Sony Unveils WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones

Sony has today announced the WH-1000XM4, the 4th generation over-ear wireless noise-canceling headphones in Sony’s award-winning 1000X family. The latest headphones offer all the much-loved technology from the hugely popular WH-1000XM3, with additional intelligent features that allow you to personalize and control your music, improve noise cancellation and adjust ambient sound automatically based on your preferences for a superior sound experience.

Whether you’re flying long haul or relaxing in a café, the WH-1000XM4 headphones deliver Sony’s best ever noise cancelling performance, reducing high and mid-frequency sounds. With two microphones on each earcup, being used for noise cancelling, our Dual Noise Sensor technology captures ambient noise and passes the data to the trusted HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1. Then a new BLUETOOTH Audio SoC (System on Chip) senses and adjusts to music and noise at over 700 times per second. Using a new algorithm, the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1 applies noise cancelling processing in real-time. This allows the user to focus more on the music they love and blur out the chaos of the outside world.

Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones

Adaptive Sound Control on the WH-1000XM4 is a smart function that senses where you are and what you’re doing then adjusts ambient sound settings for the ideal listening experience. Over time, Adaptive Sound Control learns to recognise locations that you frequently visit such as your workplace, gym or favourite café, and tailors sound to suit the situation. So, if you’re travelling you can lose yourself in your journey with no background noise to interrupt your favourite tracks. Or if you’re walking you can be aware of everything around you while still enjoying your music. You can set up your frequently visited locations and your preferred settings via the “Sony | Headphones Connect App” and ambient sound settings will automatically update as you move between different environments.

Everyday Experience

New to the WH-1000XM4 is “Speak-to-Chat”, an innovative feature that lets you have short conversations without taking your headphones off, making ordering a coffee whilst listening to music even easier. Just simply say something and the headphones will recognize your voice, automatically stop your music and let in ambient sound so you can conduct a conversion without removing your headphones. The music automatically starts playing again 30 seconds[4] after you’ve last spoken. “Quick Attention” mode is available on the WH-1000XM4 so if you want to listen to an announcement or say something briefly, you simply place your right hand over the earcup to decrease the volume instantly and let ambient sound in.

The WH-1000XM4 now comes with wearing detection. The headphones detect whether they are being worn and adapts playback accordingly to help save battery power. Using the headphone’s proximity sensor and two acceleration sensors, the headphones automatically stop the music when you remove them and resumes playing when you put them on again, providing an effortless listening experience.

The WH-1000XM4 features new Precise Voice Pickup technology. This controls five of the microphones in the headphones optimally and performs advanced audio signal processing to pick up voices clearly and precisely for hands-free calls and Speak-to-Chat.

Pursuit of Ultimate Design

WH-1000XM4 blends sophisticated styling with exceptional comfort and light-weight design, you’ll barely notice you’re wearing them. Designed for those who travel frequently, the super-soft, pressure-relieving earpads evenly distribute pressure and increase ear/pad contact for a stable fit. For total convenience, the WH-1000XM4 can be paired with two BLUETOOTH devices at the same time[5]. When a call comes in, your headphones know which device is ringing and connect to the right one automatically. You’ll also be able to quickly and smoothly switch your headphones to either of the two devices at a single tap.

The WH-1000XM4 are NFC and BLUETOOTH enabled and have a battery life of up to 30 hours[6] and quick charging function giving you up to 5 hours of wireless playback from 10 minutes of charging. The WH-1000XM4 also supports Google’s helpful new Fast Pair feature that lets you easily locate where you left your headphones by ringing them.

The latest model includes the same touch panel controls as its predecessor and are optimised for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa so you can manage your day by asking your favourite voice assistant.

Set to retail for a price in the region of £350, if you want to learn more about this new release, you can check out the official Sony product website via the link here!

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