Sony s $350 wireless headphones join Bose as the gold standard in wireless…

Sony’s 350 wireless headphones join Bose as the gold standard in wireless noise-cancelling headphones

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• Sony’s WH-1000XM4 headphones are among the best wireless noise-cancelling headphones you can get in the 350 price range.
• They have excellent noise cancellation, phone call quality that cuts out a tremendous amount of ambient noise, great battery life, and amazing audio performance.
• If you’re not satisfied by the way they sound out of the box, you can use Sony’s Headphones app to tweak them. It’s worth doing, because you can get better sound than the historical gold standard in wireless noise-cancelling headphones — the 400 Bose 700.
• If you’re looking at wireless noise-cancelling headphones, chances are you’re also looking at the Bose 700. If so, check out our direct comparison between the Sony WH-1000XM4 and the Bose 700.

Right off the bat, the Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless noise-cancelling headphones should be serious contenders for your head and ears.

Indeed, “wireless” and “noise cancelling” have been popular criteria, and Sony gets these two aspects absolutely right. You’re also getting great sound quality that you can refine to your liking by using the Sony Headphones app, and you might even like them more than the historical gold standard in wireless noise-cancelling headphones — the 400 Bose 700.

If 350 is in your budget for wireless noise-cancelling headphones, the XM4 should absolutely be high up in your shortlist, but make sure to read the full review below to ensure they’re for you.

Comfort and design

The XM4 are very comfortable headphones. The earcups covered in smooth leatherette are plush and don’t grip onto my head, but they’re just tight and lightweight enough that the headphones stay on while tilting and turning my head in every direction. For reference, my head around my brow and tips of my ears measure in at about 23 inches. The headband is made of something firmer, but also covered in smooth leatherette, and it doesn’t apply too much pressure, nor does the top of my head get sore after long periods of listening.

Design-wise, the XM4 are pretty neutral and modern looking. Their matte plastic exterior is available in black and “silver,” which looks more like a kind of light tan or gray beige. You could make the argument that there should be more metal for a pair of 350 headphones, but metal would probably add more weight, and it wouldn’t really add much more to their premium feel.

Sound quality

What’s objective and definitive is that the XM4 gets the basics right — they have a very rich sound and a good, fairly wide soundstage. Sony also boasts that it collaborated with Sony Music Studios Tokyo for the sound quality of the XM4s. To be honest, I’m not the right person to tell you how much that counts for, but I thought I’d mention it.

Outside of that, it’s hard for me to tell you whether these sound good or not, because everyone hears differently and everyone has a preference to how their music sounds. And that happens to be an area where the XM4s shine. Their sound is customizable via the Sony Headphones app, and you can change the sound to however you want it to be. Customizing sound through equalizer (EQ) settings isn’t new, it’s just particularly effective with Sony’s app and the XM4 headphones.

Thank goodness the XM4s are customizable, because their out-of-the-box sound isn’t my favorite. In their default state, the XM4s have big, powerful sound that leans heavily towards bass and doesn’t give very much attention to higher frequencies, which leads to a muffled sound that frankly isn’t very impressive. If you like clarity and a better balance that features a little more treble and highs, the XM4 won’t be for you, and you’ll want to go into the Sony Headphones app to customize the sound.

So that’s what I did, and I found an adjustment that makes my music sound amazing to me, and it was pretty easy and quick. In fact, my own customization turned the XM4 into a pair of headphones that are going to be hard to replace. It was worth going into the app and playing around with the sound settings, as I prefer the way the XM4 sound compared to the Bose. (If you’re curious, I use the “Bright” preset, and set the “Clear Bass” to 5 or more.)

Some don’t really care too much and just want a pair of headphones that they’re told sound good without fiddling around in an app, and for those people, I’d suggest the 400 Bose 700 that can often be had for less. They offer excellent sound out of the box.

Noise cancellation and battery life

Noise cancellation on the XM4 is excellent and on par with Bose, which have set the standard for noise-cancelling wireless headphones with the Quiet Comfort line, and most recently its 700 line.

In an office-type environment at about 53 decibels, including air conditioning droning and a couple of loud fans, I could listen to music at significantly lower volumes than without noise cancelling. The ambient noise from the air conditioning and fans, and even the sound of my wife on a phone call in the same room was all but forgotten while listening to music.

Without music, some higher frequency fan noise was still audible, but the XM4 made the room significantly quieter and more comfortable to work in. I could also still hear my wife’s phone conversation, but again, it was totally tolerable, and I could still easily work comfortably without feeling distracted.

I even tested the XM4 next to my home’s 10KW backup power generator, which produces between 65 and 85 decibels — a range that decently represents a Midtown Manhattan avenue. The XM4 did remarkably well at cancelling out the generator’s noise considering my proximity to the generator, and that the noise was coming exclusively from one source rather than the “everywhere” nature of noise in Manhattan.

In a sentence, the XM4 will absolutely make subway and walking commutes in busy cities significantly more tolerable and comfortable.

As for battery life, Sony touts an impressive 30 hours, and five hours of listening time from a quick 10-minute top-off charge with 1.5A or more adapter. All in all, battery life in real life is great — it never felt as if I was constantly charging the XM4.

Phone calls

Sony has worked to improve the ambient noise reduction during phone calls, and that work paid off. I had a phone conversation at around the 65-75 decibel range (near my generator), and the person I was speaking with said, for the most part, they wouldn’t know I was next to a noisy engine that produces 10,000 watts of power at 240 volts.

Basically, that means you can walk around a city’s busy streets and have a comfortable conversation with barely any city noise making its way into the phone call.

That brings the XM4s up to the Bose 700 region for phone call performance, which is saying something. The Bose 700 were a revelation for ambient noise control for phone calls.

Apps and other features

The Sony Headphones app is utilitarian but necessary to customize the sound to your liking, and while it was quick and easy for me, I see plenty of room for improvement to make it more intuitive and more attractive, especially for those who are less inclined on tech.

Sony has loaded the XM4s with one feature that’s incredibly important for a pair of wireless headphones in 2020 and beyond, as well as a bunch of features that aren’t entirely necessary, even questionable.

First, the important feature the XM4s include is Bluetooth multipoint technology, which lets you connect to two devices at the same time. Multipoint is essential if you often switch between your phone and computer — you can listen to music from your computer with the headphones, as well as pick up a phone call from your phone without any manual switching.

Another feature that works well is “Quick Attention,” which reduces your music’s volume and turns off noise cancelling when you place your hand over the right earcup. That’s great when you need to communicate with someone briefly, like when you’re buying something. Volume and noise cancellation come right back when you remove your hand from the right earcup. I’d still think I’m being rude if I kept my headphones on while communicating with another human being, but at least the motion of putting your hand to the earcup is an indication that you’re doing something to pay attention to them.

There’s also “Speak To Chat,” where the headphones detect when you’re talking, and music and noise cancellation are totally turned off. When the headphones detect that you’re no longer talking, music and noise cancellation are re-engaged after a set amount of time. It works well, but if I’m going to chat with anyone for more than a brief amount of time, I’m going to take off the headphones. If it’s not obvious, this is one of the questionable features.

The Sony app includes a noise cancellation optimizer designed to, well, optimize noise cancellation for you by analyzing anything that might alter the earcups’ seal around your ears. I’m not entirely sure if it works, to be honest, but optimized or not, sound quality and noise cancellation remain excellent.

There’s also a “360 Reality Audio” feature that supposedly enhances audio with some kind of surround sound enhancements. The setup process is odd, as you need to take photos of your ears, and it only works with the Tidal, Nugs, and Deezer streaming apps. I don’t use any of these apps, so I couldn’t test this feature. Honestly, these kinds of features rarely end up enhancing anything for the better.

Should you buy the Sony WH-1000XM4?

I could leave it at that, but I need to disclose that the XM4s work best if you use the Sony Headphones app. Maybe you’ll like the default sound, but I find it lackluster. After a little effortless tweaking, the XM4 became one of my favorite pairs of all-around headphones — you’re getting some of the best sound quality, comfort, noise cancellation, and phone call quality in the 350 price range.

If 350 is on the higher side, you could still pick up Sony’s previous generation in the XM series, the WH-1000XM3. Sound quality, noise cancellation, and comfort are all just a hair under the new XM4, but for the sub-250 price tags we’re seeing these days for the XM3, they’re a bargain. To note, the XM3s would also benefit from some minor finagling with the app to get the sound you like. See what we said about the XM3 headphones around the time they were released.

If you’re truly not interested in playing around with an app and you “just want a good pair of headphones,” I’d recommend the Bose 700 instead. You can check out the Bose 700 review here.

Pros: Comfortable, long battery life, excellent noise cancellation, great audio quality, incredibly effective sound customization, impressive ambient noise reduction for phone calls

Cons: Default sound is muffled and lacks highs and clarity, app is utilitarian and not super intuitive

Sony WH-1000XM4 review: Our favorite noise-cancelling headphones get minimal but welcome upgrades

The Sony WH-1000XM4 is the successor to what are widely considered to be the best active noise cancelling headphones on the market. While the feature upgrades are minimal, they are nonetheless welcome.

Two years ago, when when I reviewed Sony’s WH-1000XM3 active noise-cancelling headphones, I said that Sony had finally eclipsed Bose in this category. And I wasn’t the only one to say it. Now, the company is back with the all-new WH-1000XM4. While these new cans don’t advance the ball by a lot, they nonetheless are my new top recommendation for music lovers looking for great-sounding headphones that also deliver terrific noise cancellation.

Key improvements include a proximity sensor that automatically toggles play/pause when you put the headphones on and take them off, support for Sony’s LDAC high-res audio codec (a common feature on high-end digital audio players), and multipoint connection via Bluetooth 5.0 (so you can connect to two sources at once). Sony made other very small improvements to the hardware and software, too; but for the most part, those are just tweaks to a winning foundation.

This review is part of TechHive’s coverage of the best headphones, where you’ll find reviews of competing products, plus a buyer’s guide to the features you should consider when shopping for this type of product.

Let’s dive into the specifics that make Sony’s WH-1000XM4 so great, and why the older WH-1000XM3—which are still available and can be found for about 100 less if you shop around—remain a great value.

Same great hardware, refined

The Sony WH-1000XM4 maintains the signature look this line is known for, with subtle gold accents and minimal buttons. Most of the controls are still handled by taps and swipes on the right ear cup. I’ve grown accustomed to this but it’s never been my favorite means of navigation. The easy-to-find Power button sits on the bottom of the left ear cup, along with a Custom button that can be programmed to either select Ambient Sound Control options or activate voice assistants. It’s a minimal and classy design that still holds up years later, but the touch controls still present a learning curve.

The slim headband introduced in the previous model is very comfortable along the top of the head. Sony claims the newer model features slightly upgraded ear pads, which should help during long listening sessions, but I could barely tell a difference. The new set is more comfortable compared to the old model, but that could also be attributed to the wear I’ve placed on the older pair. I’ve worn the WH-1000XM3 on plenty of long flights and encountered some pressure fatigue after many hours, so any upgrade in that area is welcome. Overall, it’s a comfortable design that sits snug on my head and melts away while I’m working. The swiveling cups and folding design are also retained, so the new model is easy to stuff in a backpack. I’m happy they didn’t mess with a winning formula.

Sony WH-1000XM3

For more protection in transit, the included carrying case got a slight upgrade, too, with improved stitching and a stiffer shell that should last even longer. Other tiny upgrades to the case include cloth s for the zipper to recede into, and extra flap length on the divider. Apart from the stiffer case, none of these changes make a huge difference, but I appreciate the attention to detail Sony paid to things as minor as the carrying case. As before, provided accessories include a 3.5mm cable, a very short USB-C charging cable, and an airline adapter.

Sony claims the same 30 hours of battery life with noise cancelling enabled, and with my heavy mixed usage over the course of my review, I found the battery to last almost as long as the previous pair. Here again, Sony promises its optional power adapter will deliver the same quick-charge feature that provides five hours of listening time after just 10 minutes of charging, but Sony didn’t send that component, so I wasn’t able to test that claim. The stock USB-C cable charged the cans within a couple hours.

My favorite new feature on the WH-1000XM4 is a proximity sensor that detects when you take the cans off, so as to automatically pause playback. The music resumes instantly when you put them back over your ears. This worked like a charm. I tried to trick the sensor by placing the headphones on my thigh, tightly around my neck, and even wore them like a crown and I never triggered a false positive. When I returned the headphones to my ears, the music quickly resumed with no problem. This feature alone would make me consider upgrading from the previous version, and not just because it should extend battery life.

Top-notch noise cancellation

As I’ve already mentioned, Sony holds the active noise-cancellation crown with its WH-1000XM3. The WH-1000XM4 feature the same HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1 as the previous generation, but with a new algorithm.This chip processes ambient noise samples captured by a pair of sensors on each ear cup at a rate of 700 times each second. Be that as it may, my ears could barely discern any difference between the noise-cancellation performance of the WH-1000XM4 compared to its predecessor.

Any noise-cancellation strategy starts passively, with large ear cups that form a tight but comfortable seal around your ears to blunt the sharp edges of loud sounds and quiet the high-pitch hum of appliances. This is an underappreciated aspect of the experience, and it’s where cheaper headphones typically falter.

Active noise cancellation filters out low and mid-range frequency noise to a great degree, but filtering low-frequency noise is where active noise-cancelling headphones really shine—even if it can be disorienting for folks experiencing it for the first time. Transient (high-amplitude, short-duration) sounds can still penetrate this system, and these headphones do their best to clamp down on the signal, but it can be jarring if the transient is very loud.

I am at least as pleased with the WH-1000XM4’s active noise cancellation as I was with the previous generation. My daily life has been very different than what it was at the beginning of the year. I work out of my home instead of going to the office, and I travel infrequently, but I still appreciate how these headphones allow me to FOCUS when I need to get work done.

The Best Noise Cancelling Headphones Bose or Sony?

My testing included things like spinning up the fans on my gaming PC, hanging outside in a park, and using a fantastic white noise machine to name a few. The previous model served me well during many hours of air travel and on public transit, and I have no reason to believe that the new model won’t deliver the same results.

I appreciate the Ambient Sound Control feature in Sony’s companion app that lets you tailor noise cancellation to your situation. These headphones sense where you’re wearing them and what you’re doing, and they tailor their noise cancellation accordingly. If you’re at home and relatively stationary, you’ll get full cancellation so you can concentrate on your music. If you’re walking, the headphones will pipe in some ambient sound to improve your situational awareness (so you don’t get run over by a bus, for example). It’s a great system and the app lets you fine-tune these settings to your heart’s content; nonetheless, I quickly discovered that I preferred manually triggering my ANC settings using the Custom button.

Sony also provides ways to quickly override noise cancellation, pause or lower the volume of your music, and pipe in ambient sound if you need to stop and speak to someone without removing the headphones. This is also useful when you’re at an airport and need to listen for a boarding call. This Quick Attention mode was present in the previous model and is activated when you place your hand over the right ear cup. I didn’t use this feature much, preferring instead to take the headphones off. Unfortunately, Quick Attention mode cannot be defeated, and there were a few times when I accidentally triggered it while adjusting the fit.

A new automatic override feature—Speak-to-Chat—can be enabled/disabled in the app. When enabled, it recognizes when you begin to speak and pauses the music while pumping in ambient sound, so you can hold a conversation without any other intervention. In theory, it provides a better way to chat with someone than holding your hand over the earcup, but I found that it was prone to being triggered by a cough or someone else speaking while close to me. It will stay in this mode for 30 seconds by default, but you can tweak its sensitivity and duration in the app. I just never found myself in a situation where I preferred Speak-to-Chat to just taking the damn headphones off.

Audio quality and AI upscaling

Sony touts three other features that it says enable the WH-1000XM4 to deliver a high-end audio performance: The aforementioned new algorithm running on Sony’s QN1 processor, support for Bluetooth 5.0 and Sony’s own LDAC codec, and Sony’s DSEE Extreme audio technology, which uses artificial intelligence—Sony’s Edge-AI—to restore in real time information that’s been lost when you’re listening to tracks that were compressed using lossy codecs such as MP3.

Like its older sibling, the WH-1000XM4 supports the SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs in addition to LDAC, but there is no support for any of Qualcomm’s aptX codecs. I found LDAC to be superior to the other two, so I used that primarily for this review. The device you use for playback will also need to support your codec of choice, of course, so I relied mostly on a OnePlus 8 Pro smartphone for the task, as it’s one of few that do. LDAC support is more commonly found on high-res digital audio players (you’ll find TechHive’s top picks in DAPs here).

I streamed tracks mostly from YouTube Music, conducting multiple critical listening sessions in a variety of playback situations with a long list of songs that I’m very familiar with to compare the WH-1000XM4 to the WH-1000XM3 I reviewed in late 2018.

Both sets of noise cancelling headphones sound great for the price. If you’re looking for studio-grade equipment with minimal signal coloration, you shouldn’t be looking at ANC headphones anyway. But that doesn’t mean listening to music with ANC is a diminished experience. From a sonic standpoint, I discovered very few differences between the two new and older cans; in other words, there’s not much of a reason to upgrade if you already own the XM3. That said, I do enjoy really pushing my listening abilities, so here are some examples of differences I found.

I’ve already mentioned Sony’s DSEE Extreme audio technology, which is an upgrade over the DSEE HX tech present in the older WH-1000XM3. Sony hypes this hard, so I was surprised to discover that for me, enabling it had the opposite of the promised effect: Subtle details in the music—particularly at higher frequencies played at lower volume—were lost. In Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” the processing muted details in the fantastic acoustic guitar track—characteristics such as fingers sliding on the guitar neck, and the reverb that hangs overhead were diminished in the mix, lessening the beautiful depth of the soundscape.

In classic jazz tracks like “So What,” from Miles Davis, I noticed small details around the finger work on the upright bass were less present, and the high transients from the horns and drummer’s hi-hat brushes were slightly compressed. On the flip side, vocal tracks were far more present in the mix, not so much as to enable a depth separation from the instrumentation, but more like a mix of EQ boosting and stronger compression. Disabling DSEE Extreme brought back most of the fine details in instrumentation, as well some of the dynamic range, but it sat the vocals back down into the mix. Compared to DSEE HX on the XM3, DSEE Extreme on the XM4 felt like the signal was being normalized for more even instrumentation, while simultaneously emphasizing the vocal tracks.

This heavy-handed processing was revealed even more with heavily compressed tracks from albums like Metallica’s infamous Death Magnetic. In these scenarios, the vocals again took center stage, while the mid- to low-end was pulled back along with clean high signals. The full mix was more compressed and normalized than with DSEE Extreme disabled, and it didn’t do any favors to aggressive music like metal.

Sony’s documentation states that DSEE Extreme “upscales compressed digital music files” and “dynamically recognizes instrumentation, musical genres” with the goal of trying to “resort the high-range sound lost in compression.” So, my next thought was to listen to tracks that were poorly recorded and mixed to see if that’s where the processing truly shines. I loaded up some older punk recordings, such as “In My Eyes,” by Minor Threat, and set YouTube Music to its lowest bandwidth consumption/lowest audio quality setting.

I immediately detected most of the same compression tendencies. While I did notice a bit of smoothing of the lower bit depth with DSEE Extreme enabled in these instances, which provided a cleaner mix with less noise, it wasn’t enough for me to overlook the rest of the processing taking place.

After all my critical listening tests, my assumption is that DSEE Extreme acts as a more subtle and accurate normalize function than what’s present in many music players, allowing listening to be more seamless between tracks and with an even experience between genres. I should emphasize that the effect is slight and might not even be noticeable to the average user—indeed, it didn’t greatly diminish my normal listening experiences—but I wanted to put my finger on just what this processing was trying to achieve and highlight it here. People like me who prefer to err on the side of accuracy are advised to leave DSEE Extreme turned off, but that’s just my opinion.

Without DSEE Extreme processing, I found the WH-1000XM4 exhibited a more accurate signal compared to the WH-1000XM3. The older headphones are fully burned in now, and they continue to provide a great listening experience, but the coloration—particularly in the low-end thumps and sharp highs—is noticeable when listening to the pair back to back. The newer model sounds a bit more muted in the mids and is slightly lacking in dynamic range—which indicates they are more accurate—but this is exposed only in extreme A/B testing. Without that direct comparison, these headphones provide a fantastic listening experience in many different genres. Sony has set a high bar for other ANC headphone manufacturers to clear.

The rest of the experience

There are just a few more details to cover when it comes to my day-to-day experience with the WH-1000XM4. Sony’s companion app, Headphones Connect has been consistently updated throughout the years, and it remains a rock-solid experience for me. There are plenty of settings to tweak to your liking, and changes made to things like noise cancellation take effect immediately. Firmware updates for the headphones are handled automatically with little disruption, and I haven’t encountered any bugs, performance glitches, or unwanted battery drain on my mobile devices. I’ve been burned far too many times by great hardware saddled with a horrible app, so it’s refreshing that it’s not the case here.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 includes a much-requested feature: Bluetooth multipoint pairing, which allows you to pair the headphones with multiple devices at once. This is handy because it allows you to use a laptop or a digital audio player for music playback, and still get audible audio alerts and phone calls from your smartphone. Multipoint was easy to set up and easy to use, and I didn’t have any problems switching back and forth between devices. Sony’s implementation does, however, suffer from one very unfortunate drawback: Bluetooth multipoint pairing is only available if you’re using the AAC codec. So, you’ll need to decide which is more important: High-resolution audio for music listening via LDAC, or the convenience of Bluetooth multipoint. I opted for LDAC; iPhone users, meanwhile, don’t have a choice—they can only use AAC with the WH-1000XM4.

The WH-1000XM4’s microphone is the last aspect I’d like to discuss. While it never happened to me, many WH-1000XM3 users reported encountering technical problems with that headphone’s mic. That said, neither of these cans is a headset, so don’t expect great phone-call experiences from them. They’re adequate for a short call to a friend or loved one, but don’t rely on either for an important business meeting. The WH-1000XM4’s mic quality specifically is faint and cannot capture the vocal clarity needed for serious use. I can live with that trade-off.

Bottom line

If you have 350 to spend on active noise-cancelling headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM4 get my highest recommendation. They deliver top-shelf noise cancellation, they’re comfortable to wear, they’re packed with features, and—most importantly—they sound fantastic.

There’s not a lot here to warrant an upgrade recommendation if you already own the WH-1000XM3—and if your budget is tighter and you find a great deal on those cans—you should definitely pick them up while they’re still around. But if you want the absolute best of the best, look no further than the Sony WH-1000XM4.

Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Headphones Review

The Sony WH-1000XM4 are the successor to the Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless, coming with a longer continuous battery life, additional touch-sensitive control features, and multi-device pairing. Like their predecessor, they have an outstanding noise isolation performance thanks to their ANC feature and a comfortable, premium-looking design. Overall, these decently versatile headphones are a solid choice for many different listeners, and even though they’ve Sony’s replaced them with the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless, they’re still worth checking out as a comparable alternative.

Our Verdict

The Sony WH-1000XM4 are decent for neutral sound. They have a bass-heavy sound that delivers intense thump, punch, and boom to mixes, making them a great choice for genres like EDM and hip-hop. However, this extra bass also bloats vocals and instruments. While you can customize their sound profile to your liking using their companion app’s 5-Band graphic EQ and presets, it can be tricky to tackle the excess high-bass to low-mid. The lowest EQ Band starts at 400 Hz, which falls just after the bump in bass. The Clear Bass slider in the EQ can help reduce bass, though. Still, they have a closed-back design and don’t create a wide or natural-seeming passive soundstage.

The Sony WH1000XM4 are impressive for commute and travel. While they aren’t the most portable headphones, their hard carrying case can help protect them while you’re on the go. They have over 37 hours of continuous battery life, and you can comfortably wear them for long listening sessions without a lot of fatigue. Also, their ANC can block out bass-heavy sounds like the rumble of engines as well as mid-range sounds like commute chatter, meaning you can enjoy your music without distraction.

The Sony WH1000XM4 aren’t designed for use while working out. Although they have a comfortable fit, their bulky design means they aren’t very portable. While they can stay on your head during casual listening sessions, they move around on your ears during intense movements, so they aren’t the most stable.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 are good for office use. These comfortable headphones have an incredible noise isolation performance thanks to their ANC feature, so they block out background noise like voices and AC units well. With an over 37-hour continuous battery life, you don’t have to recharge these headphones daily, either. Unfortunately, they leak a bit when you play your audio at loud volumes, so they aren’t ideal for quiet settings.

The Sony WH1000XM4 are compatible with Bluetooth-enabled PCs but their latency is likely too high to be suitable for wireless gaming. You also can’t use them wirelessly with Playstation or Xbox consoles.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 are decent for wired gaming. Thanks to their 1/8″ TRS cable, you can connect them to your PC, Playstation, and Xbox consoles, but you can’t use the microphone using this connection. That said, they have a comfortable fit for long gaming sessions, and their bass-heavy sound profile adds an extra punch to explosions and action-packed scenes.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 are fair for phone calls. Unfortunately, their integrated microphone doesn’t have the best recording quality, so your voice sounds thin and muffled. Your voice can also be drowned out by background noise if you’re calling from a noisy environment. Their noise cancelling system can help block out a lot of ambient noise around you. While, by default, the headphones enable ‘Talk-Through’ mode when you’re on a call, regardless of whether you were using the ANC previously, you can cycle back to ANC by pressing the custom button on the left ear cup.

• 7.2 Neutral Sound
• 8.1 Commute/Travel
• 7.2 Sports/Fitness
• 7.7 Office
• 5.8 Wireless Gaming
• 7.4 Wired Gaming
• 6.7 Phone Calls
• Updated Nov 01, 2022: Made minor text changes to ensure clarity and relevance.
• Updated Sep 19, 2022: We’ve added a note to Noise Isolation regarding user reports of a high-pitched noise coming from one driver when using the ANC. However, the scoring of this test hasn’t changed.
• Updated Sep 15, 2022: We ordered the WLA-NS7 transmitter to try these headphones with compatible Bravia TVs. We have updated the Virtual Soundstage text to reflect these results, but the scoring of the box hasn’t changed.
• Updated Jun 08, 2022: We’ve changed App Support’s Surround Support from ‘No’ to ‘Yes’. These headphones are compatible with 360 Reality Audio, and it’s accessible via the app. However, you have to be subscribed to compatible platforms to use it. We have updated our review to reflect this change.
• Updated Apr 13, 2022: Thanks to user feedback, we’ve retested whether the ANC switches to ‘Talk-Through’ mode when taking a call. By default, the headphones enter this mode when you’re on a call. However, you can cycle back to ‘ANC On’ via the custom button. We’ve updated the following boxes: ‘Phone Calls’, ‘Controls’, and ‘Noise Isolation’.
• Updated Feb 21, 2022: Retested the headphones’ noise isolation, sound, and mic recording quality with firmware version 2.5.0.
• Updated Feb 07, 2022: Added Sony’s 360 Reality Audio feature to Virtual Soundstage.
• Updated Sep 14, 2021: We’ve updated the ‘Phone Call’ verdict and ‘Noise Isolation’ text to reflect ANC turning off during calls.
• Updated Aug 25, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
• Updated Jun 29, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
• Updated May 26, 2021: We’ve retested these headphones using firmware 2.5.0. We have also tested these headphones for ‘Breathability’.
• Updated Sep 16, 2020: Review published.
• Updated Sep 11, 2020: Early access published.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The Sony WH-1000XM4 come in two different color variants: ‘Black’ and ‘Silver’. We tested the Silver model, and you can see its label here. These headphones also come in ‘Midnight Blue’, which are exclusive to Best Buy, and in a limited edition ‘Silent White’ color scheme to celebrate Sony’s 75th anniversary. The ‘Silent White’ variant and their included accessories, like their carrying case and cables, are stark white with gold accents. They were only available from May through August 2021.

If you come across another variant, please let us know in the discussions, and we’ll update our review.

Compared To Other Headphones

The Sony WH-1000XM4 are premium noise cancelling headphones and are the successor of the Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless. They’re also the previous generation of the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless. They’re more comfortable and portable than the XM5, have more voice prompt options, better noise isolation, and have a comparable bass-heavy default sound profile. Compared to their rival, the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless, they aren’t as comfortable or neutral-sounding but have a better ANC performance and more robust customization options.

If you’re looking for other headphones, see our recommendations for the best noise cancelling headphones, the best closed-back headphones, and the best travel headphones.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better over-ear headphones than the Beats Studio3 Wireless. While both headphones are comfortable, the Sony are better-built, have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their ANC does a significantly better job of cutting down ambient noise around you. They also have longer-lasting continuous battery life, and their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets to help adjust their sound to your liking. However, the Beats have a W1 chip, so you can seamlessly pair them with other Apple devices.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are more customizable than the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless. The Sony are better built, and their ANC does a significantly better job of blocking out background noise. They also have longer continuous battery life. However, the Bose are more comfortable and have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better headphones than the Apple Airpods Max Wireless. The Sony are more comfortable and offer an even more powerful ANC. While they don’t sound as neutral out-of-the-box as the Apple, they have a companion app that offers a lot of customization features, including a graphic EQ and presets. They also come with a 1/8″ TRS cable if you want to use them wired.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless are the next generation of the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless. There have been a couple of changes in design and performance. As a result, the XM5 have a better microphone performance and their ANC is blocks out more mid and treble range noise. However, there are a couple of drawbacks. The XM5’s build isn’t as flexible as the previous generation, and the ANC has a harder time blocking out the low rumble of bus engines. Unfortunately, their automatic adaptive ANC system can’t be turned off, and some users originally reported issues with the ANC adjusting each time they move their heads, though this issue may have been corrected in FW 1.1.3.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better headphones than the Sony WH-XB910N Wireless. While both over-ears are comfortable, the XM4 are better built, have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their ANC offers a significantly better noise isolation performance. They also support NFC pairing.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are slightly better headphones for most uses than the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless. The Sony are more comfortable, have a significantly better noise isolation performance, and a longer continuous battery life. However, the Sennheiser have a more neutral sound profile out of the box, which some users may prefer.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better over-ears than the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 Wireless. The Sony are more comfortable, better built, and have a more neutral overall sound profile, which some users may prefer. Their ANC system blocks out significantly more ambient noise too.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better over-ears than the Sony WH-CH720N Wireless. The WH-1000XM4 are more comfortable, are better built, and their ANC can block out significantly more ambient noise across the range. They also support LDAC, which is good if you want to stream high-res audio. However, the WH-CH720N have a better overall mic performance.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better than the Jabra Elite 85h Wireless. The Sony have much better build quality, and their ANC feature blocks out much more ambient sound. They have a bass-rich default sound profile that fans of genres like EDM and hip-hop may like, and you can customize it with a graphic EQ and presets in the companion app. On the other hand, the Jabra’s integrated microphone has a much better recording quality, and their onboard controls include a mute microphone button.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better headphones than the Shure AONIC 50 Wireless. The Sony are more comfortable, have a significantly better noise isolation performance, a longer continuous battery life, and support NFC pairing. However, the Shure have a companion app that offers a parametric EQ, which some users may prefer over the Sony‘s graphic EQ.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better for most uses than the Sony WF-1000XM4 Truly Wireless. The WH-1000XM4 are over-ear headphones that are more comfortable, have a more bass-heavy sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their ANC can significantly block out more noise around you. They also have much longer continuous battery life. However, the WF-1000XM4 are smaller, more portable, and have a stable fit.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless have more features than the Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless. The WH-1000XM4 support multi-device pairing, have a longer continuous battery life, and they offer some additional talk-through control options. However, the WH-1000XM3 are a somewhat better choice for neutral listening, as they have a more neutral, less bass-heavy default sound profile and a more consistent audio delivery.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better headphones than the Bose 700 Headphones Wireless for some listeners. The Sony have a better noise isolation performance and a longer continuous battery life. They offer more talk-through controls, ideal for users who want to stay aware of their environment while listening. The Bose have a more neutral, less bass-heavy default sound profile, and their integrated microphone performs better than the Sony’s.

The Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018 are more comfortable headphones than the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless. Out-of-the-box, the Bose also have a more neutral, less bass-heavy sound profile than the Sony. The Sony have a graphic EQ and presets available in their companion app to help you customize the sound to your liking. The Sony are better-built, have longer battery life, a better noise isolation performance, and they leak less noise. Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other.

The Apple Airpods Pro Truly Wireless and the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless have different strengths, and you may prefer one over the other. The Apple headphones have a more stable fit and a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer. They’re also more compact and portable, meaning they’re easier to take with you on the go. However, the Sony are over-ears with a more comfortable fit. Their ANC system does a significantly better job of blocking out background noise, and they have longer total battery life. Their companion app also offers a graphic EQ and presets to help adjust their sound to your liking, and you can use them passively if you run out of battery life.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better than the Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 Wireless for most purposes. They isolate you from much more noise, thanks to their ANC feature, and they’re much more comfortable and well-built. On the other hand, the Audio-Technica headphones have longer continuous battery life. Also, some may prefer their more neutral sound profile to the Sony’s bass-heavy sound, although both pairs have sound customization features in their apps.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better over-ears than the Bowers Wilkins Px7 S2 Wireless. The Sony are more comfortable, have a more balanced sound, although it’s still bass-heavy, and have a virtual soundstage to help immerse you in your audio. Their ANC system offers a significantly better noise isolation performance, and they have more customization features, thanks to their companion app. That said, the Bowers Wilkins are better-built and support aptX Adaptive codec, so you can stream high-quality audio with low latency.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better than the Sony WH-H910N/h.ear on 3 Wireless. The XM4 are comfier, better-built, deliver audio more consistently, and have a far more effective ANC system. They also provide a similar overall battery life despite taking much less time to charge and can pair with two devices simultaneously. Meanwhile, the H910N have a less bass-heavy default sound profile, leak less audio, and have a better overall microphone performance.

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x are better for neutral sound than the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless. The Audio-Technica are wired headphones with a much more neutral sound profile and a significantly better passive soundstage performance. On the other hand, the Sony headphones are better for multi-purpose use. You can use them via Bluetooth or a wired connection, have a more comfortable, stable fit, onboard controls, and an integrated mic. They also have a very effective ANC feature.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better over-ear headphones than the Sony WH-XB900N Wireless. Although both headphones are comfortable and can be customized using the Sony | Headphones Connect app, the WH-1000XM4 feel better built and come with a hard case to help protect the headphones when you’re on the go. They have a slightly more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, have more consistent bass and treble delivery, and their ANC is able to reduce more ambient noise around you. Their continuous battery life is longer-lasting too. However, the WH-XB900N’s integrated mic offers a better recording quality performance.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless and Jabra Evolve2 85 Wireless have different strengths and weaknesses. The Sony are slightly better-built, provide a more consistent listening experience, are more effective in blocking out ambient noise, and last longer off of a single charge. They also have lower wireless latency. The Jabra headphones’ boom microphone provides superior recording quality and noise handling capability. The Jabra headphones’ physical control scheme is also easier to use and offers more functionality.

The Sony WH-100XM4 Wireless are better than the Bowers Wilkins PX7 Wireless. The Sony headphones are more comfortable, their ANC feature blocks out more ambient noise, and their integrated mic has a much better overall performance. They have a more neutral default sound profile, which some listeners may prefer, and they also work with companion software that gives you access to a graphic EQ and presets. However, the Bowers Wilkins support aptX and aptX HD codecs.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless and the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Truly Wireless have different strengths, and you may prefer either, depending on your usage. The Sony are over-ears with a much better noise isolation performance and a longer continuous battery life. They also support multi-device pairing and can be used wired with their included audio cable. On the other hand, the Bose are much more portable in-ears with a much more stable fit and an IPX4 rating for water resistance.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better over-ear headphones for most uses than the Beats Solo Pro Wireless. The Sony are more comfortable, have a more bass-heavy sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their companion app offers a graphic EQ plus presets to help you adjust their sound to your liking. Their ANC also does a significantly better job of blocking out noise around you, and they have longer continuous battery life. However, the Beats have an H1 chip, which makes it easy to seamlessly pair them to your Apple devices.

The Sennheiser PXC 550-II Wireless and the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless have different strengths, and you may prefer either one. The Sony headphones are more comfortable, are better built, and their ANC system does a significantly better job blocking background noise. Their companion app also offers a graphic EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound to your liking. The Sennheiser headphones have a better overall performing integrated mic and a more stable and breathable fit.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better over-ears than the Anker Soundcore Life Q35 Wireless. The Sony are more comfortable and better built. They have a significantly better performing ANC, and they have an auto-off timer to help conserve battery life when not in use. However, the Anker have longer continuous battery life.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better headphones than the Sony WH-1000XM2 Wireless. The WH-1000XM4 are more comfortable, their ANC can block out even more background noise, and their continuous battery life is longer, too. You can also pair them with up to two devices at a time.

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless and the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are designed for different uses. The SteelSeries are wireless gaming headphones. They have a better overall performing boom mic, support Bluetooth, and support non-Bluetooth wireless. They also come with a transmitter which allows you to adjust more controls like channel mixing and audio sources on the fly. In contrast, the Sony are better suited for casual use. They’re more comfortable, can be paired with up to two devices at a time, and have an ANC system that helps block out a lot of background noise.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better over-ears than the JBL Tour One Wireless. The Sony are more comfortable, better built, and can deliver audio more consistently. They have a significantly better noise isolation performance, and their Bluetooth latency on iOS and Android is lower, too.

The Razer Opus Wireless 2020 are better headphones for neutral sound than the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless. The Razer’s default sound profile is more neutral than the Sony, though some listeners may prefer the Sony’s more bass-heavy sound. The Razer headphones have a more stable fit, and they leak less noise. On the other hand, the Sony headphones have a somewhat better noise isolation performance, and their integrated mic performs better in noisier environments.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are slightly better headphones than the AKG N700NC M2 Wireless. The Sony are more comfortable, better built, and have a significantly better noise isolation performance. Their continuous battery life is longer, and their companion app offers more customization features. The AKG have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer, and have a better passive soundstage performance.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better headphones than the Razer Opus X Wireless. The Sony are better-built, can block out significantly more ambient noise around you, and their companion app offers a graphic EQ so that you can tweak their sound to your liking. They also support multi-device pairing and can be used wired.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better overall headphones than the Bowers Wilkins PX5 Wireless. The Sony’s over-ear fit is comfier and more stable, they provide a better-balanced and far more adjustable listening experience, and block out more ambient sound. That said, the Bowers Wilkins are better built, have lower wireless latency, are compatible with USB audio, and leak less audio.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are more versatile headphones than the Drop THX Panda Wireless. The Sony are more comfortable, better-built, and have a more bass-heavy sound profile, which some users may prefer. They also have a companion app, an active noise cancelling system that can block out a significant amount of noise, and their continuous battery life is longer. However, the Drop have a planar magnetic transducer, which some users may prefer.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better headphones than the Anker Soundcore Life Q30. The Sony are more comfortable, feel better built, and have a better-balanced sound profile right out-of-the-box. Their active noise cancelling (ANC) feature can reduce more noise around you, and they have an auto-off timer to help conserve their battery life when not in use. That said, the Anker have longer continuous battery life.

The Sony WF-1000XM3 Truly Wireless and the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless have different strengths, so you may prefer either. The WF-1000XM3 have an in-ear design that’s more portable, have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer, and leak less audio at high volumes. However, the WH-1000XM4 are over-ear headphones with better battery and noise isolation performance.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better headphones for casual use than the Razer Barracuda Pro Wireless. The Sony are more comfortable, better-built, have a significantly better noise isolation performance, and support multi-device pairing with up to two devices at once. If you’re looking for gaming headphones that you can use more casually, the Razer have a better-performing integrated mic and a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer. They also support Bluetooth as well as non-Bluetooth wireless, meaning you can connect them to your Playstation or PC.

You may prefer either the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless or the Apple Airpods (3rd generation) Truly Wireless depending on what type of headphones you’re looking for. The Sony are over-ear headphones with ANC and have a much better noise isolation performance. Their sound profile is more bass-heavy, which some may prefer, and their app has sound customization features. They also have longer continuous battery life. On the other hand, the Apple are much more compact earbuds. Their case can fit in most s, and they have an open design that lets you hear your surroundings.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better headphones than the Bang Olufsen Beoplay Portal. The Sony are more comfortable and stable, and they have a better noise isolation performance. Their continuous battery life is also longer. However, if you’re looking for gaming-oriented headphones, you may prefer the Bang Olufsen. They support Xbox Wireless, and they offer full audio and microphone compatibility with Xbox and Playstation consoles.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better over-ears than the Razer Opus Wireless 2021. The Sony are more comfortable, have a significantly better noise isolation performance, and their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound to your liking. They also support multi-device pairing, which is good if you want to stay connected to your PC and smartphone at the same time. However, the Razer have a more immersive passive soundstage performance.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better headphones for casual use than the MOONDROP Aria. The Sony are wireless over-ears that are better-built, have noise cancelling to help block out a significant amount of ambient noise, and have a companion app that allows you to customize their sound using their graphic EQ or presets. They also have an integrated mic, meaning you can take calls on the go, and they support multi-device pairing. The MOONDROP are wired in-ear monitors with a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer.

Test Results

The Sony WH-1000XM4 have a very similar design to their predecessor, the Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless. These over-ears have a matte finish, and the ear cups and the headband are well-padded. They come in three different color variants: black, silver, and ‘Midnight Blue’, which is exclusive to Best Buy. The colour ‘Silent White’, was only available in 2021 for Sony’s 75th anniversary.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 are very comfortable headphones. The lightweight foam earpads don’t put a lot of pressure on your head, meaning you can wear them for a long time without much fatigue. However, they are shallower in profile than the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless, which may present discomfort if you have larger ears.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 have good controls. They have a touch-sensitive surface on the right ear cup and two physical buttons on the left ear cup. The ‘Custom’ button on the left ear cup controls the noise cancelling feature by default but can also be configured via the app to activate a Speak-to-Chat function. It pauses your audio and lets in ambient sound as soon as you start talking. Note that the ANC turns off when you’re on a call by default, and the headphones enter ‘Talk-Through’ mode. Luckily, you can cycle back to ANC by pressing the custom button.

Their touch-sensitive surface is very similar to the Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless. It’s somewhat easy to register accidental inputs to the touch controls when readjusting the headphones, though. Also, the controls feature more voice prompts than the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless, making them a better option for users looking for a more interactive experience.

On the left ear cup:

• Press and hold: Turns headphones on or off. If you continue to hold this button past turning the headphones on, you’ll enter Bluetooth pairing mode.
• One press: Cycles between ANC on, talk-through mode, letting you better hear your surroundings without taking off the headphones, and ANC off. You can remap this control via the companion app to activate Alexa or Google Assistant.

The touch-sensitive surface on the right ear cup:

• Double tap: Plays and pauses audio. Also answers and ends a call.
• Swipe forward: Skips to the next track.
• Swipe forward and hold: Fast forwards through your track.
• Swipe backward: Skips to the previous track.
• Swipe backward and hold: Backtracks through your track.
• Swipe up: Turns the volume up incrementally.
• Swipe down: Turns the volume down incrementally.
• Cover the ear cup with your palm: Enters talk-through mode.

Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless noise-canceling headset review: Making the world better through a flawless music listening experience

There has been a battle waging for years between Bose and Sony for the title of best the wireless active-noise canceling cans. After more than a week of intensive time with the new Sony WH-1000XM4 I think it is clear we have an undisputed winner.

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With the coronavirus driving millions of people from the office and workplace back into their houses for remote work, it is important to create an environment where work can continue productively. Many people have pets, children, roommates, and other distractions that can inhibit an effective work space. Thanks to the new Sony wireless noise-canceling headphones you can simply place them on your head and enter another world free from distractions.

Early last month a PR contact reached out to ask if I was interested in checking out an “innovative and highly anticipated” product from Sony. I thought it was going to be a Sony Xperia 1 II and looked forward to trying one out.

A couple of weeks later a heavy box arrived with a unique sound-activated LED light array inside. It turns out the package contained the new Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless noise-canceling headphones and after listening to them for several hours every day for the last 10 days I am hooked.

Specifications

• Driver: 1.57 inch, dome type, with liquid crystal polymer diaphragms
• Microphones: Two in each earcup
• Wireless connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC
• BT profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
• Sensors: Capacitive touch on right earcup, accelerometers for on-ear detection
• Battery life: Up to 30 hours of ANC play and 38 hours with ANC off. Three hours to achieve full charge via USB-C, but with just 10 minutes of charge you can get up to five hours of playback.
• Headphone weight: 250 grams

Hardware

The retail package includes the Sony headphones, a carrying case, an airplane adapter, a 47 inch 3.5mm audio cable, and an eight inch USB-A to USB-C cable. Silver and black headphones are available to purchase.

I tested out the black pair of headphones that has some copper highlights on the zipper of the carrying case and in a few areas on the headphones. All parts of the headphones are covered in matte soft-touch coating. The earcups and top piece of the Band resting on your head are foamed urethane that are very soft and comfortable for wearing for hours.

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The earcups fold flat so you can rest your headset on a table. They also fold in so that you can create a small footprint to carry them in the included carrying case or in your gear bag. Each side above the earcups can be extended about an inch to fit different sized heads. I had it extended less than half an inch for my perfect fit.

The outside flat surface of the right earcup is touch-sensitive and I was amazed by the consistent performance of the controls. Touch controls let you manage volume, play/pause, skip forward and back, and more. It was awesome to trust my touches on the right earcup to always perform my intended action.

A USB-C port is positioned at the bottom of the right earcup with a small charging indicator light next to the port. There is a red R on the inside of the Band over the right earcup to make it clear how to wear the headphones.

Sony WH-1000XM4 ANC wireless headset review: in pictures

Along the bottom of the left earcup we find a 3.5mm audio port, power button and indicator light, and a custom button. Use the Sony Headphones Connect software on your smartphone to setup the custom button for your specific needs. The left earcup also houses the NFC chip.

Smartphone software

In order to optimize your use of the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones, you need to download and install the Sony Headphones Connect application to your Android or iOS smartphone. After installation, simply turn on the headphones to initiate pairing with your smartphone.

The Sony Headphones Connect application shows the battery level of the headphones. Through the upper right menu option you can view a tutorial, check the firmware version of the earbuds, and more.

There are three main tabs in the application; Status, Sound, and System. The Status tab shows the music being played and provides back, play, and forward buttons with a volume slider below the controls. The Adaptive Sound Control option is also available.

Tapping Adaptive Sound Control brings up another screen where you can toggle this function on and off. This function detects your actions and locations so that headphone settings are switched to allow some ambient sound. You can toggle on various controls on this screen, including having the headphones learn from locations or maps.

Moving along to the Sound tab, we find the ability to toggle Ambient Sound Control on or off and also adjust the level of active noise cancellation. You can also toggle to FOCUS on voice.

One of the most useful features I’ve ever seen on a headset is the ability to enable the Speak-to-Chat option. With this enabled, you simply start talking to have your music paused. I cannot tell you how many times this has been used over the past 10 days as I leave my home office to go talk to someone else in the house and leave my headset on. You can even set how long your music stays paused after you stop talking.

Next on the Sound tab we have the noise-canceling optimizer section. Tap start with your headphones on to have the headphones perform some audio tests to customize ANC to your body. Atmospheric pressure optimization is also setup in this section of the app.

Below this section is the equalizer area with an option for boosting the bass as well. Various default options are available, but you can also setup a couple of custom levels for your specific preferences.

At the bottom of the screen is the 360 Reality Audio Setup area. I went through the setup that takes photos of your ears and provides a simple hearing test, but you also need to subscribe and install 360 by Deezer, nugs.net, or Tidal in order to enjoy the audio experience offered here. The test audio sample sure sounded good, but I was unable to use it since I do not subscribe to any of these services.

The System tab is where you customize other settings on your headphones. These options include connecting to two devices simultaneously, setting up the custom button, toggling the touch sensor on or off, choosing to turn off the headset when you remove it or keep it powered on, and more.

Options available for the custom button include ambient sound control, Google Assistant, or Amazon Alexa. Single, double, and long press actions can be setup here in the settings.

Daily usage experiences

I was pleasantly surprised to discover the product sent along for review, but also didn’t have high expectations since most headphones tend to cause me ear pain after a couple of hours. Earbuds are my preferred form factor, but after several hours a day of wearing the Sony WH-1000XM4 I am not sure I can go back to earbuds unless I am out running.

These new Sony headphones are focused primarily on an optimal music listening experience and you truly disappear into a world of audio delight when you place these on your head and hit the play button. Audio is loud, crisp, and simply fantastic. It is the best headset I have ever had on my head and I highly recommend them. Just to make sure it wasn’t my own fascination with the headphones, I had the four other members of my family try them out and they universally praised the audio performance.

While the audio experience is thrilling, it is also the other utilities provided by Sony that makes the entire experience a near perfect one. Simply place your hand over the right earcup to toggle on Quick Attention Mode that lowers volume to a barely audible level so you can have a quick conversation, order a coffee, answer the door, or perform another short talk. The Speak-to-Chat option is also perfect and works consistently. The same can be said for the flawless touch sensor controls.

While the new Sony WH-1000XM4 is clearly focused on the best music experience, since I was wearing them all day long I also used them for phone calls. Callers said that I sounded crystal clear so you can use them as your singular remote work headset.

I spent tens of hours using the headphones over the past week and honestly could not find a flaw in their design or performance. While the noise-canceling worked wonders for silencing a water feature, lawn care professionals, pets, and other noises in my neighborhood I cannot wait to try them out on an airplane or train commute into the city. Sony has a winner here and has lived up to expectations at a launch price the same as the last model, 349.99.

Обзор, который вы ждали: Sony, Bowers & Wilkins, Bose, Audeze, Beyerdynamic, Dali, Apple