It’s a rare moment when the tech world finds itself in total agreement about pretty much anything. That said, the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones has been almost universally lauded as the best noise-cancelling cans on the market today. They’re not the prettiest, but they don’t look bad either. They keep a shape fairly close to the head, so if you prefer a subtle profile, these will suit you.

They are supremely comfortable, and their lightness is noticeable: There’s far less pressure on the super-soft headband and earcup padding, so they feel pleasant for longer. They also fold up, and come with a fabric case for travelling.

However, music quality is eventually what sets them apart from our tested products. The audio performance is top notch, obviously. Sound is expansive and rich, thanks to full bass performance (though not overwhelming), and offers meticulous detail. Not only do they sound excellent, they also kill sound brilliantly. Even with no music playing, the moment you put these on it’s like entering another world – it’s sheer wizardry. The noise cancellation is easily best in class. Like a kind of artificial intelligence, they automatically adapt their noise cancellation to match your current activity, letting in a little nearby traffic noise when you’re on the street, or some office chatter when its directed at you. You can tweak the settings or switch it off.

We are not big fans of touch controls, but these work well. Being able to place a hand on one earcup to let in some outside sounds is genuinely handy when you’re ordering a coffee, but you do look like a bit of a lemon doing it.

40mm drivers, ANC, cloth bag, R4 000