In 2016, Sony’s MDR-1000X came out of left-field to challenge Bose’s dominance in over-ear noise-cancelling wireless headphones. They proved a big success and a solid rival to the finest wireless headphones Bose offered. The other design change is the new flush fit that changes out the old padding on the bridge for something a bit more cushiony. This makes these over-ear headphones more comfortable, and less dorky-looking when they’re on your head. Sony’s also deepened the earcup and changed out the silver accents on the side of the headphones for a stylish copper tone instead. The automatic power-off feature to save battery when no audio signal is detected, can now be adjusted. Sony’s Headphones Connect app allows you prolong the amount of time you have before the power cuts off. Those who just want the NC without listening to music can turn the auto-off timer off altogether. I can confirm this is great for napping on planes.

Essentially, there’s nothing to complain about here. The clarity and detail offered means that a recording’s sonic flaws can become exposed, but that’s hardly the Sonys’ fault. The generally crisp, sparkly treble is ample compensation as far as we’re concerned.The Sony WF-1000XM4 are a breeze to set up, particularly if you’re using an Android phone. They support Google Fast Pair so all you need to do is take the buds out of their case and you’ll receive a pop-up prompting you to connect them to your device. It worked perfectly with my Realme 6i, but pairing them with my iPhone 8 was hardly a chore – you simply connect as normal via the Bluetooth menu on the settings screen. The WH-1000XM3’s noise cancellation is so good it feels a little supernatural. Whatever magic Sony has put into the QN1 chip, it absolutely works. There is no exaggeration in Sony’s claims of improved mid to high frequency handling.

The WH1000XM3 also adapts noise cancellation automatically for your current activity, cleverly, and this is genuinely useful – it lets in a little bit of nearby traffic noise when you’re walking in town, or chatter directed at you when in an office. You can tweak each one for preference, or turn it off. What’s more, the buds incorporate a couple of the best features from their over-ear stablemates, the Sony WH-1000XM4. Speak-to-Chat has been added, as has the ability for the buds to learn about places you visit and automatically switch noise-cancelling profiles to suit those environments. Sony has further improved its noise-cancelling tech, which was already superior to the majority of rivals when the M2s launched. Sony says it has been improved right across the frequency range, but that the biggest gains are in the mid-to-high area.Customisation – The Sony Headphone App makes the XM3 fully customisable when it comes to sound. But the Bose comes in more colours. 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. Same when trying to get it to connect via Bluetooth with my Sony TV - just never appears on the TV in the list of available devices. A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile), AVRCP (Audio Video Remote Control Profile), HSP (Headset Profile), HFP (Hands Free Profile)