Over the decades I’ve spent tinkering with tech, audio has become one product category that I actively avoid skimping on. I spend several hours a day wearing headphones, so having a quality pair on hand is a top priority for me. It’s music to my ears, then, to see that Sony’s WH-1000XM4 has returned to its lowest-ever price on Amazon for Black Friday. Accept no substitutions, these are the cans to get.
Sony WH-1000XM4
It’s just you and your music with the WH-1000XM4 headphones. The easy way to enjoy less noise and even purer sound, with smart listening technology that automatically personalises your experience.
Head over to Amazon US, you’ll find WH-1000XM4 for $198, a whoppingly-big discount of 43% ($150) from their list price. Lucky for us Brits, we’re able grab these headphones for £175 and save ourselves 24% (£54) relative to RRP. Wherever you’re shopping though, rest assured that you’re buying these cans at their lowest ever price. Better still, this applies to all three colourways save for white in the US.
I had a pair of WH-1000XM3 for years, upgrading to WH-1000XM4 earlier this year. In that time, these headphones have proven themselves an invaluable travelling companion on domestic and international commutes. Their active noise cancellation (ANC), battery life, and sound quality have all made long journeys practically fly by, as well as being a set of comfy cans for home too.
Sony has long maintained its position as a leader in ANC technology, which is readily apparent on WH-1000XM4. The noise of an airplane cabin, bustling train carriage, or hum of the office quickly fade when powering on these headphones. However, tuning back into the real world is easy through a variety of simple touch gestures and your music will automatically pause as you take the cans off.
While ANC helps immerse you in your music library, the exceptionally comfortable build of WH-1000XM4 plays its part too. They’re remarkably light in the hand and on your head, with ample leatherette padding across the headband and around the earcups. I can wear them for hours without fatigue and easily fall asleep using them too.
Exemplary as the aforementioned qualities of WH-1000XM4 are, they thankfully don’t falter in terms of sound quality either. They boast the typical Sony sound signature of warm, pronounced bass that allows kick drums and other percussive elements to properly thump your eardrums. As such, they’re ideal for genres like hip hop, metal, and pop. Treble doesn’t drown amidst all the low frequencies, too, making for a satisfying, punchy listening experience for the likes of classical and folk.
I should note that WH-1000XM4’s successors, WH-1000XM5, are also on sale. They’re a fine pair of headphones, but their reduced portability and higher cost led me to opt for the older but nonetheless excellent pair of cans. Being able to fold down WH-1000XM4 in its smaller carrying case, my bag, or my desk has proven indispensable on multiple occasions.