Sony WH-1000XM4 Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones – 30 hours battery life – Over Ear style – Optimised for Alexa and the Google Assistant – with built-in mic for phone calls – Black
Carry case with cableThe supplied carry case is durable and includes a cable for wired listening.
” data-position=”triggerHorizontal” />How they compare with other Sony noise-cancelling headphones
 WH-1000XM4 |  WH-1000XM5 |  WH-XB910N |  WH-CH710N | |
| Noise Cancelling | Digital Noise Cancellation | Industry-leading NC | Digital Noise Cancellation | Digital Noise Cancellation |
| Battery life (NC ON) | 30 hours | 30 hours | 30 hours | 35 hours |
| Quick charging | Yes, 10 minutes = 5 hours | 3 mins = 3 hours (with USB PD) | 10 minutes = 4.5 hours | 10 minutes = 1 hour |
| Hi-Res Audio | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Touch control | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Speak-to-Chat | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Wearing detection | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Built-in voice assistant | Yes | Yes (Wake words available) | Yes | No |
| Hands-free calling | Yes (2 beamforming mics) | Yes (4 beamforming mics) | Yes | Yes |
| Carrying case | Yes | Yes (Collapsible) | Yes | No |
| Weight: | 254 g |
| Size: | One Size |
| Dimensions: | 25.3 x 18.5 x 7.7 cm; 254 Grams |
| Model: | WH1000XM4 |
| Colour: | Black |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Colour: | Black |
| Dimensions: | 25.3 x 18.5 x 7.7 cm; 254 Grams |
| Size: | One Size |
Great sound quality and good price now that a newer version is available. Two minor gripes.can’t have a sneaky sing alone as the headphones shut down thinking you are speaking and making sure headphones are switched off is a bit of a faff
They have great sound quality, plus even if I have them for a long time on, they are still very comfortable. I even wear them one while doing stretches (I’ve not tried them yet doing exercise) and they hold great even when I’m doing different postures (upside down, etc).
The noise cancelling feature was key for me for noise sensitivity and it’s really great so far!
I’ve had these headphones for two months and worn them virtually every day. I hate things on my head and ears and was convinced they’d be uncomfortable and would have to send them back. They really are the most comfortable headphones I’ve ever worn – I can quite happily wear them for hours without any bother and I’ve even worn them in bed.
I chose these over the MX5’s because they fold into a compact, travel friendly hard case which is provided.
I’ve also tried them on a very noisy train and coach – absolute bliss.
The sound is really good. I hear there are even better headphones, but it seems brilliant to me with good bass and general clarity. The noise cancelling is excellent and better than my old Bose headphones which were pretty good. Can’t comment on battery life as I haven’t had these for long. I like the styling and they are very comfortable in use. They pack nicely into the quite compact case.
What is the obsession with these terrible touch controls on the ear cup?
Loved the feel and fit, sound was great. Most of the extra features are pointless like transparency mode. Just take the headphones off for a second.
The noise cancelling is generally very good but does not simultaneously fully cover the listening range. Carrying out a Noise Cancelling revision needs to be done when the type (of music) changes. Limiting higher frequencies lets though the lower and vice versa. Temporarily removing the headphones pauses the source until they are replaced. A good thing.
The ‘fit’ adjustment of the headphones is very comfortable for several hours of use but stability when moving the head could be better.
Really helpful noise cancelling function. I put these on after dinner and I can’t hear my wife moaning about the dishes, hoovering or lack of housekeeping money. Definitely value for money. Fortunately the battery lasts a long while between charges.
I use them pretty much every day for studying and working. They can sometimes be a little uncomfortable but nothing unbearable. I do use them for several hours in a row though. The noise cancelation is top notch. My wife listens to TV all day and I can wear these and cancel that out easily.
Well I did make the mistake of ordering those Marshall Major 4 thinking that with all those great reviews they must be really good ! Sadly it seems a lot of people really do not know the difference between poor and top quality sound ! Really Shocked in how poor the sound quality was ! Great Looking but Returned them and bought these straight away ! Thank Goodness ! Light Years difference in quality ! Ill leave the rest as probably all covered by other reviews !
The only negative point is that there’s NO way to turn off the voice announcing when you’ve turned them on, or the shockingly loud “BLUETOOTH CONNECTED” announcement every time your device connects or disconnects. The whole point of noise cancelling headphones is to REDUCE noise.. So why they won’t let us turn those noises off is baffling to me. Bit of a deal breaker to be honest. They always play at full volume, there’s no way to turn it down or off.
Having gotten that out of the way, the headphones are quite light and comfortable, the padding is excellent and doesn’t matter if you’re wearing glasses or not, feels the same either way. The sound quality is pretty good, I’d expect a little better at this price point, but it’s certainly not bad, I’m happy with it. The active noise cancellation is outstanding, you can still hear background noise if it’s loud, but it reduces it considerably, and it’ll protect your hearing so it’s worth it for the ANC alone. You’ll also notice a slight hissing or white noise from the ANC at times, but it fades into the background, you won’t really notice it after some time.
Overall, a good pair of headphones for the money, they look decent, feel comfortable, sound good, and really reduce noise considerably. I’ve heard the ANC is one of the best on the market, so if you can deal with the unnecessarily loud notification voice, it’s a solid buy.
If they ever update the headphone firmware to allow us to turn them off, I’ll update my review, but people have been complaining about it for years so I wouldn’t get my hopes up, Sony seem to be stubborn about forcing us to listen to those notifications. Thanks Sony, good job ruining an otherwise perfect product.
Pros:
– Decent audio quality
– Noise cancelling is pretty good
– Feature rich (easily switch beetween ambient sound passthrough and noise canelling, white noise, customizable profiles and programmable modes)
Cons:
– Fit not great (will vary from person to person – but personally I find that wearing the cups over my ears for long sessions is painful so I often have to switch from resting on ear to over the ear)
– The implementation of Bluetooth based features is a DISASTER… Using the headphones with 1 device is fine, easily connects when powered on, auto-start/stop feature works well when taking the headphones off your ears etc. As soon as a second device is connected though all hell breaks loose.
1. Power on, randomly decides which device takes priority. Regardless of which device you’ll start playing media on, if the headphones think the primary device is not that, nothing happens (despite both being connected).
2. On a zoom call on laptop. Re-adjust headphones on my ears, accidentally trigger the auto-start/stop, switches from laptop to desktop and starts playing Spotify or a random YouTube video on a background tab.
I had to disable the auto-start/stop feature as it rendered the headphones unusable across 2 machines. I still struggle with primary connection jumping from 1 device to another and occasionaly have to manually disconnect 1 device to get the headphones to play nice.
I have been using them for 5 months and they are amazing. Really good noise cancelling mode and battery lasts forever. Also very comfortable to wear for long period of times. It comes with a portable case, 3.5mm jack cable and charger cable. I have never been so happy with some headphones in my life. Also great when you don’t want to listen to kids screaming or people talking too loud. Definitely recomend this product 100%.
These headphones are really really good. I’ve been using them for several months now and I don’t think I could go back to using earphones/buds.
The sound is incredible, the bass is good and strong, and the noise cancellation is great.
I lived on a really loud, busy street and sometimes I would just put the headphones on for the noise cancellation feature – as soon as they’re switched on, it gets rid of all background noise, street noises, cars, beeping, people talking, builders banging around, etc.
I love that you can change the level of the noise cancellation through the app. So for example when you’re outside walking around, you can choose to turn it off or turn it down, so that you can hear traffic and things going on around you. It can also detect your surroundings automatically and change it for you depending on where you are, which is really smart.
The ear pieces and head piece are really comfortable, and the materials are soft and smooth. I have long hair and the head piece hasn’t trapped or tangled my hair yet (which all previous headphones have)!
They look and feel expensive, while still being discreet and simple. They come in a little softshell case which is really cute and keeps them protected when you’re on the move.
The quality of the sound is excellent, I think these are the best headphones I’ve ever owned.
The sound quality straight from the box is not the best. To get more of what these headphones can deliver, I suggest tweaking the equalizer in sony app. It improves by quite a lot. Noise cancelling is really good, but also strong. So you hear that hissing, when nothing is playing. They are comfortable, could easily wear for 3+ hours. Battery life is excellent. They are very portable, and easy to carry around. Only complain is that they dont work seemsly with my XPS laptop, and I need to pair it both to my phone and laptop, to work. Otherwise, there’s often lag, or stutter in sound. Also, considering just the hardware, I Believe XM4’s are better ( has a bigger frequency range ) than the XM5, because of the driver size. Overall, they are great headphones. I was only expecting more, because of so many tech reviwers saying “too much” about it.
Headphones are great, but the app isnt great (and is probably not worth installing to be honest unless you care about adding custom eq settings).
They have really good sound quality, and can be used both wireless (via Bluetooth) or as wired headphones with a regular audio input which was cool as I initially thought they were wireless only. They’re a bit heavier on bass rather than a flat sound, but the bass sounds good and isn’t muddy or overbearing. This can be adjusted in the app via the EQ if want however.
The noise cancelling mode works very well too, but I personally find it a bit nauseating for long periods, though I think this is a personal preference thing. Without any noise cancelling, the headphones still sound great.
For a few issues, I initially thought they were broken from charging but turns out higher powered USB chargers don’t work (at least not for me), so I’d recommend you avoid using fast charging banks or cables that you would usually use for your phone.
Also, there is a mode called ‘speak-to-chat’ which I accidentally activated and muted my headphones whenever I spoke. It wasn’t really clear when this happened so I thought my phone was broken but after googling looks to be something others have accidentally turned on too lol
Overall, would still highly recommend 🙂
Otherwise, I love them – I really like the design of M4s compared to Bose or even M5, the build quality seems great, I love that the plastic is soft to touch, they have excellent connection through Bluetooth and can switch seamlessly between two devices (best I have ever seen), love there’s a feature to calibrate noise cancellation, Sony connect app is loaded with features and they come with a really sturdy case.
I really like these headphones, 5 stars all round. I’m very fussy with sound, and for years have refused to abandon mid-range wired earphones, because I have found every time I have tried wireless earphones even that are much more expensive than what I consider mid-range wired earphones they’ve not been up to scratch at all and the price to quality ratio just leaves you feeling queasy. And I hate(d) wearing headphones. But good wired earphones that last more than a few months with extensive use (and you’re not willing to whip out a soldering iron to replace jacks, sections of wire etc) now seem very hard to come by. And if you’re spending as much as a properly amazing pair of wireless headphones cost like these (now that I’m lucky enough to be able to), you might as well go with these.
I have to say, now I’m over some of my unsure-ness, I certainly do not miss untangling wires, getting stuck on things, and the sound of wires slapping against things bleeding through. All are uncomplicated quality of life improvements brought by wireless.
I had previously bought SoundCore Q30s (on sale recently at about half price, pretty good), which I was happy-ish with except the sound wasn’t really up to it, though definitely decent, the battery wasn’t amazing, and overall the sound quality and battery combined wasn’t enough to overcome my dislike of wearing headphones.
With these Sony’s, initially I was underwhelmed by what noise cancellation can do, as sound still bleeds through. But having reflected on it, I really would not like more than this – it already reminds me a bit too much of a recurring soundless nightmare I have and feels a bit claustrophobic and, if paired with stress, anxiety-raising. So the NC is actually perfect for me I think.
Other features I find large gimmicky. Speak to chat – fine, until I personally realise I say a few words out loud to myself sometimes, and this makes the feature too annoying to ever enable. Plus for that to be really useful it would be good if it also triggered if other people spoke, but then that also only works in a largely private and quiet home setting. If that was a feature and anyone had a TV on or you had more than one person living with you, it would interrupt your listening a lot. There is “voice passthrough” but it seems to be not be enable-able if you have it on the automatic ambient sound control stuff, which is the one thing I thought was a gimmick but I turned out to really like; it does a very good job of detecting your activity and so far has never got it wrong enough to bother me.
Has “Personal Optimizing” or “Atmospheric Pressure Optimizing” actually done anything? Who knows. DSEE Extreme is for most situations for most people not worth the battery-killing side effects.
I have also been slowly but surely been getting used to using the hand gestures on the right headphone. Do your best to get used to this, as being able to pause, skip to next, and enable transparent audio this way is a very useful habit to develop. And as much as I prefer tactility (buttons etc), for headphones these sorts of touch gestures just make more sense, and enable software extension and customisability.
Other features I have noticed turn themselves off in the app after some time, but this may be an annoying interaction with Huawei’s background app stuff or some other thing not directly related to the app.
I still resent the death of wires a bit, and prefer to use ethernet etc when possible, but perhaps as battery technology improves and if wireless charging can ever not be so wasteful and/or pointless it will feel less and less inconvenient. Though hopefully technology companies will start providing more replaceable battery options, as I still don’t believe that I’m in some ultra-minority of people who wouldn’t happily give up waterproofness and less thin phones and so on for that (at least the Fairphone exists, though the compromises taking into account price are too much for most). Let’s stop contributing to the depletion of resources and messing up of the environment as best we can. I don’t know how easy the batteries on these are to replace.
There are features which require additional accounts and data collection which I do not trust (not that it’s going to be anything ultra-concerning, but if you don’t transparently – i.e. not buried in some mountain user agreement – tell me the absolute limits of what you’re going to do with my data I’m not going to choose to give it to you) and will never enable, so I can’t report on those.
I still hate wearing headphones, especially ones that are heavy enough like these – my main complaint, as I have sensitive ears and it leaves a big divot in the top of my hair. I know they’re not super heavy but I listen to audio for such extended periods I really feel the extra weight in a way I don’t with my cheap gaming headset. But I’m over it, more or less, now. And when I can’t deal with this, I have learned to tolerate the Sony XB700’s I bought which for wireless earphones were good enough on the steep over 50% discount I get them at (though I’ll never forgive them for the subtle but awful hiss that developed in the left ear!).
At this level (around 300), I do believe that the main difference between headphones (brands and models) is much more related to each headphone’s sound signature than to the sound quality per se, so that deciding which one is best mostly depends on subjective preferences, type of music genre, listening environment etc. I also believe that any incremental quality gain above this level would be noticeable only for very few initiated.
That said, currently I have been using my Sony WH-1000XM4 much more often than my Fidelio and Maze just because they are lighter, much more portable and practical, representing a great tread-off in relation to what Fidelio and Maze bring me in terms of listening experience – I currently save them to use in some special occasions, at home, when listening to some of my all-time faves (e.g., Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, or Strauss Vier letzte Lieder).
Finally, a note about the noise cancelling: I had never cared about it, so I am not in a position to judge its quality in comparisons to other options. Nonetheless, having tried it, as it was already on as part of the factory setup, I was very impressed to notice how all becomes quieter when I am wearing the headphones.
Therefore, all considered, I really think that the Sony WH-1000XM4 is a great buy – perhaps even more than the new version – the WH-1000XM5 – as it apparently is slightly smaller and, therefore, more portable, and cheaper – and, according to some reviews I have read from dedicated websites, both models share the same machinery, which is great.
I think they’re sleek and stylish, and the sound quality is so much better than my previous headphones. My dad is also super impressed.
I’d personally buy these still over the newer versions as I just think they look nicer. Super sturdy as I’ve fallen asleep with them many of times and lay on them/crushed them and they’re still perfectly fine. Great for planes. I use them mostly to watch TV with, they connect seamlessly to my TV & phone.
Great on a plane where the constant noise ruins listening through conventional headphones. Noise cancelling does not cut out all noise, so you can still hear the wife shouting at you, but not her snoring, which is excellent when listening to music in bed.
The app is very good and so is playing with the settings of the EQ as I think they are set up by deaf music haters in the factory. The ability to fine tune the EQ them is so completely essential to get a sound that you are happy with. I am extremely particular with how my music sounds, being a musician and studio producer. Over hyped bass and muddy treble does not cut it for me.
There are other complicated features that you can enable, but to be honest, I could see much difference and therefore the point.
Touch control on the ear pads is very useful, changing volume, pausing, etc. Mic quality is easily good enough to make and receive phone calls whilst on a walk, and you can invoke Siri to do your bidding.
These were bought to replace an earlier model that I had had for years, that I managed to sit on, and break the swivel joint at the side of the headphones which allows you to collapse them down to put in a case. I fixed it with epoxy and gaffer tape and then I think I left them somewhere and, bye bye headphones. These are pretty much exactly the same, although I did have to fiddle extensively with the EQ and suffer all kinds of over thinking before settling back to normal life and music appreciation.
Worth the extra money? Read the reviews, read other reviews outside of Amazon… yes, they’re worth it. Just don’t sit on them or lose them.
I find that I can effectively block out the world when I have these on. I’m really happy I purchased these. Easy to set up and I like the app that helps you figure everything out. The case they come with is handy and looks really nice, not like a cheap freebie.
**Noise cancelling**
The noise cancelling is not as good as the QC45, but only by the slightest bit, and once you’ve got music playing, any background noise is barely noticeable. Although it does little to block out single voices even with speak to chat disabled(though this is actually a benefit for me if anything)
The hiss when noise cancelling is far less noticeable than the QC45s aswell in my experience, so if this is something that annoys you, these may be the better choice.
There is also an option to turn the noise cancelling / ambient sound off completely, something that was missing from the QC45s (a complete dealbreaker for me)
**Ambient sound mode**
The best ambient sound mode I’ve used on any noise cancelling headphones, can’t fault it.
**Comfort**
I will often be wearing theses for a whole days work, plus commuting, so upwards of 8 hours a day and I have no issues for comfort at all. If you have a particularly small head though, these may not work – I have them on the smallest setting and it’s just right, but if my head was any smaller then I’d have an issue!
Beware of the headphone hair though… but that’s not a Sony issue.
**Sound quality**
Although I’m not one to care that much about sound quality (my main comparison is a pair of original airpods which I used to use, and still use everyday) I think these are significantly better and haven’t got any complaints about sound quality at all, even at higher volumes
**Video calls / microphone quality**
One of my main uses for these is to take video calls while working from home. Although there is an inbuilt microphone (which I have not had any complaints about from collegues at all over zoom when using it), there is a noticeable audio quality drop when using it, so I opt to use the inbuilt laptop microphone to maintain the better audio quality. If you had to use the microphone on these, it would not be a problem, I just choose not to. Overall a solid choice for video calls
**Portability**
Even though these are used at home a lot, I also travel frequently and the included case, and the fact they fold up make this extremely easy. The battery life and quick charging also help. Absolutely solid choice for travelling (noise cancelling on the tube is also a godsent)
**Other thoughts**
In terms of the special features that these have, I have a few thoughts…
– Don’t use speak to chat… it always false triggers and is generally annoying. Very easy to turn off though, so not a problem
– Auto play/pause when putting the headphones on / taking them off works almost perfectly – I rarely use the playback controls on my keyboard when popping somewhere and taking them off. I didn’t know how good this feature was until I had it !
– Device switching is okay once you get the hang of it, but these is a learning curve. Don’t expect this to be as good as the airpods, but it works okay with two devices. More than two devices gets a bit hairy though.
– The app is okay, but could be a lot better… luckily once you’ve got the headphones setup you rarely have to use it.
**Battery**
Charge it every couple of days and you’ll be fine. They last for what feelings like forever. Plus USB-C to charge is a lifesaver.
**Bose v Sony**
I only have limited experience with the Bose QC45, but would easily choose these over them any day… but it depends on your use case.
**Summary**
For my use case, these headphones are incredible and I buy them again in seconds if mine broke. I bought them for 250, and when writing the review they are going for 200… and they are worth every penny.
Was looking for a good pair of headphones for ages and these are amazing. Sound quality is great. Battery life is fab. My partner tried them and got himself a pair too! Very happy.
Eventually caved and bought in black Friday sale. SO GLAD I DID. Made the plane journey I just got back from much more bareable. Screaming child instantly blocked out. Great sound too! Brilliant produc
I bought this after losing my Bose QC35 and there’s pros and cons. The sound quality is great but what bothers me is that it’s so hard to switch between different devices unlike the Bose where I can click 1 button and the headphones connect to the next device. For this one, I normally have to turn off the Bluetooth for the device it’s connected to and then turn off the device and turn it back on to connect to the second device.
Overall, sound quality wise, it’s amazing! But Bluetooth connectivity needs to improve.
Look good and unlike the next model up – these headphones actually fold down much more neatly which makes them great for travelling light, but staying comfy. Not warn them for working out – I mean – why would you with the sweat, I mean, come on and they’re great for cancelling out back ground noise and anyone asking to help with anything, like the bins.
The bass is out of the box a little light but there is a switch in the EQ software that specifically enables greater base levels which is more than sufficient for me as I use these for making work calls, NC (to avoid distractions) and audiobooks, when I do listen to music for example when working-out I tend to be listening to the words more than experiencing the bass effects anyway.
My main attraction to these headphones are the amazing convenience widgets that really do make a difference when using them in public or professional spaces:
– putting your hand over your right earphone instantly turns off your media or NC to allow you to speak or listen to someone. Great if someone walks up in the office offering coffee or if you have reached the front of a queue.
– the setting to stop when speaking is great if you do interact with people regularly in an office for example. This setting can be controlled in the headphone app so you can still sing along to your favourite tracks or laugh at sn audiobook without the sound getting cut off
– having volume and skip forward / back on the right earphone as a swipe on the plastic casing rather than button press is very convenient for apple phone and tablet users, far easier than fiddling about trying to find the right button and memorising how many presses are needed for each function (you can still program custom actions into the button on the left headphone if that’s your jam though).
– the 360 live feature is just mind blowing, it’s not available on Amazon or Apple Music platforms yet but where it is available ‘wow’ it’s like sitting in the centre of a cathedral hearing perfect directional sound. I suppose surround sound technology has been around for ages but to really appreciate it speakers were needed all over the place, but this system uses pictures of your ear to direct sound to the right part to make the directional accuracy perfect.
I have quite sensitive hearing (I can hear the chirruping of anti-spider or rodent devices and know we have a power cut when the electrical device hum in the bedroom stops for example), the negative part of this is high frequency ‘noise’ really disturbs me, even noise that most other people don’t even notice. Also being a little neuro-diverse means I need quiet to concentrate so the next door neighbours dog howling is instant headache when I’m working but doesn’t affect me much when I’m cleaning or cooking for example. This background will explain why ANC is very important for me. In these headphones when ANC is active I only hear about 10% outside noises, 10% internal (breathing, moving head, blood pumping) noises and the white noise generators sound like gentle raindrops falling on soft ground so takes me straight to my happy place. In comparison with most ANC for me this is almost perfection.
Compared to other closed cup NC headphones the software, comfort and convenience in these Sony headphones is just way better and to lose a little bass I think is a small price to pay.
I’ve had the headphones since 2022 Feb and at the time of writing this, the sound quality of my headphones have declined, always cutting out, static noises, stopping sound altogether. I have tried all the fixes suggested possible through online to no avail. I also keep them clean, every 2 months opening them up and cleaning inside. Battery life is consistently high as well as noise cancellation however I do not like the quality of the headphones when I’ve had them for 1 year and a half.
This is an Honest truthfull review done by myself who purchased this product with my own money on 2023
The sound quality is divine. Especially after you install the Sony app and calibrate the levels to taste. The battery life is really impressive. They fold down into the case nicely. They sync well via bluetooth to all devices. You really can’t get much better than these headphones.
Sound quality is not to the usual Sony standards. There is way too much bass on these headphones and all in the wrong place. I like a deep sub-bass and a thumping 909 kick but these are way too muddy.
However these seem to be the last of the decent headphones with good noise cancellation that actually fold up for travelling, the XM5’s and others all seem to only have earpads that turn rather than hinge as well, so the case is much smaller (the XM5’s did sound better and have better noise cancellation though).
With some playing with the EQ in the Sony app, and changing the EQ preset in the iPhone Music apps settings page, I did manage to get a better sound response (but still not as good as a 30 pair of Sennheiser in-ear or 130 Beyerdynamic on ear headphones).
Nothing to dislike. These are awesome.
Comfortable to wear for extended periods. Battery life superb even with noise cancelling running. Sound quality is simply amazing. App is way above anything from other top brands I have used. Only regret is not spending the money on these before
Bought it when it was on a discount, refuse to leave the house without them for commute to work. From sound to noise cancellation theyre top of the line. Battery lasts a very long time and the setting customisation is wide.
Nice & sleek, very happy with sound quality for the price, better than my old pair of Beats. Battery life is excellent & they are lightweight, so don’t weigh too heavy on the head. Noise cancelling is adequate without closing you off to the world completely.
The quality of the material use to make the headphone, make them comfortable and durable, there is only one use for headphones and that’s to hear music but these headphones make listening to music or movies so much better and don’t get me started on the battery like its incredible. An absolute gift or item for one self.
I bought this and returned it after a few days and decided to purchase the newer version instead. This is because the mic quality on these was quite poor and people couldn’t hear me especially in windy conditions. The ANC is incredible on these and look forward to purchasing the new ones. Amazom accepted the return on these no problem and I bought these with amazon’s pay monthly scheme which is amazing for purchases like these.
These headphones are great. They are easy fitting on the ears and comfortable. I wanted something that would give me good bass and I have fully achieved that on buying these. The app on the phone also helps to improve the overall quality of sound I am getting. They are well worth the money.
I’ve been using the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones for a while now, and while they certainly have their merits, I’ve encountered a few frustrating issues along the way.
Build Quality and Durability: I previously owned the silver version (which colour is rather off-white) of these headphones and experienced an unfortunate build quality issue. After just a year of use, one of the headphones detached from the headband while I was putting them on. It was a disappointing and unexpected failure that rendered them unusable. Having replaced them with this new pair, I was hopeful for improved durability. So far, these headphones have held up, but it’s clear that there were some concerns with the initial batch’s build quality.
Performance: When it comes to performance, the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones shine in some areas and stumble in others. The active noise cancellation is top-notch, immersing you in your audio and blocking out the world. The sound quality is generally excellent, delivering crisp highs and deep lows. However, there’s a persistent issue that I’ve encountered with this new pair. They tend to power off unexpectedly after 30-60 minutes of use, even when the battery is fully charged. This interruption can be quite frustrating, especially during longer listening sessions or when watching movies.
User Experience: An additional bug adds to the mixed experience of these headphones. If you accidentally power them off and then attempt to power them on immediately, they become unresponsive to any button presses. The only solution is to connect and disconnect them from a USB charger, which is an unnecessary hassle. This flaw is particularly irksome if you’re in a hurry or just trying to quickly resume your audio experience.
Battery Life: When they’re not plagued by the aforementioned power-off issue, the battery life on these headphones is commendable. Long-lasting playback time ensures you can enjoy your favourite tunes throughout the day without constantly needing to recharge.
Comfort: One area where the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones consistently excel is comfort. The plush ear cushions and adjustable headband make for a comfortable fit even during extended wear, which is crucial for those long flights or work sessions.
Final Thoughts: In conclusion, the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones offer a blend of impressive features and unfortunate flaws. The build quality issues observed in the “silver” version seem to have been somewhat addressed, but there’s room for improvement. The stellar noise cancellation and sound quality are overshadowed by the random power-off problem and the unresponsive button bug. If Sony can address these issues in future iterations, these headphones could truly be exceptional. Until then, they remain a mixed bag – capable of delivering a great listening experience but marred by frustrating inconsistencies.
I love every feature of these headphones: sound quality and noise cancelling; ease of use and comfort; adjustments using the app. All brilliant. And amazing value at the lower price
The noise cancelling on these headphones are incredible. Took them on a very busy bus journey where a very drunk man was blasting music off his phone and shouting all over the place – however with the noise cancelling on it was like he wasn’t there! The sound is also very great, making listening to music a blast!
The more I use these headphones the more I am impressed. It’s not just the sound quality but the useful features which makes makes them near perfect. You won’t regret buying these. If only it was possible to have a noise cancelling bedroom…I guess that is what ear plugs are for but I hate wearing them.
I bought these headphones specifically for a long-haul flight from Heathrow to Bangkok and other flights across Asia recently. I found the headphones comfortable and wore them for the full 11.5 hours to Bangkok. I thought the noise cancelling was excellent. On taking off the headphones mid-flight I thought how loud the engine noise was, compared to when wearing my headphones. I also wore the headphones with no music or videos playing with the noise cancelling on just to drown out the noise of the engines whilst trying to sleep. What I also liked was that the headphones could be folded down quickly and easily to put into a case, which also fitted easily into my hand luggage (unlike the Sony MX5). In conclusion, I hate long-haul flying, I really do. However, the headphones did help in making the flights more acceptable. I would certainly recommend them and I would buy the same headphones again knowing what I know now.
Really love them, great sounds. Really raises your experience and expectations, I actually struggle to listen to music in my car (obviously I don’t were these when driving) I want the same great sounds I get from these. Also helps in noisy stressful environments , it so silent with some calming music.
Okay first off I can’t use ear buds because of my tinnitus, they make it worse, so I have to have these types of over ear headphones. Now unlike vision to a point I a, sick to the back teeth of god knows what codecs and industry versions of sound files there are, as fed up of sound bars and so on. It’s quite clear the industry won’t have a set of standards across the board and life is too short trying to bother with all that and it’s not like they will all club together, to bother to put us all out of our audio baffling codec and streaming quality audio versions misery. So these headphones are very comfortable first off, now something of this quality will not be leaving the house, because I don’t want to be mugged and the noise cancelling is so good I won’t hear noises I need to hear in the streets if I am outside. For most of us unless you are some big music producer who can record exact high end music files to get the right codecs on the right streaming formats etc, the sound the rest of us hear is very good. I am using these headphones both wired and blue tooth on my Apple products and I’m glad I can plug them into my faithful old Apple iPod as well as my iPhone etc. I can’t play music loud as it sets off my tinnitus, so good quality sound on. Lower volumes is a must for me musically and these do very nicely. For me being able to take a phone call with them on does not matter either, as if I’m listening to music I won’t take the calls anyway lol.
These headphones have changed how I enjoy music!
They’re especially good at cancelling out the background drone noise of a busy woodworking workshop; can you imagine that? using these expensive headphones for work!? and they can take a knock and are confidence inspiring.
I absolutely love them and feel like picking up a backup set should they ever fail!
I just wish someone had of told me how much I’d love them sooner.
highly recommended
Great headphones with good quality sound, excellent noise cancelling and long lasting battery life. The touch controls sometimes work well but sometimes when I’m trying to change the volume it thinks I’m skipping the song so I sometimes end up skipping a song right when the good part is about to start when I was trying to turn the volume up. I think having simple button controls would have been better.
Pro: Amazing headset with spectacular noise cancelling that has amazing audio quality and comfort.
Con: Have to play a guessing game involving timing and third party cable to charge it.
Firstly to say that this headset by far is the best I have owned for noise cancelling anywhere I am. They are very comfortable and even though there is an app to download for further settings changes it is well worth it. The only issue I have had so far is that the original charger that came with the headphones does not work. Once plugged in to any USB port it flashes red for charging and then off and does not charge at all. I have tested with many other cables and blocks and so far I have managed to get to charge however I have to first do some sort of guessing game. I have to plug a cable in while it is on and then remove it forcing the headphones to turn off and then I have to plug the cable back in while holding the power button and from there it is a guessing game as to how long to hold the power button but once it flashes red I let go and it will charge. If pressing it any longer it will flash blue then red and turn off leaving me to repeat the process again.
The design and build quality of the WH-1000XM4 ooze elegance and durability. Sony has done a spectacular job sealing joints and using quality materials. Their choice of 40mm dome-type driver units along with the gold-plated L-shaped stereo mini plug ensures optimal audio performance. And with dimensions compact enough to fit under most Christmas trees, these headphones are truly the gift that keeps on giving.
Comfort is paramount when it comes to headphones, and the WH-1000XM4 scores highly in this regard. Even users with larger heads have attested to their superior comfort. The cushioned ear pads and flexible headband promise endless hours of snug, fatigue-free listening. They fit so perfectly, you may forget you’re wearing them!
One of the standout features of the Sony WH-1000XM4 is its noise cancellation, courtesy of the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1. The ability to switch between noise cancelling and transparency modes adds a layer of versatility that suits various environments, from bustling city streets to serene parks.
Beyond the superior noise cancellation, the Sony WH-1000XM4 outperforms its competitors with features like Speak-to-Chat and Wearing Detection. The former automatically pauses your music when you start a conversation, while the latter powers off the headphones when not in use, preserving battery life. The Quick Attention feature, which turns down the volume and allows ambient sound in when you place your hand over the ear cup, is nothing short of genius.
When it comes to sound, the Sony WH-1000XM4 truly shines. These headphones support Ideal Resolution Audio and use evolved DSEE Extreme technology to upscale even compressed music files. As a result, listeners enjoy crisp mids, clear highs, and a robust bass response that can make any track sound dynamic and lively.
The intuitive touch controls are another highlight. With a simple tap or swipe on the headphone surface, you can adjust the volume, switch tracks, and answer calls, providing a seamless listening experience.
Let’s not forget about the impressive Bluetooth 5.0 capabilities. With a line of sight range of approximately 30ft and the option to pair with two devices simultaneously, Sony WH-1000XM4 is as flexible as it gets.
Sony WH-1000XM4’s app offers a rich suite of features, including EQ adjustments, and even learns your regular locations to tailor sound and noise cancelling settings. The headphones also integrate beautifully with Alexa and Google Assistant, further enhancing the user experience.
The call quality on the WH-1000XM4 headphones is commendable. Even on lengthy calls, users have reported clear audio with no discomfort, marking these headphones as a great option for working from home.
Finally, in terms of battery life, the WH-1000XM4 outdoes itself with a whopping 30 hours on a single charge, making it ideal for lengthy commutes, international flights, or just all-day listening.
In conclusion, the Sony WH-1000XM4 is an excellent blend of form, function, and fantastic sound quality. They feel premium, sound powerful, and offer a myriad of smart features that genuinely improve the user experience.
Pros:
1. Exceptional sound quality with robust bass.
2. Superb noise cancellation.
3. Comfortable for extended use.
4. Smart features like Speak-to-Chat and Wearing Detection.
5. Long-lasting battery life.
6. Intuitive touch controls.
7. Comprehensive app with EQ adjustments.
Cons:
1. Some users may find the touch controls sensitive.
2. While the design is sleek, it’s relatively unassuming, which might not appeal to those seeking a more noticeable aesthetic.
3. These headphones aren’t ideal for exercise due to their over-ear style.
Yet I was torn between the two so I decided to buy both and keep the one I liked the most. At least that was the plan.
The Sony XM4s have been a runaway success only recently replaced by the XM5 which are 100 more, so I left these out as they were just a bit more then I wanted to spen.
Here’s what I liked and disliked about them both.
Build quality and comfort
The Bose QC45 feel light in the hand and well made. However I did not like the exposed screws. The Sony XM4s are better sealed at the joints and feel better well built in the hand. The Sony is a fraction heavier but there’s nothing in it between the two.
The ear pads are better on the Sony. They just feel more cushioned than the Bose. The Bose feel cheaper. I also noticed that the headband on the Sony is slightly more comfortable. I found the Bose headband would dig in to the top of my head slightly. You notice you’re wearing them after a while.
The Sony cups feel they have more space in them for your ears. I felt my ears were touching the inside of the cups on the Bose.
Noise cancelling/transparacy mode
I like the way you can switch the Bose between transparent and noise cancelling. It’s just a single press of the button on the left cup. Simple. Both modes work brilliatly. I’ve used the transparency mode while walking so I can still hear some traffic, and the NC mode in my local noisy coffee shop. Both modes work very well.
The call quality is excellent. The other person on the call could hear me very well during a walk outside on a rather windy day. No issues with calls.
Controls
The Bose has physical buttons for the volume controls and to pause play. The Sony has touch sensitive controls which are getting some bad reviews online. This is totally wrong in my opinion. The touch controls work very well on the Sony. I found with the Bose that when I wanted to adjust the volume, I had to place several fingures on the right cup before pressing down on the volume with my index finger. I found that otherwise the cup would slightly move from my ear which became anoying having to reposition it again for comfort. The Sony is just a one finger swipe and very easy to do without disturbing the cup position.
The Bose buttons don’t feel that high quality. They don’t have that satisfiying click or feel.
You get a nice satisfying confirmation sound when toggling the on/off button, again a phyical switch that does feel it will break at some point. You get a voice confirmation that you are connected and the battery power remaining. The Bose has a very old computer generated voice which is terrible. The Sony voice is much more modern and clear making the Sony feel more up to date.
The Sony has a press and hold button to power on/off. This also gives you a confimation that your Bluetooth has connected.
Sound
So the important stuff. I’ve played several tracks over and over on both headphones switching between the two and repeating the track.
There are some differencs and it is all subjective.
I found the Bose was clearer in the midrange and higher tones. I also felt there was a little more clarity in the words of the song then in the Sony.
But the Sony came across more powerful lower down with base. You just feel the Sony has more capacity and power. The music sounds stronger.
The Bose is very good but just lacks the real strong base of a track.
App
I tried both with no EQ straight out of the box. When I adjusted the EQ on both, I got even stronger sound from both. The Sony still feels more punchy. The Bose is very good for podcasts, super clear and great noise cancelling.
The EQ on the Bose is very simple with very little adjustments. The Sony is more comprehensive.
The Sony has a much better App with more ajustments. It can even learn your regular locations and adjust the sound and NC accordingly. The Bose does none of this.
The Sony has a great feature that pauses the music if you simply start to talk to someone. It also switches to transparent mode so you can hear them. Great when ordering a coffee! The Bose doesn’t do this.
The Sony pauses the music if you lift the headphones off your head, resumes play when you place them back on. The Bose doesn’t do this.
You can cover the right cup with your hand on the Sony to temparaliy switch to transparancy mode to listen to someone speak. The Bose doesn’t do this.
Conclusion
Overall, both headpones are brilliant in their own way and in isolation.
I just feel I keep leaning over to the Sony for some reason. They just feel better quality, sound stronger and have better controls and features. They just feel more expensive.
I feel you’re paying for the Bose branding and would truly price the Bose QC45 between 150-200 max. The Sony on the other hand feel a bargain at 240 currently.
Both have a nice small case yet the Sony case seems more thought out with better internals. The Sony case has a canvas feel, the Bose a hard shell feel. Both very protable in your bag.
One final thought which has been overlooked by online reviewers. The Bose branding on the side of the cups stands out. This made me feel concious of wearing them while walking in the street letting others know I have a pair of expensive headphones on. The Sony are much more discreet and can be mistaken at a distance for their cheaper 50 headphones. I just felt more relaxed wearing the Sony out in public.
Yet it felt the opposite while sitting in a coffee shop wearing the Bose. I felt good wearing a quality product and brand everyone knows. It’s a small thing but I noticed how it made me feel.
I’m reluctant to return the Bose QC45s but between the two, I feel the Sony XM4s are just better.
Noise cancelling is as good as the reviews say
Wore them doing hovering and using my electric toothbrush and couldn’t hear eithe
Great pair of headphones- noise cancellation is brilliant and sound quality lives up to all the hype. Expensive but worth it.
i love love love this. It’s so great, noise cancellation is amazing, the sound quality is okay but god bless the battery life. I think i charge it once every 3 months or so. Bless this product.
I’ve owned a lot of headphones in my time, skullcandy, beats, JBL and I’ve had AirPods. But nothing lives up to these. The quality and performance is just amazing and while they’re higher in price than what I know some people would spend, they’re worth every penny to me. Best investment I’ve made for a long time.
I have the XM2’s already, but was showing signs of age. Found these as replacement and all is fine but Sony could include an adjustable time for how long the ” Speak to Pause” as I find the default can be a little too long.
Dislikes first. These phones are a bit too clever at times and will do things like pausing if you speak, start walking etc. You can change the settings to various options but it’s a bit of extra faffing I could do without. Likes, there are many. Good battery life and rapid charging. Excellent sound quality, very comfortable and the noise cancelling is amazing. You can literally block out your surroundings. Good battery life. I payed a discounted price. Were they worth it? Yes if you can afford it.
Most important thing is generally great sound. Ambient controls also very good, though ambient on can be a little poppy with impact noised. Noise cancelling is very good, but not that great at e.g blocking colleague’s speakers. But overall don’t think there’s better in this price bracket.
The adaptive noise cancellation is great. I think the newer ones do it automatically but these you press and hold a button to optimise it to your surroundings. I do it when the train starts moving or when the bus starts moving or when I get to the office. There are headphones with twice the battery life but everything is a compromise.
Haven’t tried many other makes and models but find the Sony sound quality to be well balanced and articulated. The sound cancellation works well and build quality is good. Can’t comment yet on battery life after charging. Comfortable to wear- can feel a little bit warm after a while but this is probably inevitable for this design of headphone.
The one thing o would say is don’t but them if you are looking for a pair of headphones for the gym as the leather causes your ears to sweat other than that they are amazing and even keep your ears warm during winte
Sony xm4 headphones.
I bought the xm5s about 2 months ago and they are fantastic for being out and about. So I bought the xm4 for watching TV via Bluetooth 5.0 through my firestick.. These are very comfortably and the sound is great, but be warned about the battery life (see pic). If you use the dsee and speak to chat you will be lucky to get 15 hours out of these headphones.
I run them on the aac apple codec with noise cancelling on and I still have 50% battery after 16 hours continuous use at about 40% volume (watching TV), so the 30 hours would be achieved.
Noise cancelling is good, but nowhere near my xm5s, in fact I’ve just sold my xm2s and they are as good as the xm4’s, only difference is the xm4’s don’t have the white noise that xm2 have.
Summing up,,,,,, I got the xm4 for 219 black Friday, but they’re now back to 249, so just add an extra 40 ish and buy the xm5.
Super comfy for hours watching TV, but in busy outdoors, not so good in my opinion.
Xm5 all the way guys!
The hardware is quite good, the software is so obsolete, no wonder everyone use Apple today.
Is it really so hard to detect device by bluetooth ? come on Sony, you can hire a single competent programmer to solve the problem 🙂
I been using mx4’s for a few days now and this my first good headset I got to say the noise cancellation is very good. bass is ok and sound quality is good but I find the app needs to be used because out of the box sound is below par. Overall im very happy
I went for the version 4 over 5 because they are a lot cheaper, fold up better and according to reviews are more comfortable. I prefer the aesthetics slightly too. Noise cancellation is good – it is saving my sanity in a busy office – and music sounds very good. The touch controls work well. My favourite feature is the way it automatically pauses the music if you take them off. Recommended.
The sound is great & the noise cancellation is much improved since my last pair (of Bose a few years ago). I can happily listen to music in the same room as my wife watching the TV without any disturbance at all. The sound is very good & the battery seems to last about a week with on & off daily use. I recommend.
Pros:
*Great noise cancellation.
*Soft materials, pleasant to the touch.
*Are comfortable as they don’t press onto ears and glasses.
*Easy to operate.
Cons:
*Cushions have a chemical smell straight out of packaging.
*Quite heavy so they start pressing on the head after a while. For the same reason uncomfortable wearing around the neck.
All controls for the sound/music are on the right side of the head and can’t be changed which will suck if you are left handed. The noise cancellation on/off button is on the left.
I wanted headphones that would last a very long time without charging them – at least as long as an entire long-haul plane journey.
These last at least 30 hours, according to Sony, but having used them over the past few days I think they last even longer than that.
Apparently these are the longest-lasting (without any charge at all) headphones available in the market.
Aside from that, the noise cancellation is absolute, the sound quality is fantastic, they are incredibly comfortable, and they are enormously easy to use when on (adjust volume, take phone calls, pause sound and video being watched).
They are not cheap, no, but in my opinion they are worth every single penny.