Sony has officially introduced the WH-1000XM4C, giving one of its most popular wireless noise-cancelling headphones a second life.
Also called the WH-1000XM4C (M4 2nd Gen), the new model is based heavily on the original WH-1000XM4 rather than being an entirely new addition to the 1000X lineup.
The familiar foldable design remains, but Sony says the XM4C gets refined sound tuning for current listening preferences, along with a new 10-band equalizer for greater control over its sound.
Other familiar XM4 features remain, including active noise cancellation, Ambient Sound, multipoint connectivity, DSEE Extreme and LDAC support. Battery life is rated at up to 27 hours with noise cancelling enabled and 34 hours with it switched off.
The XM4C is available in Black, Platinum Silver and a new Lavender finish.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the XM4C is simply that it exists. The original XM4 launched all the way back in 2020, but has remained a popular alternative even as Sony released newer generations.
Rather than retiring it, Sony has chosen to refresh the XM4 for 2026. For those who still prefer its foldable design and familiar feature set, the XM4C could be an interesting alternative to Sony’s newer WH-1000XM6.
The Sony WH-1000XM4C is priced at $299.99, which is $50 less than the original WH-1000XM4’s $349.99 launch price back in 2020. For more details on the headphones and local availability, visit the XM4 page on Sony’s website.