Finding the right pair of noise-canceling headphones can feel overwhelming these days: Every brand has half a dozen variations, and the differences are often so subtle that paying top dollar for the latest release is tough to justify.
Sony’s newest flagship climbs well past the $500 mark which isn’t exactly pocket change. That’s why the WH-1000XM4 feels like such an easy decision right now: this proven model is back on Amazon at an all-time low of $228, down from its original $348. That’s more than $100 off for headphones that still strike the perfect balance of sound quality and features without being too expensive.
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Why The WH-1000XM4 Still Feels Like The Smart Choice
Its active noise cancellation remains among the best you can purchase: Powered by Sony’s Dual Noise Sensor technology, it uses microphones on each earcup to pick up and eliminate unwelcome sounds in real-time. On a plane, it calms the engine rumble to a whisper. In a busy café, it creates a bubble of silence around you so that you can actually hear the lyrics in your music or podcasts.
Sony quotes these headphones for 30 hours of playback which will even get you through the longest international flights without needing a charge. And just in case you do leave them uncharged, a ten-minute top-up from the included USB-C cable yields about five hours of music.
Controls are simple too: The touch on the right earcup means you can tap to skip tracks or pause, slide your finger for volume, or summon your assistant without having to grasp your phone. It’s the sort of thing that becomes second nature and saves time compared to digging for your phone every time you need to fiddle with something. Calls on the WH-1000XM4 are better than that: With five microphones built in and sophisticated signal processing, voices are clean on both sides.
Among the pleasant Sony touches is the Speak-to-Chat function: The cans naturally lower the volume when they recognize you’re talking. Imagine bumping into a friend on the platform of the train. You don’t have to fight for a pause button: the audio slows down so you naturally have a few words, then picks up again when the talk ends. Pausing the sound when you remove the cans entirely is another nice but very useful addition.
At $228, this deal on Amazon brings them to their lowest price ever.
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