Sony WF-1000XM3 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones- Black

Used with Samsung Galaxy S10+ and Lenovo ThinkpadThe good:Sound quality is good, balance between highs mids and lows for their price point is to be expected. Battery life on the buds is plenty and the combined charging capability from the case is good. Case is charged via USB C, so it doesn't require a new cable for most people.The bad:Buds randomly disconnect and then make reconnecting them a chore. One instance where they would only connect for call audio, so music sounded like complete garbage. Solved by completely unpairing and repairing them to the device. While the battery life is good, the buds give you only one warning the battery is low, they will operate for an undetermined amount of time and then they turn off.The case can only be charged via USB, ... MoreUsed with Samsung Galaxy S10+ and Lenovo ThinkpadThe good:Sound quality is good, balance between highs mids and lows for their price point is to be expected. Battery life on the buds is plenty and the combined charging capability from the case is good. Case is charged via USB C, so it doesn't require a new cable for most people.The bad:Buds randomly disconnect and then make reconnecting them a chore. One instance where they would only connect for call audio, so music sounded like complete garbage. Solved by completely unpairing and repairing them to the device. While the battery life is good, the buds give you only one warning the battery is low, they will operate for an undetermined amount of time and then they turn off.The case can only be charged via USB, does not support wireless charging for the case. Case design is also a little funky, with the charger being on bottom and you can only set the case on its lid or on it's side. Probably won't be purchasing these again, there's better options for the price, or spend $60-70 more and get better options like the Galaxy Buds

Compact but versatile.

I bought this camera specifically to try astrophotography with my 600mm telescope. Although I’m a beginner at this I’m very impressed with the camera. The fact that it’s mirrorless means that I can turn it to electronic shutter and take numerous photos, (eg 200 or so for stacking), without any wear on the mechanism and without increasing the shutter count.So far I’ve only done photos of the moon and planets but I’m very impressed.My only problems so far have been with the complexity of using it. It seems like hundreds of settings and an awful lot to learn.One thing that I don’t like is Sony’s Imaging Edge program to link my smartphone and laptop to the camera. The smartphone app links okay but is very limited in what it will do. I’ve now bought a third party ... MoreI bought this camera specifically to try astrophotography with my 600mm telescope. Although I’m a beginner at this I’m very impressed with the camera. The fact that it’s mirrorless means that I can turn it to electronic shutter and take numerous photos, (eg 200 or so for stacking), without any wear on the mechanism and without increasing the shutter count.So far I’ve only done photos of the moon and planets but I’m very impressed.My only problems so far have been with the complexity of using it. It seems like hundreds of settings and an awful lot to learn.One thing that I don’t like is Sony’s Imaging Edge program to link my smartphone and laptop to the camera. The smartphone app links okay but is very limited in what it will do. I’ve now bought a third party app to give me full intervalometer functions. The Windows app for the laptop won’t connect to the camera at all so I’ve given up on it.

Good buds, let down by a gimmicky useless, but necessary app.

Quite impressed with these buds, although the software (app) to control them is poorly designed. I used them in conjunction with a hinged crash helmet, and at first they fell out every time I took the helmet on or off. I persevered, and found a technique that worked, and from then on .. happy days. My motorcycle setup involved my phone in a tank bag, with the software open so I could control the sound and on/off functions without removing my helmet. Its best if you completely disable the touch functions on the bud themselves for obvious reasons. The bluetooth mostly connected without any issues, but about 10% of the time, either just one bud would connect, or sometimes not at all, meaning you had to take the bud out, pop back in the case to reset them, then take out ... MoreQuite impressed with these buds, although the software (app) to control them is poorly designed. I used them in conjunction with a hinged crash helmet, and at first they fell out every time I took the helmet on or off. I persevered, and found a technique that worked, and from then on .. happy days. My motorcycle setup involved my phone in a tank bag, with the software open so I could control the sound and on/off functions without removing my helmet. Its best if you completely disable the touch functions on the bud themselves for obvious reasons. The bluetooth mostly connected without any issues, but about 10% of the time, either just one bud would connect, or sometimes not at all, meaning you had to take the bud out, pop back in the case to reset them, then take out to ensure they connected to the app. Once setup, they worked fine, and the silicone bud probably provided more sound cancelling than the gimmicky app, that tries to continually adjust, for ambient noise, dropping audio frequently as it tries to get it right. I ended up turning that feature off. Battery life was good, and I got a good days use, with a 30 min recharge at lunchtime helping. The buds were comfortable, although you can feel the weight in your ear. One last word on the app - its full of gimmicks, liketaking a pic of your ear to fine tune the sound ... really ! But yet basics like an easy to find volume control are missing, and whoever chose a light brown on white color scheme has never tried it in sunlight !

Good sound and noise isolation but not easy to fit

These are older generation top model earphones with very good balanced sound and good noise cancelling. Newer models have improved but for a lower price you get top quality for sound and noise isolation. Good battery life too.Negative point - very fragile fit in the ears for their bigger size. I have tried all ear tips and nothing keeps stable the phones in my ears. Impossible not only for jogging but even for more energetic walk outdoors. OK while sitting in train or airplane. When in noise cancelling mode the sound is good but with too much bass. While at home I always use them with no ambient sound mode. Nothing can be done while outside traveling - you have to bear some lack of transparency but noise isolation is more important at such times.The app tries to ... MoreThese are older generation top model earphones with very good balanced sound and good noise cancelling. Newer models have improved but for a lower price you get top quality for sound and noise isolation. Good battery life too.Negative point - very fragile fit in the ears for their bigger size. I have tried all ear tips and nothing keeps stable the phones in my ears. Impossible not only for jogging but even for more energetic walk outdoors. OK while sitting in train or airplane. When in noise cancelling mode the sound is good but with too much bass. While at home I always use them with no ambient sound mode. Nothing can be done while outside traveling - you have to bear some lack of transparency but noise isolation is more important at such times.The app tries to make decisions following the environment and if you are sitting, standing, at work or at home. However the suggested modes are not what I want so I have disabled this and use all functions manually - left side changing the isolation modes, right side volume up/down.If you have the budget buy the newest model XM5 !

Great build and excellent sound.

I already own a pair of WF XB 700s so I was a little dubious about buying these. The build quality is excellent and beats the 700s hands down. The sound quality is lighter but cleaner. You can still adjust the sound quality with the graphic equaliser app of you want more bass that You can download from Sony or the the play store. They are lightweight and comfortable and the sound compared to the 700s provides a more Spatial and separated sound into each bud especially when watching films. I don't really use the noise cancelling function but when I tested it it was exceptional and really deleted any outside noise.Bluetooth pairing is so easy to set up and quick to pair when reconnecting afterwards.Overall, I am really glad I bought these and added them to my ... MoreI already own a pair of WF XB 700s so I was a little dubious about buying these. The build quality is excellent and beats the 700s hands down. The sound quality is lighter but cleaner. You can still adjust the sound quality with the graphic equaliser app of you want more bass that You can download from Sony or the the play store. They are lightweight and comfortable and the sound compared to the 700s provides a more Spatial and separated sound into each bud especially when watching films. I don't really use the noise cancelling function but when I tested it it was exceptional and really deleted any outside noise.Bluetooth pairing is so easy to set up and quick to pair when reconnecting afterwards.Overall, I am really glad I bought these and added them to my collection. The XBS are more everyday where these I will wear one at home.

Great, albeit outdated

The earbuds last a long time, rarely drop out, and have great audio quality.However, now that the WF-1000 XM4s are out, the downsides to these earbuds become increasingly more obvious.Its main issues all have to do with size, making these earbuds often somewhat restrictive in how you use them, which obviously isn't a desirable trait when it comes to wireless devices.The oversized earbuds make it hard to stay in your ear without needing to adjust them every 5-10 minutes. Over the year and a half I used these, it was quite common for the seal to break in my ear and have them slowly start to slide out.It's also quite a challenge to lay on your side at all with these earbuds due to how much they stick out of your ear. What's worse is that each earbud has a ... MoreThe earbuds last a long time, rarely drop out, and have great audio quality.However, now that the WF-1000 XM4s are out, the downsides to these earbuds become increasingly more obvious.Its main issues all have to do with size, making these earbuds often somewhat restrictive in how you use them, which obviously isn't a desirable trait when it comes to wireless devices.The oversized earbuds make it hard to stay in your ear without needing to adjust them every 5-10 minutes. Over the year and a half I used these, it was quite common for the seal to break in my ear and have them slowly start to slide out.It's also quite a challenge to lay on your side at all with these earbuds due to how much they stick out of your ear. What's worse is that each earbud has a massive touch sensor on it, so attempting to adjust your falling out earbud or even sometimes just laying on your side can cause you to interact with them, since they work a little too well, even through clothing.The case is incredibly large as well, but honestly it's not the biggest deal in the world. It really comes down to how tight your clothes are and how big your pockets are, I suppose.These are all grievances I've accumulated over my year and a half experience with them, but I used them for this long because I really do enjoy them. The battery life is great, the sound quality is still comparable to the XM4s, and the ability to hear your environment with them in is very useful as well. All of these things are improved with the newest iteration, but they're more than good enough as is.I wouldn't recommend these if you plan on using them for working out, but otherwise, they really are great earbuds and the sale price at $129.99 for these is a pretty good deal.

Noise Cancelling and Sound is great, everything else isn't.

Things I liked: The sound is really good, I would say just a bit better than the Airpod Pros although thats not a very high bar to begin with. Noice cancelling is also really good, I would say on par with the Airpod Pros although I can hear its acheived with a bit of white noise. Sometimes I just want pure silence you know ? The Airpod Pros are a little better in that category but if you're listening to music/media both are really good. Everything I didn't like: The charging case is larger than the Airpod Pros 2. The case to beat will always be the original airpods but the APP2 is smaller than this product Connectivity: I wouldn't at all recommend this product for Apple Users. On Android it recognizes the headphones immediately with or without Sony's App but on ... MoreThings I liked: The sound is really good, I would say just a bit better than the Airpod Pros although thats not a very high bar to begin with. Noice cancelling is also really good, I would say on par with the Airpod Pros although I can hear its acheived with a bit of white noise. Sometimes I just want pure silence you know ? The Airpod Pros are a little better in that category but if you're listening to music/media both are really good. Everything I didn't like: The charging case is larger than the Airpod Pros 2. The case to beat will always be the original airpods but the APP2 is smaller than this product Connectivity: I wouldn't at all recommend this product for Apple Users. On Android it recognizes the headphones immediately with or without Sony's App but on Apple it seems to need the Sony Connect App to connect properly. Even then, there's hickups where you sometimes have to start to connection process over and over again. Compared to APP2 which recognizes the headphones when open and near ? Not great. Fit Again, Apple's headphones have a way better fit and look better in the ear. The headphones are very much heavier than any Airpods and sometimes the best way to wear them is diagnoally rather than straight. Doesn't really look or feel that great. Controls This is the category that actually made me return these headphones. It's all touched based, where as the APP2 have a squeeze method. One little bursh against the touch pad and you may find yourself accidentally pausing or skipping music. To activate Noise Cancelling you need to assign a specific headphone to do that task where as on the competition either side works for all the controls. Everytime you change your Noise setting a voice dims the music and tells you what mode you're switching too. With these kind of headphones, it's easy to tell. Can you hear your surrondins yes or no ? That's the mode you're on. Final: These are better headphones for Android users but for Apple users and the products that Apple puts out, these lose a star.

Quality sound with a handful of glaring flaws

I bought these after thoroughly researching wireless Bluetooth earbuds on the recommendation of a handful of audio review journalists. The sound quality is significantly greater than the vast majority of Bluetooth devices I've used and the signal stays strong if the options are properly set in the accompanying app. I haven't tested their waterproofing for fear of damage but after a few months of somewhat regular use, they're still in good shape.They're a bit bulky and occasionally uncomfortable, and they don't stay in or fit particularly well with any of the included tips. The ambient sound mode only seems to be effective for a brief period after activation but the noise canceling is quite potent when they can be adjusted to fit properly, however briefly. They ... MoreI bought these after thoroughly researching wireless Bluetooth earbuds on the recommendation of a handful of audio review journalists. The sound quality is significantly greater than the vast majority of Bluetooth devices I've used and the signal stays strong if the options are properly set in the accompanying app. I haven't tested their waterproofing for fear of damage but after a few months of somewhat regular use, they're still in good shape.They're a bit bulky and occasionally uncomfortable, and they don't stay in or fit particularly well with any of the included tips. The ambient sound mode only seems to be effective for a brief period after activation but the noise canceling is quite potent when they can be adjusted to fit properly, however briefly. They don't stay in particularly well when jogging or moving at high speeds so I have to be careful not to lose them if I'm out and about. Often I'll find myself trying to readjust the fit and inadvertently pressing one of the touch sensors on the exterior of the earbuds, which can get annoying. The case is also fairly large and bulky but it does hold a long charge and recharges quickly.Overall I'd say their sound quality is fantastic but there are enough practical issues that I don't think the price point they typically sell at is reasonable. At a cheaper price, absolutely! The noise cancelling and Bluetooth technology involved seems pretty advanced but I don't know enough to claim one way or another - all I can say in conclusion is that it's hard to lean on good sound when the fit is poor. I'll be keeping them for a while, either way.

Review after 6months

I've owned a few other wireless earbuds in the $30-$50 ranges the battery life is 2-3x longer, connectivity is more stable without noise canceling, and the features this has. These earphones only sound good with an okay amount of base when you enabled noise canceling, I guess which would shorten the time. I've had this giving me problems with the mic that doesn't work on my laptop for zoom meetings, if I ever have a 2hrs meeting from a fresh charge, the left one would die first then 5-10mins later the right one goes out. A few times connection drops during meetings and charging of the earbud seems a bit slow, so you'll likely need to plan to put one back in the case to charge it at the hour to switch earbuds if you have a long meeting. Also, in 90% of the meeting, I ... MoreI've owned a few other wireless earbuds in the $30-$50 ranges the battery life is 2-3x longer, connectivity is more stable without noise canceling, and the features this has. These earphones only sound good with an okay amount of base when you enabled noise canceling, I guess which would shorten the time. I've had this giving me problems with the mic that doesn't work on my laptop for zoom meetings, if I ever have a 2hrs meeting from a fresh charge, the left one would die first then 5-10mins later the right one goes out. A few times connection drops during meetings and charging of the earbud seems a bit slow, so you'll likely need to plan to put one back in the case to charge it at the hour to switch earbuds if you have a long meeting. Also, in 90% of the meeting, I only listen and rarely use the mic. I did get this on clearance for $$55 bucks, I don't think it is worth it compares to the cheap ones, as the main issue of keeping this stays in your ear without falling out if you have an oily ear, need to clean your bud and your ear before every use to keep it from falling out. The Touch controls are also lacking options, would be nice to be able to use 3 taps options, and more customized controls instead of the bundle options.

Worth the buy

Overall I enjoyed the earphones but there were some drawbacks. The enjoyed the stunning sound quality and the deep base from these earphones. The battery life was good and rarely in the months that I had them did they died off. The touch buttons on both earphones were useful but often found myself accidentally hitting them which would ruin the emergence of whatever I was watching. The call quality is amazing never had any issues with people not hearing me clearly. The 7 different ear pieces is another great addition and the charger case is well constructed. The biggest cons for these earphones is that they collect dirt very quickly and are somewhat hard to clean. Also due to their large size it makes them hard to use when doing intense movements and forget about ... MoreOverall I enjoyed the earphones but there were some drawbacks. The enjoyed the stunning sound quality and the deep base from these earphones. The battery life was good and rarely in the months that I had them did they died off. The touch buttons on both earphones were useful but often found myself accidentally hitting them which would ruin the emergence of whatever I was watching. The call quality is amazing never had any issues with people not hearing me clearly. The 7 different ear pieces is another great addition and the charger case is well constructed. The biggest cons for these earphones is that they collect dirt very quickly and are somewhat hard to clean. Also due to their large size it makes them hard to use when doing intense movements and forget about using them in the gym. As this model gets older and the price drops, these earphones are a must have for yourself or as a gift.