Sony's XM4 headphones are a Prime Day bargain at AU$321 — and I have the perfect excuse for grabbing a pair

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I'm just two steps away from hi-res audio on the go

Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones, iFi Go Link and Amazon Music Unlimited logo on pink, green and blue background
(Image credit: Future)

I love listening to music on a daily basis. When I'm at home I mainly listen through various Sonos speakers, and on-the-go, I mainly use my Apple AirPods Pro 2.

I've always wanted to listen to high-resolution audio when I'm out and about, but it's not always so easy. My iPhone 15 Pro is technically capable of supporting high-resolution audio, but I need both a streaming service that supports the format, and an external digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) to do so. Not to mention a pair of good quality headphones that can be connected via a physical cable. 

Fortunately, the Amazon Prime Day sales in Australia have presented me with everything I need to achieve sonic nirvana, and all without needing to dip too deep into my wallet.

Sony WH-1000XM4 | AU$439AU$321

Sony WH-1000XM4 | AU$439 AU$321 (save AU$118)

High-resolution audio can't be achieved using wireless headphones, and while this Sony set is, it also comes with a 3.5mm aux cable to connect them to a source component. Despite a newer model being released (which is still fantastic) the Sony XM4s are an outstanding pair of headphones that combine an engaging, detailed sound with effective noise-cancellation and supreme comfort. The swivelling ear cups means more travel-friendly than newer models, making them perfect for reproducing high-res audio on the go. 

Also consider: Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless | AU$625 AU$350

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Amazon Music Unlimited | First 5 months free

Amazon Music Unlimited | First 5 months free then AU$12.99p/m (save AU$51.96)

Amazon Music Unlimited has a large library of songs and albums in what it calls 'Ultra HD'. What this really means is songs that can be streamed and downloaded in better-than-CD quality (24-bit/192kHz for all you number fans). This essentially means songs in Ultra HD will have more data than what you get from CD recording, i.e. more detail. 

Amazon is currently offering 5 months of Music Unlimited for free (everyone can get 1 month free regularly) for Prime Day, making it easy to access high-resolution audio. This offer ends July 23.

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iFi Go Link | AU$106.97

iFi Go Link | AU$106.97

The final piece of my personal, portable high-resolution audio journey is the iFi Go Link USB DAC. This dinky little dongle will plug into my iPhone 15 Pro via its USB-C connection, and I'll plug the Sony XM4s into the 3.5mm headphone output. The iFi Go Link supports hi-res music files up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD up to 11.2MHz (DSD256), which admittedly is higher than the output of Amazon Music Unlimited. Because it's also a headphone amplifier, it will also greatly improve the quality of music that isn't classed as high-res, and thanks to its small size, is incredibly easy to take with me wherever I go. 

My colleagues at What Hi-Fi? bestowed a full five stars upon it in their review, which is what gave me the full confidence to buy. 

• 3 USB-C DACs to turn your iPhone 15 into a bona-fide hi-res music player

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Max Langridge
Max Langridge
Staff Writer

Max is a senior staff writer for TechRadar who covers home entertainment and audio first, NBN second and virtually anything else that falls under the consumer electronics umbrella third. He's also a bit of an ecommerce fiend, particularly when it comes to finding the latest coupon codes for a variety of publication. He has written for TechRadar's sister publication What Hi-Fi? as well as Pocket-lint, and he's also a regular contributor to Australian Hi-Fi and Audio Esoterica. Max also dabbled in the men's lifestyle publication space, but is now firmly rooted in his first passion of technology.