MANY PEOPLE ARE simply averse to the idea of wearing over-the-ear headphones, wired or wireless, for the simple reason that they tend to be bulky, make our ears sweaty and cause general discomfort. Trust me, you won’t find any of these problems with the Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless noise cancelling stereo headset. The WH-1000XM4 (with a price tag of Rs 29,990) is the much-awaited successor to the hugely popular WH-1000XM3, offering Sony’s famed audio quality along with a host of intelligent features that allow you to personalise and control your music, improve noise cancellation and adjust ambient sound automatically for a great audio experience.
This reviewer has a strong preference for entire-ear covering headphones for the simple reason that they keep distractions at bay. After almost three weeks of usage, he has no qualms in admitting that the WH-1000XM4 is the best set of headphones in the market.
The WH-1000XM4 sits comfortably on the head due to the lightweight design. I reckon these headphones are designed for those who travel frequently, the super-soft, pressure relieving earpads evenly distribute pressure and increase ear/pad contact for a stable fit. With Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri enabled (built-in) you can access music, information and much more. Easy-to-reach touch controls let the user change the track, turn the volume up or down and take or make calls by tapping or swiping the panel with fingertip.
A built-in analogue amplifier integrated in the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1 ensures a good signal-to-noise ratio for low distortion and superior sound quality for portable devices. Powerful 40mm drivers, with Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) diaphragms, make it perfect for handling heavy beats and can reproduce a full range of frequencies up to 40kHz.
For everyday convenience, the WH-1000XM4 has an interesting Speak-to-Chat feature. As soon as you speak to someone, Speak-to-Chat stops the music and lets in ambient sound, so you can conduct a conversation with your headphones on. This smart feature uses five microphones built into your headphones and advanced audio signal processing to recognise and react to your voice. And once your chat is over, your music starts playing again automatically.
The headphones also support Quick attention mode for instant conversation. Just placing your right hand over the earbud turns the volume right down and lets in ambient sound. Proximity sensor and two acceleration sensors in your headphones can detect whether you’re wearing them or not, then adapt playback accordingly to help save battery power.
Overall, the WH-1000XM4 is a wonderful pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones. Buy these if you’re working from home and need some peace and quiet. Highly recommended.
Estimated street price: Rs 29,990