Review: Sony's WH-1000XM3 Headphones are the Best Noise-Canceling Cans You Can Get

[svendobbelaere]

From what I can tell, USB-C is only for charging, not audio. Anybody who owns these can clarify?
The B&O H9i for instance can be plugged into a MacBook with USB-C and used for audio, which these xm3 cannot, unless I'm mistaken?

 

[ignatius345]

The Sony WH-1000MX3 headphones come in beige or black, cost $349.99

Ouch! These sound like they're amazing, but for now I think my good old Bose QC25s are "good enough" and still work wonders on airliners and other noisy places.
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You actually still take phone calls? FaceTime Audio is the way to go.

FaceTime Audio is great but you don't always get to choose how people call you -- and if you can believe it there are actually people who make calls on other kinds of phones. Shocker, I know.

 

[ahostmadsen]

- don't understand the problems with connecting...mine always connects to the last device it was connected to (assuming it's turned on)...i use mine at home mostly with my AppleTV.

And what if you want to connect to another device? Mayhem ensues...

Unbelievable that Sony could not at least have made a button press cycle through paired devices.

This is why I buy Apple devices whenever possible. The software is well thought out, and it mostly just works. With Sony... My Sony mirrorless camera is a great piece of hardware, but UI for the camera is just hopeless.

 

[JustinM80]

Ouch! These sound like they're amazing, but for now I think my good old Bose QC25s are "good enough" and still work wonders on airliners and other noisy places.
[doublepost=1553893471][/doublepost]
FaceTime Audio is great but you don't always get to choose how people call you -- and if you can believe it there are actually people who make calls on other kinds of phones. Shocker, I know.

If someone I know calls me, I usually tell them I can’t hear them and then we used FaceTime audio. Shocker I know.
[doublepost=1553894053][/doublepost]

...which you yourself freely admitted are not anywhere online, making it somewhat difficult to do so.

I guess it's my fault for not having a Grammy award winning master engineer as a father; that's one thing that can't be changed. Your conceit, however, definitely can be. It's possible to impart facts without belittling people.

It’s possible but highly unlikely.

 

[ShinySteelRobot]

Do these have the boomy, exaggerated bass like the previous model? That’s a showstopper for me.

If you don't like the bass, just spend 2 minutes in Sony's "Headphones" app on iOS or Android app to tweak the sound equalizer to your liking. Easy peasy.

 

[rodrigolopez]

From what I can tell, USB-C is only for charging, not audio. Anybody who owns these can clarify?
The B&O H9i for instance can be plugged into a MacBook with USB-C and used for audio, which these xm3 cannot, unless I'm mistaken?

USBC is only for charging, yep.

Just for the record:
I have a Seinheiser Momentum 2 over ear, and as “premium” as they are, super umcofortable after a while. So i left them collecting dust.

Then i have the bose qc35, greatest headphones I owned, I used them a looot, super comfortable, a little med/treble sound, but nicee.
a month ago, the pads were all desintegrated and the exterior suffered pretty much as well, of normal usage for 2 years though (50usd for replace pads officially). So, being so expensive i had my doubts about it and, tried the sony wh1000 mx3 in a store and, actually like it... the NC was impressive with the demo at the booth, and it felt pretty “powerful” and immersive, and not umcofortable (it gives more pressure on the head compared to bose, but depends on sizes i guess)
So after a month using them, i agree with most comments here, is a little bassy, and i think u take full advantage if u use it on android, only for the sony codec instead of AAC. Works fine on iOS, but i feel i am missing some volume maybe, compared to my initial experience (unrelated to the codec thing)

I also have the Airpods, which is my obvious goto for common usage.

Anyway, Bose and Sony did an amazing job....

 

[NickName99]

If you don't like the bass, just spend 2 minutes in Sony's "Headphones" app on iOS or Android app to tweak the sound equalizer to your liking. Easy peasy.

Hmm, so I take it they have boomy, exaggerated bass like the previous model.

 

[rodrigolopez]

Hmm, so I take it they have boomy, exaggerated bass like the previous model.

Yep a little exaggerated. But, billy jean in flac, booms...

 

[mrcoop]

Has anyone any experience of using these for ipad video audio? Is there any lip sync issues at all?

 

[dilbert99]

The thing no one talks about with these NC headphones is that you also have to be able to convince the flight attendants that they’re actually wired headphones on many flights.

That sounds strange, planes I have been on allow iPads which are also bluetooth devices.
The sony headphones have an optional cable too.
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Has anyone any experience of using these for ipad video audio? Is there any lip sync issues at all?

I use the XM2 and haven't noticed any lip sync issues.
[doublepost=1553904696][/doublepost]

I went with the Bose about the time these Sony’s came on the market. I’m disappointed not to have the best noise cancelling (Sony seems to win this on all the reviews) but I don’t think I could put up with the emphasis on bass I’ve read about ( though I can’t know without trying them ), and I’ve read consistently about Sony poor phone call quality which isn’t mentioned here(?) Reading about the poor device switching I’m happier with my choice now but would still love to try the Sony’s to find out for myself what they’re like

Personally, I don't think they are bass heavy (XM2). My wife usually mentions the poor call quality of being able to hear me, don't know if this has improved any in the latest model.
As for device switching, I switch between my iPad and iPhone and while annoying that even Apple can't communicate between both devices to choose which one syncs (I guess they want to have one differential for their own products), it is quick to change via settings - iPad - disconnect option, iPhone - reconnect option. Takes me about 15s to swap over audio.

 

[Altis]

Has anyone any experience of using these for ipad video audio? Is there any lip sync issues at all?

I have the 2nd-gen and when paired to my iPhone, the latency for video is unnoticeable. If that helps.

I'm tempted to get the 3rd gen and pass the 2nd gen on to my SO. They're probably my favourite tech purchase in years.

 

[ApeBot]

I purchased a pair of these and I can safely say they have the best noise cancelling on the market today. Sound wise i also think they are as good as if not better than the Bose, but that is in the ears of the beholder.
I thought they were brilliant...

But and this is a big one for me.. anytime I answered a call, the person on the other end complained about the voice quality.. so much so I had to switch to the handset or my AirPods to continue the call. I did a bit of research and found many other people with the same problem .. there’s even videos on YouTube demonstrating the problem.

I got so sick of it I eventually took them back and got the Bose QC35 II. QC35 handle calls perfectly and I spend about 3 hours a day on calls. FML.

In all honesty, I do miss these headphones.. but the angst and anxiety of answering a call on them still gives me nightmares.

Make sure you test calling in the store before you buy.

 

[havanahjoe]

How are they with phone calls? I've had the XM2s for a while and they're awful as a headset. People can't hear me properly
[doublepost=1553947544][/doublepost]

I purchased a pair of these and I can safely say they have the best noise cancelling on the market today. Sound wise i also think they are as good as if not better than the Bose, but that is in the ears of the beholder.
I thought they were brilliant...

But and this is a big one for me.. anytime I answered a call, the person on the other end complained about the voice quality.. so much so I had to switch to the handset or my AirPods to continue the call. I did a bit of research and found many other people with the same problem .. there’s even videos on YouTube demonstrating the problem.

I got so sick of it I eventually took them back and got the Bose QC35 II. QC35 handle calls perfectly and I spend about 3 hours a day on calls. FML.

In all honesty, I do miss these headphones.. but the angst and anxiety of answering a call on them still gives me nightmares.

Make sure you test calling in the store before you buy.

I was just wondering about this. I have the second gen and this is my only issue with them. They are useless for phone calls, which is a shame. Thankfully I rarely need to be on a call when I travel, but I need to have another pair of headphones just for calls elsewhere

 

[Harry619]

After purchasing 4 weeks ago with a recent FW update, everyone that Ive spoken to over my Samsung S9+ has heard me clearly, they do also hear the surrounding environment but its clear and they've said that they have noticed a big difference between the old and new firmware updates

How are they with phone calls? I've had the XM2s for a while and they're awful as a headset. People can't hear me properly
[doublepost=1553947544][/doublepost]

I was just wondering about this. I have the second gen and this is my only issue with them. They are useless for phone calls, which is a shame. Thankfully I rarely need to be on a call when I travel, but I need to have another pair of headphones just for calls elsewhere

It would be nice to have the option, but I think there are pros and cons to both. I own the Bose SoundSport headphones (love them more than the AirPods), and I don’t like how they auto connect to all the devices they’ve been paired to. If I’m at home I usually have to go into the Bose Connect app and disconnect from what I’m not using, which isn’t all that different from the occasional repairing.

Use the NFC tap to switch different devices, works great and is super easy

 

[CE3]

After 5 minutes with them on I knew they weren’t for me. Best Buy had them on display, so I listened to the demo tracks, too. I should've believed my ears then. Now I have to return.

I wasn’t impressed with the sound quality. The low, mid and high frequencies felt unbalanced, and the songs seemed to lack a lot of stereo separation. Yes, I felt like there was a lot of bass, but I also didn’t feel like I was getting a full range of low end frequencies, either. Not worth $349 to my ears, but a lot of people seem to love the sound.

This was my first time trying noise canceling headphones. I think I was half expecting a super tight fit around the ears that sucks all the noise out, but these were lightweight, airy, and very comfortable. I also tried the Bose Quiet Comfort headphones on display, and I agree that Sony has a slight edge in the NC department. I liked the design of the XM3 better.. they look like they will wear and age well. The Bose demo units were looking pretty scuffed up, but I preferred the sound quality, and the NC is still very good.

 

[diamond3]

How can you have an entire article dedicated to the mx3’s and not mention one of the most glaring cons of buying them:

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbre.../sony-wh-1000xm3-headphones-cold-weather-bugs
https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/portable-audio/sony-wh-1000xm3-muting-in-the-cold/td-p/2534059


There are numerous reports of them being almost unusable outside in the cold. It should be at least mentioned on an ‘in-depth’ review. That was the one thing alone that made me go with the Bose. I wanted to get the Sony with the usb-c port and the other benefits mentioned in the article, but that was a dealbreaker.

 

[Le Big Mac]

The air of pretension is real with that one. Almost makes the esoterica a little less palatable. Cursory google search sorta backs his claim of 1975 though. The wiki on the MDR V6 has a lineage list. Says the 7506 was intro'd in 1975. Grain of salt and all with wikipedia.

Internet debates between people who insist they are absolutely correct and people who refuse to accept another poster's correctness without verifiability on the Internet (which is always correct) are the best debates!

 

[CE3]

I ended up getting the Bose QC 35 ii and I'm loving them. The sound quality of the Bose is better and more balanced to my ears, and they're very comfortable. But whether it's Bose or Sony, both have very good noise cancellation, and after a few days of experiencing the benefits of this technology, now I see (or hear) that's really what makes these types of headphones worth the investment. When I use them even with little to no audio volume it really helps keep me calm, focused, and tunes out unnecessary distractions. *big thumbs up*

 

[svendobbelaere]

USBC is only for charging, yep.

Thanks for confirming that! Personally, these are not for me, then, but no big deal

 

[I7guy]

I ended up getting the Bose QC 35 ii and I'm loving them. The sound quality of the Bose is better and more balanced to my ears, and they're very comfortable. But whether it's Bose or Sony, both have very good noise cancellation, and after a few days of experiencing the benefits of this technology, now I see (or hear) that's really what makes these types of headphones worth the investment. When I use them even with little to no audio volume it really helps keep me calm, focused, and tunes out unnecessary distractions. *big thumbs up*

I got the QC 35 ii on sale after the XM3s' were released. Each has their pluses and minues. The big plus for the qc 35 ii is the ability to pair with multiple devices. And according to varied reviews, they have the edge in long wear comfort.

 

[torana355]

I got the QC 35 ii on sale after the XM3s' were released. Each has their pluses and minues. The big plus for the qc 35 ii is the ability to pair with multiple devices. And according to varied reviews, they have the edge in long wear comfort.

I have the Sony XM3's and the one thing that annoys me is the inability to pair to multiple devices at once. However the NC is class leading so i can deal with the downsides. They are also very bass heavy, even for a basshead like me.

 

[cynics]

I have the Beats Studio 3 and the Bose QC35 II. I would like to get a pair of the Sony's (I have a friend who has them and I like them) but I don't have a need for another set of headphones. I prefer the sound of the Beats with NC off and the comfort and NC of the Bose. I rarely use NC though because I just like being aware of my surroundings even when I know I'm alone. Using the Sony's nothing blew me away, at least passed the point of the Beats and Bose which I feel sound fantastic so that isn't an insult.

I use the Beats at home, Bose at work and while traveling.

 

[ososX]

The MDR 7506’s were released in Japan in 1975. Just some food for thought. So they are over 3 decades old. Get the facts .
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The Bose app is terrible. What’s wrong with you? There is that third party app that turns the QCII’s into the garden of Eden though. But I won’t mention any names here today.

That's unfair ... I searched the App Store and couldn't find a third party app for Bose QC35 that received a high score (aside from Bose's app).