Sony ULT Wear vs Sony WH-1000XM4
Quick take: The Sony ULT Wear costs $48 less.
Which one to buy
Only $48 separates these two Sony over-ears, and on paper they're nearly twins: almost identical weight (255g and 254g), the same 30-hour ANC battery, LDAC, multipoint (one or the other, on both), wear detection, and folding designs. The real differences are noise cancelling, tuning, and the age of the hardware.
The XM4 has the better ANC. Owners still put it close to the top of the category, beaten only by its own successors and Bose's flagships. The ULT Wear shares the V1 processor from the XM5 and is described as the best ANC under $200, but it's a clear step down, especially on voices and higher-frequency noise. The XM4's warm sound is also the more refined of the two. The ULT Wear is built around a bass button: ULT1 is fun for EDM and hip-hop, ULT2 is a caricature that almost every owner tries twice and abandons, and with it off, the default tuning is warm and good.
The ULT Wear's advantage is newer hardware. The XM4 launched in 2020, uses Bluetooth 5.0, and has effectively stopped getting firmware updates. Older units have a pattern of yokes cracking and headbands coming loose after two or three years, mics dying around year three, and pads and headband leather peeling, with no official headband cushion sold. Its huge owner base does mean aftermarket parts and repair guides are easy to find. The ULT Wear also has a hinge-crack problem, but Sony has published an advisory and repairs affected units free. Neither is good on calls: the XM4's mic sounds muffled and processed, and the ULT Wear's is inconsistent in wind.
Sony ULT Wear
If you like bass, want warranty-fresh hardware with Sony's free hinge repair, and can accept ANC that's a step behind for $48 less.
Sony WH-1000XM4
Best if noise cancelling and a more refined sound are the priority, and you're comfortable buying a 2020 platform that may need parts in a few years.
| Spec | Sony ULT Wear | Sony WH-1000XM4 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$150 | ~$198 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Over-Ear Headphones | Over-Ear Headphones |
| Noise Cancelling | ANC | ANC |
| Battery (single charge) | 30 hrs | 30 hrs |
| Battery (with case) | — | — |
| Quick Charge | 3 min = 90 min | 10 min = 5 hr |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 5.0 |
| Multipoint | Yes | Yes |
| Driver Size | 40 mm | 40 mm |
| Weight | 255 g | 254 g |
| Water Resistance | — | — |
| Wireless Charging | No | No |
| Transparency Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Spatial Audio | Yes | Yes |
| App EQ | Yes | Yes |
Pros & cons
Sony ULT Wear
- ✓ANC inherited from the 1000X line — best-in-class under $200
- ✓ULT button gives instant bass boost without touching the app
- ✓LDAC hi-res codec support, rare at this price
- ✓Multipoint pairs two devices with reliable switching
- ✓Light 255g build with low clamp force — owners wear them all day
- ✓3-minute quick charge yields 90 minutes; 30 hr with ANC on, 50 off
- ✓Sony Sound Connect app has a full custom EQ and 360 Reality Audio support
- ✓Wear detection auto-pauses when you take them off
- ✗ULT2 bass mode is comically overblown and swamps mids and vocals
- ✗Sound lacks the refinement of similarly priced Sennheiser and Bose rivals
- ✗Call/mic quality is inconsistent outdoors
- ✗Some long-term owners report earcup-joint plastic cracking after a year or more
- ✗No IP rating or wireless charging
- ✗ANC, while strong for the class, still trails the XM5/XM6 noticeably
Sony WH-1000XM4
- ✓ANC still beats nearly everything outside current flagships
- ✓Warm, EQ-friendly sound with LDAC hi-res support
- ✓Folds compactly into an included hard case, unlike the XM5
- ✓30 hr battery with 10 min = 5 hr quick charge
- ✓Speak-to-Chat, wear detection, and multipoint all still work great
- ✓Five years of firmware updates — software is thoroughly debugged
- ✓Regularly discounted to $198 or less
- ✗Superseded twice — XM5 and XM6 offer better ANC, sound, and mics
- ✗LDAC and multipoint can't be used at the same time
- ✗Headband/yoke plastic is a documented long-term failure point
- ✗Call mic quality lags modern rivals, especially in noise
- ✗Some aging units develop charging or mic faults out of warranty
- ✗No USB-C audio or LE Audio support
Sony ULT Wear vs Sony WH-1000XM4: common questions
How much better is the XM4's ANC?▾
Noticeably, though not hugely. Both deal with bus rumble and plane drone well. The XM4 does more with voices and higher-frequency noise, which is where owners say the ULT Wear falls behind.
Is the ULT Wear or the WH-1000XM4 more likely to crack?▾
Both have hinge or yoke problems. The ULT Wear's hinge cracks are covered by a published Sony advisory with free repairs. The XM4's yoke and headband failures usually show up after two or three years, often out of warranty, though aftermarket parts are widely available.
Is the ULT bass button worth it?▾
ULT1 is, if you listen to bass-heavy genres. ULT2 isn't; owners say it buries vocals. If you mostly want warm sound, the XM4 with a small EQ boost gets you most of the way there.