SONY WH-1000XM4
And the champion is…
SO, how did we get here? In our little head to head, we ended up having a lot of similar scores through one reason or another. When it came to value for money, the Razer Blackshark V2 took the crown. For build quality, the Logitech Pro X wireless boasted the most premium materials and a solid feel. To come to our decision, then, it came to the overall package and what the most important factor of a set of headphones actually is—sound quality. For us, the Sony just had that wow factor. Throw anything at these headphones and the response back is bliss.
The WH-1000XM4 is just superb, to put it mildly. It is feature-packed with class-leading active noise-canceling, has seamless proximity sensors for zero interruption, and effortless touch controls. Everything on these headphones works exactly how you need it to. We know the Kygo A11/800 has very similar features, but the execution just isn’t quite there with them.
The technology used in the Sony headphones makes commuting a breeze. The noise-canceling can take you away from everything, no matter where you are. On the flip side, switch it to the ambient mode, and communicating with others around you will no longer be a problem. If that isn’t enough, in one setting, when you start talking it automatically switches the volume of your track down so you can hear what others are saying in a conversation. It’s features like these that are sure to be seen in future headphones, and just another reason why the WH-1000XM4 has won this battle.
Another key winning point for the WH-1000XM4 is the way it looks. It brings to the table a timeless, very sleek design, and something that can be worn anywhere and everywhere. This is a big factor for those of you out there looking for a daily driver for your audio needs. The build quality is light but sturdy, resulting in great comfort levels, especially with those super-soft earcups.
A very strong competitor was the SteelSeries Arctis 9, which also scored a 9 on our verdict. Unfortunately for them, it was just the premium edge of Sony’s cans and the flawless audio quality that led us to the final decision. In certain aspects the SteelSeries cans are better—the elasticated suspended headband featured on the Arctis 9 is comfier than Sony’s, and it also has more connectivity options, and a better microphone. The Arctis 9 certainly works better when it comes to gaming, and is the winner when it comes to the headset domain for sure. The onthe-go factors hold the SteelSeries back a little though, with no playback controls on the headset itself, and the sound and looks just made it fall short of taking the crown from the WH-1000XM4.
IT KEEPS COMING BACK TO THE SOUND
The Sony headphones do what headphones should do: they give you the audio listening experience that the sound engineers want you to experience. All the blood, sweat, and tears they go through, their work should be embraced, and for us the WH-1000XM4 does this. Paired with Tidal’s lossless streaming, and with ANC on, listening to music reaches the next level of immersion, and you really get to appreciate the art of music. Gaming is clearly not its USP, though it also performs very strongly in this regard.
As an overall package, then, and for the price, these cans do everything to a very high standard. In the end, it’s just a shame about the name.