I'm lucky enough to have tried more headphones than most people likely even know exist. But, if there was one pair of headphones that was to recommend to almost anyone, it would be these: The Sony WH-1000XM4.
It's now even easier to recommend them as well, as the Sony WH-1000XM4 are only $248 at Amazon for their lowest ever price. Even though Prime Day is finished. Aren't we lucky?
"But why Tammy" I hear you ask, "would you recommend people buy the previous generation of Sony noise cancelers?". It's a reasonable question, with a simple answer. As much as the also excellent Sony WH-1000XM5 are the best headphones that money can buy right now, they're still very expensive. At full price you'll be paying $399 — or more in some cases — for a pair of headphones that are still a simple, iterative update to the WH-1000XM4.
Full price, the WH-1000XM4 aren't far off from their more expensive cousins. They have an RRP of $349, around $50 lower than the XM5. Generally, however, you'll find the older model at lower prices, on account of their age — usually under $300. For that price, you're not going to find a better pair of over-ear noise-canceling headphones.
In our Sony WH-1000XM4 review, we remarked on their "remarkable noise cancellation", the "strong battery life", and the "excellent audio quality" — and as a long-time user of the headphones myself, I can attest to their greatness.
Let me demonstrate with a story (it won't be a long one, I promise). While I was studying at college, I had to create three pitches for a task. Instead of doing what everyone else did and writing them into a document, a simple, 5-minute job, I opted to create three pitch videos.
It took 12 hours.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 got me through the whole thing, never missing a beat or giving me a dreaded low battery warning. In fact, they made it to my bus journey to college the next day, through a long library study session, and all the way home again.
Add in some great audio, a supremely comfortable fit, and fabulous build quality, and you've the much sought-after recipe for some great over-ear headphones.
(P.S — if you're interested in the pitches, here's one below. It's not very good. The headphones are, though.)
