GoKawiilWhen Sony’s WH-1000XM4 headphones hit the market back in August 2020, I awarded them a CNET Editors’ Choice Award, calling them nearly flawless. Despite their age and the release of two successors — the WH-1000XM5 and WH-1000XM6 headphones — the 1000XM4s remain quite popular.
Now, Sony is leaning into that legacy model’s popularity with the new WH-1000XM4C (M4 2nd Gen), which comes in new color options and has “updated sound tuning designed for today’s listening preferences,” according to Sony. The WH-1000XM4C headphones list for $300 and are being launched alongside the new WH-CH730N ($180) and WH-CH530 ($80).
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WH-1000XM4C’s small differences
Aside from some tiny cosmetic changes, the M4 2nd Gen headphones look identical to their predecessor. The XM4C’s most notable feature upgrade is Bluetooth 6.0 instead of Bluetooth 5.1, and the headphones now support a new 10-band equalizer (and gaming EQ) for “greater sound personalization,” instead of the older five-band equalizer.
The WH-1000XM4C comes in three color options, including a new lavender color that will only be available online at Sony and Amazon. Sony says the XM4 has been popular among younger female users, and the new color is targeted at them. David Carnoy/CNET
The 1000XM4C (M4 2nd Gen) are still equipped with Sony’s QN1 chip along with four microphones (the WH-1000XM6 have 12 by comparison), so their noise-canceling performance is the same. Battery life has dipped a bit: The M4 2nd Gen are rated for up to 27 hours with noise canceling on, compared to the original’s 30 hours.
The original M4 headphones were known for having strong, dynamic bass and a slightly warmer sound profile than their successors. The foundation of that profile remains, but the new tuning helps deliver cleaner, more refined sound overall.
WH-CH730N is a true second-gen midrange model
I was fond of Sony’s over-ear CH-720N headphones because they were lightweight and comfortable while sounding good and offering decent noise-canceling performance for a reasonable price. (They listed for $150 but dipped to as low as $100 during flash sales.) While the list price for the new WH-CH730N has gone up $30 to $180, the model offers a similar value proposition in a new foldable design, along with improved performance all around. Plus, they promise better battery life at up to 50 hours with noise canceling on, according to Sony.
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