Design and features:These headphones work with or without the noise canceling feature being turned on. You can use the noise-canceling feature without listening to music. These headphones can be used wirelessly with Bluetooth devices or can be cord connected. When cord connected they have medium high sensitivity regardless of whether they are powered with or without the noise cancelation feature turned on or unpowered, so they can provide satisfying volume levels when used with home audio equipment and lower-powered portable audio devices. The WH-1000XM4 has an integrated microphone and touch sensitive volume, music player function, and call connect/disconnect controls that work with paired Bluetooth devices. Additional features include momentary audio program muting and engagement of the ambient sound monitor mode when the entire hand is placed on the right earcup, support for Apple Siri and Google Assistant digital voice assistants when used with mobile devices that have those features, the ability to receive high resolution audio Bluetooth transmissions from selected Sony products, optional NFC Bluetooth pairing, and earcups that fold and swivel flat for ease of carrying and storage. The free Sony Headphones Connect app download for Apple and Android mobile devices adds additional features including various automated adjustments that are claimed to optimize the noise cancelling characteristics of the headphone based on different situations. It can also act as a audio program player, provide tonal adjustments, enable various virtual surround sound modes, and adjust the apparent location of the audio program. This model comes with a detachable 46-inch long standard audio cable, a USB charging cable, a mini-plug-to-airplane-jack adapter, and a carrying case.
Sound quality:In Bluetooth noise cancelling mode we found the WH-1000XM4 delivers Excellent active noise reduction and very good overall sound - it reproduces music and voice very well although it does have some noticeable sonic quirks. The overall sound can best be summarized as thumpy and a bit muffled. With the noise cancelling mode engaged and the Sony Headphones Connect app set with the Equalizer off and clear bass set to 0. The bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) has good impact and goes deep, but is somewhat prominent and thumpy. The midrange (voices, guitars, horns, etc.) is fairly even, but is somewhat grainy, and a bit muffled. The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is fairly extended but is slightly prominent and slightly smeared (sounds that should have a delicate shimmer sound blurred). While the sound has a decent sense of liveliness, it is somewhat closed (sound-wise it's fairly obvious you have something plugging your ears) and does a decent job of recovering room ambience (the sense of the acoustic space in which the audio program that's being listened to was recorded). Warmish character. The tone settings of the app do have a noticeable effect on the sound of these headphones. Very similar sound to the Sony WH-1000XM3 it supersedes. Noise Canceling: Excellent noise reduction across the entire frequency range with the low frequencies reduced the most. Orientation changes the noise reduction characteristic - when the noise is coming from the sides less high-frequency noise can be heard. Faint hiss can be heard when there is no audio program to drown it out.
Comfort and Fit:We found that these headphones produce a sense of moderate pressure around the ears.
As typical of over-ear models the ear pads might feel hot and/or sticky after prolonged use.
Large
Users with larger ears might find that the over-the-ear fit of the ear pads feel a bit cramped, or that the ear pads sit on, rather than around their ears; in that case the less-than-ideal fit around the ears might interfere with the earpad seal and reduce the noise reduction capabilities of the headphone.
Stability
Some users may find that when they lean far forward the headphones feel unstable and shift forward, possibly to the point of falling off. Incidental contact with the touch controls on the right outer earcup can cause unintentional playing or pausing, track skipping, or volume level changes.
Other noise
When wearing this model while walking the muffled vibrations from each foot step can be heard through the headphones.
When the audio cord is used the sound of it rubbing on clothing may be faintly heard through the earphones.
