Disclaimer: I am by no means an audiophile, nor do I have any expertise in audio equipment, just sharing my opinion on these amazing headphones.

As a travel photographer, I generally carry my Bose QC35II on every flight I take, because they can make you feel like you are flying alone. My only complain with those headphones is that they are fairly large and take a lot of room in my camera bag. For about 2 years now, I have been on the hunt for high quality in ear headphones that also provide Active Noise Canceling.

After a long wait, Sony has finally delivered the earphones of my dreams! These Sony WF-1000XM3 (easy to remember name right?) headphones offer a tremendous sound from such a small device. They are retailing for $229 and will be released on August 1st, 2019. These are definitely a bit pricier but I think they are worth every penny. A lot of the reviews I’ve seen online are comparing these to Apple’s AirPods, but I think they are in a whole other ball game. AirPods are great if you are working in a quieter location and need some tunes but not feel isolated. The Sony WF-1000XM3 offer a truly premium sound that is backed with amazing bass and the amazing Active Noise Cancelling, that allow you to edit your photos in the busiest of locations and yet feel like you are working in your studio. The case is about the size of two AirPods cases, but still small enough to fit in the pocket. I personally think the design looks great and the build quality of the case feels rugged and well built.

These headphones offer great battery life, even with ANC turned on. With ANC, you can expect about 6 hours of battery life, and without it around 8-10 hours on a single use. The case offers an additional 12 hours of battery, allowing you to have amazing sound through out the day. There is an app that is connected to these headphones, where you can set the level of noise cancellation as well as play with different EQ settings. I believe these are the first headphones of their type that offer ANC, compact size, great battery and an exceptional sound. These have just become my daily carry headphones and have replaced my AirPods.

Let me know your thoughts on these headphones in the comments below.