Sony WH-1000XM4 ANC Wireless Headphones Review: Best Bang For The Buck
Duane Beckett
|
The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless headphones are the best active noise-canceling (ANC) headphones you can get. They also have exceptional sound quality, and a slew of new features, including 360 Reality Audio and Multipoint Pairing.
CHECK OUT: Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Review – Best Buds For Android
So, if you’re looking for top-of-the-line headphones and don’t mind spending big, these are the pair to get. The only question is, are they worth $349? Continue reading to find out.
Features Include:
- Industry-leading ANC
- 30-hour battery life with quick charging
- Touch Sensor controls
- Superb call quality
- Wearing detection for playback control
Sound Quality
- When listening to various tracks, it is immediately apparent that Sony has squeezed every drop of performance from the WH-1000XM4.
- The sound field appears wider, revealing more details that weren’t present in previous models.
- The headphones offer very balanced audio. Making them a great choice for not just listening to high-definition music, but also watching movies or playing video games with virtual surround sound.
- When it comes to bass, the Sony WH-1000XM4 is an excellent-sounding headphone with a warm and bass-heavy sound signature.
CHECK OUT: JLab Audio GO Air POP True Wireless – Budget Everyday Earbuds
Noise Cancelation
- The active noise cancelation (ANC) works exceptionally well—there’s no white noise or hissing from the headphones themselves when it’s turned off.
- And the ANC seems to block out even more background noise than other noise-canceling headphones we’ve reviewed—these really are top-end ANC headphones.
Battery Life
- Compared to other headphones in this price range, the Sony WH-1000XM4 has the longest battery life.
- You can listen to your favorite music and podcasts for up to 30 hours on one single charge.
- Additionally, with the headphone’s fast charging technology, a 10-minute charge will deliver 5-hours of playback.
CHECK OUT: 5 Best Studio Headphones For Mixing And Mastering Music
Intuitive Design
- The Sony WH-1000XM4 has a similar design to its predecessor, the Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless.
- This time, Sony has made minimal changes to its flagship noise-canceling headphones, which is a good thing because they were already very sleek and stylish.
- Moreover, the top of the headband is wrapped in a layer of faux leather and memory foam, both padded with a little extra plumpness compared to the previous model.
- The ear cups are also lined with leather for comfort and wrapped in an aluminum finish for style.
Easy To Navigate & Use Controls
- The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones feature solid controls. These notably include a new Speak-to-Chat function that pauses your tunes, so you can let in ambient noise as soon as you start talking.
- You can switch off this feature using the companion app. And the same app allows you to remap the Custom button, which is preprogrammed to operate noise-canceling by default.
CHECK OUT: Sony HT-A5000 Sound Bar Review – Feature-Rich And Packing Power
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Features
- The headphones include Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and adaptive sound control, which automatically adjusts the sound depending on your environment.
- The headphones also offer Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa support, so you can use your voice to activate either one of these assistants and ask it questions.
Breathability
- The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones have subpar breathability. This means the ear cups trap heat around your ears, reducing airflow.
- These headphones might be okay for walking, relaxing, or commuting. However, if you plan to use them for endurance training, you may get hot fast.
Conclusion
With exceptional sound quality and top-of-the-line noise-cancellation technologies, the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones have everything you could possibly need.
In fact, the only downside is that they’re not really suitable for intense workouts as they don’t really let the airflow around your ears.
So, are they worth $349? In our opinion, yes. The Sony WH-1000XM4 ANC headphones are Nerdable recommended.