The company also debuts two new budget-friendly options
Sony is taking a unique approach to its headphone lineup for the rest of the year. Instead of building an all-new upper-midrange model, the company is reviving and old favorite. With the WH-1000XM4C (or WH-1000XM4 second-generation), Sony is bringing back a well-reviewed entry in its iconic 1000X headphone line with a few upgrades and a lower price compared to the current WH-1000XM6. The company also has a true midrange option and a budget set that will debut this month.
WH-1000XM4C
The WH-1000XM4C has the exact same design as the regular 1000XM4 headphones. And yes, you still get all of the features from the previous version, including active noise cancellation (ANC) powered by the QN1 chip, multipoint Bluetooth connectivity and more. The new model comes with Sony’s latest sound profile and both 10-band and gaming-specific EQs for audio enhancement. You’ll also get the company’s Quick Access feature that enables one-touch launch of a variety of streaming services. Note that this is different from the Quick Attention tool that allows you to have a quick chat, but that was already on the first M4.
Unfortunately, the M4C has three hours less battery life with ANC enabled than the M4 at 27 hours (four hours less with ANC off). However, Sony revised the quick-charge tool on this new model as three minutes will give you an hour of listening time. The company also lowered the price: The WH-1000XM4C will cost $300 when it arrives this fall. That’s $50 less than the M4 when it debuted in 2020 and $150 less than the WH-1000XM6.
WH-CH730N
If you’re looking for something more midrange, Sony will ship the WH-CH730N this month. This new model is a direct replacement for the WH-CH720N, a more affordable set of headphones that I liked for its mix of performance and price. The company redesigned the ear cups and switched to a folding headband. It promises up to 10 percent less noise through a revised ANC system, and that AI-based noise reduction will improve overall call quality.
In terms of audio upgrades, Sony says the sound profile on the 730N offers more natural-sounding vocals, plus there’s a new 10-band EQ and gaming EQ available. Background music mode is here as well, a feature from the 1000X line that simulates lower-volume audio as if it was coming from speakers in a room rather than your headphones. Battery life is massively improved as you can expect up to 50 hours of use with ANC on (75 hours without), a 15-hour difference over the WH-720N (25 hours more with ANC off). Lastly, Sony added a new safe listening mode that allows you to set your maximum volume at a percentage of what the headphones are capable of. There’s also a weekly sound allowance check and you can track your usage over time.
The WH-CH730N will arrive in black, blue, tan, white and pink colors in September for $180. That’s the same price as the 720N when it debuted in 2023.
WH-CH530
The last of the three new models is another successor to a previous set of headphones. The WH-CH530 replaces the WH-CH520 in Sony’s lineup, offering an update to the company’s budget-friendly on-ear option. There’s still no ANC here, but you will get improved sound quality overall, with both the 10-band and gaming EQs available. Battery life is up five hours to 55 total versus the previous model and the company says AI will assist with enhanced call quality. Those safe listening tools from the WH-CH730N are available here too, so you’ll be able to employ Sony’s hearing health features even on this low-cost model.
The WH-CH530 arrives in September for $70, the same price as the previous model. It comes in black, purple, green, white, pink and coral color options.
