Sony brings back its legendary WH-1000XM4 headphones as the XM4C
Six years after launching the acclaimed WH-1000XM4 headphones, Sony has revived them as the WH-1000XM4C with minor upgrades. The company also unveiled two cheaper headphone lines and a Hello Kitty collaboration.
Sony has revived its popular WH-1000XM4 headphones, which won wide acclaim six years ago for their sound quality, effective noise cancellation and compact design. The new version is called the WH-1000XM4C, and it looks nearly identical to the original, keeping the same folding hinge design while adding a new lavender color option.
Technically, the headphones remain close to the original, still using the same QN1 processing chip and four microphones for noise cancellation, while the newer XM5 and XM6 models use eight and twelve microphones respectively, with the XM6 also featuring a newer QN3 chip.
Minor updates
Sony updated the sound profile to align with its current lineup and added a 10-band equalizer in its app, up from five bands previously, along with a gaming preset. The headphones also now support Bluetooth 6. Battery life, however, is slightly reduced — with noise cancellation on, the XM4C last up to 27 hours, compared to 30 hours on the original model.
The new headphones will be available this fall for $300, which is $50 cheaper than the original XM4 at launch, though more than they could be found for before being discontinued.
Additional models
Alongside the XM4C, Sony also released two more affordable lines — the WH-CH730N and WH-CH530 — both of which get the same 10-band equalizer and gaming preset. The CH730N can now fold into a more compact shape. Battery life on both has improved, with the CH730N reaching up to 50 hours with noise cancellation, and the CH530, which lacks noise cancellation, reaching up to 55 hours. The app also gained a safe mode that lets users cap the maximum volume, useful for parents concerned about their children's hearing.
The WH-CH530 costs $70 and comes in several colors, while the WH-CH730N costs $180. Sony also announced a Hello Kitty partnership, offering bundles with various headphone models and themed accessories in limited quantities later this year.
