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Sony revives WH-1000XM4 6 years later with key upgrades
The new model comes at a price tag of $299

Sony revives WH-1000XM4 6 years later with key upgrades

Sep 09, 2026
10:35 am

What's the story

Sony has launched a new version of its popular WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones, dubbed the WH-1000XM4C. The new model comes at a price tag of $299, which is $50 less than the original model that debuted six years ago. Despite sharing the same design as its predecessor, the WH-1000XM4C packs some significant upgrades under the hood.

Sound upgrades

The headphones feature an improved equalizer

The most notable upgrade in the WH-1000XM4C is its new sound tuning.

The headphones also come with an improved equalizer, now offering 10 bands instead of the five-band EQ on the last generation.

This enhancement was particularly noticeable during testing with Sony's recently announced $70 WH-CH530 model.

Performance details

Battery life takes a slight hit

The WH-1000XM4C retains the same active noise cancellation (ANC) as its predecessor, featuring a four-mic array and Sony's Q1 noise-canceling chip.

However, it does come with a slightly lower battery life of 27 hours with ANC on. That's three hours less than what the first-gen model offered.

Despite this minor reduction in battery performance, the WH-1000XM4C still promises an impressive listening experience overall.

The WH-1000XM4C headphones are now available for pre-order, with shipments expected to start by September-end.

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