It's been a long time coming, but Sony today announced the successor to its beloved WH-1000XM3 noise-cancelling headphones: the WH-1000XM4s (henceforth, XM4s). The XM4s are definitely more on the iterative side, offering subtle improvements over their predecessor.
These include fast pairing for Android phones, improved voice quality for phone calls, and the ability to pair with more than one device at once.
Sony says the XM4s offer better noise-cancelling than their predecessors, thanks to improved algorithms. While the XM3s were already excellent, the XM4s should do a better job at cutting out midrange frequencies like human voices.
As far as audio quality, the XM4s are identical to the XM3s. Sony hasn't made any sound improvements this time around. The XM3s are some of the best sounding headphones we've tested to date, so this isn't really an issue. You can expect a warm, bass driven profile. While not quite a natural sound, the XM4s are still balanced. The energetic low-end makes your tunes richer, than adding bass for the sake of bass.
You'll be able to pick up a pair of XM4s later this month for $549. Given you can still find the still excellent XM3s on shelves for around $350 or so, they're definitely worth considering as a cheaper alternative - while stocks last, naturally. But if you're keen for Sony's latest and greatest, we've been testing a pair of XM4s and will have a review shortly.
Alex Choros
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