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What Hi-Fi?

Technology

Lewis Empson

The Black Friday deal I'm recommending to my friends is on a five-year-old pair of noise-cancelling headphones. Here's why

Sony Black Friday (Topic) Amazon

Sony WH-1000XM4 on a table with a plant.

Black Friday is approaching faster than many of us would like to admit, and with it will inevitably be a swarm of top-notch hi-fi and home cinema deals. Now, I've covered the best Black Friday deals for the past three years, so I know what to look out for – and that has made me especially popular among my friends at this time of year.

“What Black Friday deals should I be looking out for?” is a question I'm asked non-stop in the run-up to Black Friday weekend. And while an unnerving amount of those are relating to Garmin fitness watches (a product category I am unfortunately clueless about), the next most popular request is “which headphones should I buy?”.

Now, as a group of individuals in their mid-20s living in London (where rent prices could be lumped in with our annual Temptation Award), we are all looking for quality cans that aren't too harsh on the wallet. Which is why I'm pointing my friends towards these Sony noise-cancelling headphones.

The WH-1000XM4 (colloquially known as just the XM4) might not be the latest model in Sony's five-star wireless headphone portfolio; in fact, it's two generations behind the formidable WH-1000XM6 cans. But that certainly doesn't mean you should rule these headphones out.

As a huge advocate for these wireless noise cancellers – they have accompanied me on everything from long-haul flights around the world to noisy commutes on the Northern Line – I think they represent a sweet spot in the mid-range wireless headphones market. It's a sector that has been lacking good options, as pointed out by my fellow Senior Staff Writer, Harry McKerrell.

Personally, I would take these headphones over the Sennheiser Accentum Plus (three stars) or the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 (also three stars), both of which are within touching distance of the WH-1000XM4 in terms of price.

Opting for a once-flagship pair means you can get a premium build, feature set and sound at a much more accessible price. To this day, the XM4s are a well-built, stylish, and feature-packed pair of headphones, with a sturdy folding design that is both eye-catching and functional.

And when it comes to sound, the XM4 remains a top choice in my books, especially with that lower price in mind. While the XM6 are the better-sounding headphones – I can attest to that, as I have spent a considerable amount of time listening to both on noisy trains and planes – the XM4 is still a formidable pair of headphones.

We deemed these headphones “lightweight, comfy and clever” in our full review, and complimented the “dynamic, detail-rich sound” they produce with a “sensational sense of timing”. High praise indeed. And this sentiment still rings true five years after the XM4's launch. Pair that with an impressive noise-cancelling system that can easily drown out the hum of an aeroplane cabin and shrieking children alike, and these headphones become an easy sell for anyone who wants top-notch sound on the go.

With that in mind, the fact that these headphones are five years old shouldn't concern any prospective buyer. There is still plenty of life in them, as proved by the fact that Sony still sells them brand new. And I would also take the XM4 over the newer WH-1000XM5 model without hesitation, thanks to the sturdier, more compact design.

Now, I've mentioned the price a few times, and here's where things get interesting. We initially reviewed these cans at £350 / $350 / AU$550, but they have recently dropped to just £149 at EE. There is, however, a catch.

They are currently sold out. Now that isn't a surprise, as this is a substantial saving of £200 on the original price, and one which was quickly snapped up by savvy shoppers. It's promising news, though, for what we can expect to see during Black Friday weekend – as we could see other retailers follow suit and drop the price to this level during the main savings event.

We have seen these headphones drop to £168 in the Amazon Prime Day sales back in July, though they are currently priced at £199 at most retailers (including Amazon and Richer Sounds). I would hold off for now, as they are very likely to drop in price again soon. I would wait until they hit that previous lowest price at the very least before pulling the trigger.

I've primed my friends who have asked for a worthy headphones deal this Black Friday, and I urge anyone who's after a new pair of noise-cancelling headphones that won't break the bank to consider these before looking at the underwhelming alternatives.