A question around the high end Sony headphones (WH-1000XM3's)
I've got and enjoyed for the last 5+ years a pair of Sony MDR10RBT, usually playing off either my Sony NWZ A15 player or music off my phone (Huawei P9). Lately, the MDR10's have started to show there age, the foam of the ear cups is showing, the frame\arm cracked (my doing) and is held together with gaffer tape.
Initially, a couple of days ago, I started off looking at a pair of Sennheiser headphones (Sennheiser HD 4.5 BTNC), I've had wired Sennheiser's before and tried the 4.5 HD's, but found them a bit tight, I then looked at the Sony WH-CH700N's, or what I thought were. Both these were advertised at the Noel Leeming Featherston street Wellington as $229 (Sennheiser) or $227 (Sony).
Going back to the same store today with Sony player and 3.5mm cable, I couldn't test listen to the Sennheiser as that a different jack point, but were able to listen to what I thought were the Sony 700's, but were actually the newer Sony WH-CH710's ($298), as the 700's had sold out, but the store had the 710's there for trying on, with the 700's price being shown. Hmm.
After trying the 710's the saleperson then showed me the WH-1000XM3's, at a sale price of $420.
Now, most of the music I'm listening too is in mp3 format at mostly 192kbps, some higher, some lower. I do occasionally listen to Spotify, but aren't on the premium plan, just the free one.
The Sony player (NWZ A15) I think I read correctly is capable of AptX, which the high end Sony WH-1000XM3's support where as the 710's don't
With the music I have am I going to notice any difference between the XM3's and 710's??
I'm not a audiophile, the headphones are mainly used on the daily commute, sometimes in the office when it gets noisy, but both the XM3's and 710's are noise cancelling.
I'm aware the XM3's have been supersede by the XM4's, but they are too pricey. Are the XM3's really worth the extra over the 710's?
Thanks in advance.



