Sony WH-1000XM3 vs. AirPods Max vs. Bose 700: Which is Best for You?

Overview of Sony WH-1000XM3 vs. AirPods Max vs. Bose 700

| #1  Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless Noise-Canceling Over-Ear Headphones

Google Users Rating: 4.7/5

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The Sony WH-1000XM3 were the best noise-cancelling headphones in the world for two years running – and while they've been surpassed by the new Sony WH-1000XM4, there's still loads to love about these over-ear cans.  The WH-1000XM3 shares many of the same hallmarks as the WH-1000XM4, such as outstanding ANC performance, 30-hour battery life with ANC enabled, and excellent sound quality. Battery life isn't the best on the market, but it's close, and they include fast charging, which means you won't have to wait long when your headphones do die. The only downside when it comes to the battery is that you can't listen and charge simultaneously.

ANC is the biggest reason to get the WH-1000XM3. The WH-1000XM3 virtually blocks out all noise when you have them on and work particularly well in situations like commuting on planes, trains, or buses. They do a stellar job of blocking out low-end noise and decently well with mid-range and treble noise, especially when you have audio playing. Audio quality is also good, the WH-1000XM4 can produce a dynamic and lively sound that lends itself perfectly to any music genre.  The Sony WH-1000XM3 also features aptX HD and Sony LDAC, two of the best ways to listen to hi-res music from your phone without a wire. Plus, all of Sony's former flagship ANC headphones offer both Google Assistant and Alexa support.

| #2  Apple AirPods Max Active Noise Cancellation Over-Ear Headphone

Google Users Rating: 4.5/5

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Assuming you are a keen Apple user, the AirPods Max is the best wireless noise-canceling headphones you can buy. It is ideal for iPhone users wanting seamless integration with iOS devices. The AirPods Max comes with active noise cancellation, superb audio quality, and a design that sets them apart from most noise-canceling headphones on the market. The design and build are solid and unmistakably Apple and they were comfortable too. As with other top-tier noise-canceling headsets, the AirPods Max uses hybrid active noise canceling for optimal noise cancellation. And the AirPods Max supports Adaptive EQ, which adjusts the frequency response in real-time, according to your environment and how the headset fits.

The kicker is that because they are baked with Apple's H1 chip, so they have all the same features as AirPods Pro, such as a transparency mode, support for spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, and an easy iPhone pairing. But they lack support for Hi-Res Audio codecs. Plus they are heavier than the other two headphones, so do take that into consideration if you are considering longer listening sessions or are sensitive to weight on your head. The AirPods Max is more expensive than the great majority of premium wireless noise-canceling headphones, so they probably aren't the best choice if you are an Android user.

| #3  Bose Headphones 700 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphone

Google Users Rating: 4.4/5

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The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 is the long-awaited successor to Bose's QuietComfort 35 II model. Not only does it have a sleek and attractive design, it combines that with excellent sound quality on calls and music. The Bose 700 don't fold into themselves for easy storing like their predecessors, the QuietComfort 35 II, but their stainless steel headband and soft cushioned speakers make them comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. Both its acoustics and digital signal processing have been redesigned. There is an eight-microphone system (six to cancel noise, two for voice pick-up) and you can adjust the level of noise-cancelling control by increments from 0-10. That's a serious level of control that most rivals can't match.

Both the silencing effect and the call quality is impressive and definitely an improvement on the QuietComfort range. Voices are more intelligible when phoning and high levels of noise cancelling seem more subtle and less like listening in a vacuum. Even if you're not playing music, just activate the noise-cancelling to block out unwanted noise.Comfort and aesthetics are spot-on too and, sonically, the neutral-to-lean character makes for uncomplicated listening. On top of this you have smart and intuitive touch controls and 20-hour battery life when noise cancelling is switched on.

Sony WH-1000XM3 vs. AirPods Max vs. Bose 700: Specs

Sony WH-1000XM3 vs. AirPods Max vs. Bose 700: Full Comparison

Design and Comfort

Similar to the older AirPods wireless earbuds, you can easily recognize when someone is wearing the AirPods Max. Their aluminum ear cups and knit canopy headband are nothing like the design of other popular headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM3 or the Bose NC 700. The plush, chunky memory foam earpads are comfy enough to wear for hours, and an adjustable headband is also suitable for all-day listening sessions. The ear cups attach using magnets, so should be easy to remove and reattach – handy for stowing in your bag when not in use. They also come in a range of colors, including space gray, silver, sky blue, green and pink. One neat design quirk is that they are controlled via Apple's Digital Crown, a dial first seen on the Apple Watch. This lets you alter volume, control playback and summon Siri.

The ear cups on the Bose 700 is made from synthetic leather for durability and softness. It’s designed for all-day wear and comfort, much the same as those on the Sony 1000XM3. Both feel light and fits snugly without being overbearing, though overall comfort level will still be subjective. But the Bose 700 has a sleeker design and build than the Sony 1000XM3. Most noticeable is the slim stainless steel headband of the Bose 700 headphones, which features an ultra-soft bottom layer so it sits comfortably. In contrast, the entire length of the Sony 1000XM3 is nearly uniform in thickness, and has an ergonomic plush leather finish.  The Sony XM4 come in black and silver finishes, while the stylish Bose 700 come in black, silver and limited edition 'Soapstone'.

In a word, all three are also comfortable enough to wear for hours at a time. But it’s worth noting that the AirPods Max are the heaviest of the bunch. You might want to factor that in if you want a pair of noise-cancelling headphones to wear while exercising. In addition, there’s no 3.5mm jack on the AirPods Max, unlike on their other two. This means that if you want to switch to a wired connection, you’ll need to drop another $35 on Apple’s Lightning-to-3.5mm cable.

Sound Quality

Each ear cup of the AirPods Max is powered by an H1 chip, and they’re packed with technologies like Adaptive EQ, Transparency mode and, of course, active noise cancellation (ANC). They also feature Spatial Audio, tracking the wearer’s head using the headphones’ and, say, an iPhone’s gyroscope and accelerometer to remap the audio field based on user motion. Last but not least, there’s Audio Sharing too, so you can share whatever you’re streaming with another AirPods user. Apple touts the AirPods Max as having high-fidelity sound, cramming its proprietary 40mm dynamic drivers for deep lows, accurate mids and clear highs.

On the other hand, the Bose 700 provide rich bass that doesn’t overpower the mids so they can still come through with clarity. They produce highs without reaching the point of being grating as well, all in all making for one balanced listening experience. Right away it’s noticeable how bass-heavy the Sony WH-1000XM3 sounds. Combined with its warmer and darker tones overall, you’ll get a heavy low-end sound that can become fatiguing if you’re not used to it.

Noise Cancellation

The big selling point of all three pairs of headphones is their noise cancellation. I can safely say they all perform exceptionally well. With its dedicated HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1, Sony’s WH-1000XM3 headphones simply offer superior active noise cancellation. It blocks out more background noises aside from the typical rumble of vehicles. Walking through busy city streets will feel blessedly quiet with these on. Plus, it has Atmospheric Pressure Optimizing so your ears don’t pop while flying.There are three different levels of ANC that you can get on the Sony 1000XM3’s earcup controls, though there are 20 more available via the mobile app. It will also adapt noise cancellation levels to what you’re doing. You’ll hear important announcements if you’re simply waiting at a terminal and car horns if you’re walking down the street. Its Ambient Sound Control lets you further adjust this so you can stay alert when on the move.

The Apple AirPods Max's noise cancellation is also very strong and on par with the Sony WH-1000XM4 and the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. During a commute, most of the rumble from the train was blocked out, and with the music playing, you couldn't hear it at all. Each AirPods Max ear cup features three outward-facing microphones – these detect environmental noise. Then there’s another microphone within the ear cup, this detects the sounds that reach your ear. The point of this is, according to Apple, so computational audio can be used to adapt their noise cancellation performance based on "the headphone fit and movement in real-time".There’s also a handy Transparency mode, which allows environmental sound to pass through. This is useful if you need to have a quick chat with a colleague and it worked well during our testing.

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 perform exceptionally well in terms of noise cancellation. There are 11 different noise cancellation settings and using the highest setting all but completely drowned out the sounds of builders nearby drilling, talking loudly and playing music. The excellent noise cancellation is, in part, thanks to an eight microphone system. Six of them enable traditional noise cancellation and two isolate your voice and reject environmental noise while you’re taking a phone call. It’s great to experience the same level of noise cancellation for your calls as well as music. Like the AirPods Max , the Bose headphones have a transparent mode which turns off noise cancellation and allows sound to pass through the ear cups so you can have conversations without removing them.

Battery Life

Judging on battery life alone, the Sony WH-1000XM3 are the clear winners offering a substantial 30 hours with noise cancelling turned on and around 38 hours with noise cancelling turned off. The Bose 700 and AirPods Max are closer to 20 hours of listening time with the same parameters.

Sony WH-1000XM3 recharge faster too. 10 minutes of charging an empty pair will grant 5 hours of listening time; Apple AirPods Max , meanwhile, quotes 1.5 hours of playback from a 5-minute charge, and the Bose 700 offer 3.5 hours of playback from 15 minutes.

Verdict

Sony WH-1000XM3 vs. AirPods Max vs. Bose 700: Which is Best for You?

These three pairs of wireless, noise-cancelling headphones all perform exceptionally well. That means which one should you choose will largely be down to your demand and budget.The AirPods Max are easy to recommend for iPhone users because of their mix of quality and compatibility. They've got a solid build, great overall sound profile, and also have some exclusive features like Audio Sharing and Spatial Audio, but they cost at least $150 more than the other two.  If you're an iPhone user and you're prepared to pay a premium for the best build, design, features and sound quality, look no further than the AirPods Max. They do deliver everything you hoped, and then some.

For those people who are looking for more cost-effective wireless noise-canceling headphones won’t be disappointed with the Sony WH-1000XM3 and Bose 700. Sony WH-1000XM3 offers high versatility, solid ANC performance, vibrant sound quality and long battery life at a very competitive price tag. On the other hand, the Bose 700 are also an established pair of noise-canceling headphones that’s made a solid reputation in the business. I recommend going for the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 if immersive music experiences are on top of your list. You’ll love how smooth and clear it sounds especially with all background noises failing to reach your ears. If you’re looking for the best noise cancelling headphones , the Sony WH-1000XM3 is  your top pick. It offers much more flexibility in tuning out and letting in ambient sounds so you can either mute everything down or filter important noises if needed.

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