Sony WH-1000XM4 review: great undisturbed listening pleasure

Sony has already released the fourth generation of the WH-1000XM. In this review we discuss the qualities and changes of the WH-1000XM4 compared to the WH-1000XM3.

Sony WH-1000XM4 review

Sony continues to tinker with its headphones to provide users with better comfort and an even better sound experience. We could already really appreciate the sound quality of the Sony WH-1000XM3. Even now we have tested the successor to these headphones and take you along some novelties.

Sales package

The sales package of the WH-1000XM4 consists of a luxury protective case containing the headphones and accompanying cables, a USB Type-C cable for charging and a 3.5mm cable to also connect the headphones to a device without Bluetooth sound support. This cord has a length of 1.2 meters and is slightly too short for some purposes. Sony also supplies an adapter for using the headphones in an airplane.

Design

In terms of design, not much has changed compared to its predecessor. This time we did not receive a black but a gray colored copy. Here and there we see some gold-colored accents. These headphones also feel very solid. On the left shell we find buttons for switching on the noise canceling and activating a custom sound profile.

You can connect the USB cable to the right shell to charge the headphones. If you look in the left shell, you will see a sensor that can detect whether you are still wearing the headphones or have taken them off. This is handy because it also pauses the music automatically and one of the improvements compared to its predecessor.

The shells fit well over the ears and are also comfortable for a longer period of time. The soft leather of which the cushions are made feel very pleasant and the headphones also have a soft feel due to the finish that Sony used. The WH-1000XM4 also remains comfortable during longer listening sessions or meetings.

Gestures

As with the XM3, Sony has also kept the gestures with the XM4 and here too they work very intuitively. Tapping twice on the right shell pauses or resumes the music, but you can also easily adjust the volume by swiping up or down. If something in your environment drew attention, put your hand over the right shell and the music is considerably muted. The ambient noise seems to temporarily become louder, even with noise canceling.

Sony Headphone app

With the Headphone application you get much more control over the sound of the headphones. For example, you can adjust settings for adaptive sound control or switch off the notification sound if a different environment is detected. Of course we also tested the headphones in public transport and then we notice that broadcast messages in the train can still be heard, but that the noise from the train is properly filtered out.

You can also enable Speak-to-Chat in the app. This is a mode where the headphones detect your voice and you can have a conversation without having to take off the headphones. You will also find an equalizer and 360 Reality audio configuration for a sound experience around you. Also, the headphones have DSEE Extreme support that smartly improves the sound quality of MP3s and AAC music files.

Of course you can assign the Custom button on the left shell to a specific action such as the Google Assistant. Also new is that these headphones have support for two devices at the same time. This way you can alternately play music from different sources.

You can also change the spoken text of the headphones to another language such as Dutch and you will find a button to update the firmware of the headphones.

Sound quality

Of course all those new functions such as two devices at the same time are nice, but what is the sound quality of the WH-1000XM4. Sony has in any case taken a step forward with the XM4, because compared to the XM3 we find the bass reproduction warmer and more powerful. The sound is well balanced and the mids and highs are also crystal clear, whereby we also notice audible improvements in the high.

When you turn off noise canceling, the XM3 and XM4 sound almost equal to each other, with a fairly flat response to the low end and a slightly less fresh high sound. So if you want to get the most sound from the XM4, make sure you always turn on the headphones!

In terms of codecs, the LDAC codec from Sony itself delivers the best sound quality, this codec is now well supported in Android. Only older devices will fall back on, for example, AAC. If you connect two devices at the same time, you also lose the LDAC codec, and with that also a little bit of quality.

The built-in microphone for conducting a call is of lower quality than, for example, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2. The sound is distant and somewhat dull, which makes a telephone call or meeting a bit awkward. There is work to be done for Sony in this area!

Battery life

In terms of battery, the XM4 delivers an excellent endurance of about 25 hours on Bluetooth + Noise canceling and about 30 without noise canceling. Of course you can continue to listen with the cable even when the battery is empty. Once the battery is empty, the headphones will hang on the charger for about 2.5 hours to be fully charged. If you don’t want to wait that long, you can also take it off the charger in the meantime, you can easily go ahead for a few hours.

The short USB-C cable that is included makes it impossible to listen to music while charging, but even if you use a different, longer cable, the headphones will not work.

Review

The Sony WH-1000XM4 is arguably the best headphones we’ve used and heard to date. A few improvements have been added compared to its predecessor, such as the sensor that recognizes whether the headphones are worn or not. But the audible improvement in low and high is also a nice bonus. The only real flaw we can report about these headphones is the quality of the microphone.

Those who love their music collection and also want to enjoy high-quality sound on the road or at home will take the price tag for granted. You can buy the headphones directly at Bol.com, Coolblue, MediaMarkt and Amazon.