WH-1000XM4

Released August 2020

The WH-1000XM4 are Sony's 2020 flagship noise-cancelling over-ear headphones, the predecessor of the WH-1000XM5, with ear cups that fold up for travel.

Model history · 4 models, 2016–2020

Type: Over-ear
Noise cancelling: Yes
Battery: 30 h
With case: –
Best codec: LDAC
Weight: 254 g

What reviewers say

Reviewers agree the WH-1000XM4 combine excellent noise cancelling with dynamic, detailed sound and useful features such as multipoint and auto-pause, in a light, comfortable design. What Hi-Fi? and TechRadar missed water resistance; TechRadar found the design barely changed from the WH-1000XM3 and call quality imperfect, and What Hi-Fi? missed aptX.

From whathifi.com, techradar.com and soundguys.com

Product links

Specifications

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Sound

Type: Over-ear
Noise cancelling: Yes
Transparency mode: Yes
Driver size: 40 mm
Bluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC and LDAC
Lossless over USB-C: No
Chip: QN1
Drivers: 40 mm dome-type driver with an aluminium-coated LCP diaphragm, CCAW voice coil and neodymium magnet; 4 Hz to 40,000 Hz (JEITA); sensitivity 105 dB/mW switched on, 101 dB/mW switched off; impedance 40 Ω switched on, 16 Ω switched off (1 kHz, wired)
Chip: HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1 (with an integrated analogue amplifier) and a Bluetooth Audio SoC
Noise cancelling detail: Dual Noise Sensor technology, with two noise-cancelling microphones on each ear cup (one outside, one inside); Personal NC Optimizer and Atmospheric Pressure Optimising; Ambient Sound Mode with Voice focus; Adaptive Sound Control; Quick Attention Mode; Speak-to-Chat
Audio features: LDAC up to 990 kbps (Hi-Res Audio Wireless); High-Resolution Audio over the headphone cable; DSEE Extreme upscaling; 360 Reality Audio certified; equaliser in the app

Battery

Listening time (maker's claim): Up to 30 hours
Battery life detail: Up to 38 hours with noise cancelling off (AAC or SBC); with LDAC, 24 hours with noise cancelling on or 30 hours off; with DSEE Extreme on, 18 hours with noise cancelling on (16 hours with LDAC); Speak-to-Chat shortens battery life by about 30%; talk time up to 24 hours (30 hours with noise cancelling off); standby up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on (200 hours off); up to 22 hours on the headphone cable with noise cancelling on (36 hours off); can't be used while charging
Fast charging: 10 minutes gives about 5 hours of playback with a 1.5 A or higher USB adaptor; full charge in about 3 hours

Design

Weight: 254 g
Bluetooth: 5.0
Two devices at once: Yes
Headphone cable: Yes
Controls: Touch sensor control panel on the right ear cup (double-tap to play, pause or answer calls; swipe forwards or backwards to skip; swipe up or down for volume; hold for the voice assistant; cover with your hand for Quick Attention Mode); power and CUSTOM buttons; a proximity sensor and two acceleration sensors pause music when the headphones are taken off and switch them off after 15 minutes; NFC one-touch pairing
Microphones: Five microphones for calls and Speak-to-Chat (Precise Voice Pickup Technology); MEMS, omnidirectional, 50 Hz to 8,000 Hz
Fit and ear tips: Closed, circumaural; foamed urethane earpads; stepless slider; ear cups swivel and fold inwards for the carrying case
Water resistance detail: No water resistance rating; Sony says the headphones are not waterproof
Works with: Sony | Sound Connect app (formerly Headphones Connect) for iOS and Android; multipoint connection to two devices (AAC or SBC only while connected to two); Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa built in; Google Fast Pair; Bluetooth 5.0 Class 1, about 10 m range; A2DP, AVRCP, HFP and HSP
Colours: Black, Platinum Silver; limited-edition Silent White sold in Europe from May 2021
In the box: Headphones, USB-C cable (USB-A to USB-C, about 20 cm), headphone cable (about 1.2 m, gold-plated L-shaped stereo mini plug), plug adaptor for in-flight use, carrying case

Pros and cons

Pros

Up to 30 hours per charge with noise cancelling on (38 hours with it off)
LDAC, multipoint and a 3.5 mm cable input that also works with the headphones switched off
Ear cups swivel and fold into a compact carrying case

Cons

LDAC can't be used while connected to two devices at once
Bluetooth 5.0, with no LE Audio (LC3) and no audio over USB-C
Not water resistant, with no IP rating

Closest rivals

Model	Type	Noise cancelling	Battery	With case	Best codec	Weight	Released
AppleAirPods Max (Lightning)	Over-ear	Yes	20 h	–	AAC	384.8 g	Dec 2020
SonyWH-CH710N	Over-ear	Yes	35 h	–	AAC	223 g	2020
BoseQuietComfort 45	Over-ear	Yes	22 h	–	AAC	240 g	Sept 2021