Over-Ear
Sennheiser HE-1
66Good
$105,000
Full review dataSennheiser HE-1 vs Sony WH-1000XM4: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Sony WH-1000XM4 comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 75. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Sony WH-1000XM4 - Great overall at around $315.
Over-Ear
Sony WH-1000XM4
75Great
$320
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Sony WH-1000XM4 leads on 6 of 7 measures.
- Sennheiser HE-1
- Sony WH-1000XM4
HearWiki score
66
75
Sound
9.9
8.0
Noise cancelling
-
8.2
Battery
-
8.5
Calls
-
6.1
Value
0.8
4.2
Price (USD)
$105,000
$320
Generation & platform
The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?
Half a step newer
Sony WH-1000XM4 (2020) against Sennheiser HE-1 (2016). The Sony WH-1000XM4 edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Adaptive against None.
- HE-12016
- WH-1000XM420204 yr newer
What differsHE-1WH-1000XM4
- ANC type
- None
- Adaptive
Platform
Level on: USB-C.
Specifications
HE-1WH-1000XM4
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $105,000
- $320
- HearWiki score
- 66
- 75
- Released
- 2016
- 2020
- Availability
- Discontinued
- Still sold new
- Driver
- 2× electrostatic
- 40 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- electrostatic
- dynamic
- Driver size
- -
- 40 mm
- Drivers per side
- 2
- 1
- Frequency response
- 8 Hz - 80 kHz
- 4 Hz - 40 kHz
- Sound signature
- harman
- -
- Impedance
- -
- 16 Ω
- Sensitivity
- 114 dB/mW
- 105 dB/mW
- Bluetooth
- -
- 5.0
- Codecs
- -
- SBC, AAC, LDAC
- Multipoint pairing
- -
- Yes
- Battery life
- -
- 38 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- -
- 30 h
- Full charge time
- -
- 180 min
- Quick charge
- -
- 10 min → 5 h
- Wireless charging
- -
- No
- Active noise cancelling
- No
- Yes
- ANC type
- none
- adaptive
- Transparency mode
- -
- Yes
- Companion app
- -
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- -
- Yes
- Wear detection
- -
- Yes
- Controls
- -
- touch
- Voice assistant
- -
- Alexa, Google Assistant
- Weight
- 550 g
- 254 g
- Water resistance
- -
- none
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Microphones
- -
- 2
What reviewers said
Sennheiser HE-1
The Sennheiser HE-1 is an electrostatic flagship headphone that represents the absolute pinnacle of audio engineering, delivering an ultra-transparent and precise sound signature tuned to the Harman target. With an exceptionally wide frequency response and high sensitivity, it offers a level of detail and clarity that is virtually unmatched in the high-end audio world. This wired, over-ear model is designed for the most discerning audiophiles seeking the ultimate listening experience.
- Pro:Exceptional clarity and detail retrieval
- Pro:Wide 8 Hz–80 kHz frequency response
- Pro:Neutral Harman-tuned sound signature
- Con:Extremely high price point
- Con:Requires dedicated amplifier setup
- Con:No active noise cancellation
Sony WH-1000XM4
The Sony WH-1000XM4 are premium wireless over-ear headphones that deliver outstanding active noise cancellation and balanced, detailed sound. They remain a top pick thanks to their comfortable fit, long battery life, and useful features like adaptive ANC, multipoint pairing, and touch controls. Despite being a few years old, they still compete strongly with newer flagships.
- Pro:Excellent adaptive noise cancellation
- Pro:Rich, well-balanced audio with LDAC support
- Pro:Comfortable lightweight design for long sessions
- Con:No water resistance rating
- Con:No wireless charging support
- Con:Touch controls can be finicky for some users
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
Compare something else
Swap either side out, or start again from the picker.