Short answer: both are discontinued, so this only matters if you are buying used. Used, the Shure Aonic 50 is the better pick: it ranks #133 of 429 over-ear headphones by sound quality (rated 3.9/5), against #368 (rated 2.5/5) for the Sony WH-1000XM4. If you want one new, the Sony WH-1000XM6 replaces the Sony WH-1000XM4 and is rated 2.3/5 at $458.
The Shure Aonic 50 is the better-sounding pick. Measured response gives it a very good Harman preference score of 79 with a 2.57 dB spread. The tradeoff: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used.
Why pick the Sony WH-1000XM4: Strong noise cancelling, 30 hour battery life, LDAC support and multipoint pairing made it one of the most popular wireless headphones ever sold. The catch: Discontinued and replaced by the Sony WH-1000XM5.
Buy the Shure Aonic 50 only if you find one used in good condition; both are discontinued, and it is the better rated of the two. For a new speaker, buy the Sony WH-1000XM6, which replaces the Sony WH-1000XM4.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Shure Aonic 50 | Sony WH-1000XM4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Ranked | #133 of 429 in Over-Ear Headphones | #368 of 429 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Back | Closed | - |
| Connection | Bluetooth | Wireless and wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 50mm dynamic | 1 x 40mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 39 ohms | - |
| Sensitivity | 97.5 dB/mW | - |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 22kHz | - |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (334 g) | 0.6 lbs (254 g) |
| Harman Preference Score | 79 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 49 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.57 dB standard deviation | 3.26 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.17 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.55 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.2 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+4.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.0 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Active Noise Cancelling | - | Yes |
| Battery Life | - | 30 hours (ANC on) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More top alternatives to Shure Aonic 50:
- Bose QuietComfort 45 vs Shure Aonic 50
- Apple AirPods Max vs Sony WH-1000XM4
- Shure Aonic 4 vs Shure Aonic 50
- Shure Aonic 3 vs Shure Aonic 50
- HIFIMAN Arya Stealth Magnet Version vs Fosi Audio i5
Prices on this page were last checked October 13, 2026 at 3:17 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Shure Aonic 50 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Measured response gives it a very good Harman preference score of 79 with a 2.57 dB spread. It uses 1 x 50mm dynamic.
Cons: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used. An 8.3 dB peak near 11.9 kHz can make cymbals and sibilance sound sharp. The 4.6 dB bass lift can sound boomy and mask midrange detail.
Full Shure Aonic 50 review and specifications →
| Released | Apr 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Bluetooth |
| Deviation From Target | 2.57 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 50mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 22kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 79 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 39 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 97.5 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.17 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (334 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.4 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +5.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 471 Hz | +5.1 dB | 0.74 |
| Peak | 129 Hz | -6.0 dB | 0.68 |
| Peak | 5,309 Hz | -4.3 dB | 2.71 |
| Peak | 2,908 Hz | -3.6 dB | 5.04 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -1.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,894 Hz | -1.5 dB | 3.19 |
| Peak | 51 Hz | -1.3 dB | 2.33 |
| Peak | 78 Hz | +1.1 dB | 2.48 |
| Peak | 3,742 Hz | +2.0 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Sony WH-1000XM6, ranked lower, rated 2.3/5, released May 2025.
Older models: the Sony MDR-1000X (ranked higher, rated 3.9/5), the Sony WH-1000XM2 (ranked higher, rated 3.7/5) and the Sony WH-1000XM3 (ranked lower, rated 1.8/5). See every Sony WH-1000X generation.
Pros: Strong noise cancelling, 30 hour battery life, LDAC support and multipoint pairing made it one of the most popular wireless headphones ever sold. Bass extends deep with about 4 dB of extra weight below 250 Hz, which suits pop, hip hop and electronic music.
Cons: Discontinued and replaced by the Sony WH-1000XM5. Its default tuning measures poorly, with a Harman preference score of just 49: bass is boosted about 4 to 5 dB and a 6.2 dB dip near 2.3 kHz pushes vocals back, so it sounds muddy and dark until you use the app’s EQ.
Full Sony WH-1000XM4 review and specifications →
| Released | Aug 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (ANC on) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | Wireless and wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.26 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 49 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+4.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.55 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (254 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.1 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -4.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 143 Hz | -5.2 dB | 1.10 |
| Peak | 2,289 Hz | +6.1 dB | 1.57 |
| Peak | 56 Hz | +1.2 dB | 1.19 |
| Peak | 5,144 Hz | -3.2 dB | 6.00 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -1.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 407 Hz | +1.7 dB | 3.14 |
| Peak | 6,715 Hz | +3.0 dB | 5.99 |
| Peak | 1,007 Hz | +1.0 dB | 3.41 |
| Peak | 576 Hz | -1.2 dB | 3.55 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons