Sony WH-1000XM3 Review: It’s A Studio On Your Ears
March 18, 2020Type: Wireless
Driver: 40mm, dome type
Impedance: 47 ohm (1kHz, wired mode)
Frequency Response: 4Hz – 40,000Hz
Functionality: touch sensitive surfaces, Bluetooth 4.2
Rating: 9/10
Music can only be truly appreciated in its unfiltered form. The creative process involved in producing it, is extremely time consuming. In fact, you would be doing artists a great disservice, by listening to their content on substandard equipment.
And that is why, over the years, I’ve spent a substantial amount of money on headphones. This is a vice I don’t mind having. And the reason is, listening to my favorite music on a well calibrated pair of headphones invokes a sense of joie de vivre – irrespective of the kind of day I’ve had, my mind is able to drift off to a distant and joyful place.
Each note, has its own unique and expressive nature. And when they all culminate in a complex yet soothing crescendo, the experience is nothing short of – breathtaking! If you’ve never experienced this, it isn’t due to your taste in music, rather, its your choice of headphones.
My ‘cans’ collection have been predominantly made up of good quality wired headphones. Why? Because they offer an unadulterated listening experience, devoid of transmission issues or electronic disturbances due to inferior hardware. The music is reproduced in an almost perfect way.
My favorite of the lot is the Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro. It offers a neutral experience, pin-sharp clarity coupled with a moderate amount of bass. It is a configuration that can accommodate a wide range of music genres. And as such, I’ve haven’t felt the need to ditch them for anything else.
That was true, until I got my hands on the Sony WH-1000XM3. See, I believed that wireless headphones was a form of technology best suited to the philistines. The sound quality is usually woefully inferior when compared to the good ol’ fashion wired ones.
In addition to this, wireless headphones cost considerably more, in some instances, twice as much as their antiquated counter parts. Why would anyone pay more for less? Well, Sony just provided a justification for that in the from of the WH-1000XM3.
Yes, it’s a mouthful, and I hope Sony summons the fortitude to change its model nomenclature. But, there’s nothing muddling about the WH-1000XM3’s performance. Weighing just 255g, the ear cups fold flat, making it extremely portable and convenient to carry.
On a full charge (3 hours charging time) Sony’s cans offers nearly 30 hours of battery life, and that’s with Noise Cancellation turned on! In fact, it took several days before I finally wore it down and was forced to recharge it. This is great news to those that are constantly on the move.
The Performance
The earcups do well to form a perfect seal between your ears and the outside world. There’s barely any ambient noises that are able to make it through. And once Active Noise Cancellation is turned on, the world just – disappears.
It’s a surreal experience, having the whole world pass you by without ever hearing it. Yes, Sony’ tech is that good. It does an admirable job of isolating your ears from what’s going around you. This, in essence, is the epitome of pure listening pleasure.
But, by lightly tapping the right cup, the NC is turned off and the headphones actively allows ambient sounds to pass through, to your ears.This negates the need to indignantly remove an earcup when responding to unwelcome conversation.
But the main party piece has to be its sound quality. As an audiophile, I can attest to this device’s performance. Clear and concise sound waves resonate from each cup, wafting into your ears as though you were at a live event.
Besides clarity, the 40mm drivers offer a good dollop of bass. Mind, it isn’t as heavy as that of the Beats Studio3, but the sound reproduction is tastefully executed. Even hip-hop fans won’t notice anything amiss, with the WH-1000XM3’s sound quality – it’s a testament to its range.
That said, the experience isn’t perfect. As good as these headphones are, it’s no match for high-end wired ones from the likes of Sony, Sennheiser and Ars-Technica. There is a tangible difference in sound quality. It’s noticeable, but only to audio snobs like myself.
Wireless technology still needs more time to mature to a point where Bluetooth headphones can stand shoulder to shoulder with its wired cousins. But the convenience that they offer, the absence of an intrusive wire running down to your pocket – it’s invaluable.
Should I Buy One?
As much as I love my Beyerdynamic cans, i loathe the ‘clunkiness’ and ever present, thick audio cable. But, with Sony’s WH-1000XM3’s, that’s a non-issue. The elegantly designed cups, slender build and tasteful color scheme, make it easy to carry and aesthetically appealing to both men and women.
Its sound quality is also eerily close to that of good wired headphones. It’s basically a case of having your cake and eating it at the same time. This is an amazing device, bound to satisfy a multitude of audiophiles seeking a wireless music experience, and as expensive as it is, it’s worth every penny.
