While the WH-1000XM3 Bluetooth noise-cancelling headset was all the rage on the shelves two years ago, Sony is now working on a new, optimised version. These closed headphones are still the best solution for active noise reduction. On the face of it, the WH-1000XM4 doesn't look much different, but the Japanese manufacturer has optimised the technologies used to consolidate the benefits in terms of use of its famous noise-cancelling closed-back headphones, which offer a real bubble of silence.
In detail, the ergonomics have been slightly improved with a Reinforced earphone padding and a slightly smaller headband. But the principle of headphones that fold easily into their case remains the same. The sound is still of the same quality, neutral and faithful to the tracks listened to.
In terms of new functions, the principle of multipoint connection is now available. The key feature is the ability to connect two devices at the same time via Bluetooth to the headset, once the settings have been made in the dedicated application. In other words, users can listen to music playing on their Bluetooth-connected workstation, for example, and instantly intercept a phone call on their smartphone in their headset at the same time.
The WH 1000 XM4 helmet also benefits from a pause function active. Once activated, a proximity sensor on the left-hand side of the headphones automatically pauses the music after five minutes. This saves battery life, even though the headset's autonomy is as remarkable as ever. There's also the option of automatically stopping the music when the user speaks.
The manufacturer is also announcing optimised responsiveness of its headphones' touch controls. As a reminder, in addition to a button for switching on the headphones and pairing them with your smartphone via Bluetooth, and another button for activating the noise reduction system - or, conversely, for amplifying external sounds - all you have to do is press use gestures to control volumeIt's also possible to change titles or pause on the touch-sensitive surface on the right-hand side. The active noise reduction principle has also been improved, according to Sony, with the algorithms analysing the various noises perceived even more precisely.
All in all, Sony is presenting a slight evolution of its headphones to perfect their ergonomics and make them easier to use, particularly with the multipoint connection. But the WH-1000XM4 is still an outstanding headset for analysing and reducing ambient noise to the maximum.
Headphones WH-1000XM4 by Sony
Weight : 255 grams
Connectivity : BT5.0; NFC; Codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC
Connections : jack , USB C port
Autonomy : 30 hours
Price : 379 euros
Availability: immediate
