I have owned the Bose QC 35 series I (the originals) for four years now, and just recently replaced the ear pads since they finally deteriorated. I figured after four years there has to be some serious improvements in noise cancelling technology, and since the WH-1000XM3 model got so many good reviews I figured these would be awesome. So I pre-ordered them.
I pulled them out of the box and followed the very quick connect process of downloading the app and using it to pair to my phone. It downloaded a firmware update automatically while I fiddled around with some settings briefly and listened to some music. Super easy, awesome.
The sound is very impressive. Punchy kick drum (I listen mostly to rock/metal) and nice bright sound. I quickly settled on a slightly customized version of the included Bright preset.
But things quickly went downhill from there.
After using the headphones for a bit, the touch controls became frankly annoying and easily susceptible to mistakes (I triggered track skips multiple times just by removing and putting the headphones back on). The volume adjustment is especially tedious...if you want to raise or lower the volume significantly you have to swipe it up or down a large number of times because the volume adjustment is done in small increments. With the Bose QC 35 and its dedicated buttons, you just quickly push the buttons. Simple.
I spent about 20 minutes trying to figure out how to pair the headphones with my laptop, reading the guide in the app and doing some web searching, thinking it must be provided by one of the two dedicated buttons like on the Bose QE 35s. Nope. It must be done with the app. In fact, everything has to be done with the app except whatever you have the custom button configured to do, and the power. On the Bose I just have to slide the power button, and it goes into pairing mode. Simple.
The above are honestly smaller issues that you could probably put up with since the sound these produce is so good. However, the deal breaker for me was when I connected them with the included wire to the controller on my Roku Ultra to enjoy some TV time after a long day. I always watch movies and TV with headphones. To my horror they produced a clearly audible hissing sound that is incredibly distracting. I turned them off and on again, disconnected and reconnected the cable. No change, still the hissing sound. My Bose don't produce this sound. Ugh.
After listening to them for a couple hours I had a slight headache and felt fatigued, almost nauseous. I know some people are affected differently by the noise cancelling technology, but I don't get this from my Bose, even after listening to them all day.
Additionally, speaking of noise cancelling, I compared my Bose QC 35s to these, and I couldn't tell the difference between the noise cancelling. They sound the same to me. :shrug: I'm sure you could tell the difference with laboratory equipment though.
All-in-all the sound these produce is really good, and the noise cancelling is great (although I can't tell the difference from my Bose QC 35 Series I). But they have 1) lots of annoyances in the touch controls instead of dedicated buttons, 2) the fact that the app is required to do everything (including pairing) except turning them off and activating the custom button, 3) the hissing on the wired connection to my Roku Ultra, and 4) the fatiguing after listening to them.
I'll be returning them.
Add to your order
- NO ADDITIONAL COST: You pay $0 for repairs – parts, labor and shipping included.
- COVERAGE: Plan starts on the date of purchase. Drops, spills and cracked screens due to normal use covered from day one. Malfunctions covered after the manufacturer's warranty.
- EXPERT TECH HELP: Real experts available 24/7 to help with set-up, connectivity issues, troubleshooting and much more.
- PRODUCT ELIGIBILITY: Plans cover products purchased in the last 30 days.
- EASY CLAIMS PROCESS: File a claim anytime online or by phone. Most claims approved within minutes. If we can’t repair it, we’ll send you an Amazon e-gift card for the purchase price of your covered product or replace it.
Added to Cart
An error occurred when processing your request.
Try again
Enhance your purchase
Protection Plan
From $24.99
Sorry, your monthly warranty plan was removed because these plans are currently only available for single-item orders.
-
No Thanks
- NO ADDITIONAL COST: You pay $0 for repairs – parts, labor and shipping included.
- COVERAGE: Plan starts on the date of purchase. Drops, spills and cracked screens due to normal use covered from day one. Malfunctions covered after the manufacturer's warranty.
- EXPERT TECH HELP: Real experts available 24/7 to help with set-up, connectivity issues, troubleshooting and much more.
- PRODUCT ELIGIBILITY: Plans cover products purchased in the last 30 days.
- EASY CLAIMS PROCESS: File a claim anytime online or by phone. Most claims approved within minutes. If we can’t repair it, we’ll send you an Amazon e-gift card for the purchase price of your covered product or replace it.
-
3-Year Protection$33.99
- NO ADDITIONAL COST: You pay $0 for repairs – parts, labor and shipping included.
- COVERAGE: Plan starts on the date of purchase. Drops, spills and cracked screens due to normal use covered from day one. Malfunctions covered after the manufacturer's warranty.
- EXPERT TECH HELP: Real experts available 24/7 to help with set-up, connectivity issues, troubleshooting and much more.
- PRODUCT ELIGIBILITY: Plans cover products purchased in the last 30 days.
- EASY CLAIMS PROCESS: File a claim anytime online or by phone. Most claims approved within minutes. If we can’t repair it, we’ll send you an Amazon e-gift card for the purchase price of your covered product or replace it.
-
2-Year Protection$24.99
Protect your purchase
3-Year Protection
$33.99
See full product details
Protect your purchase
2-Year Protection
$24.99
See full product details
This item is only available for new products. Please update your buying option selection to proceed.
Buy this product as Renewed and save $63.01 off the current New price.
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones - Black (Renewed)
$284.99
(191)
Works and looks like new and backed by the Amazon Renewed Guarantee
(191)
Works and looks like new and backed by the Amazon Renewed Guarantee
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
More items to explore
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Compare with similar items
Customer Questions & Answers
From the manufacturer
WH1000XM4
Industry-leading noise canceling headphones
Intelligent headphones with mic and Alexa voice control
Industry-leading Digital Noise Cancellation
Hear every word, note, and tune with incredible clarity, no matter your environment. These headphones feature additional microphones that assist in isolating sound while talking on the phone, resulting in improved phone call quality and the reduction of even more high and mid frequency sounds.
Engineering better noise cancellation
Dual Noise Sensor technology, featuring two microphones on each earcup, captures ambient noise and passes the data to the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1. Using a new algorithm, the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1 then applies noise cancelling processing in real time to a range of environments.
-
Superior call quality
Precise voice pickup, combines five built-in microphones with advanced audio signal processing.
-
Speak-to-chat technology
Automatically pauses music when you speak, letting sound in so you can conduct your conversation.
-
Amazon Alexa-Built in
Alexa-enabled for hands-free voice access to music, information, and more.
-
Ambient Sound Control
Cancel noise while still allowing through essential sounds when you’re listening on the move.
-
Quick Attention Mode
Place your hand over the right ear cup for instant conversation.
1
Clear hands-free calling
2
Speak-to-chat
3
Alexa-Built in
4
Ambient Sound Control
5
Quick Attention Mode
-
DSEE Extreme
Upscales compressed digital music files
Using Digital Sound Enhancement Engine with Edge-AI, co-developed with Sony Music Studios Tokyo.
-
Proprietary technology for premium sound
The 40mm drivers with Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) diaphragms reproduce a full range of frequencies.
-
Personalized listening experience
Adaptive Sound Control automatically adjusts to your location and behavior.
-
Smart Listening by SENSE ENGINE
Automatically detects your activity and balances the noise canceling levels.
-
Wearing detection
Pauses playback when headphones are removed and resumes when you put them back on.
1
Next-level Music
2
Premium Sound
3
Adaptive Sound Control
4
Smart Listening
5
Wearing Detection
-
All-day power with quick charging
Up to 30-hour battery life with quick charging (10 min charge for 5 hours of playback).
-
Touch Sensor controls
Pause/play/skip tracks, control volume, activate your voice assistant, and answer phone calls.
-
Seamless multiple-device pairing
The WH-1000XM4 headphones can be paired with two Bluetooth devices at the same time.
-
Carry case with cable
The supplied carry case is durable and includes a cable for wired listening.
-
“Sony | Headphones Connect” App for Android /iOS
Control your ambient sound settings and adjust the sound levels with the Equalizer.
1
30 Hour Battery
2
Touch Control
3
Multiple-device Pairing
4
Carry case with cable
5
Connect with App
Sony Noise Canceling Wireless Headphones
WH-1000XM4 |
WH-XB910N |
WH-CH710N |
|---|---|---|
Noise CancelingYes / Industry Leading |
Noise CancelingDigital Noise Cancellation |
Noise CancelingDigital Noise Cancellation |
Battery Life30 Hrs, 10 Min charge for 5 Hrs playback |
Battery Life30 Hrs, 10 Min charge for 4.5 Hrs playback |
Battery Life35 Hrs, 10 Min charge for 60 Min playback |
Hands-free CallingYes with 5 microphones |
Hands-free CallingYes |
Hands-free CallingYes |
Multi Device ConnectionYes |
Multi Device ConnectionYes |
Multi Device ConnectionN/A |
Special FeaturesFoldable design, Carrying Case, Wearing detection, Touch Control |
Special FeaturesFoldable design, Carrying Case, Touch Control |
Special FeaturesCarrying Pouch |
Customer reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2020
Color: BlackVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2020
- My headphones were 100% charged out of box.
- Many features in Sony Connect App, matter of your preference and use. I do think the app is solid and useful for my use of these headphones.
- My headphones firmware updated automatically -be patient, process took several minutes. Initial impression; very comfortable, really good noise canceling and sound quality.
- Voice clarity on both ends is outstanding.
- Easily connected two iPhones, my experience switching between them was seamless.
- Used ear profile in-app feature to analyze my ear shape for 360 Reality Audio setup.
- Able to connect to MacBook Pro (2020 version) directly via Bluetooth with no issues.
UPDATE: >30 hours of iPhone X, 8, and Bluetooth MacBook Pro connection.
- The phone call quality is awesome (you can hear
- No video lag/latency on FT and Zoom calls.
- I have found the connection at times can be a bit cumbersome when having two devices connected and receiving calls, it might be a setting or how I am picking up the call --directly from the phone or double-tapping on the headset.
- Great noise suppression to the wind, outside city/road-noise, etc... No reported issues with other people on calls with me. Always told call quality was very crisp and clear... my experience, much better than Apple Airpod Pro for suppression of noise for callers on the other end.
- I have also now used these headphones for Bluetooth connection to Nvidia Shield connected to my TV for over 16 hrs. Easy direct connection directly from Nvidia Bluetooth Settings. TV and Movie surround sound is great, you can hear the slightest sounds.
Bose 700 vs. Sony WH-1000XM4
- Seamless connection - prefer SONY
- Comfort - prefer Sony
- Headphone sound controls - prefer Bose. Sony touch control works ok but the Bose increase/decrease volume seems to work better on Sony
- Noise-canceling for me, both performed in a similar way
- Call quality, for me, both performed in a similar way
I Will continue to test and use Bose but the feel of the headset on my head is not as comfortable as Sony.
UPDATE: Running 7.3 Update
- Not sure if related but the initial bluetooth connection and subsequent connections are problematic;
- I have had to reconnect several times via the app and my phone needs to be very close to the headset;
- Once I am connected it has worked but I have had to repeat the process a few times now;
- Additionally, after significant use, the touch controls are a nice feature but not ideal under some circumstances. For example, if you have a hoodie on, jacket with hood, etc... touch control is sensitive and fabric, cord, ect... will effect the touch controls.
- I am running iphone X with latest iOS, should be receiving iphone 12 Pro this eve and will update with any new comments.
UPDATE April 2020: been using these headphones for several months now. Running and walking are great however, the Touch Sensor Control is not ideal for me, especially when using while exercising. I find the controls/sensor unforgiving and one misstep can restart a song and or podcast, other than they continue to work very well.
Used these headphones for a extended 12+ hrs flight and another 9 hour flight.. great noise canceling and sound. Hooked up directly to Qatar Qsuite entertainment system with provided cable, sound quality was excellent.
Color: BlackVerified Purchase
Comfort, noise canceling, and quality. UPDATE 13 Nov 2020
By Pixel on August 20, 2020
Download Sony Headphone Connect App, open box, turn on headphones (bottom of left headphone on/off switch), using Sony Connect App, connect and paired new headphones.By Pixel on August 20, 2020
- My headphones were 100% charged out of box.
- Many features in Sony Connect App, matter of your preference and use. I do think the app is solid and useful for my use of these headphones.
- My headphones firmware updated automatically -be patient, process took several minutes. Initial impression; very comfortable, really good noise canceling and sound quality.
- Voice clarity on both ends is outstanding.
- Easily connected two iPhones, my experience switching between them was seamless.
- Used ear profile in-app feature to analyze my ear shape for 360 Reality Audio setup.
- Able to connect to MacBook Pro (2020 version) directly via Bluetooth with no issues.
UPDATE: >30 hours of iPhone X, 8, and Bluetooth MacBook Pro connection.
- The phone call quality is awesome (you can hear
- No video lag/latency on FT and Zoom calls.
- I have found the connection at times can be a bit cumbersome when having two devices connected and receiving calls, it might be a setting or how I am picking up the call --directly from the phone or double-tapping on the headset.
- Great noise suppression to the wind, outside city/road-noise, etc... No reported issues with other people on calls with me. Always told call quality was very crisp and clear... my experience, much better than Apple Airpod Pro for suppression of noise for callers on the other end.
- I have also now used these headphones for Bluetooth connection to Nvidia Shield connected to my TV for over 16 hrs. Easy direct connection directly from Nvidia Bluetooth Settings. TV and Movie surround sound is great, you can hear the slightest sounds.
Bose 700 vs. Sony WH-1000XM4
- Seamless connection - prefer SONY
- Comfort - prefer Sony
- Headphone sound controls - prefer Bose. Sony touch control works ok but the Bose increase/decrease volume seems to work better on Sony
- Noise-canceling for me, both performed in a similar way
- Call quality, for me, both performed in a similar way
I Will continue to test and use Bose but the feel of the headset on my head is not as comfortable as Sony.
UPDATE: Running 7.3 Update
- Not sure if related but the initial bluetooth connection and subsequent connections are problematic;
- I have had to reconnect several times via the app and my phone needs to be very close to the headset;
- Once I am connected it has worked but I have had to repeat the process a few times now;
- Additionally, after significant use, the touch controls are a nice feature but not ideal under some circumstances. For example, if you have a hoodie on, jacket with hood, etc... touch control is sensitive and fabric, cord, ect... will effect the touch controls.
- I am running iphone X with latest iOS, should be receiving iphone 12 Pro this eve and will update with any new comments.
UPDATE April 2020: been using these headphones for several months now. Running and walking are great however, the Touch Sensor Control is not ideal for me, especially when using while exercising. I find the controls/sensor unforgiving and one misstep can restart a song and or podcast, other than they continue to work very well.
Used these headphones for a extended 12+ hrs flight and another 9 hour flight.. great noise canceling and sound. Hooked up directly to Qatar Qsuite entertainment system with provided cable, sound quality was excellent.
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2020
Color: BlackVerified Purchase
Top reviews from other countries
Aakash
Tinnitus inducing headphones, now my life is miserable can’t even sleep at night.
Reviewed in India on September 19, 2020Color: BlackVerified Purchase
Tinnitus inducing headphones, now my life is miserable can’t even sleep at night.
Reviewed in India on September 19, 2020
Edit: After almost four month of usage i found that noise cancelling makes me sick. I feel like nausea and feverish for 1-2 to days. Worst thing I’ve developed tinnitus because of these headphones.Reviewed in India on September 19, 2020
Older review
This is my first Bluetooth headphone, never been fan of Bluetooth because of poor audio quality. When Sony released ldac codec i was really happy and was waiting for xperia but they decided to close their mobile division. After that was waiting for pixel 4 but google’s mobile division has bunch of idiots.
Finally bought iPhone which has crappy audio quality but I suggested one of my senior xm3s and to my surprise they sounded really well on iPhone too. After lockdown i was really frustrated with the news channel that my parents watches. Waiting for xm4 can’t be more painful.
Now coming to review
ANC: i felt no difference compared to xm3, they block the rumble of fans, coolers and pump set but are unable to block the voice of people talking(irritating voice of arnab goswami). They didn’t even changed xm4’s pressure inside the cans after anc is enabled. I still get the same headaches.
Audio quality: not going to write like pretentious audiophile. These headphone are quite versatile if you are bass head then sony has it covered for you (which most of the people like here), bass was way overpowering for me on full setting but i don’t like bass at all. I mostly listen to linkin park, so i set base level at -4 and equaliser on bright preset. This is by far the best audio product i have ever used.
Audio quality wise here is my ranking.
SM es 18<Creative ep830<SM e10s<Fiio f9 pro<one more triple driver<xm3<xm4.
Battery life: I was doing burn in procedure of these headphones, so i kept headphones at max possible volume, so you may get better battery life. I got 18 hr of battery life with anc on. After unboxing battery went down from 100 to 60 in a 10 min and i was afraid that i got faulty unit but thank god a full charge fixed it.
Comfort:Ear cups are bigger than xm3s and hence more comfortable too. After walking with them for half an hour on roof my ear got all sweaty.
Multipoint connection: Works flawlessly, although switching music from one device to another is bit erratic.
Audio lag: I also connected it to airtel xtream box and watched a complete episode of boys with no lag at all.
Speak to talk: still prefer the old put you hand on right ear cup.
Pause when headphone taken off: work 8 out of 10 times.
360 deg reality audio: sony has give 3 months of free subscription of nugs.net but difference was not deal breaker.
Accessories: you get 3.5 mm male cable from both sides, thank you sony for that. Charging cable is really short i mean really. You can use the provide cable just with power bank or laptop. You also get airplane adapter and carry bag too.
Sorry forgot about mic
Mic: It is better than my iPhone 11 pro, my friend used to complain a lot about low volume from my side but with xm4 they had no problem talking to me.
Images in this review
Nikhil Ranjit
As someone else in this review section said " conditionally recommend"
Reviewed in India on September 19, 2020Color: BlackVerified Purchase
g
Initial Impressions: They're good
Reviewed in India on September 20, 2020Color: BlackVerified Purchase
Initial Impressions: They're good
Reviewed in India on September 20, 2020
Update: (Mar 9, 2021)Reviewed in India on September 20, 2020
As someone mentioned above, I too started having tinnitus issues only after wearing these headphones. I was under impression that it might be due to cold weather or something else but it seems many people are facing similar issues with ANC headphones. I would also like to mention that I had COVID-19 earlier and tinnitus might be a post symptom from it.
Initial 12hrs usage impressions: (Sep 20, 2020)
Super comfortable.
I am not an audiophile but these sounds amazing.
ANC is great (tested indoors as of now).
Dual device connection is also great.
Great connection range.
Speak to Chat works great but it has some obvious issues (something you need to get used to).
Ambient Sound is also nice.
Update:
ANC cancels out the vehicular traffic sounds as well (horn sounds, movement), a bit dangerous considering you are planning to take a walk/run sideways. You can tweak the ANC settings via the Sony ANC app.
Speak to chat can be finicky at times, there is a slight delay of 2secs. Sometimes it just fails to recognise and sometimes it gets triggered without speaking anything.
My suggestion to buyers, don't go by the online reviews, it might be a good purchase for me but not for everyone. Try them out at some retail store before buying. I might update this when I have something more to share.
Images in this review
BobHartleyGPS
Buy this thing for noise cancelation!
Reviewed in Canada on September 29, 2020Color: BlackVerified Purchase
Buy this thing for noise cancelation!
Reviewed in Canada on September 29, 2020
If you are looking for noise cancelation at its best, don't look elsewhere and buy this immediately.Reviewed in Canada on September 29, 2020
Of all the comments that have been said about being not enough this, not able to do that, I think they are all untrue or either an unlucky manufacturing defect. Launch products are not perfect from the start, it's bound to happen. The only thing I do not use are the microphones for making calls, so you can check online and see for yourself about that aspect.
Let's break this down in points. (TLDR at the bottom)
Comfort/Ergonomics:
Without a doubt the most comfortable headphones I ever wore. People seem to complain that it's not as comfortable as the XM3s, I say it's pretty dang comfortable considering that I wore this thing for more than 5 hours straight and had no neck pain or itching whatsoever.
The weight of these headphones is so light that when the box came in, I thought I had been scammed and the headphones weren't in the box. 250 ish grams is really light (0.55 pounds) for headphones.
The ears are big enough, the line of the muffs doesn't overlap too much towards the neck and the cushion material adapts really well to your head, both on the top of the frame and on the ear muffs.
Sound/frequency response:
I have been mixing/mastering for multiple years on flat studio monitors. Out of all the headphones that I have or I have tried, these are the closest of being pretty much flat, once you cut 3-4 dB from the 400 Hz fader (pretty sure it's an octave bandwidth, or a little more, so it covers at least from 282 Hz to 566 Hz when you adjust it) on the equalizer in Sony's Headphones app.
I have attached the frequency response curve as an image in this review.
The bass is not overwhelming, (although if it's your style, it delivers with the clear bass knob, which probably covers 250 Hz and below), the highs are not too sharp and there's no spike in the high mids (2500-5000 Hz) or in the high end (above 5000 Hz).
The only problem is the low mids at around 400 Hz, which thank god they have a fader for that frequency. No matter what brand you choose, low mids are ALWAYS a problem in headphones. By the way, sound separation is excellent once I made that adjustment. Thank Sony for giving you the option!
The frequency response when using Bluetooth is between 15 Hz to 17 040 Hz. Beyond that, it starts to wane off. I have up to 19.1 kHz in my right ear and 18.3-18.4 kHz in my left ear, so it's not on my side. Considering that my phone has a terrible audio output (it cuts at 15 kHz), it's an upgrade for me.
Also, considering on how many people listen to their music too loud for the last 25 years, I would be highly surprised that people that claim the high end isn't well defined actually know what they are talking about, and most probably don't notice the difference. Same thing with audio CODECS disappearing from the XM3 (the XM4 has 3 and the XM3 had 5), above 256 kbps at variable rate and 320 kbps at constant bit rate, you don't notice anything if the conversion was done right. Above those values, me and my friend call this "Placebo Quality". Compression and brickwalled mixes affect the quality perception GREATLY.
Search NPR sound quality test online. It proves my point.
So in conclusion, if the song you are listening sounds like garbage, it's because it was mixed/mastered like garbage (probably mixed nowadays because they brickwall often at this stage). These are hands down the best headphones I ever tried. Period. Including my Sennheisers that I used for multiple years.
Noise cancelation:
I was highly surprised at not only the sensation on your eardrum being pushed in not being super apparent compared to other models, which are quite frankly unbearable in the long run, but also the capabilities of phase canceling of these headphones (the actual term of canceling out waveforms is called phase canceling, noise canceling is a marketing term for people not familiar with audio, since the majority of people don't know what is phase).
Transients (such as impacts) are impossible to isolate because they are too fast to sample and to invert the phase to create cancelation. Steady noises are the only ones that allow the headphones to sample them and invert them, because there's a processing delay. Stop hitting a table like someone I know was doing to test headphones, it's worthless.
The amount that is being canceled out is out of this world compared to previous generations that I have tried. I can't wait to try them on a plane. High end will remain because it's the most difficult part of the waveform to cancel, since it's the most precise and the one that takes up the most information in a signal. I was standing next to a washing machine during its max spin cycle, could barely hear it with audio of people talking in my headphones. Without playback, you hear the high end when you're right in front of it. As soon as you close the door, it pretty much vanishes.
If you have noisy neighbors or live in an apartment, buy this thing! You won't regret it.
Battery life: Outlasts my cell phone by a hundred years. In 2 hours of use, not even 10% used. Specs are believable.
In conclusion, buy this thing if you are looking for noise canceling!
TLDR:
-Super comfortable
-Amazing in sound
-Amazing in noise canceling and battery life matching specs
Images in this review
Abe Link
Microphones useless for Zoom/Teams/WebEx/Skype/Phone callls
Reviewed in Canada on September 6, 2020Color: BlackVerified Purchase
