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  1. Table of Contents
  2. Top
  3. Main Differences
  4. Design
    1. Style
    2. Comfort
    3. Controls
    4. Breathability
    5. Portability
    6. Case
    7. Build Quality
    8. Stability
    9. Headshots 1
    10. Headshots 2
    11. Top
    12. In The Box
  5. Sound
    1. Sound Profile
    2. Frequency Response Consistency
    3. Raw Frequency Response
    4. Bass Profile: Target Compliance
    5. Mid-Range Profile: Target Compliance
    6. Treble Profile: Target Compliance
    7. Peaks/Dips
    8. Imaging
    9. Passive Soundstage
    10. Virtual Soundstage
    11. Weighted Harmonic Distortion
    12. Test Settings
  6. Isolation
    1. Noise Isolation - Full Range
    2. Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios
    3. Noise Isolation - Voice Handling
    4. ANC Wind Handling
    5. Leakage
  7. Microphone
    1. Microphone Style
    2. Recording Quality
    3. Noise Handling
  8. Active Features
    1. Battery
    2. App Support
  9. Connectivity
    1. Wired Connection
    2. Bluetooth Connection
    3. Wireless Connection (Dongle)
    4. PC Compatibility
    5. PlayStation Compatibility
    6. Xbox Compatibility
    7. Base/Dock
  10. Comments

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless vs Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

Side-by-Side Comparison

Products

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

Tested using Methodology v1.8

Updated Feb 05, 2025 07:43 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com

Tested using Methodology v1.8

Updated Feb 05, 2025 06:56 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless Picture
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Picture

Variants

  • QuietComfort Headphones (Chilled Lilac)
  • QuietComfort Headphones (Cypress Green)
  • QuietComfort Headphones (Moonstone Blue)
  • QuietComfort Headphones (Sandstone)
  • QuietComfort Headphones (Steve Lacy)
  • QuietComfort Headphones (Triple Black)
  • QuietComfort Headphones (White Smoke)
  • WH-1000XM4 (Black)
  • WH-1000XM4 (Midnight Blue)
  • WH-1000XM4 (Silver)

Our Verdict

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless

Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

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, and support LDAC, which is Sony's codec for high-resolution audio. Their ANC also does an even better job of blocking background noise, and they have a longer continuous battery life. However, the Bose are more comfortable and better built with a different tuning you might prefer and an in-line mic for wired situations.

1 

Check Price

Chilled Lilac
QuietComfort Headphones
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
WH-1000XM4
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Cypress Green
QuietComfort Headphones
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Midnight Blue
WH-1000XM4
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Moonstone Blue
QuietComfort Headphones
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Silver
WH-1000XM4
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Sandstone
QuietComfort Headphones
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
Steve Lacy
QuietComfort Headphones
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
Triple Black
QuietComfort Headphones
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
White Smoke
QuietComfort Headphones
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 

Main Differences for
Neutral Sound

Threshold 

0.10

Neutral Sound 

7.8
7.4

Mid-Range Profile: Target Compliance 
 

9.5
8.4

Treble Profile: Target Compliance 
 

8.2
7.3

Full Comparison

Design

Style  

Design Picture 2  

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless Design Picture 2
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Design Picture 2

Type  

Over-ear
Over-ear

Enclosure  

Closed-Back
Closed-Back

Wireless  

Yes
Yes

Transducer  

Dynamic
Dynamic
Show text

Comfort 
 

8.5
8.0

Comfort Picture  

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless Comfort Picture
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Comfort Picture

Weight  

0.52 lbs
0.6 lbs

Clamping Force 
 

0.7 lbs
1 lbs
Show text

Controls 
 

8.1
7.6

Controls Picture  

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless Controls Picture
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Controls Picture

OS Compatibility 
 

Not OS specific
Not OS specific

Ease Of Use  

Good
Good

Feedback  

Good
Decent

Call/Music Control  

Yes
Yes

Volume Control  

Yes
Yes

Microphone Control  

Mute/Unmute
No

Channel Mixing 
 

No
No

Noise Cancelling Control  

On/Off
On/Off

Talk-Through 
 

On/Off
On/Off

Additional Controls  

Voice Assistant
Voice Assistant
Show text

Breathability 
 

5.4

Breathability After Picture  

Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Breathability After Picture

Avg.Temp.Difference  

8.2 °C
Show text

Portability 
 

6.4
6.1

Portability Picture  

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless Portability Picture
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Portability Picture

 

7.1" (18.0 cm)
7.4" (18.8 cm)

 

5.4" (13.8 cm)
6.1" (15.5 cm)

 

1.7" (4.3 cm)
2.0" (5.1 cm)

Volume  

65.17 in³ (1,068.00 cm³)
90.00 in³ (1,474.83 cm³)

Transmitter Required  

No
No
Show text

Case 
 

8.0
8.0

Case Picture  

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless Case Picture
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Case Picture

Type  

Hard case
Hard case

 

8.3" (21.1 cm)
8.3" (21.1 cm)

 

5.7" (14.5 cm)
6.6" (16.8 cm)

 

2.2" (5.5 cm)
2.3" (5.8 cm)

Volume  

102.64 in³ (1,682.00 cm³)
126.00 in³ (2,064.76 cm³)
Show text

Build Quality 
 

7.5
8.0

Build Quality Picture  

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless Build Quality Picture
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Build Quality Picture
Show text

Stability 
 

7.0
7.0

Stability Picture  

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless Stability Picture
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Stability Picture
Show text

Headshots 1  

Angled Picture  

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless Angled Picture
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Angled Picture

Side Picture  

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless Side Picture
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Side Picture

Headshots 2  

Front Picture  

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless Front Picture
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Front Picture

Rear Picture  

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless Rear Picture
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Rear Picture

Top  

Top Picture  

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless Top Picture
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Top Picture

In The Box  

In The Box Picture  

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless In The Box Picture
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless In The Box Picture
Show text
Sound

Sound Profile 
 

Sound Profile  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Normalization Frequency 
 

1,200 Hz
400 Hz

Bass Amount 
 

4.7 dB
5.1 dB

Treble Amount 
 

-0.3 dB
-0.4 dB
Show text

Frequency Response Consistency 
 

7.7
8.2

Consistency L  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Consistency R  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Avg. Std. Deviation 
 

0.45 dB
0.35 dB
Show text

Raw Frequency Response 
 

Raw FR L  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Raw FR R  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Bass Profile: Target Compliance 
 

7.8
7.6

Bass Profile: Target Compliance  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

RMS Deviation From Target 
 

4.9 dB
5.2 dB

Low-Frequency Extension 
 

20 Hz
20 Hz

Low Bass 
 

5.79 dB
4.49 dB

Mid Bass 
 

4.39 dB
5.5 dB

High Bass 
 

3.21 dB
5.6 dB
Show text

Mid-Range Profile: Target Compliance 
 

9.5
8.4

Mid-Range Profile: Target Compliance  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

RMS Deviation From Target 
 

0.72 dB
1.58 dB

Low Mid 
 

0.11 dB
1.24 dB

Mid-Mid 
 

-0.61 dB
-0.07 dB

High Mid 
 

-0.13 dB
-1.15 dB
Show text

Treble Profile: Target Compliance 
 

8.2
7.3

Treble Profile: Target Compliance  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

RMS Deviation From Target 
 

2.37 dB
3.01 dB

Low Treble 
 

-0.59 dB
-1.71 dB

Mid Treble 
 

0.03 dB
1.38 dB

High Treble 
 

-4.36 dB
-2.88 dB
Show text

Peaks/Dips 
 

7.7
7.9

Peaks/Dips Graph 
 

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Peaks 
 

1.27 dB
1.2 dB

Dips 
 

1.83 dB
1.46 dB
Show text

Imaging 
 

8.3
8.6

Group Delay  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Phase Response Mismatch  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Weighted Group Delay 
 

0.55
0.16

Weighted Phase Mismatch 
 

2.14
4.36

Weighted Amplitude Mismatch 
 

1.33
0.79

Weighted Frequency Mismatch 
 

1.29
2.07
Show text

Passive Soundstage 
 

4.2
3.5

PRTF  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.) 
 

3.44 dB
3.11 dB

PRTF Size (Avg.) 
 

5.99 dB
8.34 dB

PRTF Distance 
 

3.64 dB
1.8 dB

Openness 
 

1.2
0.4

Acoustic Space Excitation 
 

3.8
3.4
Show text

Virtual Soundstage 
 

0.0
4.1

Virtual Soundstage  

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless Virtual Soundstage
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Virtual Soundstage

Head Modeling 
 

No
On/Off

Speaker Modeling 
 

No
On/Off

Room Ambience 
 

No
No

Head Tracking 
 

No
No

Virtual Surround 
 

No
360 Reality Audio
Show text

Weighted Harmonic Distortion 
 

7.3
7.7

Weighted Harmonic Distortion  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

WHD @ 90 
 

0.315
0.265

WHD @ 100 
 

0.257
0.130
Show text

Test Settings 
 

Firmware 
 

1.0.6-80+f5f219b
2.6.0

Power 
 

On
On

Connection 
 

Bluetooth
Bluetooth

Codec 
 

SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz

Test Instrument  

Audio Precision APx517B
Audio Precision APx517B

EQ 
 

No EQ
Off

ANC 
 

Quiet
On

Tip/Pad 
 

Default
Default

Microphone 
 

Integrated
Integrated
Show text
Isolation

Noise Isolation - Full Range 
 

9.3
9.5

Noise Isolation - Full Range Graph  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Noise Cancelling  

Yes
Yes

Overall Attenuation 
 

-25.80 dB
-27.13 dB

Bass 
 

-19.74 dB
-24.80 dB

Mid 
 

-27.05 dB
-25.37 dB

Treble 
 

-31.77 dB
-31.92 dB
Show text

Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios 
 

9.1
9.7

Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios Graph  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Airplane Noise Attenuation 
 

-20.95 dB
-23.51 dB

Airplane Noise Isolation Audio 
 

Office Noise Attenuation 
 

-21.22 dB
-22.93 dB

Office Noise Isolation Audio 
 

Street Noise Attenuation 
 

-22.79 dB
-26.02 dB

Street Noise Isolation Audio 
 

Show text

Noise Isolation - Voice Handling 
 

Female Voice 1 
 

Male Voice 1 
 

Female Voice 2 
 

Male Voice 2 
 

ANC Wind Handling 
 

ANC Wind Handling Graph  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

ANC Wind Noise 
 

Show text

Leakage 
 

6.7
7.1

Leakage  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Leakage Audio 
 

Overall Leakage @ 1ft 
 

41.02 dB
39.28 dB
Show text
Microphone

Microphone Style 
 

Integrated 
 

Yes
Yes

In-Line 
 

Yes
No

Boom 
 

No
No

Detachable Boom 
 

No
No

Mic  

Yes
Yes
Show text

Recording Quality 
 

7.4
6.1

Microphone Frequency Response  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Recorded Speech 
 

LFE 
 

302.04 Hz
269.09 Hz

FR Std. Dev. 
 

2.89 dB
2.11 dB

HFE 
 

6,736.4 Hz
3,726.47 Hz

Weighted THD 
 

0.773
65.861

Gain 
 

15.08 dB
11.46 dB
Show text

Noise Handling 
 

5.3
5.6

SpNR  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

SpNR 
 

46.49 dB
11.47 dB

Noise Gate 
 

No
No

Speech + Pink Noise Handling 
 

5.5
6.0

Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample  

Speech + Subway Noise Handling 
 

5.0
5.0

Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample  

Show text
Active Features

Battery 
 

8.6
8.7

Battery Type 
 

Rechargable
Rechargable

Continuous Battery Life 
 

26.1 hrs
37.7 hrs

Additional Charges 
 

0.0
0.0

Total Battery Life 
 

26.1 hrs
37.7 hrs

Charge Time 
 

2 hrs
2.3 hrs

Power-Saving Feature 
 

Auto-Off Timer
Auto-Off Timer

Audio While Charging 
 

No
No

Passive Playback 
 

Yes
Yes

Charging Port  

USB-C
USB-C
Show text

App Support 
 

8.0
8.0

App Picture  

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless App Picture
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless App Picture

App Name  

Bose Music
Sony| Headphones Connect

iOS  

Yes
Yes

Android  

Yes
Yes

macOS  

No
No

Windows  

No
No

Equalizer 
 

Graphic + Presets
Graphic + Presets

ANC Control 
 

Adjustable
On/Off

Mic Control  

No
No

Room Effects 
 

No
No

Playback Control 
 

Yes
Yes

Button Mapping  

Yes
Yes

Surround Support 
 

No
Yes
Show text
Connectivity

Wired Connection 
 

7.5
9.9

Cable Picture  

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless Cable Picture
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Cable Picture

Analog Audio 
 

Yes
Yes

USB Audio 
 

No
No

Detachable 
 

Yes
Yes

Length 
 

3.28 ft (1.00 m)
4.00 ft (1.22 m)

Connector 
 

1/16" TRRS
1/8" TRS

Latency - Analog 
 

15.8 ms
0.3 ms

Latency - USB 
 

N/A
N/A

Recorded Latency 
 

Recorded Latency Connection  

Analog
Analog
Show text

Bluetooth Connection 
 

8.5
8.6

Bluetooth Version 
 

5.1
5.010

Multi-Device Pairing 
 

2 Devices
2 Devices

Quick Pair (Android) 
 

No
Yes

Quick Pair (iOS) 
 

No
No

Line Of Sight Range 
 

334.65 ft (102.00 m)
299.00 ft (91.14 m)

Latency - SBC 
 

183 ms
245 ms

Latency - aptX 
 

N/A
N/A

Latency - aptX Adaptive (High Quality) 
 

N/A
N/A

Latency - aptX Adaptive (Low Latency) 
 

N/A
N/A

Latency - LDAC 
 

N/A
237 ms

Recorded Latency 
 

Recorded Latency Codec  

SBC
SBC

AAC Support 
 

Yes
Yes
Show text

Wireless Connection (Dongle) 
 

0.0
0.0

Line Of Sight Range 
 

N/A
N/A

Latency - Dongle 
 

N/A
N/A

Recorded Latency 
 

N/A
N/A

PC Compatibility 
 

Analog 
 

Audio + Microphone
Audio Only

Wired USB 
 

No
No

Non-BT Wireless 
 

No
No
Show text

PlayStation Compatibility 
 

PS4 Analog 
 

Audio + Microphone
Audio Only

PS4 Wired USB 
 

No
No

PS4 Non-BT Wireless 
 

No
No

PS5 Analog 
 

Audio + Microphone
Audio Only

PS5 Wired USB 
 

No
No

PS5 Non-BT Wireless 
 

No
No
Show text

Xbox Compatibility 
 

Xbox One Analog 
 

Audio + Microphone
Audio Only

Xbox One Wired USB 
 

No
No

Xbox One Non-BT Wireless 
 

No
No

Xbox Series X|S Analog 
 

Audio + Microphone
Audio Only

Xbox Series X|S Wired USB 
 

No
No

Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless 
 

No
No
Show text

Base/Dock 
 

0.0
0.0

Type 
 

No Base/Dock
No Base/Dock

USB Input 
 

No
No

Line In 
 

No
No

Line Out 
 

No
No

Optical Input 
 

No
No

RCA Input 
 

No
No

Dock Charging 
 

No
No

Power Supply 
 

No Base/Dock
No Base/Dock

Check Price

Chilled Lilac
QuietComfort Headphones
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black
WH-1000XM4
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Cypress Green
QuietComfort Headphones
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Midnight Blue
WH-1000XM4
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Moonstone Blue
QuietComfort Headphones
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Silver
WH-1000XM4
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Sandstone
QuietComfort Headphones
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
Steve Lacy
QuietComfort Headphones
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
Triple Black
QuietComfort Headphones
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
White Smoke
QuietComfort Headphones
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 

Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless

Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

Comments

  1. Comparison

Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless vs Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless: Main Discussion

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    You have an error in artciel - see the blades section. The list says they’re not dishwasher safe, the text says they’re dishwasher safe.