Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Headphones

Sony's WH-1000XM5 remain the reference for noise cancellation on aircraft and in open-plan offices, where they flatten low-frequency drone more completely than anything else. The redesigned headband is lighter and more comfortable for long sessions, though it no longer folds flat, so the case is bulkier than the previous generation. Battery runs about thirty hours with cancellation on. Sound is warm and slightly bass-forward out of the box, and the app's equaliser fixes that in a minute. Call quality is genuinely good, which is rare in this class.