According to tests done by Sony, the 1000XM3 are four times more effective at cancelling noise than the 1000XM2 –an impressive feat considering how well the M2 performed. the touch controls are good, but if you are in wired mode (eg sitting on a plane for 14 hours plugged into their movies) then they no longer work. They only one that does work is putting your hand over the RH cup to mute the sound. Physical buttons would have been better, but how old fashioned.

So how long will these headphones last on a charge? There are a lot of factors but, after a few days of testing, we found a good benchmark to be around 30 hours or so. Over a period of four days while the headphones were being tested (five hours a day x four days) they didn’t need to be recharged at all, ending the final night at around 30% battery life remaining. If you're choosing between the Sony WH-1000XM3s and the newer XM4 headphones, you're likely deciding whether to take the price cut on the older model and sacrifice some of the latest features in doing so. More importantly, though, they’re supremely comfortable. At 255g, they’re around 25% lighter than the B&W PX (my previous favourite), and you can feel it. It means less pressure on the super-soft headband and earcup padding, so they feel pleasant for a long time, though your ears will get warm, as with most over-ear gear. While the noise cancellation impresses, sound quality is where the XM3 really come into its own; this is a pair of headphones that offers a wonderfully expansive sound. The bass is deep and impactful, the mids are as capable of capturing the smooth tones of orchestral strings and wood instruments as they are the crunch of overdriven electric guitarsand the high-frequencies sparkle with clarity.We walked past a road cleaning crew with a loud pump, spray going, and traffic everywhere around – you couldn’t even have a conversation, but it totally cut it out. It was wizardry. If you’re walking you can use the Headphones Connect app to pre-select 50% noise cancelling and to allow a little ambient noise through so you don’t inadvertently walk into the road in front of a speeding car. If you’re on the Tube or an aeroplane, then you can have the headphones automatically dial in full noise cancelling to cocoon you completely in noise deadening quietness.

I wear glasses half the time, which means the headphones’ cushions don’t form a perfect seal around my ears. To my ears, the Optimizer makes a difference in improving the quality of noise cancellation. There’s also a handy Personal NC Optimizer function, which analyses the shape of your head and detects if you’re wearing glasses or if you have big hair. The headphones cater the noise cancellation to you by playing a series of test tones and working out what’s happening around your ears. It’s also worth mentioning that the earbuds support 360 Reality Audio, Sony’s spatial audio technology. This is designed to deliver a listening experience akin to being at a concert or in a recording studio and can be optimised for your ears if you’re willing to take a couple of photos of your head and lugholes. This headset has been well thought out for wireless use. Equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 technology, it offers the best current compatibility with AAC, LDAC and even HD aptX support, which keeps quality loss to a minimum. Easy to pair, the headset also features NFC to speed up the detection of devices to be connected through the fast pair feature. The headphones are outfitted with a multitude of Bluetooth profiles such as HSP for profiling personal settings, AVRCP for controlling the audio side of videos and A2DP for setting the headphones' audio distribution. Long Battery LIfe

Sony WH-1000XM4

Very comfortable, can wear for hours, and the noise cancelling is good. Can't compare with Bose etc as these are the first high quality NC ones I have owned. Adaptive Sound Control, a feature on XM3, detects your activity and adjusts the ambient sound settings to suit. However, the XM4 have a more intelligent version of the tech that can learn to recognise locations you frequently visit and tweak the sound accordingly. The overall shape and look of the Sony WH-1000XM3 clearly mirror the WH-1000XM2 and the 1000X before them. Any why not? The original was an elegant yet ergonomic design that looked and felt good. But there are a multitude of tweaks that you’ll miss at a glance. Sony WH-1000XM3 – The most important current model, the WH-1000XM3 has a headband-style design, and features wireless technology. But wireless connectivity isn't the main selling point with these headphones. Instead, their noise cancellation technology is what catches the eye. As Sony states, these headphones “take you even deeper into silence”, allowing listeners to focus on the music they love, without distractions. The critics have responded favourably, with Expert Review praising the sound quality and comfort provided by these elite headphones, which should be suitable for a general audience. I have had the WH-1000XM3 for over a year now. Was initially disappointed with the sound - it felt muffled - but have got used to it or maybe I have managed to tweak the equaliser settings to find ones I like more.

I tried the Optimizer on the ground and the Headphones Connect app gave me a reading of 1.0 atm (standard atmosphere). When I tried it again at 35,000ft in the air, the reading dropped down to 0.8 atm. Clearly the headphones thought there was a difference, but I didn’t hear the NC behave any differently.

The three songs I’ve referenced above couldn’t be more different, which should serve to demonstrate just how versatile the Sony WF-1000XM4 are. They sound great, no matter what you’re listening to.

The over-ear design and the integrated noise-canceling shields external noise sufficiently for my taste. The sound is very balanced, copes with different music styles and can also be customized via app. The wearing comfort is also convincing: I tested several models from other manufacturers in advance and found the perfect fitting headphones for me in the WH-1000XM3 - the pads in the earpiece are incredibly soft and I never had a disturbing feeling even when wearing them for a long time. Only the Sony are not waterproof, but this is not a real disadvantage for me personally, because I use my in-ears out. Conclusion: I would buy the Sony WH-1000XM3 again and again! While the headphones have a strong feature set, from fast-charging to support for the Google Assistant, their party piece is improved noise cancellation. This, as you’ll see if you read further, is a serious rival to the best that Bose can offer. Sony WH-1000XM3 review: Price and competition The WH-1000XM3 also features a new charging system. The old micro-USB charging port has gone, replaced with the new USB-C standard. That’s a good decision, primarily as adopters of Android smartphones can now pull double duty with just one charging cable. Although USB-C is a welcome addition, it appears this is just for charging – I couldn’t find a way to use it for music as you can on B&W headphones. All that effort has paid off, because the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones offer a clear sonic upgrade over the preceding pair, to the extent that the M2s, which we loved at the time, sound closed-in and almost dull by comparison. The headphones shed about 1 ounce (22 grams) off their predecessors' design. That might not seem like a big deal, but considering you’ll be wearing these for an extended period of time like, say, a transcontinental flight, every ounce helps.

Sony hits the high notes with its third-generation noise-cancelling wireless headphones; these are the best wireless ANC headphones around

I had a similar experience with it while using the WF-1000XM4 as I did with the WH-1000XM4. Some songs benefit from the improved positioning of audio cues but it’s rather hit-and-miss and can feel a bit forced. It is very disappointing that you cannot use the equalizer with the high quality LDAC Bluetooth codec.I hope that Sony will solve this very bad issue soon. Further controls and customisation options are available via the Headphones Connect app, available for Android and iOS. The options contained within aren’t terribly useful, but if you want to tweak how much noise-cancelling is deployed for certain activities, or disable the auto-off feature, this is where you need to do it. Sony's headphone collection offers a wide range of cutting edge audio technology, from gym-friendly wire-free in the ear models, to heavy duty wraparound headphones that will make your favourite albums sound better than ever. But this quality comes at a price, especially at the top of the Sony range. Thankfully, there are always ways to save on audio upgrades.