For years, the WH-1000XM4 was one of Sony’s best-selling headphones. Now the manufacturer is re-releasing it under the name WH-1000XM4C. The new edition costs 250 euros, which is 130 euros less than the original cost six years ago. Sony is leaving the once successful model technically almost unchanged – apart from one detail: the battery can be replaced. Sony supplies spare parts to consumers. In addition to the XM4C, Sony is showing two other pairs of headphones at IFA, which are positioned in the entry-level and mid-range segments.
Whether the former ANC reference will become a bargain depends on your own preferences. The active noise cancellation effectively counteracts engine and airplane noise, even by today’s standards. The sound is powerful and warm. With Bluetooth 5.0 and the high-resolution LDAC codec, multipoint Bluetooth, and 30 hours of battery life, it is solidly equipped, and thanks to its foldable design, it doesn’t take up too much space when traveling. Sony provides a ten-band equalizer via an app for the new edition, so you can adjust the sound more precisely to your own preferences.
However, the WH-1000XM4 lags behind more modern competitors here and there, especially if you also want to use it for phone calls. It transmits voices much more thinly and is more prone to interference than its successors. It lacks modern wireless standards like LE Audio, LC3, and Auracast. The active noise cancellation is less effective against voices than that of the current top models.
