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Sony might revive its fan-favorite WH-1000XM4 headphones
Aug 7, 2026 — 4:28 AM ET
- Sony is rumored to be working on reviving its WH-1000XM4 premium wireless headphones.
- We don’t know for sure whether the revived model could be the same or different from previously launched ones.
- Despite newer models being launched, the WH-1000XM4 continues to sell even six years after its original launch.
The Sony WH-1000X series has been our top recommendation for years, not just for the most premium wireless headphones but for the best headphones in general. Consistently great audio and sufficient noise cancellation are why older models still sell pretty well online, despite newer, improved models such as the WH-1000XM6 and the Collexion. And that popularity could be the reason Sony might soon bring back a model it first launched over six years ago.
Roland Quandt, a leaker with a reliable track record, recently mentioned in a post on Bluesky about an upcoming revival — of sorts — for a now-discontinued pair of premium headphones from Sony. Quandt says that two generations (and a special high-end edition) later, Sony could bring back the WH-1000XM4, possibly with a subtle variation.
Per the leaker, this could be a “lite/neo/eco” version of the standard WH-1000XM4, suggested by a “C” added at the end of the original model’s internal identifier. At this point, the modifications or changes remain a mystery, but the closest I can imagine is it being a new color. Sony’s current nomenclature uses suffixes such as “B,” “S,” and “L” for the black, silver-white, and blue color variants of the WH-1000XM4. So, it’s possible we could see another addition to this roster in a new color — not necessarily starting with a C.
It’s rather uncommon for audio brands to revive a few-year-old models, unless for the sake of nostalgia and retro appeal. But we’ve seen phone brands, including Samsung, come up with more affordable Fan Edition (FE) versions of previous phones, smartwatches, or earbuds. A similar affordability treatment can also be expected of Sony if these headphones actually launch in the market.
Besides delivering premium audio for relatively less than the newer iterations, the WH-1000XM4 could also be an answer to durability concerns that plague the XM5 and XM6. Even six years after launch, the WH-1000XM4 haven’t truly gotten out of stock, and you can still buy them on Amazon for about $230. If you’re willing to take a risk for better audio quality, you might as well buy the newer XM5 for just $20 more.
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