Sony WH-1000XM6 review: The best wireless headphones for almost everyone

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In some methods, Sony didn’t have to replace its flagship wi-fi headphones. Whilst of Could 14, 2025, someday earlier than the official launch of the WH-1000XM6, you’d have been exhausting pressed to discover a listing of the perfect wi-fi headphones (together with right here at Digital Developments) that didn’t put Sony’s WH-1000XM5 in first place. This, even if the XM5 at the moment are three years previous, and nearly all of their opponents have been replace throughout that point. That’s how good they nonetheless are.

However all of us tend to gravitate in the direction of the latest, shiniest object, and in addition to, for all of its deserves, the XM5 did have one or two areas that wanted enchancment. So right here we’re.

Let me lower proper to the chase. The WH-1000XM6 are wonderful. Stellar. One of the best. And if I’m being trustworthy, you must simply purchase the WH-1000XM5 whereas they’re nonetheless out there. Right here’s why.

Design

When you’re on the lookout for an excuse motive to purchase the $450 WH-1000XM6, look no additional than their up to date design. Sony might declare in any other case, however that is the place you’ll discover the most important distinction between them and their predecessors.

I’ve at all times preferred the look of the XM5, however now that I’ve laid my eyes on the XM6, I can’t unsee the areas the place the XM5 really feel a bit low-cost. For the XM6, Sony has discovered a plastic formulation that doesn’t look or really feel like plastic in any respect. It’s extra like artificial stone, and it provides these cans an upscale vibe that the XM5 have been aiming for, however by no means fairly hit.

The earcups at the moment are seamless, stable shells, their matte surfaces interrupted solely by the eight microphone openings. However even these are superbly crafted, with flush-mounted steel grilles as an alternative of gaping holes. The earcushions at the moment are a lot simpler to take away.

The hinges are additionally outstanding. If you take a look at the AirPods Max, Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, or the WH-1000XM5, you understand that once you join a scarf to a set of earcups by way of a single level of contact (as an alternative of the standard yoke method), you are inclined to sacrifice the flexibility to fold up and fold flat, leaving a much less compact form.

Sony’s new hinges deliver again that lacking second axis of motion with out resorting to the older, yoke-style structure — which Bose opted for on its QuietComfort Extremely Headphones.

The opposite vital change is the scarf. It’s now wider, higher padded, and asymmetrical. The primary two are all about enhanced consolation, however Sony hopes the asymmetrical form will assist of us determine the headphones’ orientation a bit quicker. Sonos did the identical factor on the Ace headphones, however in each circumstances, I discover it simpler to simply take a look at the earcups (if the 2 management buttons are in my left hand, I do know they’re the suitable method ‘spherical).

Oh, and let’s give Sony some critical props for giving the XM6’s journey case a quick-release magnetic closure. So a lot better than a zipper!

Sony WH-1000XM6 specs

Consolation, controls, and connections

The scarf isn’t the one change for consolation’s sake; the earcushions are additionally extra generously padded. Sony has upped the clamping pressure, too, and the result’s a safer match that is still very snug, even for a number of hours in a row. I don’t actually get the entire full-size over-ear headphones factor on the fitness center or whereas working, however I do know there are lots of who do. If that’s your factor, the XM6 are a better option than the XM5. Simply bear in mind, they don’t have any official IP score for water or sweat resistance.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t level out that the XM6’s intelligent new hinge design depends partly on a spring-loaded mechanism, just like the one Apple makes use of on the AirPods Max. This places the pivot level the place the hinge meets the earcup, versus the XM5’s mechanism, which places it on the midpoint of the earcup.

For me, it creates a small however perceptible hole between the underside of the earcup and my head, until I lengthen the scarf sliders greater than feels regular. It’s not a deal-breaker by any means, it’s simply one thing to concentrate on.

The XM6’s controls are virtually equivalent to the XM5. The fitting earcup provides you bodily buttons for ANC mode choice and energy/pairing, whereas the left is contact delicate for playback and quantity gestures. The one distinction is which you could now allow a microphone mute operate by way of the ANC button whereas on a name.

It’s a really intuitive setup and works brilliantly. The one disadvantage is that XM6’s controls aren’t cold-weather pleasant until you’ve capacitive-compatible gloves.

Nonetheless, in contrast to the Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones and Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi Headphones (which additionally use touch-based gestures for some or all controls), Sony provides you another: hands-free voice instructions.  When you allow them within the Sound Join app, you may say, “Hey, Headphones,” adopted by “play music,” “pause music,” “increase the amount,” and so forth. Mainly, every little thing you are able to do with a gesture or button, you are able to do along with your voice, and it’s seamless. The one caveat is that you could select between Sony’s voice instructions or button-based entry to your telephone’s voice assistant (or hands-free Google Assistant on Android).

Sony’s Bluetooth connections are at all times rock stable, and the WH-1000XM6 aren’t any exception. When utilizing an Android telephone, Google Quick Pair makes pairing very straightforward (plus it provides the XM6 to Discover My).

Multipoint helps you to maintain the cans linked to 2 gadgets concurrently, and the Sony Sound Join app makes managing these gadgets a breeze.

Sound high quality

One of many greatest causes Sony’s 1000X sequence has dominated lists of the perfect headphones over time is their sound. These cans have at all times offered highly effective, exact, full-frequency sound, with loads of element. The XM6 aren’t any exception.

What these new cans deliver to the desk are refined enhancements in readability, particularly by the midrange — historically the toughest a part of the frequency spectrum to attain further element.

You possibly can consider it as peeling again one other layer of onion pores and skin.

When Sony launched the XM5, it shifted barely away from the XM4’s bass-forward stability to a extra impartial tuning. Curiously, regardless that the XM6 is a twin to the XM5 on the subject of sound signature, that added degree of element and nuance helps low-end bass really feel tighter. It’s no more distinguished — once more, the stability is nearly equivalent — however you may hear the development in separation from the decrease mids.

Sony provides a wide range of EQ presets and customization choices within the Sound Join app in addition to its “Discover My EQ” personalization check, however I ignored all of them — the corporate’s manufacturing facility tuning is that good.

All of this to say, in the event you just like the XM5, I believe you’ll just like the XM6 much more when listening critically, notably you probably have an Android telephone and benefit from Sony’s LDAC Bluetooth codec.

And in the event you’ve by no means tried any of Sony’s flagship headphones, put together your self to be wowed. They’ve at all times been a top-notch alternative, and the XM6 are the perfect up to now.

The one factor I want Sony had included is USB Audio. On this worth vary, it’s practically ubiquitous — even Apple added it to the AirPods Max, and that firm has a monitor file of being sluggish to undertake new tech. USB Audio would give the XM6 a very lossless reference to assist for hi-res audio as much as no matter Sony’s built-in DAC can deal with (doubtless 24-bit/96kHz or higher). For such a great-sounding set of cans, this seems like an actual oversight.

Spatial audio

New for the XM6 is the flexibility to spatialize any stereo sound utilizing the Sound Join app’s listening mode settings. Sony calls it 360 Actuality Audio Upmixing and has determined that it must be all about making video content material extra immersive. It even calls the spatial audio mode “Cinema.”

Regardless of the title, it really works on any audio — not simply films or TV — and in typical Sony trend, it’s masterfully executed. The soundstage opens up, getting wider, deeper, and even a bit taller, and there’s a larger sense of spatial separation between audio components like vocals and devices. Most significantly, Sony’s processing largely avoids the disagreeable degree modifications that lesser spatial programs usually produce. Within the worst variations, bass can develop into smeared, and vocals lose a lot of their presence. Sony’s Cinema retains issues targeted. Stereo purists aren’t going to find it irresistible — there’s no avoiding the feeling that you just’re listening to processed sound — however in the event you dig that extra immersive sound, Sony’s model is a number of enjoyable.

Sadly, iPhone customers must fulfill themselves with a “static” spatial presentation. The XM6’s head monitoring is just enabled by way of Android 13 or larger. For music, I don’t suppose it issues. For Sony’s cinematic ambitions, nevertheless, head monitoring is the important thing that unlocks the feeling of sitting in a house theater. It retains the relative place of every digital 5.1 speaker locked in area — turning your head makes it really feel such as you’ve turned away from the central supply of dialogue proper in entrance of you.

It’s not as efficient as Apple’s model utilizing the combo of an iPhone or Apple TV 4K with a set of AirPods Max or AirPods Professional, and it’s at present restricted to just some providers like Netflix and YouTube.

Noise cancellation and transparency

Energetic noise cancelling (ANC) on the XM5 is already wonderful. In reality, the one headphones that may beat them are Bose’s QuietComfort Extremely Headphones. For the XM6, Sony went all out to vary that rating, giving the brand new cans extra microphones (12 vs 8) and 7 instances quicker ANC processing.

These modifications give the XM6 an edge over their predecessors, and I’d even go as far as to say that in sure circumstances, the place exterior noises are typically extremely variable, they do a barely higher job than the QuietComfort Extremely. However for pure, brute-force destruction of fixed droning seems like in an airplane cabin or on public transit, the QuietComfort Extremely nonetheless reign supreme.

Nonetheless, in the event you’re very delicate to ANC unintended effects (some individuals report an disagreeable, sucking sensation), you could be higher off with the WH-1000XM6. Sony’s ANC system might not cancel fairly as a lot noise as Bose’s, nevertheless it’s additionally gentler in your ears.

Transparency mode can also be wonderful, providing you with a virtually good replica of the surface world. Are the WH-1000XM6 higher than the AirPods Max and QuietComfort Extremely? No, however you should still favor Sony’s model, which barely boosts the upper frequencies related to speech, as an alternative of going for a very pure passthrough.

I believe what I like most about Sony’s ANC and transparency is how rapidly you may shift between them — it’s practically immediate.

You too can activate Sony’s Converse-to-Chat characteristic, which switches to transparency mode robotically when it detects you talking. It’s very intelligent however your mileage might range: I couldn’t discover a setting that reliably detected my voice with out being triggered by false positives like clearing my throat.

Name high quality

On the danger of sounding repetitive, calling on the WH-1000XM6 can also be a refined enchancment over the XM5, which have been already fairly darn nice. I’d say the most important distinction is that the XM6 protect extra of your voice’s pure sound. There’s higher tonality and fewer sibilance on all of these ess-sounds.

The XM6’s potential to cancel background noise stays top-notch. Your callers will doubtless by no means know you’re strolling previous a building website.

For the primary time, Sony has added a mic muting choice, which may be very useful. Simply take into account that your telephone app most likely received’t mirror these mode modifications (the iPhone doesn’t), so that you’ll have to recollect which mode you’re in.

You possibly can change to transparency mode at any time to listen to your individual voice extra clearly and Sony features a particular voice increase choice within the app to assist with that in the event you want it.

The one wi-fi headphones which might be higher for calls are JBL’s Tour One M3.

Battery life

This is perhaps the one space the place Sony has made no enhancements in any respect. Playtime with ANC on is rated at 30 hours and 40 when it’s off. One minute of charging buys you an additional hour of operation, however a full cost nonetheless takes about 3.5 hours.

Does it matter? I doubt it. In relation to battery life, extra is at all times higher, however I believe most people can get by 99% of their lives on 40 hours or much less.

The one massive enchancment is which you could now cost and use the XM6 concurrently, one thing no earlier 1000X sequence can do.

Extras

The XM6 are the primary of their form to assist Auracast, which is nice. Sadly, it requires manually shifting to LE Audio inside the Sound Join app, then switching to the Android Bluetooth menu to seek out and hook up with an area Auracast broadcast, which is a ache within the butt. Additionally, iPhone customers are out of luck.

That is disappointing to me. Very similar to Sony’s spatial audio characteristic, it seems like a half-measure. Furthermore, we all know that higher is feasible — JBL’s Tour One M3 suffers from none of those limitations.

Sony has given its Adaptive Sound Management characteristic (which turns ANC on/off based mostly on exercise) a lift with its new scenes characteristic. You choose from completely different scenes like working or going to the fitness center, after which select the time and place related to these actions and what you’d wish to hearken to (on an iPhone, your selections are Apple Music, Spotify, or Endel). I recognize that Sony needs to construct some intelligence into the listening expertise, however I don’t discover these options particularly helpful.

Conclusion

Sony’s WH-1000XM6 are a significant improve from the corporate’s WH-1000XM5, and take their place as the perfect total wi-fi headphones I’ve ever examined. They’re not good — no USB audio, a bizarrely awkward Auracast setup, and spatial audio that may solely be used to its fullest on Android, are drawbacks that should be thought-about, particularly on condition that Sony has elevated the worth of its flagship cans to $450.

I acknowledge that none of those points stopped me or anybody I do know from having fun with the XM5, and in all the different areas that matter (sound, ANC, design, and luxury), the XM6 are a stellar alternative.

Bose continues to be higher total for noise canceling, however the XM6’s actual competitors comes from its personal predecessor. Now that Sony has discounted the XM5, and can doubtless maintain costs low till it runs out of inventory, you’d be properly suggested to think about that mannequin earlier than shopping for.