anchor.diff:  
   === What are the Sony WH-1000XM2?
   
  -In 2016, the Trusted Reviews award for Best Headphones went to the https://goo.gl/uua9y2[Sony MDR-1000X], excellent wireless and noise-cancelling headphones with an intelligent set of features. The https://goo.gl/ZxCqBW[Sony WH-1000XM2] are their successor, and they’re a little better in almost every way.
  +In 2016, the Trusted Reviews award for Best Headphones went to the Sony MDR-1000X, excellent wireless and noise-cancelling headphones with an intelligent set of features. The https://goo.gl/AjEyM7[Sony WH-1000XM2] are their successor, and they’re a little better in almost every way.
   
  -The market is tougher now, and Sony faces fierce competition from the https://goo.gl/VVSSN1[Bose QuietComfort 35 II] and https://goo.gl/55w1xd[B&W PX]. But the new https://goo.gl/ZxCqBW[Sony WH-1000XM2] get so many things right it’s hard to fault them. They sound great, the noise cancellation is effective, and most of the features are genuinely useful.
  +The market is tougher now, and Sony faces fierce competition from the https://goo.gl/VVSSN1[Bose QuietComfort 35 II] and https://goo.gl/55w1xd[B&W PX]. But the new https://goo.gl/AjEyM7[Sony WH-1000XM2] get so many things right it’s hard to fault them. They sound great, the noise cancellation is effective, and most of the features are genuinely useful.
   
   If you’re looking for an everyday pair of headphones, these are hard to beat.
   
   === Design
   
  -The https://goo.gl/uua9y2[Sony MDR-1000X] had an excellent design that didn’t need fixing, so Sony has basically left it alone. That’s fine, since it meant the company could spare some resources towards expanding the https://goo.gl/ZxCqBW[WH-1000XM2] range – check out the https://goo.gl/VPJvqq[Sony WF-1000X] wireless earbuds.
  +The https://goo.gl/uua9y2[Sony MDR-1000X] had an excellent design that didn’t need fixing, so Sony has basically left it alone. That’s fine, since it meant the company could spare some resources towards expanding the https://goo.gl/AjEyM7[WH-1000XM2] range – check out the https://goo.gl/VPJvqq[Sony WF-1000X] wireless earbuds.
   
  -Anyway, the https://goo.gl/ZxCqBW[Sony WH-1000XM2] are more of a facelift than a makeover – there are a few minor improvements over the original, but unless you’re really looking for them you probably won’t notice.
  +Anyway, the https://goo.gl/AjEyM7[Sony WH-1000XM2] are more of a facelift than a makeover – there are a few minor improvements over the original, but unless you’re really looking for them you probably won’t notice.
   
   They still look very smart, with the same streamlined silhouette and hardly any branding. The body is mainly plastic, with polished metal in the headband and good quality synthetic leather at the ears.
   
  
positive.code: 
  The synthetic leather on the outside of the ear cups has been swapped for a more tactile alternative. It’s less smooth to the touch – some might say it’s more plasticky – but I feel it’s thicker and tougher. I welcome this change, because the smooth finish of the original always seemed at risk of scratching. Now I feel a little less bad throwing them straight into my bag without first using the protective carry case.
  
  What hasn’t changed is the polyurethane foam stuffed into the headband and ear pads. They’re as squishy as ever, and the https://goo.gl/ZxCqBW[Sony WH-1000XM2] are as comfortable as their predecessors. Clamp force is just right; they hold the sides of your head but never squeeze. As before, the headband expands with satisfying clicks. The earcups can fold inwards on hinges, as well as swivel flat.
  
  The buttons have been streamlined. Power/pairing remains where it is, but noise cancelling and ambient sound adjustment have been merged into one. That makes it a little harder to press the wrong thing, which might sound minor, but there’s value in being able to just get on with your listening.
  
  
negative.code: 
  image::https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/19504323/33708007-36ebc052-db74-11e7-866e-3dcaebd9a4f4.png[link="http://amzn.to/2japefG"]
  
  As for audio performance, the https://goo.gl/AjEyM7[WH-1000XM2] have many of the traits I admired so much about the original. They’re a hugely entertaining listen, thanks to a combination of hard-hitting dynamism, boundless energy and impressive rhythmic precision.
  
  That agility partly comes down to its impressive articulation and neutral tonal balance. No part of the frequency range feels exaggerated, and everything is nicely defined. There’s no flab to the bass, the midrange is direct and succinct, and the treble is clean, free of sibilance. It’s a very tidy presentation.
  
  Compared to the original MDR-1000X, I found the https://goo.gl/AjEyM7[WH-1000XM2] to be a little clearer and more hard-hitting. But the audio components are the same, so I’m going to put this down to the fact that I was using aptX HD compatible music devices (an LG G6 and Astell & Kern AK70). In wired mode, there was no discernable difference.
  
  === Why buy the https://goo.gl/ZxCqBW[Sony WH-1000XM2]?
  
  The https://goo.gl/AjEyM7[Sony WH-1000XM2] have improved on their predecessors in nearly every way. The physical design has been tweaked for the better, the audio performance is stronger, and the noise cancellation is smarter.
  
  So the competition is tougher this year, but that’s not a problem for Sony. The https://goo.gl/VVSSN1[Bose QuietComfort 35 II] offer more effective noise cancellation, but they’re not as musically talented. The https://goo.gl/55w1xd[B&W PX] are the best-sounding of the lot, but they’re not as smart or as good at noise-cancelling.
  
  