Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones, Midnight Blue

I never used noise cancelling headphones before, but I work from home, and the outside noise this summer is too distracting. I was going nuts! These are perfect for me to focus while working at my desk. I put on a light, nature ambiance video from YouTube and the world is blocked out enough for me to focus. They also work great without any audio - just noise blocking. I can still hear a very light noise from the fan or my dogs which is what I prefer; I don't want to be completely shut off from my surroundings - just not driven to distraction. Phone calls come through fine from my mobile - clear sound. I should have bought these long ago for my own peace & sanity. I haven't read the instructions to figure out the touch controls on the headset yet, but I have accidentally bumped it and shut off the volume. Better read up on that function. So far I've controlled everything from my mobile phone. They are comfortable on my ears and don't interfere with my blue-blocker glasses or earrings. They also don't snag my long hair. The only concern is the longevity of the pad around the ear. It is a very soft & light material. It feels great so I hope it lasts. I'll just be careful with it. Color: I ordered the midnight blue. Well - they are almost black. I cannot tell they are not black. In fact when they arrived, I forgot that I ordered blue until the next day when the sunlight caught the hard case and showed a bit lighter shade. So if you really like blue, these may disappoint. It's not a deal-breaker for me. I just get tired of everything being black and wanted some color. But they look black anyway. :/ Case: a big plus! I wasn't really considering the case when I purchased these since they'll rarely leave my desk. But if I were still doing a lot of air travel, I would be very grateful for this hard case. Zipper works smooth; there's a little loop on the outside to hang/clip the case and a mesh pocket. The inside is compartmentalized efficiently with the cord also. Great packaging, Sony! I've only used these cordless, so I can't comment on the included cord. Charging: the headset has a plug for apple chargers and another for regular C chargers. I have android and was stumped for few seconds when I couldn't connect my charging cord. (oops) Just another reminder for me why I do not buy anything apple. These are excellent in my opinion. Pricey, but they should last me a long time and will help me get my work done without all of the distractions. I bought these on a July prime deal for $193. I would never have tried them at regular price, but I have to say they are worth the value if you have that budget. Highly recommended!

So, first things first, I received these approximately 48 hours after purchasing a recent pair of Beats by Kim (Pro, Moon) headphones. An hour and a half after breaking them in.....yea, these are, how folks say, THE BEES KNEES! I don't know where to begin so please bear with me if I seem scattered with my findings but there are so many pros that it kinda became hard to keep track. One of the biggest pros is the fact that shortly after I used them, they made it an obvious decision to move off of my VERY RECENTLY PURCHASED BEATS STUDIO PRO! A $350 pair of headphones, mind you. Sorry, a falsely priced $350 pair of headphones. Out the box, you feel nothing but premium. The material on the site states that it's plastic but it feels like a very soft, shallow leather. Regardless, it feels great to the touch. It comes with the carrying case, a plug that seems to be used on airplanes, a 3.5 mm 2 way headphone cord and a usb a to usb c cable. Simple packaging. Now, on to the listening experience which is just that. A true experience! The noise canceling is the closest that I could possibly get to space! When you have it turned on, you literally feel the noise cancelation in your head. It's what I would imagine being in the vacuum of space would feel like. I know it sounds like I'm exaggerating but I assure you, I am praising these as if they were my own creation that I am promoting! There is also the ambient noise mode that is too smart for my intellect to grasp. It allows sound in while keeping the crazy noises out by using mics around the headphones. Then there is the feel of the ear cups. Again, premium! They don't sit on your ears, they cover them, keeping all sound out. The seal they create is pure listening bliss. They also pair well with the app for the headphones which push the functions of the headphones adjusting the intake of ambient noise based on your activity, sitting, walking, running and commute (train ride, bus ride, etc.). Overall, in my personal opinion, from someone who has within the last 48 hours used both the 2024 Beats Studio Pro and the 2020 Sony WH-1000XM4, Beats are a waste of time product from a company who clearly didn't use any time to update their product externally or internally! The Sony headphones offer premium quality sound, feel, functions and comfort. The price is high, but you see, feel and use every bit of your moneys worth.

Bought Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Premium Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones on Amazon on July 2025 on prime day for $193. They are $348 now which is what the regular price was on prime day. They were bass heavy out of the box making the high frequencies sound a little muffled to me. Installed the Sony sound connect app on phone to set custom equalizer settings to my liking. After doing so they sound excellent. Good sound across the entire frequency range. Deep bass, along with a, crisp, and detailed treble range. I was only going to listen to a few songs to hear how it sounds with different types of music but they sound so good I listened for an hour. The Noise Canceling works good for low frequency constant sound below 500-1000 hz like space heater, air conditioner, airplane engines etc. I can hardly hear the space heater or air conditioner with them on. For other sounds that are constantly changing like TV, radio it muffles the sound but can still hear a little. That is the way all noise cancelling headphones work. They are less effective against high-frequency, sudden sounds because these waves are harder to predict and cancel in real-time. They are comfortable, can wear for hours. Battery life for me is about 25 hours with noise cancelling on. Sony says 30 hrs with noise cancelling on. It depends on volume level & what features are on. I don’t like the volume too loud. I had Bose AE2 sound link wireless headphone i had bee using for the last 5 years which sounded good but the Sony headphones have better bass & treble sounding more crisp and they are more comfortable.

**Disclaimer: I bought mine used like new through Amazon I originally purchased the Sony XM5 because they were soooo highly rated in every article I read. I returned the XM5, got the XM4 and am so much happier. I'll compare the XM4 to the XM5, Apple AirPods Max, and Bose QuietComfort 45 - just to help anyone choosing between them. **Noise Cancellation (4.5/5): the noise cancellation on the XM4 is crazy, almost comparable to the Apple AirPods Max. I gave the XM4 a 4.5 because I still think the Apple AirPods Max have the best noise cancellation, but the Sony XM4 is very close. I also like the fact that you can turn noise cancelling on/off with a button - which is a feature not available with the Bose QuietComfort 45. The noise cancellation is much better than the XM5 and less finicky. An issue with the XM5 is that the noise cancelling would just randomly turn on/off. Like if I paused a video for a little too long, the noise cancellation would just turn off. Overall, I wouldn't say I it blocks out all sound, but it's close. I can hear the sound of people talking and music, but it's quieter and I can't make out the words. I definitely can't have a conversation with them on. Also, the XM4 will pick up on when you're talking to people and turn the noise cancelling off for you - but it does make a little announcement when it does that may be annoying or disruptive. ****Edit Nov. 2025 (re Noise Cancellation): Sooo, when I first wrote the review, I didn't mention there is an app ("Sound Connect") where you pair your XM4 (and XM5) headphones and can adjust some settings. I wrote my review based on how the headphones performed without the app (with their default settings). But, with the app, you can adjust the noise cancellation, ambient sound control, adaptive sound control, noise cancelling optimizer, speak-to-chat, 360 audio, etc. After adjusting the settings on my XM4s, I was able to fix some of the issues I mentioned in my original review - like, I turned off the the adaptive sound control and announcements for noise cancelling. I did use the app with the XM5s but it never fixed a lot of the issues I had. The app is kind of... meh. It's user friendly in the way it looks (like I think everything is pretty easy to find), but it doesn't really explain what anything means/does. Also, sometimes the noise cancelling setting just randomly changes anyways, which is a little annoying (like the app really wants noise cancelling ON, even if you don't). **Sound Quality (4/5): the sound quality is great. Way better than the XM5, not as great as the Apple AirPods Max. I think the Apple headphones are just a little crisper. I think it's cool that you can turn 360 sound on, but tbh I never really use it (XM5 also has this feature). The sound is clear, and I haven't experienced any malfunctions/issues with the noise. When I had the XM5, they would just randomly sound muffled (like I was underwater) and, when that wasn't happening, the sound quality was mediocre. **Comfort (5/5): the XM4s are REALLY comfy. I wear glasses with plastic frames and a lot of headphones just don't work and are really uncomfy. The Apple AirPods Max were really uncomfortable with my glasses. Obviously, an easy solution is to just wear contacts, but I hate wearing my contacts for long periods of time - especially, when I study/do work. The XM5 were also pretty comfortable, but wouldn't stay fixed when I adjusted them - they would slip and I would need to readjust them a lot. The XM4 completely cover my ear and the ear pads are soft. They don't squeeze my head the way other headphones do and they don't hurt any part of my ear. I will say that the headband part that rests on top of my head does kind of hurt my head after wearing them for almost 10 hours. Also, I have TMJ so sometimes wearing the headphones does cause my TMJ to flare up and I'll switch to earbuds. But, I think overall these are the most comfortable headphones I have tried. **Product Quality (3.5/5): let's be honest, they're plastic and they feel plastic. They don't feel like super high quality, but let me tell you that they feel way better quality than the XM5 - those felt like a barbie toy. I think the XM4 are sturdy and pretty durable. The Apple AirPods Max are also plastic, but do feel a little more high quality - but also, nothing spectacular. **Aesthetic (3.5/5): If the aesthetic is important to you, I would say they look fine. They're a little bulky, but not terrible. Not as sleek as some others, but they don't look ridiculous. If you're really against a bulky look, then they may not be a great aesthetic match for you. I was worried they would be really clunky, but after getting them and wearing them for a bit, I really don't think they look bad. **Connectivity (4/5): I only have Apple devices (iPhone, MacBook, etc.) and I think the connectivity is great with these products! When I got the XM5, they had so many connection issues. I wasn't able to connect them to my laptop, they wouldn't stay connected to my devices - it was a mess. I was really worried I would have the same issues with the XM4, but I have had no problems so far. I will say it was a little odd to have have to download the Sony Connect app and manage the headphone through that platform, but it's user friendly and it's kind of nice to have a control for them (it's almost like a remote). **Battery Life (5/5): The battery life is insane. I've had them for 8 days and have not charged them yet - they still have about 40% charge left. They will turn off automatically to save battery life if you don't use them for a certain amount of time, which I personally like. OVERALL (4.5/5): I think the XM4 are great headphones for a better price than the Apple AirPods Max. The Bose are apparently really similar, but I've never personally tried them. The XM4 is MUCH better than the XM5 in terms of quality and price. They're comfy, great noise cancellation and sound quality, and have great battery life. EDIT 11/6/25: I have these headphones over 2 years later and still use them almost everyday. They are still in great condition (almost the same as when I bought them) - they still look, sound, and operate great. I only really use them at work, when I'm doing chores, or going on a walk (not working out or anything) and I store them in their case - but STILL, some headphones die before they even hit a year. The only thing I've noticed is that the part where you can adjust the headband size has gotten a little weaker, but not by much - so I have to readjust them every so often, but this isn't that big of an issue for me.

Honestly, there was a part of me that was worried that these headphones would not be the best pair to own after the issues that I experienced with the prior generation of them: the WH1000xm3. The main issue that I had? The build quality: the plastic around the headband snapped due to a flimsy connection, resulting in me having to tape both headbands together so that the headphones don't fall apart on me. I tried several alternate brands to see if they would work, but they never came close to giving me the same level of satisfaction while wearing them as the WH1000xm3 did, even with the taped headband taken into account. So I decided that the best replacement for a Sony headphone was another Sony headphone, and I invested in the M4, which succeeded the M3 last year (as of this writing). My initial thoughts were as follows: the headphones were a definite improvement upon the originals, retaining what I liked most about the original headphones (largely the overall comfort) while also improving the headphones in other small ways (especially in regards to the special features-the M4 are way more feature-packed than the M3 were, incorporating many elements that are being found on most other headphones these days). My favorite thing that was fixed, however, was the sound quality. You see, the original sounded amazing, and honestly sounded better overall than the likes of Bose and Sennheiser, which I have tested as potential replacements for the Sony headphones. And that is despite the fact that the headphones have a relatively small 40mm driver inside, instead of a more traditional 50mm driver. However, the one minor issue I had with the M3 was that the low frequencies were heightened a bit more than I would have liked, making songs sound a bit bass-heavy even when the EQ was turned off (the only way I was able to fix this was by setting the EQ to 'bright', which isn't ideal since the EQ does degrade the battery life). With the M4, Sony improves this by tuning down the low ends, resulting in the headphones having a very flat frequency response, which in turn results in every song having a much wider sound stage than the M3 did (and almost making them sound as good as the various open-back headphones I have tried, including the Sennheiser 650, which is my personal favorite open-back headphone). In terms of the special features, I think they were implemented quite well in these headphones. The noise cancelling is exceptional, much like it was on the M3, and the transparency mode is somehow even better than it was on the prior generation headphone, sounding a lot more natural and less tinny overall. The auto activation of transparency mode during conversations is fantastic, and enables me to talk to people naturally without ever having to remove the headphones from my ear. This also means that I don't have to awkwardly tap my hand on the earcup with the M4, either. The DSEE Extreme audio enhancer really helps to make music sound a lot more full, even when using devices that don't support the LDAC wireless standard. It isn't as good as listening to lossless files wired, mind you, but it is still an amazing feature that helps to take advantage of the flat sound stage and frequency response of the headphone drivers. Now, this isn't to say that these headphones don't have issues, mind you. The auto-pause when removing the headphones from your ears is very much a gimmick, and doesn't always pause the song (and may even resume the music before you have a chance to place the headphones back on your ear). Since the headphones use a light sensor to tell if you are wearing your headphones or not, it means even a simple shadow can cause the headphones to think that they are back on your ears and restart music playback. It is quite obnoxious, and it is best left out. Another, more minor issue is the touch controls. While I personally have no issue with them, I know that there are many people that don't like them whatsoever. So I will just make a note that they are still here, and they work in much the same way as they did on the M3. Finally, I should mention that the flat soundstage, while amazing for my listening experience, may not be for everyone. Bassheads in particular would likely prefer extra pronunciation on the lower ranges. And while they will never be quite as bass-heavy as the Skullcandy or Beats line, the EQ can still bring the bass levels up quite a bit, using a 'clear bass' slider that reminds me of the slider on the Skullcandy Skullcrushers: raising the bass without causing distortion. Overall, the headphones turned out to be quite an exceptional pair, especially when it comes to listening to music during commutes. The great noise cancelling, beautiful audio, and fantastic transparency mode definitely make these headphones a winner in my book. And the app only helps to improve the flexibility of the headphones, allowing for many different features to be unlocked. And while these headphones certainly have some issues (no pair of headphones are perfect, after all), I think the benefits more than outweigh the issues for me, and put these at the top of my list of best closed-back headphones that I have worn. Hopefully Sony will continue to make amazing headphones like these in the ears to come.

I am not a self-proclaimed audiophile, so my review is for simple folk like me. I was torn between the Apple AirPods Max and the Sony XM4, and I am so happy I went with the XM4 instead! These headphones are pretty lightweight which allows me to wear the headphones for hours without it feeling heavy on my head. They are also the perfect size for over-the-ear, so there is no discomfort of the headphones pressing against my head that on-ear headphones have. The noise-cancelling on these is excellent, I can work from home in peace or do work in public without disturbances. Battery life is also great and you won't have to charge these super often. Audio quality is the best I've had in an audio device. It's crisp and clear, my music sounds amazing and I get to experience it in a high-quality way I haven't before. Sounds significantly better than my Beats Solo 3. Also a HUGE upgrade and spectacular from regular AirPods. There is a Sony Connect app you can download to further customize your headphones (e.g. fine tune equalizers, fine tune the noise cancelling), but these also work straight out the box if you prefer to not download the app. The headphones have a power button and a "custom" button with some helpful shortcuts; you can press the custom button to turn on/off noise cancelling and turn on/off adaptive ambient noise. You can also press the power button to hear how much battery the headphones have left. I have an iPhone, iPad and Windows laptop- this doesn't clash at all with my Apple ecosystem and was also easy to pair to my Windows laptop! Overall, definetely my favorite choice I've made for headphones.

I bought my pair over 5 years ago and they still look and work as if brand new so very durable. I did get mine for 270 USD which seems like a steal, while a little pricey it has outlasted every other pair of headphones I have tried since. The battery life is more than enough for an entire day (or even several). I even use a 3.5mm jack microphone and use these as my primary headphones even when gaming. The sound canceling is the best I have ever used. I let people try them on and they always end up raving about them. TLDR; very good headphones at a premium price point.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones deliver an exceptional listening experience that far exceeds expectations in this price range. The overall construction is high quality, with a sleek, durable design that still feels lightweight enough for daily use. The ear pads are exceptionally soft and well-cushioned, providing long-lasting comfort even during extended listening sessions—an important detail for frequent travelers or anyone who wears headphones for work. At only $200, these headphones represent outstanding value for money, especially considering the level of technology and performance they offer. The battery life is truly impressive, easily lasting multiple days of regular use on a single charge. This longevity eliminates the constant need to recharge and makes them highly reliable for both commuting and long-haul travel. When combined with Sony’s industry-leading noise cancellation and excellent sound quality, the WH-1000XM4 remains one of the best all-around headphones available in its class. For those seeking a balance of comfort, durability, performance, and value, this model is an easy 5-star choice.

ノイズキャンセリングもしっかりできるし、よく聞こえる音域は全てクリアしていると思う 操作もしやすくてデザインもいい ほんとヘッドフォンはこれでいい 買ってよかった。人生でいちばんの買い物をした

Sound Quality (5/5) These are the first headphones I've owned that when first listening to them I didn't immediately flinch and look for the nearest EQ. I'm no sound engineer, but definitely it has great bass and great quality for mids & highs. Noise cancelation (5/5) Although this is my first set of headphones that support this feature. I'm really blown away by it. I have an air purifier in my office, and even at medium setting. The fan is pretty noisy. But with these things on, I can barely hear it, and that's with no music/movie playing. But as soon as I turn on a movie or song, I seriously can't tell it's on. I read some people say they could hear a waterfall or something in the background. I can't hear anything other than silence, or what I'm listening to. Wireless/Wired (4/5) Being able to use the headphones with them powereoff with a wire, or have them connect wireless via bluetooth is an amazing feature. And it works really well! I was really surprised however that I don't seem to be able to use this headset with the bluetooth of my main PC. It has a really think glass panel, so I'm wondering if it's not because of that. If you own a case with a glass panel, maybe double check with another set of bluetooth headse/earbuds to see how the conenction goes. Audio Delay/lag on Bluetooth (5/5) I own a mini laptop and it only has bluetooth 4.1. But for some reason when I watch videos or movies, I'm virtually unable to tell whether there is lag. Unlike any other bluetooth earbuds I've owned. The delay is amazing. Obviously your mileage may vary, but it's something that drove me insane with my previous wireless earbuds. Don't have this problem here! Gestures (4/5) I wasn't really looking forward to the gestures pad. But it turns out to be working really well. Once in a while an action won't register. But it's really rare for me. Play/Pause on a PC can be a little weird though. One day I was listening to spotify while working, and then with the tab still opened I started watching youtube after work. And after pausing said video and unpausing it, using the headset. It ended up starting the playback of both my spotify tab, and my youtube tab. Comfort (4/5) First day I wore them I was a little concerned since, even though I have a small head. I felt like the headphones were pretty tight on my head. But after even just 2 days of use. It's already leagues better. Either I got used to it, or it's 'breaking in'. The cups are pretty comfortable. Wish they would be just a tad larger, not sure if I have big ears. But I can tell that part of my right ear touches the pad. And I'm wondering if I ever end up pulling a really long work, or gaming session if it'll end making my ear feel pinched. One of my older headsets did that. One thing that I was happily surprised was the weight of the headset. With such an impressive battery life and suite of features. I was expecting this thing to be rather heavy. Compared to a Corsair Void (probably a bad example) it's light as a feather. Pairing Headphones with 2 Devices (3/5) First thing, this feature is only possible via the headphone's native app. Meaning you can't perform this type of sync with the physical sync button. Once you have the devices regisered on the app, then you can enable a setting and select which 2 devices you want. On the topic of "2 devices", I guess Is should have read more on this feature. But I use 2 PCs at home, a media and a work/gaming PC. And I really would have liked to be able to on the fly, switch between audio of both. But it turns out that you can only connect to 1 phone, and something else. It can be 2 phones, but not 2 PCs. Included Accessories (3/5) The case it comes with is great. Hard-shell clam design, with some neat nook where you can shove the USB C charging cable, audio cable and airplane adapter thing. But as much as I like the quality and how it snuggly holds on to and protects the headphones. Not sure if mine is a fluike, but whoever decided to sew the elastic mesh bag on the 'bottom' part of the clam. Kind of silly. The audio cable is 'OK' if you use it for your phone. But if you want to use it for a PC you'll for sure either need an extension or a longer cable period. But at least it's a usesable lenght albeit a little conservative. But the USB type c charging cable. I hope you have a USB hub available. Depending on the case/setup you have. I'm pretty sure a lot of people wouldn't be able to use that cable to connect the headphones to their PC's back USB ports. Well you could do it, but depending on your case or setup. The headphones won't be able to rest on either the top of your case, or the desk/floor it's own. They'll end up dangling. (Which I think would be a bad idea.)

Lo recomiendo totalmente: Pasé de la generación Wh-1000xm3 a la xm4, y la verdad, que si note diferencias. No es un graaan salto en cuanto a cambios. Pero los pequeños detalles tecnológicos de cambio si que son relevantes. Sensor de proximidad: Es de gran ayuda el saber que en cuanto te los quites o pongas, la música se renaudara o pausara, ya no te preocupas por pausar o reproducirla manualmente, ademas que es una reacción al instante. La verdad que era una implementación necesaria. Speak to chat: Esta función se me hizo genial. El poder hablar con alguien sin tener que quitarte los auriculares es muy funcional. Sus múltiples micrófonos detectan al instante tu voz, permitiendote oír el sonido de tu entorno. Su Codec mejorado: Sony hizo mejoras en su L-Dac, ayudando a que puedas cambiar la ecualización sin que el procesador de los auriculares cambia a un Codec inferior, como ACC, eso ayuda a que puedas modificar la ecualización a tu gusto, sin perder los detalles de una excelente calidad de sonido. Cosa que los xm3 no poseían. Botones táctiles: Mejoraron un poco en cuanto a respuesta de sus acciones, si hay diferencias a la versión xm3. Calidad de música: No hay mucho que decir, mas que maravilloso. Sony sabe como hacer distinguir su firma de sonido. Puede que sea un poco más “plana” el ritmo musical, pero no pierde ese sello distintivo. Hi-Res audio Wirless: Si tu equipo movil tiene esta certificación, ten por seguro que tu experiencia de audio será por mucho más superior que reproducirla en Bluethoot solo por movil. Si quieres oír mejor los matices musicales, usalo con cables para oír en todo su máximo explendor el Hi-Res audio. Recuerda, también se debe tener un servicio de streemeng donde puedas descargar música de formato Flac o Hi-Fi para que puedas apreciar los detalles melódicos. Y no, Spotify no tiene ese servicio Flac. La funda: Excelente calidad de acabados, tal como debe de ser en un equipo premium. Los acabados de construcción de los sony xm4 son superiores que los xm3. Sus almohadillas son más comodas, tus orejas caben comodamente dentro de sus almohadillas. Puedes usarlos durante horas y no sentirás molestia alguna. Sin duda alguna, una compra de la que estoy cero arrepentido. Recomiendo al 1000%

Estava com receio de comprar devido ao valor alto, porém assim que chegou o fone esse receio foi embora, isolamento de ruido impecável, som de ótima qualidade, conforto incomparavel. Se esta com medo de comprar e se arrepender tenho certeza que não vai se arrepender, você sente ele sendo de boa qualidade, acabamento incrivel, cor linda. Só tenho coisas boas para falar deste fone. Chegou no prazo e bem embalado!

Amazing sound isolation 😍