The Sony WH-1000XM4 has been rumoured for quite some time now, and it is finally official now. The successor to the highly regarded WH-1000XM3 brings with it a suite of improvements, including better active noise cancellation, the ability to pair with two devices at the same time over Bluetooth, and improved microphones. On top of that, the XM4 is now available here in Malaysia as well.

That’s right, you can purchase the WH-1000XM4 locally right now. Priced at RM1,599 – the exact same price tag as the WH-1000XM3 at launch – the new wireless headphones are available in two colours: Black and Silver. To sweeten the deal, early birds will also receive a limited edition 1000X headphones stand for free, along with a RM50 Starbucks gift card.

Compared to the previous model, the updated WH-1000XM4 doesn’t look all that different; you’d be hard-pressed to differentiate between the two wireless headphones. But under the hood, there are some notable improvements. The performance of the active noise cancellation, for one, is better now, thanks to a new algorithm and Bluetooth Audio SoC.

In fact, thanks to the addition of the SoC, the WH-1000XM4 can analyse music, noise signals, and even the “acoustic characteristics between the driver unit and ears” over 700 times per second. Collectively, this allows the XM4 to cancel out ambient sounds more effectively, making for a more pleasant listening experience.

Besides that, the WH-1000XM4 can finally pair with two devices at the same time with Bluetooth multipoint. This was one of the biggest issues with its predecessor, so it’s great to see that Sony is listening to its customers. Of course, you can also quickly switch between two paired devices with the touch of a button.

Last but certainly not least is better voice call quality. The WH-1000XM4 now comes with Precise Voice Pickup Technology that combines the five built-in microphones of the headphones with advanced audio signal processing. The result? Clearer voice quality in your calls. There’s even a neat Speak-to-Chat feature that automatically pauses the music when you start talking.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones are now available for purchase in Malaysia. For RM1,599, it’s not a particularly affordable product, but you do get a very good pair of cans with excellent noise cancellation. After all, there’s a reason its predecessor was so successful, and it’s even better now with the XM4.