, 2022 | Jul, 2021 |
| Photo |  |  |
| Bluetooth version | Bluetooth 5.2 | Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Codec | AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive, SBC | AAC, LDAC, SBC |
| Battery life | Rated up to 6.00 hours | Rated up to 8.00 hours |
| Weight | 5.40 grams | 7.40 grams |
| Water-resistant | IPX4 | IPX4 |
| Driver | 5.8mm Dynamic driver | ø6mm Dynamic Driver |
| Noise reduction Tech | MEMS type | 3 microphones (2 for NC and 1 for voice call) |
| Fast charging | No | 5 mins = 1 hour |
| Wireless charging case | Yes, Qi Wireless Charging | Yes, Qi Wireless Charging |
| Transparency mode | Yes | Yes |
| ANC | Yes | Yes |
| Multipoint | Yes | Yes |
| Personalized hearing | No | No |
| Spatial Audio | No | Sony's 360 Reality Audio |
| HR Tracking | ✖ | ✖ |
| Dynamic head tracking | ✖ | ✖ |
Price* at the time of writing.
Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: The good and The bad
| Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 | Sony WF-1000XM4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pros | Excellent sound, Lightweight with secure fit, Comfortable fit, Effective active noise cancellation | Top-notch build quality, Excellent bass performance |
| Cons | Limited control customization | May be a bit big, bulky, Expensive |
| Short review | Audio Technica always shows off something different in design, but not sound. The Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 have a strong appearance with bold logo on the back, the earbuds give a snug fit and feel really secure on the ear. However we feel a bit safe for the ATH-TWX9's sound quality, they did a great job for the treble and mid-range while the bass amount is kept reasonably adequate. This makes the ATH-TWX9'sound balanced, but other criteria like fun, dynamic are cut off a bit. | The XM4 did a great job on how the emphasis distributes over ranges. In order of bass, mid, treble the emphasis becomes less. This makes the sound feel way more richness, less harsh on treble. Balanced with strong bass but won't lose characteristic of treble. |
Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: Fit and Comfort
The Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 comes with stems and impressive oval-shaped housings, they fit firmly and comfortably into the ears without stability bands or anything else.
The Sony WF-1000XM4 have neither stems nor stability barnds. They are heavier (7.40 grams vs 5.40 grams) and larger, but offer a bit better noise isolation, especially with foam tips. Though, they are not suited for those with really small ears.
Winner: Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 for more secure, comfortable fit.
Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: App and Control
The Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 have a multiple function button on the side of stem, where you can play/pause, answer calls, and adjust the volume. However the each button is assigned different functionalities. On the right, you can press twice to play the next track, press three times to play the previous track. On the left, press to increase the volume, press twice to decrease the volume. While the touch control allow you to switch the ambient sound mode on/off, and you can customize the controls example change the touch control on the left to trigger voice assistant. If you often accidentally touch on the touch panel during exercise, you can disable the touch control completely.
Sony offers the customization for touch control on their Sony | Headphones Connect like tap, tap and hold, double tap and triple tap. But you can only Play/pause/skip tracks on the left and switch ANC/Ambient Sound on the right.
Winner: Sony WF-1000XM4
Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: Call quality
The Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 works quite well for calls in quiet environments, but when increasing the background noise, like it gets a bit more windy, the caller will start to hear a bit more cracking sound, bit it's still fine. It also happens for Sony WF-1000XM4, both pairs are struggled to separate your voice from the background noises.
Winner: Draw
Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: Sound quality
In terms of sound quality, the sound signature of Sony WF-1000XM4 is tonally warm with strong bass. The XM4 are equipped with ø6mm and more advanced codecs (LDAC - if you have phones support it) and the sound become a bit feel more room for soundstage.
You may like the Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 sound pretty good for its airy sound, clear highs and a lot of bass, but it still represents a bit sibilance. Put everything together, we feel the XM4 having better soundstage and better sound. Well, the XM4's sound is easily to be characterized.
Winner: Sony
Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: Battery life
The Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 provide up to 6 hours of listening time, while you get 8 hours of listening time for Sony WF-1000XM4. A note that the Sony WF-1000XM4 have a known issue for battery after updating firmware.
Winner: Sony
Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: Codecs
The Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 support AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive, SBC while Sony WF-1000XM4 support AAC, LDAC, SBC
Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: Immersive Sound
The Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 supports spatial audio that applies to 360 Reality Audio or Dolby Atmos Music tracks. While the Sony WF-1000XM4's 3D surround does require compatible content mixed, mastered with Sony's 360 Reality Audio in order to take effect and it seems Sony did a better job for immersive sound than Audio Tehnica.
Winner: Sony
Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: Noise Cancelling Performance
After conducting some test in harsh conditions (intense noise background) we can conclude that the Sony's ANC is superior to Audio Technica. Both pair require the adjustment for proper fit in order to get the optimum ANC performance.
Winner: Sony
Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: Which pair should you buy?.
The $93 Sony WF-1000XM4 are better in many criteria - sound, ANC, control and 3D surround support. If you need something else like a more comfortable, secure fit and different sound other than balanced with enhanced bass you can go for the $280 Audio Technica ATH-TWX9 .