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. A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile), AVRCP (Audio Video Remote Control Profile), HSP (Headset Profile), HFP (Hands Free Profile) I’ve set the ‘walking’ option to 50% NC so I can have some situational awareness while going around town on foot (and not risk being run over). I want the full NC treatment on noisy trains, however. The automation works: soon after getting on a train, I hear the headphones go ‘ping’ and ramp up the silence.

The older XM3 feature the DSEE HX chip, which upscales compressed audio files such as MP3 to hi-res quality in real-time. The newer DSEE Extreme does that too, but it adds Sony's Edge-AI artificial intelligence to the mix, which claims to allow for a more accurate sound from these files too. The Sony WH-1000XM3 comes with a generous selection of extras. You get a semi-hard, fabric-covered case, 3.5mm analogue and USB charging cables, and a double-pronged airline adapter.Each iteration of the 1000X has improved on what came before, but Sony hit gold dust with the WH-1000XM3 combining excellent sound and noise cancellation into a formidable headphone.

I took the test into the office to face a different set of audio challenges: the collective keyboard clattering and the HR-worthy comments my colleagues fling at one another. With the 1000XM3 on, I didn’t hear a word of it. Adaptive sound control was available on the Sony WF-1000XM4’s predecessors but, this time, you can have the buds switch settings based on your location as well. So both headphones offer sensational noise-cancelling, and both feature 40mm drivers – but what about serious audio ability? Are the XM4 worth the extra money? In word, yes, and here's why... Both the XM3 and XM4 are five-star performers but in our WH-1000XM4 review, we noted that their "power, punch and sense of poise" make their forebears sound a touch unrefined in comparison. That being said, the XM4 are a clear improvement over the XM3 across the board and although no longer the best noise-cancelling headphones (thanks, in the main to the WH-1000XM5) there still seems to be plenty of life left in the model.

While noise cancellation has enjoyed some solid improvements, audio quality remains similar to what we heard on the 1000XM2… which might have been more of a disappointment if the M2 weren’t such an impressive pair of wireless headphones in their own right. As far as cutting edge headphones go, the key match-up here is the Sony WH-1000XM3 vs Bose QuietComfort 35 II. Both are advanced wire-free devices with excellent sound quality, and both incorporate what the manufacturers claim are path-breaking noise cancellation technologies. That's why the QC35 is part of the “Quiet Comfort” collection. I find that the latest model has really too much bass. Really, really too much.If you listen to something acoustic, like a piano or a guitar, the sound is not very natural.

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 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.Much like their predecessors, the Sony WH-1000XM3 are premium wireless over-the-ear headphones. They have active noise cancellation (ANC), Bluetooth and near-field communication (NFC) connectivity. Der zweite Nachteil ist, dass man nicht mehrere Quellen benutzen kann. Das kann schon mal nerven, wenn man mehrere Rechner hat oder zwischen iPad und Notebook umschalten möchte. Das liegt sicherlich an dem verbauten Bluetooth Standard, der es nicht erlaubt. 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.