When 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 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.
I like the new design, which looks and feels slightly more premium than their predecessor’s, and the headphones are quite comfortable. The new headphones’ sound is slightly improved, too. They lack the clarity and depth that you get with Sony’s more premium headphone offerings, but the sound is open and well-balanced with some nice warmth to it (the bass goes pretty deep, too). They’re pleasant headphones to listen to.
While the noise canceling certainly isn’t up to the level of what you get with Sony’s flagship WH-1000XM6, it has been upgraded with Sony’s Dual Noise Sensor technology and is pretty decent (Sony says it’s about 10% more effective). The bigger performance gain is arguably with the voice-calling performance, as the headphones have beamforming microphones with optimized microphone placement and AI noise reduction.
They, too, have a 10-band equalizer with a gaming EQ setting. And while they don’t support Sony’s advanced LDAC audio codec, they do support the LC3 audio codec, which is new (they support SBC and AAC). Alas, like their predecessor, while they come with a cable for wired listening, they do not come with a carry pouch or case.
Entry-level on-ear WH-CH530 get small upgrades but cost more
Sony’s earlier CH-520 was a pretty basic on-ear model that didn’t have noise canceling, but sounded good for its relatively low price (the headphonea list for $60 but were often discounted to less than $50 and sometimes as low as $38, as they are now). Available in new color options, the new WH-CH520 list for $20 more and offer some small upgrades — most notably, improved voice-calling performance with AI noise reduction. However, they don’t seem like a true next-gen product like the CH-730N.
The headphones are targeted at younger folks and now have a volume limiter feature, which should appeal to parents with young kids. Their battery life is rated at up to 55 hours. They don’t support wired listening, so you can’t plug them into an in-flight entertainment system. Nor do they come with a carrying pouch or case.
Priced for discounts
List prices for headphones have been creeping up, but all of Sony’s new so-called “value” models should see decent discounts heading into the holiday shopping season. The 1000XM5 headphones are currently selling at $198 at Amazon as part of a limited-time deal, so there’s no reason the M4 2nd Gen shouldn’t hit something close to that price in the not-so-distant future. Also, take the $180 price on the CH-730N with a grain of salt, as that model should see $50 discounts in flash sales, particularly around Black Friday.
I just received review samples of all three models, and I’ll have full reviews of the M4 2nd Gen and WH-CH730N later this month, including comparisons of their performance.
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