Sony’s WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones instantly made a buzz in the headphones market upon its release in 2020. Personally, I have been using these headsets for over six months now and I have discovered that the feel, the design, and the sound quality of the headsets are chic and classic. Are they still up to par? Here’s our Sony WH-1000XM4 review for you.
Fit and sound quality
It is rare when a pair of headsets fit you perfectly and can sit on your head for hours without damaging the integrity of your skull. The box of the WH-1000XM4 headphones comes with a 1.2-meter headphone cable, a USB Type-C charging cable, and a rugged case for the headphones. These also fair well on airplanes, or in the bustling areas of a vibrant city. However, wearing these headsets while crossing the roads, or at the airports is not advisable. It also takes a while to get used to the touch panel. You may not get it on the first try but practice makes perfect.
In terms of sound quality, the WH-1000XM4 has delivered exceptionally. The sense and sound quality of the headsets are made flawless with the help of DSEE Extreme, which uses AI, and the LDAC codec. The ‘custom’ button on the ‘left ear cup’ controls these noise cancellation modes.
The WH-1000XM4 headphones also provide passive noise cancellation support. When the custom button is long-pressed the headsets automatically optimize the sound quality of the headphones, and quickly resume the soundtrack. The ‘360 Reality Audio’ of the headphones makes listening to music an immersive experience.
They come in handy lots of times, especially during work-from-home situations. The noise cancellation of the WH-1000XM4 against the outside traffic and construction work along with the clacking of the keyboard keys are reduced hugely.
You also can’t hear people unless you see them. If someone waves at you while you are wearing the WH-1000XM4 headphones, just cup the ‘right ear cup,’ and start speaking. As soon as you cup the headset, the ambient sounds flow in smoothly, and you can easily talk to people. After removing your hand from the touch panel, the music comes right back and the noise cancellation resumes immediately.
Getting to know the headsets
The right ear cup of the WH-1000XM4 headset has a touch panel/touch sensor that will help you control the volume and the music tracks. The middle part of the touch panel is meant to play or pause the audio. If you swipe up on the touch panel from the center, you will be able to increase volume, and swiping down will help reduce the volume. The left and right swipes from the center help to go to the previous or the next tracks, respectively. The left ear cup has all the buttons such as the custom button, the power button, and a blue LED for the Bluetooth and power statuses.
There is one proximity sensor inside the cup that helps detect whether the headsets are worn on the ears or not. As soon as you take off the WH-1000XM4 headphones, the proximity sensor senses that and turns off the audio. After a short while, the power also turns off, if left on. This is another way to locate the left ear cup.
Switching between devices
The switch between the devices, up to two, is fast and seamless. The WH-1000XM4 headphones also have a ‘speak-to-chat’ feature that allows the wearer to talk to people without having to take out the headphones. Personally, I found it annoying, so I turned it off on the headphone’s mobile application called Headphones. If this option is turned on, then the moment you start speaking the audio will be paused, noise cancellation will also be turned off, and the voices will be amplified.
If you already have a USB Type-C ecosystem, then these headsets will fit right in. The company promises 30 hours of battery life with Noise Cancellation turned off, and during testing, I found that the headphones deliver on that promise. These Sony WH-1000XM4 are certainly one of the best headphones in the market to keep for a wholesome urban lifestyle. The headphones are priced at $348.00 and can still keep up with the stiff competition in the market. If you want to see more of this, make sure to also watch my WH-1000XM4 Review video below.
YouTube: How to Use the Sony WH-1000XM4 [Full Review + Setup]
Photo credits: The images used have been taken by the author for TechAcute.
