@amber_cello_12 · Owner-reported
Owned over 2 years · Still using it: yes, daily · Posted
its not one size fits everyone with headphones.
- Comfort · worse than expected
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@amber_cello_12 · Owner-reported
Owned over 2 years · Still using it: yes, daily · Posted
its not one size fits everyone with headphones.
Own it? Your note joins these
Three answers, four quick reads, one sentence nobody tells you before buying · About 2 minutes · No account needed · Photo optional
Great wasn't good enough for Sony.
At 8.4, its noise cancelling beats 60% of over-ear headphones we've measured.
Measured on 60 of the 236 we've cataloged.
At 4, its audio quality beats 40% of over-ear headphones we've measured.
Measured on 42 of the 236 we've cataloged.
Would buy it again and still uses it daily.
Owned over 2 years.
below average for over-ear headphones — based on 154 of 236 we've cataloged.
5.0 is the most common — on 27% of the 146 over-ear headphones we've cataloged (of 236).
Bluetooth appears on 43% of the 238 over-ear headphones we've cataloged (of 236).
Objective measurements from the SoundGuys test lab — overlay other models to see how this one compares.
Measured frequency response (dB relative) against the SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve. When the measurement goes above the dashed line, that frequency is louder than our preference curve, and when it goes below: it's quieter. Use the curve for comparison purposes only, as your taste may vary.
| Frequency (Hz) | Response (dB) |
|---|---|
| 20 | 9.2 |
| 25 | 9.4 |
| 32 | 8.9 |
| 40 | 8.4 |
| 50 | 7.9 |
| 63 | 7.4 |
| 80 | 7.1 |
| 100 | 7.1 |
| 125 | 6.9 |
| 160 | 5.0 |
| 200 | 3.4 |
| 250 | 2.0 |
| 315 | 0.7 |
| 400 | -0.7 |
| 500 | 0.2 |
| 630 | 0.6 |
| 800 | 0.8 |
| 1000 | 0.1 |
| 1250 | 3.2 |
| 1600 | 3.8 |
| 2000 | 3.3 |
| 2500 | 6.8 |
| 3150 | 9.4 |
| 4000 | 11.4 |
| 5000 | 11.2 |
| 6300 | 7.0 |
| 8000 | 11.5 |
| 10000 | 9.4 |
| 12500 | 2.3 |
| 16000 | -4.5 |
| 20000 | -16.2 |
Passive isolation (dB) with ANC off — how much ambient noise the fit blocks on its own. Higher on the chart means more attenuation.
| Frequency (Hz) | Attenuation (dB) |
|---|---|
| 21 | 7.5 |
| 26 | 7.9 |
| 33 | 0.3 |
| 41 | 0.6 |
| 52 | 0.3 |
| 65 | 0.7 |
| 82 | 1.4 |
| 103 | 0.6 |
| 130 | 0.0 |
| 163 | -0.9 |
| 205 | 1.0 |
| 259 | 4.5 |
| 325 | 6.3 |
| 410 | 11.6 |
| 516 | 13.0 |
| 613 | 16.5 |
| 772 | 20.4 |
| 972 | 24.8 |
| 1220 | 27.5 |
| 1540 | 28.4 |
| 1940 | 22.0 |
| 2440 | 35.4 |
| 3070 | 26.1 |
| 3870 | 30.4 |
| 4870 | 35.3 |
| 6130 | 37.3 |
| 7720 | 35.1 |
| 9720 | 30.4 |
| 12200 | 21.6 |
| 15400 | 21.3 |
| 19400 | 13.1 |
Total attenuation (dB) with ANC on — passive isolation plus active noise cancelling. Higher on the chart means more attenuation.
| Frequency (Hz) | Total attenuation (dB) |
|---|---|
| 21 | -4.2 |
| 26 | 2.1 |
| 33 | 7.5 |
| 41 | 12.5 |
| 52 | 16.9 |
| 65 | 21.3 |
| 82 | 23.0 |
| 103 | 22.1 |
| 130 | 25.1 |
| 163 | 28.9 |
| 205 | 25.1 |
| 259 | 27.7 |
| 325 | 26.8 |
| 410 | 25.1 |
| 516 | 25.7 |
| 613 | 20.5 |
| 772 | 14.8 |
| 972 | 16.4 |
| 1220 | 20.9 |
| 1540 | 20.2 |
| 1940 | 20.9 |
| 2440 | 27.8 |
| 3070 | 23.2 |
| 3870 | 29.7 |
| 4870 | 33.1 |
| 6130 | 34.5 |
| 7720 | 32.9 |
| 9720 | 29.5 |
| 12200 | 21.4 |
| 15400 | 21.2 |
| 19400 | 12.9 |
Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores (1–5), modeled from the measured response. Higher is better across timbre, distortion, and immersiveness — add other models to see where this one lands.
The verdict
If you can wait for a sale and want a top-tier pair of headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM4 is the way to go. The combination of great sound, improved noise canceling, good battery life, and smart features like auto pause and Bluetooth multipoint makes these one of the best all-around option for most people.
✓Liked: ANC, Sound quality, Bluetooth multipoint, Bluetooth 5.0; SBC, AAC, LDAC, and wired playback
✕Could be better: Cost, Double-tap to pause doesn't always work, Slightly less comfortable than the WH-1000XM3, Battery life is down from the previous version
What a reader who owns the Sony WH-1000XM4 reports after living with it. Owner-reported, checked before publishing; ordered photo-verified first, then newest.
Owner notes are not paid for, not solicited from specific owners, and not edited by us. The commission SoundGuys may earn on this page comes from retail links, never from notes.
1 owner note
Every author writes under a generated pseudonym. A signed-in author’s email is never shown. Read more · The reader says they own it. We have not seen proof, and we say so — no label here is proof of a purchase. Read more · Owned over 2 years · Still using it: yes, daily · Posted
Would buy againits not one size fits everyone with headphones.
Video reviews and comparisons for this product.
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