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SteelSeries Arctis 9 vs Sony WH-1000XM4

Side-by-side comparison — scores, specs and which one fits your setup.

SteelSeries Arctis 9
7.8
/ 10
Over-earHigh end
HIGHER SCORE
Sony WH-1000XM4
8.2
/ 10
Over-earHigh end

Specs comparison

7.8/10
SCORE
8.2/10
32Ω
IMPEDANCE
47Ω
98dB
SENSITIVITY
101dB
No
NEEDS AMP
No

Analysis

The SteelSeries Arctis 9 scores 7.8/10 with 32Ω impedance and 98dB sensitivity. At 32Ω, it drives well from most phones without an external amp.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 scores 8.2/10 with 47Ω impedance and 101dB sensitivity. At 47Ω, it can be driven directly without extra hardware.

Based on our scoring, the Sony WH-1000XM4 scores higher overall. However, the right choice depends on your full audio chain — use our analyzer to see which fits your actual setup.

Own one of these headphones?

A high headphone score doesn't mean your audio sounds great. Your DAC, amp or source might be the real bottleneck.

Analyze my setup →Arctis 9 details →Sony WH-1000XM4 details →

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