Expert review of the Sony WH-1000XM4

When I take the Sony WH-1000XM4 out of the box, I immediately notice that they look identical to the XM3. The box, the accessories, the protective cover, and the headphones barely differ from those of its predecessor. But when I grab the headphones and take a closer look, I see a number of differences. For example, the headphones have become somewhat thinner in size and there's more space within the ear cups.

The noise canceling of the XM4 is impressive. I can definitely say this is the best noise canceling I've ever tested. Low and high tones are well muted and when I put music on, I no longer hear ambient noise. I don't hear my hands hitting the keyboard, I don't hear the coffee machine when it's on, and even voices in public transport don't sound through my music.

The sound of the XM4 is almost identical to that of the XM3. The bass is clearly present and I like it. The bass isn't just powerful, but also deep. The ideal combination. When I listen to music that focuses more on the mid-range tones, such as singing and vocals, the headphones also make a good impression. Voices sound crystal clear and detailed and combine well with the other tones. With some types of music, I prefer an even more powerful bass, which is why I download the Sony Headphones Connect app. In the app, I adjust the sound to my own liking via an equalizer. This way, I always have the right sound for every song.

The XM4 have a number of new functions that I find very useful. For example, there is a visible sensor in the left ear cup that detects whether or not the headphones are on on your head. When I take the headphones off, the music automatically pauses. If I put it back on, the music continues. This works almost every time, which is very useful. And where the XM3 don't have multipoint pairing, the XM4 do. This allows me to connect the headphones to 2 playback devices at the same time, so I can quickly switch between the audio from my phone and laptop.

With the other smart function of these headphones, I automatically switch from music to a phone conversation. When I start talking, my music is muted and ambient noise amplified. This is especially useful in the street and works very well. Except this also happens when I start singing along with a song. Luckily, I can turn off the function via the Sony Headphones Connect app, so I can still sing my heart out to my favorite songs at home.

The best thing about the wearing comfort of the XM4 are the deep ear cups. These are deeper than those of the XM3, which provides my ears with more space when I listen to music. Thanks to the soft leather, the headphones sit comfortably on my head for hours.