Sony WF-1000XM3 Review: Wireless Noise-Canceling Earbud Heaven

It’s a particular shame as the audio quality from the WF-1000XM3’s will make you want to keep them in as long as possible. There’s plenty of bass, while the treble is crisp and piping; better still, because of the ANC I found I didn’t have to turn the volume up as far as I did with the AirPods and Powerbeats Pro, which meant less strain on my ears during extended listening.

Sony’s app offers a DSEE HX audio processing mode, which promises to upscale compressed music into something more dynamic. Usually, if I’m honest, I’m skeptical of such systems, but with the right track the WF-1000XM3’s did benefit from it being switched on. Pop and electronic music, along with rap and RnB all got an extra boost at both the top and bottom end, the soundstage seemingly broader and more engaging.

Orchestral music could get a little overwhelming with DSEE HX active, though happily you can just as easily switch it off. It’s worth noting that while Sony supports the SBC and AAC codecs, iOS devices will only use the latter. There’s no LDAC or apt-X support, either.

The Headphones Connect app does offer EQ control, however, which is welcome compared to the like-it-or-lump-it sound profile of other earbuds. With AirPods or Powerbeats Pro you’re basically at the mercy of Apple or Beats’ tuning. Sony allows you to switch between preset modes for different musical styles, or tweak the frequency levels manually along with adjusting the bass boost.

While you’re listening, you can control playback using the right touchpad. A single tap toggles play/pause, while a double-tab skips forward and a triple-tap skips back. If a call comes in, a double-tap answers – and then ends – it. Tapping and holding triggers your smartphone assistant of choice.

What you can’t do, oddly, is adjust the volume from the WF-1000XM3’s. For that, I either needed to ask that aforementioned assistant, or control it manually on my phone. The earbuds do at least automatically pause music playback when you take them out of your ears, and resume it when you put them back.

As for voice calls, unlike their predecessors, the WF-1000XM3’s benefit from ANC there too. Noise suppression, meanwhile, helps isolate the frequencies of your voice from background sound. It worked well in a busy airport, callers reporting that they could hear me with no problems, while I could hear them just fine. Even when background noise got obnoxiously high, though my voice apparently sounded a little processed, what I was saying was still understandable.