Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones, just launched.
August 7 update below. This entry was first posted on August 6, 2020.
Sony’s latest headphones, called WH-1000XM4, are sensational. The over-ears have just been announced and with them, Sony intends to even beat the company’s own spectacularly good WH-1000XM3 headphones. Spoiler: it worked.
The previous model is still for sale and represents, since a recent price drop, great value. As sound cancelers with amazing high performance, they have been unbeaten so far. The new model, which I will call XM4 from here (because, you know, who has the time?) Adds features, enhances audio and adapts the design gently.
August 7 update. No sooner had Sony unveiled its new headphones, discussed the new features and put them up for sale, but there has already been an update for the firmware. As mentioned below, one of the marquee upgrades, multi-point connectivity via Bluetooth so that the headphones can be connected to two gadgets, was not quite ready when the headphones were announced.
Now, with a speed noticeable in every company, but especially in an electronics giant, Sony has already released the firmware update that does the magic. It’s one of the fastest updates I’ve encountered. Not only is this fast, but it’s time because even the heaviest of beginning adopters who place their orders, as soon as they could, have not yet received the headphones. Installing the update is simplicity itself. Once you have installed the Sony Headphones app, when you open the app, you will see a notification waiting for an update. Connect the WH-1000XM4s and, well, that’s over there. The download started automatically. It started right in front of me and was complete less than 10 minutes later. Once the update was transferred to the app, installation took another 15 minutes, with clear instructions in the app. For example, make sure the Bluetooth connection is strong and will not be interrupted because you are on the road, say. Overall, it was much faster than the 40 minutes that were warned. Finally, the phone tells you that the update is complete. Simple and effective.
Check out the post from my Forbes colleague Mark Sparrow here for another feature of the headphones. Mark is a true audiobuffer and his analysis is in-depth and comprehensively comprehensive.
At first glance, the new headphones look very similar to the previous model, although subtle differences have been noted to provide greater comfort to the wearer. For example, the design of the pendant and the headband are softly developed. There’s apparently a larger surface area, apparently, which thus reduces the pressure and makes for a more comfortable ear pad – although it’s honestly the last model was also super nice.
Sony WH-1000XM3, left, WH-1000XM4, right. They look pretty similar, right?
Overall, the headphones look and feel almost exactly the same as the previous generation, which is not a bad thing, although they are also much lighter.
New features
Talk to chat is the name of a system that means you do not have to take the headphones off your head to have a conversation. It’s pretty advanced: it incorporates machine learning of your individual voice. When the headphones recognize your voice, they stop the music and let out the ambient sound from outside.
Speak to Chat means that the headset learns your voice, and gives Sony the intention to make sure that its products are used the most to get worse. It’s a clear hint that more features like these will arrive on the XM4s in time.
Talking to chat works really well. As soon as you open your mouth, the music stops, the sound from outside is welcomed and you feel as connected to the outside world as if you had taken it from your head.
I will just say that this is completely useless if you, like me, like to sing with what you hear, with gusto and devotion. In this situation, you are presented only with the sound of your own voice and its variable attention to pitch and timing. Still, there will be enough that this will be useful.
Sony WH-1000XM4, also available in black.
Wearing Detection is new to the XM4s, with a proximity sensor in the left earcup, so when you remove the headphones, the music automatically pauses. This is a feature that many earbuds use, but the XM3s did not have it.
And, yes, the Connection with multiple points feature, as predicted by other Forbes Employee Barry Collins, is here, which means you can pair the headphones with two Bluetooth devices at the same time. This is not very here, so I have not been able to test it, but it comes every day via a firmware update.
The sound
The noise cancellation feature here has been improved, by reducing ambient noise with high and medium frequency. It’s hard to believe that Sony’s noise can be improved, but the company says it has. Until I get to test it in a really noisy situation, I’ll have to take the company’s word for it, but it’s probably still as amazing as ever.
And the headphones now handle Sony 360 Reality Audio, for example from Tidal, Nugsnet and Deezer.
The headphones sound fantastic, whether you cancel now or sound.
When and how much?
The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones are available immediately, for the same price as the XM3 originally, which is $ 349, £ 349 in the UK
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