PLATFORMS Signal 39
Sony resurrects XM4 headphones as XM4C with Bluetooth 6 and 10-band EQ
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Sony is bringing back its discontinued WH-1000XM4 headphones as the WH-1000XM4C, with minor upgrades like Bluetooth 6 and a 10-band EQ, at a $300 price.
For engineers, the XM4C shows Sony reusing a six-year-old ANC design with the same QN1 chip and four microphones, while updating connectivity and EQ. The reduced battery life (27 vs 30 hours) and higher price than the XM5's current $200 may make it a niche purchase. The move also signals Sony's strategy to extend legacy hardware with software and minor hardware tweaks.
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The WH-1000XM4C retains the original XM4's QN1 chip and four-microphone ANC, but adds Bluetooth 6 and a 10-band EQ.
Battery life drops to 27 hours with ANC on, down from 30 hours on the original XM4.
Priced at $300, the XM4C is $50 cheaper than the XM4's launch price but $100 more than the current XM6.
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Sony is reviving the WH-1000XM4 as the XM4C, six years after the original's 2020 release and a year after discontinuation. The new model keeps the same visual design, hinge, and foldability, but updates the sound profile and adds a 10-band EQ in the Headphones app, replacing the 5-band on the original. It also supports Bluetooth 6 instead of 5, and gains a gaming preset. These are incremental changes rather than a redesign.
The core ANC hardware is unchanged: the same QN1 processing chip and four microphones. That is a significant limitation compared to the XM5's eight mics and the XM6's twelve with the QN3 chip. Engineers should note that the XM4C's noise-canceling performance will likely match the 2020 model, not the current generation. The battery life is actually worse, dropping from 30 to 27 hours with ANC on, which is a curious regression.
The pricing and positioning are odd. At $300, the XM4C costs $50 less than the XM4's launch price but $100 more than the XM6's current price, and the XM5 is available for $200. This suggests Sony is targeting nostalgia or a specific form factor, but the value proposition is weak against its own lineup. The XM4C also introduces a lavender color option, but that's cosmetic.
Sony also refreshed its midrange lines: the WH-CH730N and WH-CH530, both getting the same 10-band EQ and gaming preset, with the CH730N gaining a more compact fold. Battery life improves to 50 and 55 hours respectively, and a new safe mode limits max volume, though it can't be locked. These updates show Sony applying the same software features across price tiers.
The XM4C's return raises questions about Sony's product strategy. It may be a way to reuse tooling and components, but the aging ANC hardware and reduced battery life make it a hard sell for engineers who value performance. The Hello Kitty bundles add a lifestyle angle, but the core technical story is a legacy product with minor tweaks. For developers, the 10-band EQ and gaming preset are the only meaningful software changes.
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