I can't wait to tell you about these.

 

When you come across something that does everything you ever wanted it to, you have to shout it from the rooftops.

 

Here goes...

 

 

 

The WH-1000XM3 wireless noise cancelling headphones from Sony were a love-at-first-listen affair from the second I put them on.

 

Never before have I worn headphones that feel this good, straight out of the box. The padding, the balance, the weight (or lack of it) all combine perfectly to achieve a fit so comfortable I honestly didn't want to take them off. I'm not making this up. I experienced waves of pleasure simply because I could hardly feel these things against my ears or head.

 

The headband has been subtly but significantly redesigned since previous models. It seems more robust but more padded and has a more elliptical shape which leads to a much more secure, snug fit. As for the ear cups themselves - it's like pouring warm butter over your ears... except not gross. Terrible, terrible metaphor. The cushions are the softest yet, which doesn't just mean sublime comfort, but a tighter seal - the first part of Sony's masterful noise cancelling solution.

 

They've developed a whole new chip dedicated solely to keeping noise out and it's pretty astounding. Whether it's office hustle and bustle, traffic or a crying baby on a plane, these things are all but eliminated as soon as you turn the WH-1000XM3's on. If you find this a little too isolating, you can switch to ambient mode, either by pressing the dedicated button on the left cup, or by merely placing your hand over the right cup.

 

I've been told by my 15 year-old monster Sony isn't a cool brand like it used to be, but I think these headphones look pretty cool - either in black or silver. Weirdly, the silver isn't silver at all - I'd describe it as "nude" - kind of a neutral, natural colour that seems to match pretty much everything. They fold flat into their own compact carry case and come with an audio cable for hardwired listening, an aeroplane adapter and a very welcome USB Type-C charging cable, making these much more compatible with late model phone chargers.

 

The battery life, which was already astounding on the previous generation, has been significantly improved again. I wore the WH-1000XM3's on a recent trip to Sydney - that means hours of airport time as well as flight time - and got there and back without coming even slightly close to running them flat. House of Cards Season 6 sounded amazing by the way. Using Sony's Headphones Connect app, you can customise your sound preference in all kinds of ways, not just the EQ. For example, because I was watching video on my phone, I was able to move the focus to the front. The surround effects were truly surreal.

 

As far as music appreciation goes, I'd previously accused Sony of being a bit bass-obsessed, to the detriment of a more full-frequencied soundscape. Even at the default settings, they seem to have addressed this with most tracks sounding far less hollow and boomy. If you're still not satisfied, the app really does have heaps of options for tweaking things the way you want them. You can even use it to activate Google Assistant so you can ask your headphones for a weather forecast or to call your mum.

 

I found phone quality to be just as clear, by the way. As you would expect, the WH-1000XM3's are packed with the very latest in bluetooth connectivity tech.

 

The only flaw to be found on these otherwise flawless bits of ear gear is Sony's insistence on gesture controls rather than physical buttons. Swiping up or down on the right cup controls volume, forward or back skips tracks, double taps play and pause. Theoretically nifty, but in practice, it takes quite a while to train yourself to get your swipes in exactly the right places. What's wrong with a couple of extra buttons?

 

That aside, the WH-1000XM3's are simply the best. In my job, I have to wear headphones for hours on end and these make that a pleasure, not a chore.

 

 

Click here for more information and pricing on the Sony WH-1000XM3 wireless noise cancelling headphones.