Sony - WH1000XM2 Premium Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones - Gold

I've used these for several days now in different environment, and purchased for $199 (for the "full price" of $350, the MX3 would be better) I can say for the price I paid, there are no better headphones- * Sony app works well on my Moto G5 Plus and on my wife's Pixel3 * Noise cancelling- excellent! Also like the "opposite feature" in that you can intentionally amply your surrounding, which is great for some situations (DID YOU HEAR ME !! YES WIFE!) The Sony app does let you customize a lot of settings, including the Noise Cancelling (NC) amount in different situations. Also the equalizer function is nice. Now, plugged in as a set of wired headphones..... oh boy. These are great for that purpose. Keep in mind that you can buy better sounding headphones that will be permanently wired, but they will not be noise cancelling. Turning them on, turning on NC, or not using it- does not affect the audio quality. KEEP IN MIND that while used as a wired headset, there is no more Sony app to help you- you're at the mercy of your source! I'm finding myself jamming out more on the work computer and home computer while connected with a wire. In summary- IF YOU CAN GET THESE FOR THE $199 PRICE SOMEHOW DO IT!! However, if you cannot, for $350 I did try on the MX3 in store, and they were more comfortable- with larger earpads.

Excellent sound, noise canceling is on point, when you put them on its like your in your own world cause no outside noise, easy to connect, like the pouch that comes to store it in and comfortable around the ears.

I work with commercial pressure washers 21hp to 27 hp and they make a lot noise I was using before the beats solo 2 wireless they sound pretty good but still hear the noise of the gun when I wash ,now i get the Sony - 1000XM2 Premium Wireless Noise Cancelling what a big difference I can hear my music and the noise it makes the gun when I wash, i hear but is low i can concentrate on the music and Not on the noise of the machine

I was waiting for an offer on these heasphones. I bought them for thanksgiving and they are really great in both comfort wise and sound quality wise.

I like all the options built into this set. Long battery life Great sound. Just what I wanted in a set of headphones.

Let's just say that I am honestly blown away by the noise cancelling on this headphones. Holy crap Sony has done it. I put them on before even playing any music and I jumped for a second, I was sitting next to my air conditioner and kids where playing loud as heck outside of my house, I put this bad boys on and is like the world ended. Nothing but silence.

Let's be real: if you're looking at these headphones, you've also researched the Bose QC35. I've now used both and I've grown to love them each in different ways. Here's my take on the Sony WH-1000XM2 headphones: BUILD QUALITY AND COMFORT (4 Stars): - Sturdy build quality. The black version has a gun metal finish that looks really sleek. The headphones feel substantial and don't squeak or make any noise when you flex them. - The plush padding around the 1000XM2's ear cups is very soft, but it's not as plush as the QC35's ear cups. Furthermore, the QC35's ear cups seem to stay cooler for a longer period of time compared to Sony's. - Compared to the QC35s, the 1000XM2s have smaller ear cups. If you have larger ears, the 1000XM2s may not encase your whole ear and the part of the ear cup might rest on your ear lobe. - This will vary from person to person, but I prefer the feel of the QC35s on my head over the 1000XM2s. The QC35s feel lighter and offer more padding on the headband. But the 1000XM2s are also very comfortable -- just not AS comfortable for me. - Advantage: Bose, but I've used the Sony 1000XM2s for many hours and they never felt uncomfortable or annoying. NOISE CANCELLATION (5 Stars): - The 1000XM2s offer several two of noise cancellation: Normal and Ambient Sound. With Ambient Sound mode switched on, you can choose to allow some external sounds to filter into your music so you're not completely cut off from the world. Likewise, you can also choose to allow only nearby voices to come through. - All modes work perfectly, and it's by far the best noise cancellation I've ever experienced from any headphones. The QC35s are great, but the amount of customization offered by the 1000XM2s brings noise cancellation to a whole new level. - There is a button on the left ear cup that allows you to quickly adjust the noise cancellation settings. - Advantage: Sony, mainly because of the incredible level of customization that is offered. FEATURES AND OPTIONS (5 Stars): - Sony offers an app called Headphones Connect for iOS and Android that offers noise cancellation control, sound position control, equalizer settings, and much more. By comparison, Bose's app doesn't offer nearly as much control. - The 1000XM2s have a feature called Quick Attention, which is probably my favorite part of these headphones. If someone starts talking to you and you want to hear what they're saying without pausing your music or taking the headphones off, you can simply cover the touch pad of the right ear cup. The headphones will automatically lower the volume, reduce noise cancellation, and allow you to hear the voices and sounds around you. I love it and it's great for being able to talk with a flight attendant or seatmate on the plane. - The QC35s use a standard 3-button setup for volume and device control. On the 1000XM2s the entire right ear cup is a touch pad. You swipe up or down for volume control, left or right for track control, double-tap to play or pause, and a long press to activate Siri/Google Assistant. It's extremely intuitive and easy to use. - Battery life on the 1000XM2s is rated at 30 hours, compared to the 20 hours of the QC35s. - Advantage: Sony -- better control and customization, Quick Attention, easy-to-use touch pad, and better battery life. Hard to argue with any of that. SOUND QUALITY (4.5 Stars): - I'm no expert on audio quality or "highs" vs. "lows" and all of that lingo. But to me, the 1000XM2s sound excellent. Out of the box, they seem to deliver a bit too much bass for my taste, but that was easily adjusted through Sony's app. Vocals are clear and crisp. - Vocal and instrument separation is also great. Percussion instruments are not drowned out; vocals sit nicely in the foreground of music. - Apart from the increased bass on the 1000XM2s, sound quality between the two headphones is very comparable. And I'm sure many people will appreciated the punchier bass on the 1000XMs. - Advantage: TIE, at least for me. ACCESSORIES (5 Stars): - Sony gives you: a hard travel case, a 3.5mm aux cable for a wired connection, a micro-USB cable for charging, and an airline adapter. All of the accessories are of a sturdy, premium quality. - Bose gives the same accessories, but with the new QC35II model, they appear to have removed the airline adapter. I've never used it anyways, so not a huge loss. - Advantage: TIE. OVERALL: Sony has delivered an amazing pair of headphones. The noise cancellation is arguably the best in the business. The level of customization offered is great for audiophiles. Additions like the touch pad and Quick Attention make these stand out even more in a crowded market. However, compared to the QC35s, the comfort of the 1000XM2s leaves something to be desired. Bottom line: if comfort is your main concern, try on the offerings from Bose and Sony before committing to a purchase. If cutting-edge features and noise cancellation are important to you, you can't go wrong with Sony's WH-1000XM2 headphones.

Sony WH-1000XM2 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones - Black Premium Bluetooth Headphones w/Impressive Sound/NC Quality OVERALL: These are premium over-the-ear headphones that provide both excellent sound quality & excellent noise canceling (NC). They’re worth every penny of the modest investment required to purchase them. UNBOXING: I felt like I was opening a box that contained a nice piece of jewelry. Sony’s packaging set my expectations high from the start, & I wasn’t disappointed. This is my 3rd pair of Sony wireless headphones, & these are by far the most impressive. They’re beautiful, sleek, & understated, w/a finish that looks like a cross between gunmetal gray & black nickel. In addition to the ample padding, Sony upgraded the materials used for the headband & ear enclosures, resulting in a most comfortable fit, even after many hrs. of use. SOUND QUALITY: Sony’s Smart Listening w/Adaptive Sound Control auto-detects your activity, whether you’re flying, riding on the train or in the car, walking, or just waiting. Then it adjusts the ambient sound settings to ensure a fully immersive sound. For example, when I walk at the local college track, I can enjoy my music & podcasts while simultaneously maintaining awareness of everything & everyone around me, incl. other walkers/joggers who’re approaching from behind. And when I’m working on my laptop or my phone at the airport, I can still hear important boarding announcements w/reduced background noise. The Sony Headphones Connect App lets you customize your preferences for the finest definition & balance. And w/EQ adjustments, my music is taken to another whole level. But even before EQ tweaking, I experienced refined, smooth highs w/lots of detail, great mids, & good punchy bass. The powerful 40mm driver w/LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymer) diaphragm handles heavy beats & can reproduce a full range of frequencies up to 40kHz. And when I used the supplied 3.5mm wired connection to my laptop—wow! The Hi-Res Audio amplifier w/S-Master HX reduces distortion & reveals orchestral subtleties that I’ve never heard thru other headphones. And w/Sound Position Control, I can choose the direction that I want the sound to come from, just like w/a wireless speaker. So, if I’m sitting down w/a friend to my L & I want to move the music to my R, I can reposition the sound w/2 taps in the App. To control music playback, I just use the touch panel on the side of the headphones. I can change the music track, turn the volume up/down, & take/make calls by tapping or swiping the earcup panel w/my fingertip. And w/Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE HX), all my compressed digital music files (lossy MP3’s, MP4’s, & AACs) are upscaled so that the high ranges sound rich & clear, bringing them closer to the quality of Hi-Res Audio. Finally, Sony’s new LDAC audio coding technology transmits 3x more wireless data than conventional Bluetooth; so, I can enjoy the exceptional sound quality of Hi-Res Audio content like it’s meant to be heard w/a bit rate of up to 990kbps supported. NOISE CANCELING (NC): 5-star feature! Sony’s adaptive/dynamic digital NC is optimizable. Sony’s Sense Engine ambient noise control system gives you different settings to block out loud sounds while still allowing you to hear voices. The Sense Engine uses feedback microphones on the inside/outside of the earcups so that you can tune in/out of your music w/just a touch of the earcup. Auto-calibration software pings out test tones w/resulting adjustments to deliver optimal sound. Sony’s Personal Optimizing scans the side of your head to measure how good the seal is. It analyzes your personal characteristics (head size, glasses/sunglasses, hair thickness, etc.). Sony’s Atmospheric Pressure Optimizing uses an atmospheric pressure sensor in the L ear to measure the barometric pressure in your immediate surroundings. Otherwise, a shift in atmosphere can reduce the sensitivity of the mics used for NC & upset the frequency balance. Instead, when the sensor detects such changes in atmosphere, Sony’s software applies a filter to compensate. So, whether you’re on a train or flying at high altitude, you get optimized results. In my everyday real work world, the NC features of these premium headphones allow me to get lost in my work & remain oblivious to all the chatter & distracting noises outside my office. For anyone who works in close adjoining offices, & especially for anyone working in a cubicle, these are a must-have. With my previous headphones, I was sometimes forced to increase the volume to the ‘danger zone’ when in a loud environment, but not w/these. Now, I can keep my music at a consistent level whether entering/exiting loud rooms. And I love the “Quick Attention” feature! If someone needs to speak to you, just cup your hand over the R earpiece to mute what you’re listening to, & you’ll immediately hear the ambient sound & be able to engage in clear conversation. No more ripping off the headset or fumbling to mute your phone/laptop. Once the conversation is over, move your hand away, & the music, podcast, or broadcast volume returns to its previous level. HANDS-FREE PHONE CALLING: This was amazing. Even when I’m in a space w/heavy background noise, the caller on the other end sounds crystal clear to me, as though I’m listening to him in an enclosed sound booth. The call quality is so high, I wish could take every phone call this way. The microphones (on both ears) are very good. In my tests, every caller said that I could be heard clearly. APP: Sony’s mobile Headphones Connect App for Android/iOS w/Smart Listening technology works seamlessly w/the headset so that I can customize my headphones & adjust the level of NC/ambient sound that I want to hear. I can even disable NC entirely. The App works w/the accelerometers in your phone to determine whether you’re at rest (sitting/standing at your desk, etc.), in motion (walking; forget running w/these), or in transit (in a car/on a train)—& Sony’s Smart Auto-settings can adjust levels accordingly. Within the App, there are 4 different surround modes: Arena, Club, Outdoor Stage, & Concert Hall. I can also prioritize connection stability over sound quality (or vice versa) if I’m in an office or other environment in which there are competing wireless signals/devices. While the App allows me to do a lot of tweaking, I discovered that I’d often rather control the ambient sound manually, as the App seemed to lag ~10sec behind my changing activity or sound environment. Sometimes, the App even made a counterproductive change, & I’d have to change it back. But I’d still definitely download the App just for the benefits of the Equalizer. Note: The App works only w/your phone, not computers & Chromebooks, etc. INTERFACE: Simple, intuitive, & easy to use. Playback is controlled by the touchpad’s touch sensors built into the surface of the R earpiece. The new added texture on the surface is more tactile & makes swiping sideways to change tracks & sliding up/down to change volume more certain. Even the double-tap required to play/pause music feels better. And you can control your phone’s voice asst. w/a quick touch. Sony has even reduced the button count on the edge of the L earpiece so that both the Ambient Sound & NC features are controllable by just 1 button instead of 2. BLUETOOTH 4.1: I had no trouble switching between paired devices. There’s an NFC (Near-Field Communications) chip in the L ear for quick pairing. Just tap the L earcup w/your phone & it connects. No need to go thru the traditional Bluetooth menus to scan & select device. I get great reception & clarity at extended distances up to 33ft away. Supports HFP, HSP, A2DP, AVRCP Bluetooth profiles & even aptX HD & LDAC codecs for the phones that support it. CONNECTIVITY: Includes a 6ft 3.5mm cable for wired connectivity. COMFORT: Very comfortable, good cushioning, & light over-the-ear wear. Clamp force is just about right; they hold the sides of my head but don’t squeeze or feel vice-like. The texture of the outer earpiece covers is a little rougher than my last pair & helps the touch controls feel more tactile. CHARGING: Includes short 3ft. micro-USB charging cable for lithium-ion battery. Unfortunately, you can’t use Bluetooth while headphones are charging. After a 4hr initial charge, I got ~30hr of use over a 1wk period while in wireless mode w/NC enabled. You can get up to 40hr in wired mode. You can also get 70min of play from just a 10min quick-charge. To help conserve battery life, the headphones automatically power down after 5min of inactivity. CARRY CASE: The swivel designed earcups & cables fold neatly into the carry case for easy storage. AIRPLANE ADAPTER PLUG: Plug the cable jack into the airplane adapter plug for easy in-flight listening. CONS CONNECTIVITY: Sony needs to upgrade these headphones from the older micro-USB charging std. to the newer USB-C charging & USB-C audio pass-thru for USB-C smartphones. Also, these cans don’t offer true Bluetooth multi-pt. connectivity. These headphones can make an audio connection w/1 device & a simultaneous connection w/another device, but they can’t make 2 audio connections at the same time. So, if I want to connect my larger-display tablet (for, say, Skype or Facetime, etc.) & simultaneously connect my smaller-display phone for phone calls, I can’t enjoy mic-activated conversations w/both. One device will be connected in headphone mode (no mic) & the other will be connected in headset mode. Sony needs to add this capability in its next headphone iteration. INSTRUCTIONS: Although there’s a web-based interactive manual, the included instructions are so sparse that they’re practically non-existent. And not all of us speak electronics “iconography”.