After buying the WF-10000XM4's and losing the case (replacement is $150. I paid $225 ish for the set), I thought I'd give the WH's a try. I got them for $228 or so, so opted to not get the XM5's due to the price difference. I've only had them for barely a week, but my initial thoughts are certainly positive.
Fit. Here's the deal, I have some big ears, with 3/4" gauges. With my gauges in, I do get some pain in my neck. I have pain issues, so this was no surprise, nor is it a fault of the design. My ears fit fairly comfortably inside the cups to help lock out sound, minus the gauges. The polypropylene(?) material is quite soft and moldable, making wearing them for an hour or more easy and comfortable.
I have a kinda funny shaped head (IMO. But I'm highly critical of myself and the world), but these look really slick placed on my dome. I got black, because black goes with everything, and I don't wear color. Look and fit much better than cans I've owned in the past.
Noise cancelation. The ANC is good, but not great. I found the ANC on the WF's more thorough, which is a bit odd considering they're earbuds. However, they do form a more legit seal in the ear canal, so it could be that. There is some "hissing", but part of that is also my tinnitus. I find that there seems to be some slight hissing even with the ANC off. It's akin to being in a super silent room, and you hear the "hissing" from an AV system with it powered on, but with no sound. I've not flown with them yet (Which is a huge reason why I got these), but I assume they'll be just fine for passenger and engine noise.
Sound quality. So, I'm pre-burn in on the drivers. There is usually 100 hours or so of burn in on every new speaker/driver on the planet, and these are no different (I have not researched this in actuality. I was in AV for several years, and have some knowledge). But, so far, they sound very pleasant and accurate. I opted for an EQ setting (Excited) just to bring out certain details in the instrumental/electronic music I'm currently listening to. You can hear the trilling of the tongue on a flute, and the fingers against guitar strings. The detail is fairly rich, while maintaining a fairly neutral overall tone. The sounds seem to be reproduced fairly accurately and are fantastic for instrumenal music.
For the price I paid, these are great. However, for the normal asking price of around $350, I expect the soundstage and sound field to be superior to what it is. It is evident that you are hearing music played through 2 speakers often times, instead of an amalgamation of speakers 180 degrees in front of you, or listening to a live performance where the sound comes from everywhere. Think of this as 3D sound if you will, similar to Dolby Atmos. I understand they have the real 3d audio whatever, but right out of the box, they should be fully immersive.
Battery life/Bluetooth. Battery life seems to be ok with ANC on. I use ANC exclusively because I like to drown out reality while listening, especially during meditation. I suspect you could easily get 8 hours of consistent listening with ANC on before needing to recharge, which is plenty for half the flights on this side of the world (North America). What else can I say about battery life??
Bluetooth connectivity is very strong and nearly instant. I can walk from my apartment to my neighbors apartment with my phone in my apartment and still have unbroken connectivity. THAT is freakin awesome.
Overall, I'm very pleased with these cans, especially for the price I got them at. At the normal asking price, I'd recommend checking out the XM5's since their so similarly priced. If you're looking for a solid set of cans, and these are on sale, don't mess around, just buy them. You won't be disappointed.
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 are covered from day one. Malfunctions are covered after the manufacturer’s warranty.
- EASY CLAIMS PROCESS: File a claim anytime online at www.Asurion.com/Amazon or by phone. Most claims approved within minutes. If we can’t repair it, we’ll send you an Amazon.com Gift Card for the purchase price of your covered product or replace it.
- EXPERT TECH HELP: Real experts are available 24/7 to help with set-up, connectivity issues, troubleshooting and much more.
- MORE DETAILS: Additional information about this protection plan is available within the “Product guides and documents” section. Simply click “User Guide” for more info. Asurion will also email your plan confirmation with Terms & Conditions to the address associated with your Amazon account within 24 hours of purchase (if you do not see this email, please check your spam folder). Contact us if you cannot locate your plan confirmation and Terms & Conditions via email at AmazonFeedback@Asurion.com.
Added to Cart
An error occurred when processing your request. Try again
There is a newer model of this item:
Buy it with
- +
- +
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Compare with similar items
 | Bose QuietComfort 45 Bluetooth Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones - Triple Black | Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Bluetooth Noise Canceling Over-Ear Headphones (Black) Bundle with 10000mAh Ultra-Portable LED Display Wireless Quick Charge Battery Bank (2 Items) | WH-1000XM4 Wireless Industry Leading Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones with Mic for Phone-Call (International Version) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Rating | (44719) | (9716) | (1166) | (1) |
| Price | $348.00 | $249.00 | $348.00 | $289.95 |
| Shipping | FREE Shipping. Details | FREE Shipping. Details | FREE Shipping. Details | FREE Shipping. Details |
| Sold By | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Focus Camera LLC | Big Ben's Mall |
| Are batteries included? | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Are batteries required? | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Color | Black | Black | Black | — |
| Connectivity Technology | Bluetooth 5.0 | Wireless, Wired | Wireless, Bluetooth 5.0 | Wireless |
| Fit Type | Over-Ear | Over-Ear | Over-Ear | — |
| Special Features | Noise Cancellation, Fast Charging, Microphone Included | Noise Cancellation, Microphone Included | Microphone, USB connectivity, Noise-Canceling, wireless | Microphone, Noise-Canceling, wireless |
Videos
Page 1 of 1Start OverPage 1 of 1
Videos for this product
1:25
Click to play video
Noise Cancelling is Amazing and Super Comfy
The Useless Crafter
Videos for this product
6:25
Click to play video
Sony XM4 Unboxing & First Impressions
David Di Franco
Videos for this product
2:38
Click to play video
Best Headphones I Ever Had - Sony WH-1000XM4 Review
James Neville-Taylor
Videos for related products
17:05
Click to play video
Sony WH-XB910N Vs Skullcandy Crusher Evo
GYMCADDY
Videos for related products
14:14
Click to play video
Sony WH-CH710N Vs Sennheiser HD 450BT Vs Skullcandy Hesh ANC
GYMCADDY
Videos for related products
9:51
Click to play video
Bose Active Noise Cancelling 700 vs. Sony WH-1000XM3
Digital Trends
Videos for related products
1:36
Click to play video
The best headphones you can buy
Digital Trends
Videos for related products
4:20
Click to play video
Top 5 Best Budget Noise-Canceling Headphones
WatchMojo
From the manufacturer
WH1000XM4
Premium 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-1000XM5 |  WH-1000XM4 |  WH-XB910N |
|---|---|---|
Noise CancelingYes / Industry Leading | Noise CancelingPremium Noise Cancellation | Noise CancelingDigital Noise Cancellation |
Battery Life30 Hrs, 3 Min charge for 3 Hrs playback | Battery Life30 Hrs, 10 Min charge for 5 Hrs playback | Battery Life30 Hrs, 10 Min charge for 4.5 Hrs playback |
Hands-free CallingYes with 4 microphones | Hands-free CallingYes | Hands-free CallingYes |
Multi Device ConnectionYes | Multi Device ConnectionYes | Multi Device ConnectionN/A |
Special FeaturesAuto Noise Canceling Optimizer, Carrying Case, Wearing detection, Touch Control | Special FeaturesFoldable design, Carrying Case, Wearing detection, Touch Control | Special FeaturesFoldable design, Carrying Case, Touch Control |
Customer reviews
Truly a Worthy Successor to the WH1000xm3!
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2021
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.
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2021
Images in this review
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 11, 2020
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
Simão
Os 10 tópicos que queria ter visto em uma avaliação
Reviewed in Brazil 🇧🇷 on April 3, 2022Color: BlackVerified Purchase
Os 10 tópicos que queria ter visto em uma avaliação
Reviewed in Brazil 🇧🇷 on April 3, 2022
CONSTRUÇÃO 10/10Reviewed in Brazil 🇧🇷 on April 3, 2022
É de plástico duro de muita qualidade, tem um toque meio aveludado, o preto é fosco e passa bastante robustez.
CONFORTO 8.5/10
É acolchoado na parte superior que encosta na cabeça e isso é muito agradável. As almofadas da orelha são muito macias e de couro sintético, mas gostaria que fossem mais preenchidas, parecem meio finas. Minhas orelhas não encostam na almofada e se encaixam totalmente dentro delas, o que é ótimo. Se uso mais de 50 min elas esquentam e, as vezes, ficam um pouco doloridas, mas se tirar 5 minutos já passa e voltam ao normal.
SOM 9/10
É de muita qualidade, a nitidez e a capacidade de atingir graves e agudos é excelente. Contudo, não gostei da calibragem de som original do fone e isso me frustou bastante no início. Minha felicidade foi descobrir que o fone se adapta MUITO bem à equalização. Sempre usei o equalizador no Spotify porque tenho um gosto muito específico de som e, mesclando ele junto com o equalizador do aplicativo do fone, cheguei a um som que me agrada bastante. E foi de quebra bem legal ver que, se eu quiser, posso focar diferentes tipos de som (graves, agudos, médios, vozes…) que ressaltam diferentes partes das músicas apenas com a calibragem do equalizador.
VOLUME 8/10
Confesso que eu esperava que o fone fosse capaz de atingir volumes mais altos. É bom, e o isolamento de ruído permite maior qualidade e imersão em volumes mais baixos. Mas teve momentos em que gostaria que ele fosse capaz de subir só mais uns 15% no volume. Desde o volume zero ao cem confesso que fiquei impressionado porque não percebi nenhuma perda de qualidade ou nitidez no som.
BATERIA 7/10
Só dei 7 porque foi anunciado 30 h e consegui zera-la em 15. Particularmente eu acho 15 horas uma autonomia bem respeitável, só é beeeem diferente do anunciado… Dentre os diferentes usos que já fiz eu consegui entre 15 e 27 horas de autonomia, ficando numa média de 20/22 h de autonomia por recarga (que faço de uma a duas vezes na semana durante a noite).
CANCELAMENTO DE RUÍDO 7.5/10
Polêmica. Eu nunca tinha usado um fone com cancelamento de ruído antes e além do receio de não ser bom eu não tinha ideia do que esperar já que não tinha nenhuma experiência prévia pra comparar. Achei interessante, mas nada de extraordinário. Ajuda BASTANTE no conforto acústico mas deixar passar barulhos externos sim. Tem um pessoal muito pessimista e outros muito otimistas fazendo avaliações, ou ama o fone ou odeia, e eu, particularmente, prefiro os realistas. Olha, pra ruídos baixos e repetitivos como ar condicionado, ventilador, metrô, avião (etc) é simplesmente sinistro como o fone é capaz de tirar praticamente 90% (de vez em quando 100%) do barulho, é como entrar numa realidade paralela. Eu uso pra estudar, sem música e só com o cancelamento de ruído ligado e escuto o meus colegas virando a folha do caderno, batendo o lápis, cochichando, mas isso é ruído de fundo, como se esses barulhos perdessem de 60% a 80% do volume e, dependendo da minha concentração, é como se nem estivessem lá. De vez em quando rola uma pressão no ouvido assim que ligo o fone, mas rapidinho eu acostumo e não me incomoda. A redução de barulhos ajuda MUITO na qualidade e clareza do som quando você tá ouvindo música. No app tem como otimizar o cancelamento fazendo uma análise do ambiente e da pressão atmosférica de onde você tá e é impressionante como isso ajuda na qualidade do isolamento em diferentes situações. Minha conclusão é que ajuda muito, de fato tira muitos barulhos do ambiente e reduzem muito o volume de outros, mas não é 100% não.
ENTREGA 10/10
Comprei numa quarta feira e chegou, literalmente, na quarta-feira seguinte. Fiquei impressionado com a rapidez de importação e da clareza com o transporte pela empresa que enviou. Moro numa capital e isso deve ter colaborado pra ter chegado rápido, mas mesmo assim, atravessou meio mundo em uma semana kkkk
CONTROLES e TECNOLOGIA 7/10
É tudo touch, volume, pausar, pular ou voltar uma música. Não achei particularmente intuitivo e muitas vezes vou fazer um comando e acontece outro. Preferiria muito mais se esses controles fossem em um botão físico como no Bose. Algumas funcionalidades não precisam de “atualização”, um botão físico seria bem mais prático que ficar esfregando o dedo na concha e tentar acertar o gesto… O modo transparência é interessante, mas não uso porque acho muito mais prático e eficiente (e menos rude) tirar o fone pra prestar atenção em algo. Tem uma função que, ao tirar o fone, ele automaticamente pausa a música e, ao recolocar na cabeça, ele automaticamente reinicia a música, é uma funcionalidade incrível e eu adorei como ela funciona bem. Além do mais, se você deixar o fone fora da cabeça por alguns minutos ele logo desliga, automaticamente, e não gasta bateria atoa, o que é ótimo!
CUSTO BENEFÍCIO 6/10
Vale o preço original? Não. Eu comprei numa promoção de 25% o que, ainda assim, acho que estava mais caro pro que esse tanto de tecnologia de facto vale. Acho que é um fone que valeria pagar no máximo 1.500 reais mas, nessa faixa de preço, NÃO existe no mercado qualidade de som, bateria, e cancelamento de ruído à altura desse. Estamos refém desse fone porque, para o tanto de tecnologia que ele oferece, ele é, dentre os outros, o mais barato (se é que se pode chamar isso de barato…). Se for pra comprar, tente esperar uma promoção. Quem rala igual ao brasileiro não merece pagar mais de 2.000 reais nesse fone não, dê valor ao seu dinheiro!
CONCLUSÃO 8/10
Espero ter ajudado alguém, quando fui comprar tinham avaliações muito genéricas ou cheias de opiniões ao invés de argumentos concretos sobre o produto. Quando o investimento é grande assim, quanto mais informação conseguir antes de comprar melhor. Particularmente gostei de comprar e não me arrependo, ter essa tecnologia toda um um fone é bem legal, MAS não acho que compraria de novo nessa faixa de preço não. Espero que façam uma boa decisão!
Images in this review
Abe Link
Microphones useless for Zoom/Teams/WebEx/Skype/Phone callls
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on September 7, 2020Color: BlackVerified Purchase
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
Nikhil Ranjit
As someone else in this review section said " conditionally recommend"
Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on September 20, 2020Color: BlackVerified Purchase
