Sony XM4C Review: Best Sony Headphones for the Money?

Quick summary: The Sony XM4C is an updated take on the XM4 for $299, $50 less than the XM4 launched at. It sounds amazing, it’s very comfortable, it has strong ANC and good battery life, and it auto-pauses when you take it off. Calls are its weakest point.

Key takeaways

• $299, with Bluetooth 6.0 (vs 5 on the XM4) and 10 EQ presets.
• Battery: 27 hours with ANC, 34 hours without, slightly less than the XM4.
• Comfortable even on my big head. I love the lavender color.
• USB-C charging plus a 3.5mm wired option with no power needed.
• Sound: I’d give it 8/10.
• Calls: about 6/10. Usable, but the weakest point.
• Auto-pause when you take them off, and auto-resume when you put them back on.

Design and comfort

The classic Sony look, with soft cushions on the cups and headband. I have a huge head and these fit beautifully without hurting my head or ears. The lavender color looks really nice, and other colors are available.

Buttons and touch controls

There’s a power/pairing button, a noise-cancellation button, USB-C charging and a 3.5mm jack. The right cup has touch controls: swipe up or down for volume, forward or back for tracks, and double-tap to play/pause or answer calls. They work fine. I’d personally prefer physical buttons.

Battery life

You get 27 hours with ANC and 34 hours without. That’s enough for any flight anywhere in the world, or several days of occasional use. It’s not the best ever, but it’s definitely good enough.

ANC and transparency

Noise cancellation is really good, as you’d expect from Sony. It blocks crowded spaces, especially with music playing. Ambient sound mode, Sony’s transparency mode, is respectable, though not the best I’ve heard.

Calls are the weak spot

I can be heard at home and on most streets, but people say I sound far away. In loud places, the digital noise processing makes my voice less clear. It’s totally usable, around a 6/10, and maybe slightly better than the XM4.

Sound quality

These sound absolutely amazing. Bass-heavy music and rock really pull you in, at loud or quiet volumes. They’re not $450–$600 headphones, but they sound really, really good. I’d give the overall listening experience an 8/10.

The app

In the Sony app you can:

• Control ANC and ambient sound, plus Speak-to-Chat (I turn it off) and the noise-canceling optimizer.
• Choose EQ presets. I like Clear, or you can make a custom EQ.
• Set DSEE Extreme to auto, and turn on 360 Reality Audio.
• Connect two devices at once and prioritize sound quality or connection.
• Customize controls and set auto power-off.

Verdict

For around $300, these are really solid headphones. They’re comfortable, stylish, with great ANC, battery and sound. Just know calls aren’t their strength.

• Buy the Sony XM4C at Best Buy