Headphones · 2020 · Sony
The WH-1000XM4 is Sony’s 2020 flagship noise-cancelling headphone that keeps a foldable design. It offers the QN1 noise-cancelling processor, a 40 mm driver, SBC/AAC/LDAC, connection to two devices at once, wear detection, Speak-to-Chat that pauses music when you talk, and wired use over 3.5 mm; battery life is up to 30 hours with ANC on and 38 hours off. Independent testing found noise cancelling on par with the Bose 700, the sound full and comfort good over an eight-hour day, but criticised touch controls that skip tracks by accident. Owners praise the sound and comfort; some say it takes time to get used to the ANC pressure and that the mic struggles in noisy places.
WH-1000XM4 closed over-ear wireless headphones; Black, Platinum Silver and Blue. The WH-1000XM3 (previous) and WH-1000XM5 and XM6 (later) generations are separate models.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Noise cancelling | HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1; two noise-sensing microphones per cup; adaptive sound control |
| Driver and frequency | 40 mm dome-type driver (CCAW voice coil, aluminium-coated LCP diaphragm); wired 4–40,000 Hz; Bluetooth 20–20,000 Hz (44.1 kHz), with LDAC 20–40,000 Hz (96 kHz, 990 kbps) |
| Bluetooth and codecs | Bluetooth 5.0; A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP; SBC, AAC, LDAC; about 10 m range |
| Multipoint | Simultaneous connection to two Bluetooth devices with switching between them |
| Battery and charging | Up to 30 hours with NC on, 38 hours off; full charge in about 3 hours over USB-C; about 5 hours of playback from 10 minutes |
| Wired use | Detachable cable of about 1.2 m with OFC strands and gold-plated 3.5 mm plug |
| Microphones | Five microphones for Precise Voice Pickup |
| Smart features | Wear detection sensor; Speak-to-Chat; DSEE Extreme |
| Design | Closed dynamic, circumaural; cups swivel inward to fold into the carry case |
Sony presents the WH-1000XM4 as a headphone with industry-leading noise cancelling via the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1, real-time upscaling of compressed music with DSEE Extreme and smart features such as Speak-to-Chat. Sony India
In Laptop Mag’s testing about 30% battery remained after 20 hours of use over three days, consistent with Sony’s 30-hour ANC figure. Noise cancelling blocked TV noise as well as the Bose 700; at high ambient-sound settings audio became hollow with wind-like interference. Sound was full, with bass that does not overwhelm the mix, and the five microphones kept calls clear even beside a passing train outdoors. An eight-hour workday caused no discomfort. Touch controls skipping tracks by accident, adaptive sound control switching profiles too often and Bluetooth audio stuttering on the street were criticised.
Laptop Mag: Sony WH-1000XM4 reviewOn Best Buy’s black colour page there are 12,711 reviews and 94% of buyers recommend it. Most visible reviews are incentivised verified purchases. Kevin says it took a few weeks to get used to the ANC pressure before finding a comfortable setting; Alex finds calls decent but says the mic struggles a little in noisy places; ErinmariahH found noise cancelling only “just ok”. One reviewer reports the two-device connection dropping repeatedly; Sony’s reply suggests enabling the “Connect to 2 devices simultaneously” setting in the app. No visible review mentions headband cracking or ear pad problems, which does not mean they never occur.
Best Buy: Sony WH-1000XM4 customer reviews