Sony’s latest noise-cancelling headphones are a special anniversary set made to celebrate a decade of its prized 1000X series, designed to be plusher, slimmer, more comfortable and the best sounding yet.The original 1000X launched in 2016, igniting a fierce rivalry with the dominant Bose and its QuietComfort line, which would push noise-cancelling technology dramatically forward as each tried to outdo the other with subsequent releases.Now Sony has taken the comfort, sound and technology from the last six 1000X iterations to create something more refined, not to replace the current kings of noise-cancelling headphones, the WH-1000XM6, but to offer a more luxurious set with plusher materials and sleeker design.Smooth metal arms and plush pleather replace the standard hard plastics used in most headphones for a softer feel. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The GuardianThe WH-1000XX the Collexion cost £549 (€629/$649/A$1,000), sitting above the £349 1000XM6 and directly competing with high-priced luxury headphone rivals such as Apple’s £499 AirPods Max 2, B&W’s £629 Px8 S2 and many others.The form of the 1000XX isn’t a complete departure from its siblings. But they do not fold for travel and are less bulky, with 5.3mm thinner ear cups and a more slender-looking headband. The headphones are covered in a high-quality pleather material and have highly polished and sandblasted stainless steel arms – no hard plastic in sight.Everything about them is smooth, from the sliding of the resizing arms to the feel of the metal. But the most luxurious parts are the redesigned ear cups, which have more space for your ear and plusher cushions than standard Sony headphones. The sleek headband squishes out across your head when you put them on to spread the load, while a lighter clamping force on your head still keeps the headphones in place but without any undue pressure.The result is one of the most comfortable sets of headphones I’ve worn, matching the very best from Bose and surpassing higher-priced rivals.The left ear cup has the headphones socket, power, noise cancelling and sound mode buttons, while the right side has the USB-C port and touch panel for excellent playback and volume controls. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The GuardianThe battery lasts for about 24 hours of listening with noise cancelling active or up to 32 hours with it off, which is more than enough for any plane journey or commute, but is short of the regular 1000XM6. A five-minute charge adds up to 90 minutes of playback, with a full charge taking about 3.5 hours.Specifications