Sony WH-1000XM4C (Black, M4 2nd Gen) review

The WH-1000XM4C is Sony's 2026 “M4 2nd Gen” black over-ear noise-cancelling headphone, not the original WH-1000XM4/B listing and not a simple label for a used XM4. Sony's US announcement calls the XM4C a refreshed version based on the older model, with updated sound tuning, refreshed colors, and a 10-band equalizer. Sony has issued a separate US support specification and a model-specific Help Guide for it. This assessment sticks to those documented changes and operating modes; it is not a listening test or a claim about personal comfort or cancellation strength.

A refreshed XM4 identity—not the same product record

The new model keeps the familiar over-ear, foldable design language that Sony describes in its US announcement, but carries its own WH-1000XM4C name and model-specific support material. Sony lists it at approximately 253 g, close to the original WH-1000XM4's 254 g US specification. That near-equal published mass says little about cushion feel, clamping force, heat, glasses compatibility, or how the headphone will fit a particular head.

Sony says the tuning has been updated and adds a 10-band equalizer for personalization. The announcement describes refreshed sound preferences, but does not publish an independent measurement of a resulting frequency response or prove that a listener will prefer the change. The clear decision point is ownership of the feature, not a promise that the new sound is “better”: someone who wants Sony's newer EQ interface in a distinct current model can compare it, while a shopper focused on the older XM4's exact specification should check the model code carefully.

That distinction is easy to miss in a search result. “M4 2nd Gen” is a marketing descriptor for WH-1000XM4C; the original WH-1000XM4 is still a separate model. The XM4C's support page, launch notice, Bluetooth version, battery ratings, and SKU should not be inherited from the older headphone just because the products share a design lineage.

Wireless use and the rated battery gap

Sony's US specification lists Bluetooth 6.0 and SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs, plus multipoint. The detailed Help Guide makes the runtime conditions clearer: its continuous Bluetooth music table gives maxima of 27 hours with ANC on and 34 hours with ANC off for AAC or SBC, but 20 hours ANC-on and 27 hours ANC-off for LDAC. Sony's US summary specification displays the 27/34-hour figures without that codec breakdown. With the supplied cable and the headset powered on, the Help Guide lists up to 19 hours with ANC, 16 with Ambient Sound, and 32 with both inactive. Charging is listed at about three hours. These are manufacturer maxima, not measured travel outcomes. Equalizer, DSEE Extreme and other settings, calls, temperature, battery age, codec, and the playback source can affect actual use.

On the published maximums, the XM4C is rated for three fewer ANC-on hours than the original XM4's 30-hour figure and four fewer ANC-off hours than the original's 38-hour figure. That is a real spec-sheet tradeoff, not a conclusion about how many hours any individual pair will last. Conversely, the 253 g rating is one gram below the original XM4's listed mass; it is too small a paper difference to support a comfort claim.

The model-specific Help Guide confirms two-device Bluetooth operation, so a phone and laptop can stay connected while playback is switched. Multipoint does not play two music streams together. Check your host devices and the current Sound Connect setup instructions if automatic handoffs are central to your routine; app, operating-system, and connection behavior can matter more than the Bluetooth version label alone.

Three different cable-and-power arrangements

The supplied 3.5 mm cable has two distinct roles. With the headset on, Sony says cable-connected listening can retain noise cancellation; the Help Guide rates that ANC-on route at up to 19 hours, and the wired setup disables Bluetooth. With the headset off, the Help Guide says music can still play through the cable, but ANC cannot. The support specification separately confirms passive operation; no battery-free playtime rating is supplied for that passive mode. A third option is Bluetooth music, with or without ANC, while the headset is powered.

Keeping those routes separate is useful for a buyer who wants both wired ANC at a seatback jack and a passive backup when the battery is empty. The first route needs headset power; the second gives up active noise cancellation. Sony's detailed manual supplies a maximum for the powered cable mode but not for battery-free playback. The USB Type-C port is identified for charging; it is not treated as a wired audio input.

The U.S. support specification's box list names a carrying case, connection cable, and reference guide. Its specification page does not list a USB charging cable among those box items. Confirm the exact seller package and any included charging accessories before relying on them, and match a listing to WH-1000XM4C Black rather than original XM4 parts or a separately named color.

Sony also explicitly says the headset is not waterproof and warns against rain, snow, and sweat. A water-resistance claim should not be inferred from its travel design.

Who this configuration suits

On documentary evidence, the XM4C is a candidate for a shopper who wants a current Sony 1000X over-ear ANC design, Bluetooth multipoint, a supplied cable for powered ANC, and the option of passive analog listening with the headset off. It is less compelling if the original XM4's longer published battery maximum is a deciding requirement, if the shopper expects a guaranteed runtime, or if the preference for the updated EQ cannot be assessed through the app and return policy. Neither Sony's feature descriptions nor this review establish comparative ANC results, the character of its sound for a particular listener, or a comfortable fit.

Lavender is a finish, not a second performance profile

Sony's U.S. store lists a separate WH-1000XM4C Lavender product page; the September 2026 U.S. announcement names Lavender among the model's colors and says that finish is sold only through Sony and Amazon. The store page visibly identifies the base model and color, while its rendered model field does not spell out a suffix-style code. Confirm the finish on Sony's exact Lavender page rather than inferring a model suffix from a short marketplace title. Sony publishes no Lavender-specific change to the model's connection modes or rated runtimes; the assessment above uses the family-level WH-1000XM4C manual and the Black U.S. specification page, not an assumption about a color-specific package.

Sources: Sony US WH-1000XM4C Black product page; Sony US WH-1000XM4C specifications; Sony Electronics' US announcement; Sony Help Guide: codec- and connection-specific runtimes; Sony Help Guide: multipoint; Sony Help Guide: supplied cable; Sony Help Guide: water-care warning; B&H U.S. WH1000XM4C/B model-code cross-check; Sony Help Guide: specifications.

Platinum Silver finish reference

Sony's U.S. launch image shows the Platinum Silver WH-1000XM4C at left, Black in the center and Lavender at right. It is a finish comparison, not a package-contents image; the Black review remains the base assessment, and no finish-specific performance change is implied.