You’ve probably seen or heard about Sony’s headphone WH-1000X series. It has been around since 2016, with a new version of the series released every year or two. The WH-1000XM4 is the fourth in the series, and it is $198 (originally $348), reaching a record-low price on Amazon, according to price-checking tools.
The WH-1000XM4 came out in 2020 to an “outstanding” review from PCMag and was eclipsed by the WH-1000XM5 in 2022. Although the WH-1000XM4 is four years old already, they are still one of the best value wireless headphones for audio quality you can get today. Unlike phones, headphones don’t need security or software updates to stay relevant as time goes by. Excellent audio stays excellent despite how many years go by.
If you like to have conversations but don’t like to take your headphones off, the WH-1000XM4’s automatic conversation feature will pause your audio and turn on an ambient mic when you talk, letting sound from outside pierce through the headphones. They also have that fancy AirPod feature that resumes playing or powers off when taking them on or off.
Although these headphones are renowned for their audio quality, their active noise-cancelling feature is also top-notch. The app lets you customize and adjust the ANC to your liking. You can also find the right EQ so you can listen to your music how you please. These headphones will give you about 30 hours of battery life with a full charge.
For the price, you won’t find a better combination of audio and ANC quality than the WH-1000XM4. If you’re looking for the best ANC headphones, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra is currently at Prime Day prices and is considered one of the best headphones of 2024.