Sony WH-1000XM4 review (outstanding noise cancelation in a premium package). Sony xm4 silver

Sony WH-1000XM4 review (outstanding noise cancelation in a premium package)

The Sony WH-1000XM4s are a great pair of lightweight, noise-canceling headphones. They retail at the price of 350 which is going to be hard to swallow for some, but once you’ve used them, it’s hard not to love them. The excellent battery life, premium feel, and well-rounded sound are just a few of the things that make these my current daily headphones for use in the office.

What’s in the box

In the box, you’ll find the XM4s along with a few accessories packed neatly inside the included carrying case. The headphones fold right above each ear cup, so the case is nice and compact and is lined with a soft, felt-like material. It’s fairly rigid on the outside for protection and makes it easy to toss it in my bag and not worry about things getting smashed.

You get the headphones, carrying case, a headphone cable which can be used for listening without Bluetooth or even when the headphones are turned off, an airline adapter, and a 6-inch USB-A to USB-C cable for charging. That last one can be a bit annoying depending on where you need to charge these up, but luckily I already had a few other much longer cables so I quickly swapped that out.

The case and headphone cable are also color-matched to the headphones themselves depending on what ones you choose. They come in black, blue (if you’re shopping at Best Buy), and silver. The silver looks more like beige in a lot of the images I’ve seen at different online storefronts, but in person, they are more of a matte gray. They are also the ones that I went with. All of them have gold-colored accents on the logo, the microphones, and the case zipper.

There’s a net carrying pouch on the outside, but for some reason, they put this on the bottom of the case and the headphones only go in one way due to the sewed in divider. So that makes the pouch a lot less useful since it will always be face down when setting the case anywhere. Someone wasn’t thinking that one through, but it still might be nice for some people.

Along with the traditional paperwork, there’s also a card letting you know where to go to download the Sony Headphones Connect app. This is required to access a lot of the features of the headphones, but more on that later.

Design

The Sony XM4s both look and feel very premium and I don’t think anyone would be disappointed in that department. I haven’t used their previous XM3s, but from what I understand, the differences both in sound and design are subtle with minor improvements across the board.

These are the lightest pair of over-ear headphones that I’ve ever tried, but that doesn’t detract from them feeling very solid and well built. They have a soft-touch material on the outside which feels great and a very matte finish so they don’t show any fingerprints at least on the silver variant I have.

They have very soft padding in the leatherette style ear cups and headband and have been extremely comfortable. The first pressure point for me after a long session is on the headband and I still sometimes will need to take a short break or to readjust after 3 to 4 hours. I am usually getting up and stretching more often than that anyway, and I’ve worn these consistently through the entire workday many times without much fatigue.

The headphones have a hinge on each side that allows both ear cups to fold in towards the headband to fit into the compact case. The hinges also swivel from side to side which adds some comfort but also allows you to lay the ear cups completely flat when resting the headphones on your neck or on a desk which is a nice feature. That may seem trivial but I definitely miss it on the pairs of headphones I have that can’t lay flat.

The ear cups themselves also each have a hinge that allows them to rock in and out slightly which is supposed to add to the comfort as well since they can form to the shape of your head and alleviate pressure.

The only caveat to this design is that due to these hinges being almost fully upright when on my head, the slight rocking back and forth can sometimes lead to the noise of the plastic ear cup touching the plastic of the headphone frame. This is a minor gripe and it’s also usually not audible when listening to music.

All in all, the premium design and excellent build quality of the XM4s leaves little to be desired.

Sound

If I could pick a few words to describe how the Sony XM4s sound, it would be well-balanced and vibrant! I don’t consider myself an audiophile and have never had an endless amount of different products to test, but I have owned and tried a variety of headphones over the years. One thing is for sure, the XM4s are really fun to listen to.

One comparison I can make is to the Surface Headphones 2 which I tried out earlier in the year and when it comes to sound quality, they don’t come close to what Sony is offering. I’ve been able to pick out a lot of little details in a variety of music that I simply can’t hear in the other pairs I have around the house. Nothing feels overpowering, but you still get a good amount of punchy bass which some might find a bit too much but that is what I prefer.

When it comes to audio codecs, they support SBC, AAC, and Sony’s own LDAC. AptX support is missing here which might be a deal-breaker for some. Also, if you are going to be connecting the headphones to multiple devices simultaneously, you can’t have LDAC enabled at the same time. For my ears, I can’t tell much of a difference listening to a variety of music streaming through Spotify, and I also prefer to be connected to multiple devices.

In the app, you can customize the sound a bit to your liking. Sony offers a plethora of custom equalizer presets and two custom ones so that you can adjust the balance two whatever you prefer. They also have a toggle for a technology they call DSEE Extreme which is essentially an upscaler for compressed music files. I couldn’t tell much of a difference here either, so I’ve left this turned off.

The XM4s sound great and are a joy to listen to.

Technology

Noise cancellation is the primary category for the Sony XM4s and is also the reason for the relatively high price tag, so it helps that they do an excellent job in that area. The technology Sony has on offer here is outstanding and I’ve been amazed at how much sound these headphones can block out.

I use them in my home office and even the loudest engine noises from our neighbor’s trucks going by are non-existent. I’ve also spent a few afternoons sitting outside a Starbucks and they make it easy to pretty much turn off the world and get some work done.

You still hear some more high-frequency sounds and voices aren’t completely blocked out either, but you’ll only notice any of this if you don’t have any music playing. Compared to the Surface Headphones 2 that I’ve also tried, this noise cancellation is in another league. Albeit at a higher price tag.

Battery Life

Battery life is always a sticking point for me personally and I really don’t want to have to worry about it on the devices I use every day. Sony claims 30 hours of playback and they aren’t lying. You can also get 5 hours of playback after just a 10-minute charge. You can monitor the battery from the app, but since I’ve had these, I haven’t had to worry one bit. I use them almost every day and usually only charge them once a week which is great in my book.

My one complaint here is that you can’t actually use the headphones while you are charging them. But with 30 real hours of playback time, maybe it’s just time to take a short break at that point.

Bluetooth Connection

The XM4s use Bluetooth 5.0 to pair wirelessly to your devices and they also have multipoint connection so you can easily have them connected to two of your devices at the same time. In practice, this actually has worked really well.

I jump between my desktop PC, MacBook Pro, and an Android phone, and having my headphones connected to my phone and computer at the same time is very convenient. You can easily answer a phone call and everything switches over automatically and back again when you’re done. When you want to switch devices, all you have to do is pause the audio on one device and start playing on the other. It does take a few seconds to actually come through the headphones after switching, but it’s very reliable which is the most important part.

I’ve also found that I never have to re-pair the headphones when shuffling a different device in for another. I just click connect and it works straight away. This may be Bluetooth 5.0 at work here, but I’ve been frustrated with having to do this with some of my older devices when going between my desktop and laptop.

The connection has also been solid and the only stutters I’ve experienced have been when I’m across the entire house through multiple walls or out in the garage after leaving my phone in the office. Nothing to worry about here.

Controls

Controlling the XM4s has been mostly pain-free with only some minor adjustments. The left earcup has a physical power button that is also used to put the headphones in pairing mode. Right next to that is a button labeled CUSTOM which by default cycles between noise cancellation modes and triggers the optimizer with a long press. This button can also be configured to trigger a virtual assistant in the app. I’ve mostly just left this button alone, but both of them are placed well and are nice and clicky.

The outside of the right ear cup is where most of the magic happens. It supports a variety of touch controls, double-tap to play/pause, swipe up and down for volume, and swipe forward and backward to change tracks. The gestures took a little bit of getting used to for me to be able to reliably get it right every time, but after a couple of weeks, I have no issues.

Covering the entire ear cup with your hand also temporarily disables noise cancellation, lowers the volume on your music, and amplifies outside noise. This allows you to easily have a quick conversation with someone without taking the headphones off. This actually works really well except for that to the other person you just look like someone with headphones on that doesn’t know what to do with their right hand. After explaining it to my wife, it works just fine.

Sony has also touted a speak to chat feature which essentially does the same thing but is automatically triggered by your voice. In theory, this sounds useful, but in reality, I turned it off immediately after a few false triggers. I’m much happier either covering the ear cup or taking the headphones off to have a conversation. They also pause whatever you’re listening to automatically when you take them off of your head and resume when you put them back on.

Sony WH-1000XM4 | The Best gets Better [Review]

After the past couple years Sony has reigned supreme with its impressive XM3 headphones even facing challengers such as the Bose 700s. XM3s still managed to be atop the noise cancelling elite so its curious can the XM4 push Sony any further out then they already are? One thing for sure w/ the WH-1000X line is that Sony always finds a way to surprise us someway somehow.

Style

On the XM3 I used their Black colorway, but this time opted for Silver. Silver I feel reminisces to the slight pale Champagne Gold style on the XM2. Sony has for the most part kept the same design language with their XM series. Rounded earcups with faux leather earpads are still soft and pillowy as well as the headband cushioning underneath. Comparing these to the XM3, it looks like Sony somehow managed to make the XM4s sizing marginally smaller but also giving you slightly larger earcups. Earcups swivel in and out and fold up giving you various ways to store or carry your headphones. Even throw them in the included case.

Type-C port is still on the right side while headphone jack is on the left with power button and what Sony has called a “Custom” Button. On the XM3 this button was their NC/Ambient button. NFC also resides on the left side as well.

With Type-C charging the battery is slated to last 30hrs on a full charge but there is also 5hrs of juice you can get off a 10min plug if a quick fix is needed. Battery life tends to hold up with the XM series and its generally the same on the XM4 as well.

Right earcup holds Sony XM’s trademark touch controls with swiping options to change songs and volume. Various tapping will utilize the play controls.

Sony XM4 includes Type-C cable, 3.5mm audio cable, and carrying case.

Features

I thought the XM3 had a ton of features, but Sony manages to go a step further with the XM4. For starters that “Custom” button can be set for either Ambient controls or voice assistants such as Google, Alexa, or Siri. One of my favorite additions is “Speak-to-Chat”. Before when entering a conversation, you must either pause, remove the headphones or toggle on ambient mode. With this option on, soon as you start talking it kicks into ambient mode. I have used it in various scenarios and worked better than expected. Only way I would probably suggest you turn it off or be mindful is if you like to talk or sing out loud. I had it kick in several times.

These options of course can be done with Sony’s accompanying app. There you can change ambient controls, setup the noise cancelling optimizer or mess around with the equalizer. You also get to see your battery life and what codec you are using. Speaking of codecs, the XM4 supports SBC, AAC, and LDAC. Gone is support for aptX/AptXHD which was available on the XM2 / XM3. If you want hi-fi sound you have to hope your phone supports LDAC. Luckily, I been using these headphones with a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 and a OnePlus 8T and both support the codec.

Taking calls has vastly improved on the XM4, I remember on the XM3 I would get various complaints about the sound but with the XM4 the other parties would state how quiet it is and couldn’t hear anything around me.

Sound

Audio remains to be king on the XM4. Its sound profile still gives you that thumping bass that is punchy i noticed while playing “Just Out the Face” by Meek Mill / Future. It does a good job with vocals pushing them to the forefront while listening to “Wake Up Love” by Teyana Taylor. XM4s do feel louder than the XM3 and the overall soundscape is spread out a bit more. Best thing with the XM4(also on XM3) if you have different taste you can go in the app and mess with the equalizer at your leisure.

Audio syncs up perfectly whether watching content on YouTube or other apps such as Netflix.

Experience

I been using the XM4 for the past month and change and found my experience about the same as I did with the XM3. Great noise cancelling for my daily train commutes and finger gestures working well to handle controls. This is thanks in part to the QN1 processor onboard. Can’t think of any disconnects or distortion either. The addition of the speaking chat option has been good for the most part and no discomfort wearing them for long periods.

Verdict

If you are looking for a pair of premium pair of on-ear headphones the Sony XM4 should right up your alley. Its hard to find many faults with these headphones. Long last battery life, terrific audio quality and are feature rich with various controls and options. Only issue some may have is possibly price where they are retailing currently for 299.99 (usually 349.99). If you want to save a little bit of cash the XM3 can do just as good without a couple of the new additions on the XM4.

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.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones deliver stellar performance in a sleeker design for a more premium price

Tom’s Guide Verdict

Sony demonstrates across-the-board expertise in the XM5 with a great-sounding pair of headphones that has exceptional ANC performance and eco credentials

Pros

• Articulate and engaging sound
• Great control options
• Impressive noise-cancelation
• Long battery life
• Stellar call quality

Cons

• – Redesign and eco credentials ups the price
• – Gets hot around the ears during longer listening

Why you can trust Tom’s Guide?

Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what’s best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

Price: 399 / £379 / AU649 Colors: Black; Silver Battery life (rated): Up to 40 hours; 30 hours (ANC enabled) Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2 (codecs: SBC, AAC and LDAC) Water resistance: Not specified Weight: 8.8 ounces

The Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless active noise-canceling, over-ear headphones are a big deal — especially when you consider the headphones they replace (the Sony WH-1000XM4) were widely regarded as the best wireless headphones you could buy, not least by us at Tom’s Guide, but also had all the right credentials to be among the best audiophile headphones, too.

So it’s a relief, albeit of the predictable variety, to report the WH-1000XM5 pick up where the XM4 left off. Excellent sound quality in every respect, improved noise-cancellation and a very credible eco proposition make them every bit as compelling a set of cans as the model they replace.

It’s not exclusively good news, though. The price at which the XM5 launch is eye-widening — even if our experience of Sony headphones makes us believe the asking price will come down soon. And if you’re expecting a bit of bling for your (not inconsiderable) outlay, you’ll be disappointed — the WH-1000XM5, particularly in the ‘ecru’ finish of our review sample, are bland and unremarkable lookers.

Still, it’s easy to forget what they look like when you’re wearing them. And easier still when you’re listening.

Sony WH-1000XM5 review: Price and availability

The Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless active noise-canceling over-ear headphones are on sale at the end of this month. They’re initially priced at 399 / £379 / €419 / AU649 and are available to pre order through Sony’s website, Amazon and Best Buy, among other retailers. For those in Australia, the WH-1000XM5 are available to pre-order directly from Sony.

This is, without doubt, at the upper end of the ‘mainstream’ over-ear headphone market and is edging towards the ‘luxury lifestyle’ area where the likes of Bang Olufsen, Apple (with its Airpods Max) and Montblanc hang out. Certainly the XM5’s most obvious competitors — from the likes of Bose and Sennheiser — are all appreciably cheaper.

You can also check out how they stack up against the Airpods Max — Sony WH-1000XM5 vs. Airpods Max.

It seems unlikely Sony will maintain this price for all that long, though. Each previous 1000X model has launched with a top-end price-tag attached, and each previous 1000X model has become considerably more affordable in fairly short order. So unless you enjoy being the earliest of adopters (and don’t mind paying for the privilege), it’s certainly worth hanging back a while to see what discounts come to light.

You might also be torn when it comes to the XM5’s predecessor, because the XM4 is still available, and for at least 50 less. Our Sony WH-1000XM5 vs. WH-1000XM4 face-off will help you choose between them.

Sony WH-1000XM5 review: Design

Sony has had a bit of a re-think where the design of the WH-1000XM5 is concerned. Certainly they’re a departure from the outgoing WH-1000XM4 — or, at least, as much of a departure as is possible where wireless over-ear headphones are concerned.

There’s something just slightly stealthy about the way the XM5 look. They’re a more streamlined shape than their predecessor, with an aero dynamic design that improves the flow of air across the headphone frame to reduce wind noise.

Branding is minimal — just a little ‘Sony’ logo on each hinge — and the earcups and headband are virtually featureless and entirely anonymous. The WH-1000XM5 are available in black or ecru (for which read ‘uninspiring beige’) and are mostly made from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Sony is very keen on ABS just now — it’s a very useful material in acoustic terms and, given that it’s mostly made from recycled plastic and can be recycled again at the end of its life, its eco credentials are impeccable.

The whole eco-friendly aspect of the WH-1000XM5 should be applauded and even carries over to the retail packaging box. The unbleached, unprinted and wholly recyclable packaging is made from ‘original blended material’ and is guaranteed to use no plastic whatsoever.

At 8.8 ounces the XM5 are a touch lighter than the model they replace, and they are supplied with a usefully compact and collapsible carry-case, which is barely larger than the headphones themselves. This is handy, because although there’s a lot of articulation where the hinges meet the earcups, the XM5 only fold flat rather than folding in on themselves like the XM4.

Sony WH-1000XM5 review: Comfort

The WH-1000XM5 are among the lighter premium wireless over-ear headphones around. And thanks to a combination of careful hanger design, soft artificial leather and a smattering of memory foam in the earcup and the central portion of the inside of the headband, they’re no more burdensome to wear than the trim weight implies.

The earcups are of sensible dimensions, so unless your ears are (to be blunt) extravagantly large they should fit nicely. Unlike quite a few alternative designs, the Sony won’t swamp those among us with smaller heads, either. But while they’re unarguably comfortable, the composition of materials in the earpads seems to return your body-heat — with interest — rather quicker than some rival designs.

Sony WH-1000XM5 review: Controls

You have numerous options here and, while that’s good news, the better news is that they all work really, really well.

The capacitive touch-surface on the right earcup deals with the obvious stuff in a consistent and reliable manner. Here you can deal with ‘play/pause’, ‘volume up/down’, ‘skip forwards/backwards’ and ‘answer/end/reject call’ with next-to-no effort. The left earcup, meanwhile, has a physical button that allows you to cycle through your noise-canceling options (‘on’ or ‘ambient sound’).

The level of ‘ambient sound’ you’d like to hear can be specified in the ‘Headphones’ control app — and that’s far from the only facility the app incorporates. Here’s where you can adjust EQ settings, allow active noise-canceling to adjust to your specific circumstances or environment, set up the XM5 for use with Sony’s 360 Reality Audio spatial sound algorithm, and allow the headphones to wirelessly connect to two devices simultaneously. It’s a stable, useful and fully featured app, and as such has the better of virtually any alternative I’ve encountered.

You’ll want to avoid adjusting the ‘clear bass’ setting, though. Seldom has a feature been more inaccurately named.

The WH-1000XM5 have a total of eight mics, and as well as noise-cancelation and telephony, they’re also involved in voice-assistant interaction. Naturally the Sony will work with your source player’s native voice-assistant, but they also have Amazon Alexa built in. And no matter your voice-assistant of choice, the Sony are able to communicate with them clearly and consistently. OK Google with full wake-up word detection is very well implemented, which puts them clear of quite a lot of their nominal competition.

Sony WH-1000XM5 review: Sound quality

The WH-1000XM5 use a couple of mica-reinforced cellular full-range dynamic drivers to deliver sound. This seems like a rather retrograde move — on paper, at least — because they’re a mere 30mm in diameter, which is smaller than those fitted to the outgoing XM4 and smaller than the drivers fitted to virtually every over-ear headphone price-comparable rival.

The audio battle isn’t won or lost on paper, though, and the XM5 waste little time in demonstrating it’s not how big your drivers are but what you do with them that counts. In every respect, the Sony are a confident, convincing and enjoyable listen.

Listening was carried out using an iPhone 13 mini as source playing content from Qobuz and Tidal streaming services. I also tried the headphones wired to an external DAC/headphone amp connected to an Apple MacBook Pro (2020) and streamed music using the same services.

Throughout, tonality was neutral and natural, with only the slightest suggestion of the highs being rolled off. Low frequencies were muscular but agile, loaded with detail and texture, and delivered an ordered foundation without over shadowing the presentation further up the frequency range. This allows midrange frequencies where vocals sit to be delivered unhindered — and because detail levels are equally lavish here, it means the XM5 are about as communicative and articulate as any headphones at anything like this money. At the top end the XM5s had the good taste not to get too carried away, but still managed a polite bite and shine with high treble sounds.

Frequencies from the bottom of the range to the top were even and smooth. There’s good rhythmic expression liberated from music that has it to offer in the first place, and more than enough dynamic headroom to put proper distance between the quieter, more contemplative moments and the raucous charge-into-the-last-chorus counterpoints. Detail levels, as already observed, were high and pay close attention to even the most fleeting, transient information contained in a recording to paint a full and vibrant picture.

Sony WH-1000XM5 review: Active noise cancelation

If anything, the news regarding active noise-canceling is even better. Sony headphones have always been there-or-thereabouts where sound quality is concerned, of course, but often have been ‘very good’ rather than ‘great’ where noise-canceling is concerned — but that’s not the case here.

Without leaving any trace of how hard the ANC circuitry is working, the XM5 banish pretty much all external sound and leave a nice dark background against which your music can do its thing. Which means the XM5 can bear comparison with the best noise-cancelers around (which, let’s face it, means Bose).

Sony WH-1000XM5 review: Battery life

The WH-1000XM5 are good for 30 hours between charges if you keep active noise-cancelation switched on, and that will rise to as much as 40 hours if you turn it off. The XM5 need a leisurely 3.5 hours to go from ‘flat’ to full when charging via the USB-C input on the right earcup, and can retain an hour’s-worth of power after 10 minutes or so. But unlike the product they replace, the XM5 are USB-PD (Power Delivery).compatible, and charged in this way can get three hours of power after just three minutes.

Sony WH-1000XM5 review: Call quality and connectivity

Did we mention the eight mics? Well, they help the XM5 exhibit call quality quite easily described as ‘exemplary’. Wind-noise is kept to a minimum, and both ends of a conversation prove distinct and direct. It’s difficult to know what else you can realistically ask for.

The XM5s use Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless connectivity, and — as with the XM4s — it’s compatible with SBC, AAC and LDAC codecs. The ongoing lack of any aptX codec involvement remains a disappointment — we don’t all want a Sony smartphone, after all — but the XM5s are well capable of dealing with the hi-res content on your favorite streaming service’s most expensive tier.

If the worst happens as regards battery life, there’s a 3.5mm analog input on the left-hand earcup and a 3.5mm-to-3.5mm cable supplied in the carry-case (so long as you have source with a suitable output jack).

Sony WH-1000XM5 review: Verdict

Expectations have been high for the arrival of Sony’s next-gen XM-series over-ear headphones, and in terms of overall performance, those expectations have been maintained.

That’s particularly true where ANC performance is concerned, showing rivals that they need to up their game, as well as in the frankly laudable eco credentials Sony has managed to bring with its use of materials in the headphone and packaging.

Whatever you make of the understated design aesthetic and the price increase, the combination of audio quality, noise-cancelation and interaction is impressive across the board, and the next-gen Sony WH-1000XM5 are a good step forward.