I tried Sony's new WH-1000XM6 wireless headphones and they sound almost perfect

It's hard to dispute that makes some of the greatest headphones on the planet. The Japanese tech giant has a very long history of producing wireless cans that reviewers rave about and consumers can't get enough of. Now, after a long three years of waiting for something new, Sony is back with its latest music makers and... they are almost perfect.

I've been wearing the for the past few weeks and - having put them through their paces on noisy planes, packed trains, bustling cafes plus endless journeys on the London Underground - there's very little not to like.

They are ludicrously comfortable to wear thanks to a soft-fit wider headband and redesigned pads that cup your ears like a velvety pillow. Sony has bought back its much-loved fully foldable design - something that was missing from the WH-1000XM5s - which makes them super convenient and really easy to pop in your rucksack.

I've also been impressed with the simple Bluetooth set-up, ludicrously long battery life (over 30 hours on a single charge) and ability to refill them whilst listening to music.

It's all excellent stuff, but the WH-1000XM6 really excels is when you activate the new Active Noise Cancellation (ANC).

At their launch, Sony boasted that these cans offer its most "advanced" ANC yet, and they definitely aren't lying.

Even the roar of a jet engine on a recent flight to Germany couldn't stop the enjoyment of my music. The ANC is so good these headphones should come with a warning - you are definitely going to miss a flight being called or important announcement on the train when wearing them.

The market-leading noise cancellation has been achieved thanks to an advanced processor and 12 clever microphones that are dotted all over the casing.

Improving things further is a better way of switching the ANC on/off, with Sony updating the buttons on the headphones so you can't mistake the listening mode for the power switch.

There's now a larger button for turning things on and just one other switch for powering up the ANC. It's simple but very effective.

Of course, along with that all-important noise cancelling, it's also vital that things sound good and Sony's updated drivers make sure you get booming bass, crystal clear vocals and rich highs. For this year's model, Sony has even enlisted world-renowned mastering engineers who helped tune the sound and the results really are impressive.

If you don't like the audio the WH-1000XM6s are producing, there's now a 10-band EQ - via the Sony app - for the ultimate precision.

I've throughly enjoyed using Sony's latest cans and they sound truly mighty. However, the new B - which I also recently tested - might just pip them for overall audio quality.

Other bonus extras on the WH-1000XM6 include High-Resolution Audio compatibly along with DSEE Extreme, which upscales compressed digital music files in real time to restore high-range sound lost in compression.

For those times when you fancy a movie binge 360 Reality Audio Upmix for Cinema has been added, which brings a spatial sound experience just like you are in a movie theatre.

So, they sound amazing, have ANC that will be tough to beat, get that impressive battery life and a design that's not only comfortable but also incredibly practical.

I also love the new case, which includes a magnetic latch rather than an annoying zip-expect rival manufacturers to follow this design in the future. The Sony Connect app also offers plenty of data along with simple setting changes without being overly complicated.

When making voice calls, they also magically block out all background noise, which makes them perfect for use when working in a cafe or ringing friends from a busy street.

So, what's not to like?

There are a few small gripes I have with WH-1000XM6 including annoying touch controls for volume and track skipping. These do work but I just can't help thinking it's time all headphones reverted back to basic buttons.

The Midnight Blue model I've been using is also a bit of a fingerprint magnet, and I wish Sony would follow its rivals and put big L (left) and R (right) letters in the ear cups, as it makes it so much easier to get them on your head correctly.

Finally there's the slightly confusing message about replacing the cups. Some rival cans let you easily snap off the cushions so they can be replaced.

With some force, you can pull the pads off of WH-1000XM6 but Sony isn't really advertising this design feature and I'm not sure the firm really wants you doing it.

These are pretty small gripes, and they definitely aren't a reason not to consider making the plunge.

The WH-1000XM6 really are fabulous wireless headphones that carry on Sony's tradition of making exceptionally good audio devices.

This is now a very crowded market with plenty of choice include Apple's AirPods, Bowers & Wilkins Px7 and the Bose QuietComfort.

Sony also has competition from its older WH-1000XM5s, which remain on sale at a much lower price than the £399 the firm wants for its new music makers.

If you have that sort of money burning a hole in your pocket, love Sony, and want the best of the best, the WH-1000XM6 is highly recommended.