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For about three years now, Sony has set the standard for Active Noise Cancellation with the iconic WH-1000XM5 headset.

And that was after doing the same thing with the XM4.

Somewhere along the way Sony stumbled across a magical chip - known as the QN1 - that was able to sample the sounds of the outside world and reduce them to virtually nothing by the time they made it through the headphones and into your ears. With a couple of very high-end exceptions, most people agreed Sony was now the king of ANC.

If you're not convinced, take a quick look around the airport lounge next time you're on a business trip. I can pretty much guarantee the majority of regular travellers waiting for their flight will be wearing Sony.

The question then becomes, if you're nailing it, why try to upgrade it?

Luckily for us, Sony has not been resting on its laurels.

The WH-1000XM6 takes everything the XM5 did so well and gives you much more - or much less, if you're talking about noise.

The QN3 is Sony's latest HD noise cancelling processor and it uses an unbelievable twelve microphones to stop the outside world in its tracks, supposedly seven times faster than the previous generation. The result is close to perfect. From the outset, I can confidently claim these are the most effective noise cancelling headphones I've worn to date.

As such, it's well worth your time digging into the various settings and customisations on offer through Sony's Sound Connect app. There are plenty.

Let's start with the controls. The power/pairing button on the left earcup is now recessed, round and concave, making it much easier to find by touch. There's also an NC/AMB button just above it to toggle through Noise Cancelling, Ambient Sound or ANC Off - or any combination of these three you choose. The XM6 can sense where you are and what you're doing and adjust the ANC automatically if you want it to.

The right earcup still works as a touch control pad for volume and playback and you can still cover it with your hand to instantly mute the music to hear what someone is saying, although the Speak to Chat function has been moved off the headset and onto the app only. This is great news for me because I always used to accidentally activate Speak to Chat while using my otherwise trusty XM5 headset to monitor the country's biggest radio show. That meant my headphone feed would cut out as soon as I started talking, on air. Not ideal. Now that simply isn't a problem. Thanks for listening, Sony.

There's a host of other controls you can activate or switch off from the Sound Connect app - like answering or rejecting calls by nodding or shaking your head.

You can also set your streaming services like Amazon Music or Spotify to start playing automatically when you connect the WH-1000XM6 to your phone or you can do this with double or triple taps on the NC/AMB button.

When paired with compatible devices, the XM6 can connect using the latest Bluetooth LE codec - this means better range and extremely low latency.

Which brings me to my favourite setting; Listening Mode. The three choices here are Standard, Background Music or Cinema. Background Music makes what you're listening to sound further away, as though heard from external speakers, either like a cafe, your living room, or your bedroom - the choice is yours.

The Cinema mode is where things get really crazy. Sony can now "upscale" your listening experience in much the same way 4K and 8K TVs can improve the quality of a lower resolution SD or HD video. They've called this 360 Reality Audio Upmix and it converts a standard, stereo input to spatial surround sound, ideal for gaming or Episode 8 of the latest season of the Handmaid's Tale I watched yesterday.

The tension created by the soundtrack was truly immersive and as June and her fellow Handmaids crept around in the dark, I could have heard a pin drop... Or a knife, as it turns out. Spoilers.

But make sure you go back to Standard if you're just listening to plain old music, because on these headphones, there'll be nothing plain about it.

"Some Kind of Love" by the Killers would have to be one of their more laid-back, atmospheric tracks. As such, the WH-1000XM6 creates a massive stage to set it on, almost as though the song continues on to the horizon in every direction.

By stark contrast, Ed Sheeran's "This" is so intimate and close; with just him and his acoustic guitar. Somehow, the WH-1000XM6 recognises this and tightens up the space accordingly. The effect is as though you're all alone with Ed in a small room.

"Last Hello" by Melissa Etheridge starts in a similar, small, close-up fashion, then builds and builds in the most ominous way, before a sudden rug-pull that leaves you with just her voice and nothing else. This is the perfect track to demonstrate how capably the WH-1000XM6 instantly switches its soundstage from wee and cosy out to bold and expansive.

There's been no real change in battery life, although at around 30 hours with ANC on, you'll make it through even the longest long-haul flight.

Which brings me, finally, to another dramatic upgrade; the case. Like the XM5, this year's headset folds flat but it also hinges just above the earcups which means it can curl up tighter than ever, to fit into a more compact and lighter hard-shell case, constructed from recycled materials. More compact and lighter? Exactly what any traveller or commuter wants to hear. The best thing about the new case is there's no zip - the magnetic clasp just flips securely in place when you close it.

The WH-1000XM6 still comes in Black, Midnight Blue and Platinum Silver. Platinum Silver still isn't silver, by the way. It's more of a beige, flesh-tone colour. Seems popular, whatever it is.

The soft, squidgy ear cushions and headband are more comfy than ever and at just 255grams, you can wear these headphones all day with no problem. And I do. In fact, they're so good, I'm reluctant to take them off.