The noise-cancelling series of headphones from Sony has been one of the best that comes to India and the world. Yes, it has competition from the likes of Bose and Sennheiser, but Sony usually outplays them with superior sound, built and features. This time we got to tinker with the upgrade to the last years XM3 in the form of Sony WH-1000XM4. This is our review of the newly launched noise-cancelling headphones by Sony.
Design
When it comes to design, you will not find the Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones as a significant upgrade to the XM3. There are subtle changes, but when kept side by side, you really cannot make out one from the other. Well, there was nothing wrong (built-wise) on the XM3, so we guess Sony did not want to re-invent the wheel. So, they kept everything very similar, except, they have made the comfort better. They have added 10 percent extra cushioning to the headband and ear cups. Added comfort is always an A+ in our books.
Available in two colours Black and Silver, we got our hands on the Black version to meddle with. The matt black texture can be seen all over-ear cups with a hint of bronze in the form of the Sony logo and vents. The faux leather headband and ear cups (insides) are premium grade and look good. Users also get a couple of buttons on the Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones ear cups, these include power and a custom button to access AI assistants (like Google assistant) on the smartphone. Along with that, you get USB Type-C charging port and 5 microphones located all over the left and right earpieces.
These are wireless headphones so you do get a neat carry case with the Sony WH-1000XM4 and it is as premium as one can get (in the segment). Over that, user can also connect a 3.5mm auxiliary cable (comes in the box) to the headphones in case you run out of battery juice.
Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones Performance
Now let us come down to business and talk about its resonance. This is a place where Sony WH-1000XM4 predecessors excelled and this one is no different. In fact, these are a notch better. The noise cancellation works well, and you end up getting pure beautiful sound with excellent bass, mids and lows. We just loved every bit of it.
Sony WH-1000XM4 did not take any time to set up and within 2 minutes we were up and running. The Sony Headphones Connect app is needed to run them perfectly and to access the extra features of the headphones. Sony has added a sensor inside these headphones, which basically knows when you are wearing them and when not. As soon as you bring them down from the ears, the music stops playing, you put them back on the music starts again. Which means you end up saving battery and there no need to reach for the phone to pause the music.
Another enhancement Sony has brought about in Sony WH-1000XM4 is the multi-point connection. Users can now connect the headphones to multiple gadgets at the same time. This is great as many wanted this to come in the XM4 and the company listened. So, what does this feature do? Seamless connectivity with multiple devices. For example, if you are working on the laptop and listening to music on it with the headphones, and you get a call on your smartphone, you need not take down your headphones to take the call, as they can connect to both the devices at the same time. No need to switch between Bluetooth signals either, you can seamlessly work with multiple devices at the same time. Neat!
When it comes to battery life, Sony claims that the Sony WH-1000XM4 can provide 30 hours of playback. On our test bench, it did almost that. We squeezed about 29 hours (of music and gaming playback) over a span of a week. Before we had to put them to charge. Over that, in case you are running out of battery juice, you can charge the headphones for 10 minutes and it will give you 5 hours of playback time.
And yes, the same cool smart feather touch gesture controls do come back on the Sony WH-1000XM4. You can just put your hand on the right year cup to hear if someone is talking to you or swipe and slide on it for volume controls or skip to the previous or next track. We took them out for a walk and they really work well, the ambient noise cancellation (as said) is brilliant. And the best part is that with the sense engine inside the headphones learn about your surrounding and will let important announcement seep in. It works well on the road as you can hear the car honks so that no mishap happens. However, since we are not travelling so Airport use was out of the question, but otherwise a job well done Sony!
Verdict
Overall, Sony did a mighty fine job in bringing a top-class noise cancelling headphone. Sony WH-1000XM4 are a worthy upgrade to the last years XM3’s and are absolutely rocking. However, the Japanese major does ask for a shiny penny for these headphones. You would need to shell out Rs 29,990 for them. That some might find on the higher side of things. If you can afford them, these are best in class headphones for all-day use.
Pros:
Good looks
Premium sound
Excellent noise cancellation
Cons
Price could have been better
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