Hey man! I have both headphones and comparing them at the moment. I am still not able to make a final decision, it's so hard to choose for me as sound quality is also an important aspect for me. I literally came across your post while I was searching for the same comparison. :) I might get downvoted, but since your priorities are comfort and ANC, the new Bose QCs are better than XM4s. While their ANC performances are very close, Bose is just a little better. When it comes to comfort though, Bose is superior. Earcups are deep and it's very light with good weight distribution. While XM4's weight isn't bad either, the earcups are shallow. My ears rub against the drivers, and it is the only, but a very major, shortcoming of XM4. If those two were my only priorities, I definitely would stick with Bose. If you care about the sound quality though, I couldn't find a winner yet, I still keep listening. Both of them sound amazing, and it really depends on your use case and favorite genres. If you enjoy bass, you'll love XM4. If mids are more important for you, Bose has clearer mids. You like watching movies/series? XM4s will give you more detail and they're more immersive overall, but with muddy dialogues. QCs will give you clear dialogues, but it won't be as detailed as XM4s. Are you like me and like music from various genres, but at the same time need great mid performance? Good luck deciding, I still can't. :) Both are great headphones, and I believe one cannot regret purchasing either of them. However, based on your priorities I believe QCs would be better. Answer from despiee on reddit.com
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/sonyheadphones › bose qc vs. sony wh-1000xm4: which is better for comfort and anc?
r/SonyHeadphones on Reddit: Bose QC vs. Sony WH-1000XM4: Which is Better for Comfort and ANC?
October 17, 2024 -

Hey everyone! I’m looking to buy a pair of noise-canceling headphones and am torn between the Bose QC and Sony WH-1000XM4( also considering Momentum 4s). I’m prioritizing comfort and effective ANC. How do they compare?

Also, I’m planning to wait for Black Friday for deals on either option. Do you think that’s the best time to buy, or should I look out for sales at other times? Thanks for your help!

Top answer
1 of 20
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Hey man! I have both headphones and comparing them at the moment. I am still not able to make a final decision, it's so hard to choose for me as sound quality is also an important aspect for me. I literally came across your post while I was searching for the same comparison. :) I might get downvoted, but since your priorities are comfort and ANC, the new Bose QCs are better than XM4s. While their ANC performances are very close, Bose is just a little better. When it comes to comfort though, Bose is superior. Earcups are deep and it's very light with good weight distribution. While XM4's weight isn't bad either, the earcups are shallow. My ears rub against the drivers, and it is the only, but a very major, shortcoming of XM4. If those two were my only priorities, I definitely would stick with Bose. If you care about the sound quality though, I couldn't find a winner yet, I still keep listening. Both of them sound amazing, and it really depends on your use case and favorite genres. If you enjoy bass, you'll love XM4. If mids are more important for you, Bose has clearer mids. You like watching movies/series? XM4s will give you more detail and they're more immersive overall, but with muddy dialogues. QCs will give you clear dialogues, but it won't be as detailed as XM4s. Are you like me and like music from various genres, but at the same time need great mid performance? Good luck deciding, I still can't. :) Both are great headphones, and I believe one cannot regret purchasing either of them. However, based on your priorities I believe QCs would be better.
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At this point, any perceivable difference in NC and sound quality between the two will be entirely subjective and, almost, imaginary. My personal opinion is that the XM4s have somewhat better sound quality but, as I said, that's just my subjective judgment. Comfort, similarly, is a subjective judgment. However, I find them both equally comfortable. YMMV.
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RTINGS.com
rtings.com › home › headphones
Sony WH-1000XM4 vs Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless: Which Headphones Are Better? - RTINGS.com
April 5, 2016 - The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are more feature-packed than the Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless. The Sony have a virtual soundstage feature to help immerse you in your audio, have more robust customization features via their companion software, ...
People also ask

What about the Sony WH-1000XM3?

The Sony WH-1000XM3 is now two product generations old but can be found quite cheaply online. You may be interested in picking it up, as it still has pretty decent sound quality and active noise canceling. That being said, in many ways, it’s been surpassed by the newest generation of ANC headphones.

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soundguys.com
soundguys.com › home › earbuds & headphones › bose quietcomfort 45 vs sony wh-1000xm4
Bose QuietComfort 45 vs Sony WH-1000XM4 - SoundGuys
Do either headphones support spatial audio?

Sony’s Headphone Connect app brings support for the company’s 360 Reality Audio, which is spatial audio, but that only works with files designed for the standard. Bose doesn’t have its own spatial sound feature, but both the QC45 and WH-1000XM4 will work with third-party options like Dolby Atmos for Headphones when connected to a PC. However, Apple’s Spatial Audio feature won’t work with either.

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soundguys.com
soundguys.com › home › earbuds & headphones › bose quietcomfort 45 vs sony wh-1000xm4
Bose QuietComfort 45 vs Sony WH-1000XM4 - SoundGuys
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RecordingNow
recordingnow.com › blog › bose-quietcomfort-vs-sony-wh-1000xm4
Bose QuietComfort vs Sony WH-1000XM4: Honest Review
April 2, 2025 - On my scale, the QuietComfort 2023 is 15.5 grams lighter than the Sony XM4: ... Both of these headphones are extremely lightweight, with the QuietComfort 2023 being an exceptional standout.
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SoundGuys
soundguys.com › home › earbuds & headphones › bose quietcomfort 45 vs sony wh-1000xm4
Bose QuietComfort 45 vs Sony WH-1000XM4 - SoundGuys
1 month ago - ... Custom button controls either the Assistant or noise cancelingRead more... The Bottom Line. If you have the money and want a top-tier pair of headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM4 are the way to go.
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The Verge
theverge.com › tech › gadgets › headphones
The 5 best noise-canceling headphones of 2025 | The Verge
2 weeks ago - The changes result in greater comfort when you wear them on your head for extended periods of time — like on a flight or at the office. Noise cancellation has been further improved from the already-stellar performance of the WH-1000XM4, putting ...
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Tom's Guide
tomsguide.com › audio
Sony's XM4 and Bose's QuietComfort headphones are both on sale for $100 off — but which should you buy? | Tom's Guide
April 16, 2025 - I'm of the opinion that the Sony option beats out the Bose cans in almost every measurable metric. They sound much better, with great low-end grunt and more detail in the highs. I'd much rather listen to hours upon hours of my favorite death ...
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What Hi-Fi?
whathifi.com › headphones › wireless headphones
Bose QC45 vs Sony WH-1000XM4: which are the best noise-cancelling headphones? | What Hi-Fi?
January 17, 2023 - The flagship Sony WH-1000XM4 arrived in 2020 with a bang. We rated them five stars and promptly gave them a What Hi-Fi? 2020 Award (which they reclaimed in the 2021 Awards), praising their "dynamic, detail-rich sound" and comfy, lightweight design. They have, however, been superseded by the WH-1000XM5 which came out in May 2022. These Sonys also five-star performers but they are quite a bit more expensive than both of these pairs. The Bose QuietComfort 45, only launched in September 2021 and are, as expected, also impressive.
Find elsewhere
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VERSUS
versus.com › home › headphones comparison › bose quietcomfort headphones vs sony wh-1000xm4
Bose QuietComfort Headphones vs Sony WH-1000XM4: What is the difference?
November 1, 2018 - Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Premium Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones - 30hr Battery Life, Over Ear Style ...Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Premium Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones - 30hr Battery Life, Over Ear Style with Mic for Phone-Call and ...
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/bose › sony wh-1000xm4 vs bose quietcomfort ultra
r/bose on Reddit: Sony WH-1000XM4 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra
June 24, 2024 -

Hello, l’ve recently got the option to choose between the Sony XM4 and the Bose QC Ultra; Please could you help me between the both.l’ve had the XM4s before and they have done me good wanted to explore the other route if you could help me with suggestions and reasons which one is better. Thank you

Top answer
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My wife and I both have the QC Ultras and we both love them. No connectivity or other issues for ours...both have worked flawlessly. Mine are White Smoke and hers are Sandstone...both look great.
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The Ultra's are a quality control and software nightmare with multiple severe and common issues. Here is a non-exhaustive list of issues I had personally with the 4 pairs of Ultra Headpones I've had and can remember from the top of my head. These were purchased at regular intervals throughout the 7-8 months since release, with the latest ones both arriving and going back just last month. Heavy sound distortion in the high, mid, and low treble ranges on 4/4 pairs Poorly balanced drivers, the right earcup being louder than the left on 4/4 pairs to lesser or greater extents. Sidetone not functioning at all on 4/4 pairs. Thumping, banging, or thudding when walking or on bumpy transport on 4/4 headphones to lesser or greater extents Head detection being spotty and erratic, pausing and playing devices for no reason on the 2/2 pairs I didn't instantly turn it off on. Multipoint connection bugs on 2/2 pairs I actually tried MultiPoint on Creaking earcups on 3/4 pairs Creaking/squeeking hinges on 3/4 pairs Severe Bluetooth connection issues on 2/4 pairs (constant random disconnects, saying they were connected to devices that were switched off, not reconnecting, etc.) General little Bluetooth hiccups on all 4/4 devices (infrequent connection drops, not reconnecting automatically, etc.) Loud white noise while using ANC on 2/4 headsets Loud white noise and whisting sound while using aware mode on 2/4 headsets General software bugs and interface issues, for example, getting stuck in a zombie state and not powering on or off until being plugged in again. Latency is bad, whichever way, you use them wired included. Their "custom sound tune" technology adds extra latency. Even wired or using the "adaptive low latency codec," you get a noticeable delay when using them with a visual medium. You can't use them wired while powered off. You can't disable the custom tune, bullshit. You can't turn off awareness or noise-cancelling modes; one of them has to be on. The touch control volume slider is poor, with low and inconsistent accuracy. Immersive audio is neither immersive nor surround sound; it is being falsely advertised by Bose and is just a gimmick to make it sound like music is coming from a pair of speakers in front of you. The case has indents that force you to reduce the headband to its smallest size every time you put it away. Bose expects you to pay £450 for all this bullshit. Best of luck if you still decide to try them In the end I settled for a pair of WHXM4's and while the comfort and sound quality arn't quite as good the ANC is on par and most importantly they actually function correctly.
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TechEnclave
techenclave.com › home tech › home entertainment
Bose QuietComfort vs Sony WH1000XM4
March 25, 2024 - Has anyone used this? How does it compare to Sony’s WH1000XM4?
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VERSUS
versus.com › home › headphones comparison › bose quietcomfort se vs sony wh-1000xm4
Bose QuietComfort SE vs Sony WH-1000XM4: What is the difference?
November 1, 2018 - Sony Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones - 30hr Battery Life - Over Ear Style - Optimised for Alexa and ...Sony Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones - 30hr Battery Life - Over Ear Style - Optimised for Alexa and Google Assistant - Built-in mic for Calls - WH-1000XM4S.CE7 - Limited Edition - Silver/Gold ... Versus is independent and user supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. ... Manual refers to the headphone as QC45. When connecting to it from phone, it is also called QC45 ... I chose it because it's cheaper than the QC 45 and seemed equivalent! Indeed, it's like a copy of QC 45 (it's strange that Bose would release two identical headsets).
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Dhgate
smart.dhgate.com › home › bose quietcomfort vs sony wh-1000xm4: are sonys still worth it?
Bose QuietComfort vs Sony WH-1000XM4: Are Sonys Still Worth It? - Smart.DHgate – Trusted Buying Guides for Global Shoppers
I ran both through daily commutes and coffee breaks—this is what stuck: Sony WH-1000XM4 still delivers superior sound quality and battery life with
Published   October 2, 2025
Views   121K
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RedFlagDeals
forums.redflagdeals.com › costco-sony-wh-1000xm4-278-00-bose-qc-sc-269-99-costco-2724890
[Costco] Sony WH-1000XM4 $278.00 and Bose QC SC $269.99 at Costco - RedFlagDeals.com Forums
November 8, 2024 - Bose SC = QuietComfort (2023) with soft shell case Bose SE = QC45 (2021) with soft shell case They're pretty much the same with minor improvements, here's a comparison: https://www.reddit.com/r/bose/comments/ ... rs_review/ ... Is there really a difference between the costco BOSE QC SC and amazons BOSE QC SE apart from the case? ... Which is the better of the two if I want something for light single player gaming, connecting to TV to watch a movie, gym, and possibly calls on Teams?
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Tom's Guide
tomsguide.com › audio › headphones › over-ear headphones
Bose QuietComfort 45 vs. Sony WH-1000XM4: Which should you buy? | Tom's Guide
October 18, 2021 - If you’re asking which offers more bang for your buck, that would be the WH-1000XM4 on features alone. The QuietComfort 45 brings a lot to the table and the hardware that Bose stuffed into these cans warrants its high price tag. Bose and Sony are two brands that usually charge a premium for their very best products.
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SoundGuys
soundguys.com › home › earbuds & headphones › bose quietcomfort 35 ii vs sony wh-1000xm4
Bose QuietComfort 35 II vs Sony WH-1000XM4 - SoundGuys
November 28, 2024 - No matter which headset you choose, you’ll be very pleased with the noise canceling performance. Still, the Sony WH-1000XM4 edges out the Bose QuietComfort 35 II when it comes to gross attenuation, meriting an ANC score of 7.7 compared to ...
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/bose › bose qc vs. sony wh-1000xm4: which is better for comfort and anc?
r/bose on Reddit: Bose QC vs. Sony WH-1000XM4: Which is Better for Comfort and ANC?
September 17, 2024 -

Hey everyone! I’m looking to buy a pair of noise-canceling headphones and am torn between the Bose QC and Sony WH-1000XM4( also considering Momentum 4s). I’m prioritizing comfort and effective ANC. How do they compare?

Also, I’m planning to wait for Black Friday for deals on either option. Do you think that’s the best time to buy, or should I look out for sales at other times? Thanks for your help!

Top answer
1 of 3
9
I actually just bought both to try from prime day sale. I would say for comfort it depends on you. I thought the pads were thick and decent on the xm4 but they're slightly bulkier and heavier so my small head favored the QC. The xm4 slides off my head when I lean down lol. The earcups are deeper in Bose than Sony so if your ears are large and/or stick out that can be an issue for the xm4 which are much shallower. People tend to say Bose was WAY comfier but imo it's really those differences that made the Bose marginally better but that's just my head being small and they were lighter and less bulky than the Sony. I can't say over time how the earcups last because I just bought them. In terms of sound, I listen to a lot of rock so I found the Bose to be slightly better. For other types of music like acoustic or pop it isn't a major difference to my ears. Xm4 got really muddy with a lot of instrumentals in rock and metal compared to the QC. However I will say for the price point neither were very impressive and I was disappointed. QC wins for me marginally just for rock and metal over the xm4. Out of the box tho the QC were better I had to EQ the xm4 for them to sound similar but that doesn't matter to me if the end result is the same. The anc is similar and I haven't had a chance to test them in a variety of situations yet either. Sony xm4 has a great many more features than the Bose QC. It pauses when you take them off, adjusts anc based on atmosphere pressure (theoretically better in an airplane I suppose but I haven't tested), has 5 point EQ and can save 2 custom (bose app has only 3 with no saved custom), Sony supports LDAC and bose only up to AAC but again I prefer QC sound anyways so idk. Personally, while at the same price point having more features seems nice, the EQ doesn't even matter to me bc the QC sounded better imo and I have no plane trips to test whether the atmosphere adjustment works better or not. I'm sure it's a marginal difference so I just went with what sounds and feels better. The Bose QC have buttons and Sony xm4 is touch activated. I prefer buttons than accidentally changing my volume when I touch my headphones but that's my opinion. Kinda shorter version Overall, I went with Bose QC over sony xm4. It fits smaller heads nicer and is less bulky and lighter than the xm4. There's a higher quality sound support on xm4 as well as slightly more EQ settings, but the sound on the Xm4 was more muddy and not as good as the Bose QC for rock and metal. This difference is marginal mind you and kinda underwhelmed by both tbh for $350 listed. Other music types didn't hear much difference. Again, both were meh imo. The anc is probably similar. In my normal usage they were unnoticably different. Sony has a pressure adaptation feature that I did not get to test but considering the fit and sound wasn't preferred I'm not keeping it for just that feature. The xm4 pausing when u take them off is nice and I wish QC had it but I'll just pause when I take them off it's easy to just hit the button so not a major deal to me. Bose qc has buttons and sony xm4 swiping to control and I prefer buttons over touch controls. Idk if that was helpful but that is my limited experience and I'm returning the xm4s and keeping the QC for now. Not sure if I'm keeping the QC either yet as I find the sound underwhelming but I really bought them for anc anyways. I have not tried the momentum 4 as they are more expensive and weren't on as good of a sale. I hear they sound better but the anc isnt as good. No personal experience tho. Sorry for long post.
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Have both and tbh, anc is on par. I like Bose controls more, Sony touch panel is hot garbage. It would switch songs or play/pause when I’m sweaty so I’ll have to turn it off sometimes. And since it’s a d-pad touch panel, you’ll ends to up playing the next song when you try to raise the volume a lot or vise versa. Wtf wrong with having buttons??? Or do what Bose did and separate the touch volume controls so you can raise the volume without changing other stuff.