My Life-Changing Experience with the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Headphones

Hello everyone!

I'm stoked to share my review of the most anticipated and meaningful purchase of my life. I spent hours watching YouTube reviews, reading feedback, and finally, I got my hands on the Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones.

Why Sony WH-1000XM4?

Honestly, the main reason I bought these headphones was to escape the chaos and find some peace. I'm totally exhausted from city and office noise, and even at home, I don't always get that quiet time I crave. You know, it's the neighbors, car alarms, kids, birds... the list goes on. I think sensitive people will totally get me. Sometimes, all I need is a bit of silence to recharge and get my mojo back. According to all the reviews and feedback, Sony WH-1000XM4 have the best active noise cancellation, a super comfy design, and a price that's hard to beat. Plus, being able to enjoy music in a better format was the icing on the cake.

I'm a total music lover.

Where to buy and how much?

I have to admit, I'm a bit of a risk-taker, and I ordered these headphones on MegaMarket without even trying them on first. I was keeping an eye on the price, waiting for the best deal, and when the discount was just right, I snapped them up. I ended up paying 24,000 rubles, which I got at the Sony Centre Moscow store. Here's the link to the store – you can change it manually if you want to buy from a different location. Later on, I saw that I could've gotten them even cheaper – 22,000 rubles on Ozon. The seller seemed reliable, but I'd already placed my order, so I decided not to cancel it. Here's the link to the seller. Anyway, I'm glad I didn't cancel the order.

From what I've seen, the price range for these headphones is between 22,000 and 40,000 rubles. I think 25,000 rubles is a fair and good price for this device. To be honest, it's even a bargain considering how many nervous cells they'll save you

Packaging / accessories / design

The seller wrapped the headphones in multiple layers of bubble wrap, which was a nice touch. The packaging arrived at my doorstep completely undamaged. The headphones themselves weren't even touched - the bubble wrap covered the entire surface. As soon as I started unwrapping, I could tell I was dealing with a high-end flagship model, not some cheap knockoff:

The box has a barcode, and a QR code too. You'll find the QR code on the box, on the inserts, and even on the strap that holds the inserts together

The included accessories are a real plus.

Here's what you get:

A 3.5mm cable (1.2 meters, oxygen-free copper wires, gold-plated stereo mini-plug) - perfect for wired connections to your computer. I love that you can actually skip using the headphones in this case if you don't need the noise-cancelling feature, which will definitely help conserve battery life.A USB Type-C cable for charging the headphones from your laptop or a compatible power adapter;A plane adapter;A detailed manual, including gesture diagrams for controlling the headphones through the right earcup, as well as a free music streaming subscription.The case is absolutely fantastic. The frame is sturdy enough to protect the device from damage, but it's also lightweight and compact enough to take with you, whether it's to work or a travel bag. The older Sony WH-1000XM5 model somehow took a step back in this regard. The case for this model is huge, and the headphones can't fold up. In this version, it's been thought out five times better, and I'm still wondering why the manufacturer decided to go this route.

As for the case's dimensions, they're 20.5 cm x 18 cm x 5 cm. I didn't weigh it separately, but it's definitely under 150 grams. The size is so well thought out that there's no unnecessary space left inside - every inch is used wisely.

The color matches the headphones - a light gray tone. It's a pleasure to touch, with a high-quality hidden latch that works smoothly without any jamming. And, of course, there's a place to stash that extra 'useful' piece of paper and carry it in your hand.

I was surprised to find that even the instructions on how to fold the earbuds were included.

To fold the earbuds compactly into their case, you need to carefully unfold the dynamic speaker away from you, with the earcup facing upwards, and then fold it back up again, until it's flush with the base of the stem. I do it like this:

The earbuds come in several colors: black, light grey, silver, and dark blue. I opted for the silver color. In reality, it has a light grey tone in real life, and only upon close inspection or with a flash can you see the silver flakes on the plastic.

These headphones look great on both women with smaller heads and guys, and they fit comfortably.

Material - 100% plastic

I was a bit worried they'd feel flimsy, but they're actually really comfortable to wear for extended periods. I've worn them for over 6 hours without feeling any fatigue. The material does require some care, so I make sure to handle them gently. At home, I don't fold them up or twist them - I just place them on a soft surface and keep an eye on them to avoid dropping them.

One thing to note is that the 'metallic' accents are actually just the earcup extensions, which can add a bit more size to each side (about 1.7cm, to be exact).

I really like the design - the combination of gray and gold elements works well for me.

The headband is soft on both sides, which helps distribute the weight evenly and reduces pressure on the head.

Butterfly valves are ridiculously soft - I don't think I can come up with a better word to describe them. They're easily pressed down, but just as quickly spring back into place without any signs of wear:

I really hope this soft material holds up over time, because I haven't found anything similar in the butterfly valve alternatives they offer.

Alright, time to move on to the main event

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

They've got a ton of 'cool features', so let's go over the main ones.

1. DYNAMICS

40 mm, cup-shaped type (CCAW coil)

Wearing these earbuds for extended periods – I'm talking over six hours – has been a total breeze. The sound quality is top-notch, and the noise-cancelling tech is seriously effective. Plus, I've been wearing them in 35-degree heat, and my ears haven't even broken a sweat. I'm genuinely impressed.

I've been worried about ear fatigue, but it just hasn't happened. I take them off, and I forget they were even there. That's some seriously good design.

Comfort level: 10 out of 10.

2. Digital Sound Enhancement Engine

DSEE is a clever tech that uses complex calculations and predictions to make low-res files sound almost as good as high-res audio. It's seriously effective at bringing out the high-end frequencies that often get lost in the mix.

Here's the thing: if you're expecting mind-blowing sound straight out of the box, you'll be disappointed. No amount of DSEE tech is gonna cut it. To get the sound these headphones are capable of, you need to mess around with the equalizer settings and listen to high-quality audio files. Otherwise, they'll just sound a bit better than your average earbuds, but with more bass.

I have to say, it took me a while to get the sound right. But when I finally did, I was blown away. The first 5 hours after getting to know these headphones, I just kept re-listening to my audio and couldn't get over how different it sounded. I was hearing instruments that were previously hidden from my ears, and it was like a whole new world of sound.

3. Frequency Response

4–40 000 Hz

Frequency Response (Bluetooth)

20–20 000 Hz (44.1 kHz sampling rate) / 20–40 000 Hz (96 kHz sampling rate with LDAC, 990 Kbps)

4. Dual Noise-Sensing Microphones with HD Processor QN1 for Noise Cancellation

I could go on and on about how great these headphones are, but I'll make a small aside - they're absolute magic at cancelling out low frequencies. I can barely even hear my noisy neighbors above me, let alone their sudden bursts of activity.

I'm glued to my favorite show in the evenings and I don't even notice the noise or anyone else. Like, at all. It's amazing. So, if you're dealing with super energetic neighbors and their kids, and you can't move to a new place just yet, you should definitely consider buying these. They'll save your sanity and give you some much-needed peace of mind. I only wish I'd gotten them sooner.

A quick rundown on the noise-cancelling performance:

- I don't hear the thunderstorm or rain, the lawn mower outside, or the kids screaming. I can barely make out the sound of the vacuum cleaner or lawn mower % at 5. High-frequency notes on the music or movies make them sound softer and less jarring. And when I'm using the noise-cancelling feature and watching a movie or listening to music, it's hard to be disturbed by anything, including the vacuum cleaner. I don't even hear the vacuum anymore;

- I don't use public transport too often, but the noise of the city and the bus is effectively blocked out;

- one time I was home alone and I didn't even hear my partner coming in. Not the door slamming shut (which can be pretty loud), not the household noises or footsteps in my direction, nothing. That was a bit unsettling, so I had to warn my partner to be more careful when entering my room. And on the street, I wouldn't recommend using these at all, even at a low volume. It's just too hazardous. With the earcups pressed tightly against my ears, the earphones already have some passive noise isolation, and when I add music to the mix, I'm essentially cutting out around 40-50% of the noise;

I usually use active noise-cancellation after work, when I want to unwind and relax, just focusing on the movie I'm watching or the music I'm listening to. Occasionally, I'll use them during the day if there's a loud, distracting noise nearby that's getting on my nerves or interfering with my work.

One of the best things about these headphones is that you can use active noise-cancellation without music, which is a huge plus.

What's it like when the noise-cancellation is working?

Active noise-cancellation feels like a gentle, soothing hum, even when I'm not listening to music. I've seen some comments from other users who say they can hear their own heartbeat and other bodily sounds, but I don't experience that. The headphones don't amplify any background noise in this mode, and it doesn't feel heavy or uncomfortable on my head. I can wear them for hours without any discomfort or headaches. The only downside is that the design isn't comfortable for sleeping on my side – I'd love to be able to sleep in them, but I don't think that would be good for the headphones!

There's also a personal noise-cancellation optimizer and atmospheric pressure optimizer. I only used the optimizer once, but after that, I was able to get the best possible noise-cancellation out of the headphones. You can easily adjust how much of the outside world you want to hear in the app, and find a level that works for you:

The further to the right you move the slider, the more of the outside world you'll hear, and the less noise-cancellation you'll get. The furthest left position is complete silence.

5. Battery Life

I've found that it takes around 3 hours to fully charge the headphones from my laptop. With active noise cancellation, I get about 3 days of use, with around 6 hours of listening time each day. I usually top up the charge on the third day.

Without noise cancellation, I get the full 30 hours of battery life, just as the manufacturer claims. But let's be real, I mostly use them with noise cancellation on. The fact that I can top up the charge with a 10-minute plug-in session for 5 hours of use is also super convenient. It's like they're not even tethered to a power outlet.

6. This is a total game-changer - the gesture controls on the right earcup are a dream come true. My go-to feature is placing my palm on the right earcup to answer calls when someone wants to chat with me. It's also super handy for pausing playback and switching tracks. And, as a right-handed person, it's way more convenient to use my right hand to do it. The fact that I can take my hand off the mouse doesn't even faze me - using my right hand is definitely more intuitive than my left.

Buttons are super easy to find, and they're all different sizes. When you press the CUSTOM button for the first time, active noise cancellation completely shuts off. Press it again, and you'll start to hear ambient sounds, but with a twist - you can adjust how much of the noise gets cancelled out in the app. Press it three times, and the noise cancellation kicks in at max level.

One feature that really caught my eye is the earcup adaptation. I set it up right away and I have to say, I'm not sure if it makes a huge difference, but it feels like the sound is coming from exactly where my ears are supposed to catch it. I think it's more of a psychological thing, though. When I was setting it up, I was staring at the earcups and nothing inside them seemed to change or move.

The verdict?

These headphones are perfect for anyone who loves silence. They're ridiculously light - I weighed them and they came in at 253 grams, which is spot on with the manufacturer's claim of 260 grams, considering the margin of error.

I've found that these headphones are super comfortable to wear, thanks to their lightweight design and soft earcups. They don't put pressure on my head, so I can use them for hours on end. They do a great job of blocking out low-frequency sounds like traffic noise and footsteps, and they also handle high-frequency sounds pretty well – about 70-80% of the time, anyway. If I'm listening to something serious, they might even block out the sound completely. The noise-cancelling tech is amazing. It's like having a constant, soothing hum in the background. I can just turn it on when I'm feeling tired and want some quiet time, or when I'm trying to read a book without any background noise. Plus, I can connect two devices via Bluetooth at the same time, so I won't miss any calls.

To get the full, immersive sound experience, I need to mess around with the settings a bit. It's like trying to get the most out of a pro-grade camera – if I don't adjust the settings just right, I might be disappointed with the results. Sony's got a reputation for being a bit finicky, but when I take the time to get it right, it's totally worth it.

For example, I'm not sure if I can confidently say that the sound quality of my wireless earbuds, the Honor Earbuds X, is significantly worse... The main thing is that the noise-cancelling feature allows me to feel like I'm alone with the music and use a volume of no more than 40-50%, which is definitely more positive for preserving my hearing than cranking up other earbuds to max volume to block out the noise on a plane or train, for instance. And that's the main bliss of using them. Now I really understand the phrase from reviews that after experiencing the noise-cancelling feature, you won't want to go back to other devices. Plus, if you tweak the settings and listen to high-quality recordings, you'll hear things in your favorite songs that you never noticed before - that's a fact. Generally, I'd say that the Sony earbuds will suit many musical tastes (from classical to rock). The sound is clean and pure, and they don't distort the music or alter its truth.

And yes, about the microphone. The microphone on these earbuds is pretty average. I wouldn't use them for a conference call. It'll work in a pinch if you need to be heard right now, but it's not the quality you'd expect, and it's definitely not suitable for work use.

I'd recommend the light color - it's almost impossible to see fingerprints, and they look great without needing to be constantly wiped clean.

The build quality is great, with no play in the parts. But since they're made of plastic, you'll need to be gentle with them. I've had them for a few months now, and so far, there are no signs of wear or damage. We'll see how they hold up in the long run. If anything happens, I'll update this review.

One thing to keep in mind is that according to the instructions, these earbuds aren't designed for use in sub-zero temperatures, but that's not a concern for me since I don't use them outdoors. I only use them on public transport or while traveling by bus in the summer.

That's it for my review, I think. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments and I'll do my best to answer them.

I've found earbuds that don't cause morning discomfort and a feeling of relief after taking them out because you don't have to shove them into your ear canal