Sony WH-1000XM4 review
Throughwork
Sony, emerging near 1946, make a vast range of audio‐visual items. Usually solid and unspectacular. These are wireless headphones, in what is often described as a premium range.
Contents
Build
Reasonable quality, well made. Imitation leather earpads, modest overall size for over‐ears, light, band is tight enough to hold but no more. L/R on dots above the cups, or because the inner ear sensor is ‘left’. Mostly, if not all, strong plastic. Feels robust enough (though not modular). Outstandingly comfortable, two small buttons on the left cup, other controls by right cup gesture. I make the look neat, engineered, undistinctive, so reasonable.
Sound
Volume is good, but range is poor. Envelopes slightly lazy, piano can blurt. Swells are controlled, but notably compressed. There’s a rise somewhere in upper woodwind. Paper sound is low. Echo is low but there are resonant thrums near instrumental lows. Frequency range is reasonable but far from wide. Detail is good, surprising given the overall dullness. Scale is small, positioning is there but often poorly placed. The headphone, unlike other Sony designs, has a ‘dark’ response, which I suspect is to work with the noise‐cancelling (lows emphasised into where noise‐cancelling is effective, high tweak to compensate). Voices are controlled, but distant and uneven. Orchestral music and timing of rock are dull but detail compensates. Limited but capable with minimal music. The ‘dark’ profile is well‐judged for pop music and soundtracks. I tried EQ to flatten—instrumental music locked together and positions stabilised. The noise‐cancelling can only muffle a personality but can block a bus ventilation system.
Spec
| mic available? | yes |
| cable noise | unrated |
| accessories | Case, charging and wired cables, airplane plug. An app lets you alter the EQ, and some other features. |
| support |
Assess
These were Sony’s top wireless, noise‐cancelling headphones—the series has moved on to WH‐1000XM5. They are loaded with features such as noise‐cancelling and temporary mute, which are outstanding, and the build is reasonably robust. Extrapolation tells me headphones at this price can sound better, but as a mild low/high range‐boosted sound, they are reasonable. A good all‐rounder, they lack on material with volume range such as orchestras, or needing timing, such as pianos.
Sound is what could be expected of single dynamic drivers with maybe better faces and/or coil, in a good body. Other reviews say these headphones have outstanding features, I agree, and outstanding sound—for this price I disagree but against similar features likely. You are paying for support technology and a portable‐robust build, and these headphones deliver both—middling but well‐judged sound is about right.