Latest news with #WH-1000XM5
Business Insider
a day ago
- Business Insider
The best Sony headphones of 2025
Music fans, frequent travelers, and anyone looking for their next pair of headphones should consider Sony's offerings. I've spent more than a decade reviewing audio gear, testing hundreds of products from a range of brands, and Sony is always among the top performers. The best Sony headphones deliver great audio quality, comfy designs, and solid active noise cancellation (ANC). For those with no spending limit, Sony's new WH-1000XM6 headphones offer the brand's most powerful ANC performance, rivaling high-end competitors from brands like Bose. But if you want to save some cash, the previous-gen WH-1000XM5 headphones are no slouch. They're not quite as good at blocking out unwanted distractions, but they offer similar sound quality for less money. All of the Sony headphones I recommend were tested in various environments while listening to music and watching movies. I put each model through the paces to help determine what kind of user each is best for. They're all worthy picks at full retail price, but they're often on sale, so you can usually snag them at a nice discount. Our top picks for the best Sony headphones Best overall value: WH-1000XM5 - See at Amazon Best overall value The WH-1000XM5 might not be Sony's newest wireless headphones, but they're still my top recommendation for most people. These are the brand's flagship headphones from 2022, and though they've been succeeded by the XM6, they're still in stock and frequently discounted. The XM5 provide good noise canceling, great audio quality, and a comfortable design, all at a more affordable price than the brand-new XM6. Of course, there are some areas where the pricier XM6 come out on top, but the cheaper XM5 deliver better value overall. The XM5's 30 hours of battery life, lightweight design, Bluetooth Multipoint connection, and speak-to-chat features make them versatile headphones for use at home, at work, on the go, and for long stretches at a time. Though I prefer the wider headband used on the XM6, the XM5 remain comfortable to wear for hours on end. Audio performance is great, as you should expect from flagship cans like this, with crisp mids and expansive bass. They work well for listening to music or spoken word and watching movies. They also support high-resolution audio for those interested in capturing every musical detail. Sony's newer XM6 headphones do offer slight improvements in sound quality, but I found it hard to notice many meaningful differences when comparing them. However, the XM6's upgraded noise cancellation is more noticeable. Don't get me wrong, the XM5 are still good noise-canceling headphones, but the XM6 are better at blocking out more distractions. It's also worth mentioning that the XM5's ear cups can't fold up to make them more compact for traveling. This is something that the XM6 can do. But given the current cost difference, I think most people will be more than satisfied with the WH-1000XM5, even if they can't quite match the XM6 in a few areas. Best for noise-cancelling Sony's new WH-1000XM6 are its most advanced wireless headphones so far, and they deliver the brand's best noise-canceling performance. In fact, they deliver some of the most impressive ANC I've encountered on any headphones. The XM6 feature adaptive technology, which keeps the headphones actively adjusting the frequencies they block as your environment changes. The headphones include a new chip with more power than the XM5, so there are now additional built-in microphones (12 total) filtering out the noise around you. On the audio front, you can expect the same excellent sound as the XM5, but with a touch more clarity. The XM6 also have a few welcomed design tweaks, like a thicker headband and a revised power button shape that helps differentiate it from other functions. The carrying case has also been altered and includes a magnetic latch instead of a zipper. Overall, the XM6 headphones are more refined, with small yet impactful improvements. Unfortunately, the price has also evolved, as the XM6 retail for $450. That's $50 more than the XM5 cost at launch and around $150 more than they typically go for now. Given their comparatively high cost, the XM6 headphones are best for those who travel a lot or work in especially distracting environments and are willing to pay top dollar to get premium ANC performance. Best on a budget If you're looking for a decent pair of wireless headphones but don't want to spend serious cash, the WH-CH720N are a compelling choice. These midrange headphones cost around $150 (and have dropped to as low as $88) but still offer most of the features that Sony's more expensive models are known for, like active noise cancellation, long battery life, and a comfortable, lightweight design. Although the WH-CH720N can't match the ANC performance of the other headphones in this guide, they still provide a decent reduction in distracting noise. I wouldn't recommend these if powerful ANC is a priority, but they're effective enough for casual use. However, you should be aware that this model is missing a carrying case. Though pricier than some budget headphones from other brands, the WH-CH720N stand out from less expensive offerings with a big jump in sound quality. Going from cheaper earbuds or basic, entry-level on-ear headphones to these will feel like a night-and-day difference. I found the mids to be clear, and there's a decent amount of bass to give songs a vibrant feel. Of course, people craving a deeper and richer sound with improved clarity should consider spending more for one of my other picks in this guide. But, for the money, the CH720N headphones are strong performers. I also like that they use physical buttons for play, pause, and volume adjustment. If you don't care for touch controls, that may be another reason to consider these over other Sony headphones. For affordable headphone recommendations from other brands, visit our guide to all the best budget headphones. Best for bass Sony has long employed a bass button on its wireless speakers to give them an extra oomph. The ULT Wear headphones follow that same strategy to give listeners a head-shaking experience. Pressing the ULT button on the left ear cup activates "deep, low-frequency bass," while hitting it a second time will switch to a second "powerful bass" mode. I can attest that these specially tuned EQ modes add a significant low-end boost to music. If you love your bass with a side of other instruments, then these are the headphones for you. Beyond the headphones' focus on low frequencies, the ULT Wear still provide a rich and detailed sound overall. Though they're best for bass-heavy songs and action flicks, they're still solid cans for all kinds of music. Plus, they have handy features like Bluetooth Multipoint, so they can be connected to more than one device at a time. But as good as the ULT headphones are, just be aware that they aren't quite as capable as Sony's 1000 series. The audio quality doesn't have the same level of delicate detail or exceptional clarity. Similarly, ANC performance is good, but it isn't as strong or as encompassing as the XM5 and XM6 in every environment. The headphones' fast charging takes a little longer, too. Three minutes of charging will give you 1.5 hours of listening time — the XM5 and XM6 can get three hours of listening time with three minutes of charging. Best earbuds If you prefer a pair of earbuds to keep the bulk down, then the WF-1000XM5 are the best Sony headphones for you. They sound exceptional with hard-hitting, punchy bass and clear vocals. Unlike past WF-1000 earbuds, the XM5 model is slimmed down and should fit better in more people's ears. I had a hard time wearing the older XM4, but these aren't an issue to wear for hours. Even the wireless charging case is petite. ANC performance is also great for a pair of earbuds. These are excellent at blocking out distractions on an airplane or in a busy office. In addition to multiple microphones and advanced ANC processing, the WF-1000XM5 also come with foam ear tips which tend to help block even more unwanted sound from creeping in. That said, their noise-canceling performance isn't quite at the same level as Sony's WH-1000XM6 over-ear headphones. Other notable benefits include really good voice quality during calls, which makes you sound natural and not robotic or choppy. There's also a healthy eight hours of battery life available (solid for earbuds), and in a pinch, three minutes of charging will get you an hour of listening time. Visit our guide to all the best wireless earbuds. How we tested Sony headphones I tested the best Sony headphones using several key metrics designed to evaluate audio quality, ANC, comfort, and extra features. Each pair of headphones was worn in various environments, including at home, on a plane, and in cafés. I wanted to see how they would handle noise in real-world places and if they travel well in my bag. I listened to all kinds of sources, including music, videos, and audiobooks. To evaluate ANC performance, I also played simulated sounds of everyday annoyances like a vacuum cleaner and revving car engines through speakers while wearing the headphones to hear how well each blocked different noises. I also connected the headphones to several devices to gauge how they handled playing music from different sources, like a smartphone and a desktop computer. In addition to comparing Sony's headphones against each other, I also pitted them against popular headphones from Bose, Sonos, Soundcore, and others to get a sense of where Sony's offerings fall in overall value and performance across the headphones market. Sony headphones FAQs What's the difference in ANC between Sony's various headphones? Sony's pricier headphones use more advanced ANC technology than its cheaper options. For example, the ULT Wear headphones use dual noise sensor tech, while the more expensive XM5 and XM6 use more advanced multi-noise sensors. The XM5 has eight microphones, while the XM6 features 12 microphones to listen for and filter out surrounding noise. While all of the best Sony headphones with ANC will dampen the drone of crowds and distant distractions, the pricer options can block out a wider range of noises. The 1000 series is also better at blocking stronger and closer bursts of noise than the options with less advanced technology. For more recommendations outside the Sony brand, check out our guide to all of the best noise-canceling headphones. Can Sony headphones be used for gaming? All of the Sony headphones recommended in this guide can technically be used for gaming, so long as your console or PC supports a Bluetooth connection. However, Bluetooth technology can cause a delay, which isn't ideal for multiplayer gaming. For that reason, the best wireless gaming headsets all support 2.4GHz wireless technology to reduce latency. So, in general, the Sony headphones recommended here are not optimized for gaming. That said, Sony does have a line of headsets called INZONE that are built specifically for gaming, and those models do support 2.4GHz connections. How does Sony compare to other headphone brands? Sony's consumer line of wireless headphones ranks well in performance and comfort, but it's not the only choice for headphones. I've spent significant time with competing headphones from Bose, Sonos, Apple, Master & Dynamic, and others, and am confident in saying that Sony's options stack up well. At the top end, the differences between competing headphones tend to be minor, with distinctions around design, specific features, and small details. However, if your primary focus is ANC strength, then Sony is among the top brands we recommend, second only to the best Bose headphones.
Tom's Guide
21-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
Sony WH-1000XM6 vs AirPods Max: How do Sony's latest cans compare to Apple's premium headphones?
Sony's newest flagship cans bring a suite of updates to the table, including a thicker headband and improved ANC. They're more expensive than the M6's predecessor, the WH-1000XM5, but they're still not as expensive as the AirPods Max. The AirPods Max aren't as new as the M6, but there are still plenty of reasons to pick them up: Stunning build quality, excellent sound, and the best support for Apple devices makes them a great option for those already invested in Apple devices. Despite being released a few years ago, the AirPods Max are still some of the best wireless headphones. They're weighty, made out of stainless steel, and boast excellent sound quality with good support for Apple's Spatial Audio standard. They're getting a bit long in the tooth, but they're a solid pick for anyone in need of new headphones. Complicating matters, however is Sony's newly launched pair of ANC flagship headphones — the WH-1000XM6. They're looking to unseat the WH-1000XM5 as the king of the headphone kingdom with a spate of updates that might well make them the better buy. But which are the better headphones overall — Apple's premium cans, or Sony's new jack-of-all-trades? Let's find out. Sony WH-1000XM6 AirPods Max Price $449 / £399 / AU$699 $549 / £499 / AU$899 Colors Black; Silver; Midnight Blue Blue; Purple; Midnight; Starlight; Orange Size Not specified Not specified Weight 8.9 ounces 13.6 ounces Battery life (rated) Up to 40 hours Up to 20 hours Connectivity Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC and LDAC support Bluetooth 5.0 with SBC, AAC Special features Adaptive ANC, Ambient Sound Mode, DSEE Extreme Audio, Bluetooth multipoint, customizable sound, quick charge, passive mode, 360 Reality Audio ANC, spatial audio, audio sharing, Siri The Sony WH-1000XM6 have risen in price over their predecessor by $50, up to $449. That makes them one of the more expensive pairs of headphones you can buy today, with an increase over even the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, the best noise-canceling headphones. What makes life trickier for the XM6's value proposition is that Sony will keep selling the XM5, the older model. Those can be had for less money during deals events, making them a more compelling deal if you're looking for ways to spend less money. The XM6 bring enough extra features and upgrades to make them worth the extra, but there's no denying that they're now an expensive pair of headphones. And yet they're still not as expensive as Apple's flagship cans: The AirPods Max with USB-C will set you back $549, making them $100 more expensive than Sony's latest pair of headphones. They too have received discounts since their release, however. We've seen the USB-C variant go down as low as $449, the same price as the Sony headphones. If you're willing to forgo wired USB-C lossless listening and the most up-to-date charging standard, you could even grab yourself a pair of the AirPods Max with Lightning for often less than $400. You won't have problems getting hold of either pair of headphones — both are available from Amazon and other big-box retail stores. As always, wait for deals events like Black Friday or Amazon Prime Day if you want the very best prices. Given that you'll usually find all versions of the AirPods Max for more money than the WH-1000XM6, we're going to give this to the lower-cost Sony cans. The Sony WH-1000XM6 are a small update over their predecessor. There are a couple of new elements worth noting, though — we'll start with the new hinged sliders that help the headphones fold into their newly designed carry case. The hinges mean that the headphones can now become more compact, but our Tom's Guide's Managing Editor of TVs and AV Nick Pino had some concerns over the long-term durability of the hinges. They are an extra point of failure, something that already felt slightly weak on the older model. The case that they fold into is very good, though. It's sturdy and omits zippers for a magnetic clasp. It's well-sized and very well made to make sure that you won't have any concerns about packing them into a particularly full backpack. The headband foam across the top is nice and thick, and it makes them super comfortable to wear for long periods of time. They're super light as well, so they don't get fatiguing for longer listening sessions. They're a bit rattly, though — when you shake them, the hinges tend to have more noise and movement to them than you might hope. They're not the worst-looking pair of headphones, either, although they are quite plain. Overall, they're a decent-looking, reasonably well-made pair of folding headphones. The AirPods Max are a very attractive pair of headphones. From their mesh stretchy mesh headband to the aluminum earcups and stainless steel sliding armature, they ooze premium quality and top notch build. There are no rattles or creaks when you shake them at all, and the sliding hinges are some of the smoothest you'll find on just about any pair of headphones. They feel like they're something that you've paid a lot of money for — which is good considering that they cost over $500 for a pair. Out of the box, they're very comfortable despite their heavy weight, with well-judged clamping force and good padding. There are some longevity concerns with the headband, though — my original pair of AirPods Max has drooped and sagged to the point it no longer supports them on the top of my head. There is also a suede-lined elephant in the room — the carrying case that the headphones come with. It's awful. It only really protects the earcups themselves, and leaves the headband out the elements to make sure that it gets damaged by the contents of your backpack. You'll want one of the best AirPods Max cases to compensate. This section is going to be a draw. While the AirPods Max are a nicer pair of headphones in terms of design, there are too many long-term issues that can ruin them in the long run. Sony has stuck with touch controls for the WH-1000XM6. They remain vastly unchanged from those you'll find on the XM5, albeit with more accuracy thanks to an updated internal processor. Swipes and taps control the main functions of the headphones. Swipe up and down to change the volume, left and right to change tracks, and then double tap to play/pause. The most useful control feature is the ability to hold the right earcup to quickly turn off noise cancelation and turn on audio passthrough. It's perfect when you need to order a sandwich or a bagel and you can't be bothered to take your headphones off. The only physical controls on the headphones are the power and ANC buttons — which are now different shapes to make them easier to tell apart. No more accidental power-offs when you're looking to change the ANC mode and vice versa. Apple opted for physical controls on the Airpods Max, and they are great. While I'd normally lament the fact that I have to press a button multiple times to change a track, I don't with the AirPods Max given how easy it is to find the buttons. I also like how you control the volume on the AirPods Max — just turn the digital crown (a-la Apple Watch) and you'll hear a gentle click as the volume raises or lowers. The controls overall feel great, and I never found myself getting annoyed at them throughout my testing. They're not as flexible as the WH-1000XM6 controls, however, so this section is going to be a tie. Sony has changed the sound profile of the XM6 and has designed them for greater vocal clarity rather than a wider soundstage or better bass response. That extra clarity means that the mids are nicer to listen to than before, and they join some top-quality highs for a great audio experience. There had to be a sacrifice, however, and that's in imaging and soundstage. They're a slightly narrower listen than the XM5 that came before them, and it can be slightly harder to place the instruments in your tracks. They're still a great listen though, with plenty to enjoy in a variety of different genres. The AirPods Max are the superior-sounding headphones, however, but only by a hair. They still have crystal clear vocals, but it's the super wide soundstage where they really flourish overall. There's more space for the music to breathe, allowing for much better imaging as a result. They're a more refined experience than the Sony headphones across the frequency range, with more detail up top and better, quicker bass at the bottom. There's also Apple's excellent Spatial Audio on board, which both works and sounds much better than Sony's 360 Audio implementation. This section goes to the AirPods Max and their better sound. Both the AirPods Max and XM6 have great feature sets, but Sony always manages to pack in more features overall into its headphones. You'll find them all in the Sony Sound app, which you can download for both Apple devices and Android phones and tablets. This is where you'll find the dizzying array of noise-canceling modes that change depending on where you are. They're very useful, and more fully featured than the modes on the AirPods Max. There's also EQ adjustment here. You'll find presets for different genres, but you can also dial in your own thanks to the 10-band EQ settings. This is great for tinkerers, giving ample opportunity to get the sound exactly as you want it. Bluetooth 5.3 powers the connection to your devices, and offers up loads of different codecs (LDAC, SBC, and more) for your music. Expect Bluetooth LE and Auracast, amongst other 5.3 features as well. Spatial Audio is on board, but it's not quite there yet. 360 Reality Audio only works with Amazon Music Unlimited for now, and Sony's own "Spatial Audio Upmix" isn't yet available for us to try out. The feature set of the AirPods Max is comprehensive, but not as impressive as the Sony headphones. For one, you won't get the full experience if you don't have an iPhone, with the likes of Spatial Audio and other features not working on Android handsets and tablets. Bluetooth 5.0 makes sure that you won't want them for Android devices, especially when you consider there's only support for AAC and SBC codecs. That's disappointing considering the quality of the audio hardware inside. Things get better for Apple users. You'll get excellent-sounding streams from Apple Music, along with the Spatial Audio mixes. Dip into the settings menu of your iPhone to find the ANC settings and other options, like head tracking. Then there's the interoperability with the rest of the Apple ecosystem. Connect them to your iPhone, and they'll immediately also connect with your iPad and Mac — no need to go into settings to change multipoint settings, it just works. Given the extra features on board the Sony cans and their ability to work with both Android and Apple devices, though, this one is going to the Sony WH-1000XM6. Sony has packed the WH-1000XM6 with mics this time around, with 12 over the two earcups. That's led to an increase in call quality, but also improved noise canceling thanks to the extra processing power of their new chip. The increase, however, is less than we were hoping to see. There's a definite increase in noise blocking in the high range, making for a more holistic noise blocking experience. We were hoping for more, however — while better, it's not the big jump from the XM5. Transparency mode is still very good though, and sounds very natural when you're trying to talk with someone at the train station or the grocery store. The AirPods Max ANC is, even five years after their initial release, still very good. It's not better than the Sony WH-1000XM6 ANC, instead focusing on different sounds. Keyboards and ANC systems are noticeably quieter with the AirPods Max, where bus noises and engines are blocked better by the Sony headphones. You get the feeling Apple tuned its headphones for inside, while Sony knows its users will be taking their headphones out and about more often than not. This round is going to be a tie — both block out loads of noise, focusing on different parts of the frequency range for different ANC results. It'll depend what you want. Wearing them while walking around the city? Choose the Sony option. Want to silence ambient office noise? Get the AirPods Max. The battery life of the Sony WH-1000XM6 is about what you'd expect from a pair of headphones at this price point: 30 hours of ANC with every full charge. Turn the ANC off and they rise to 40 hours. Need extra juice quickly? Plug them in for 3 minutes for 3 hours of battery life in a pinch. The AirPods Max battery life is... bad. 20 hours of staying power just isn't enough, and the 5-minute quick charge for 1.5 hours of use isn't as good as the Sony headphones. The Sony headphones take this round, and, as a result, win the face-off overall. So we finish the face-off with more ties than you might expect, but with the new XM6 as the overall winner. For less money than the AirPods Max, the XM6 offer more features, similar ANC, and more battery life. Sony's latest cans look like a good contender for the best headphones as a result. That's not to say there are no reasons to pick up the Apple cans — they're a stunningly built pair of headphones that sound really good, and have great features for Apple users. The battery life and Android feature compatibility drag them down, however, and the price rubs salt into the wound. If the XM6 are still too pricey, consider the Sony WH-1000XM5. They're cheaper than both and offer performance that's similar to the XM6. If you're looking to save some money, you might want to look there instead. Sony WH-1000XM6 AirPods Max Price and value (5) 3 2 Design (15) 13 13 Controls (10) 7 7 Sound quality (25) 22 24 Active noise cancelation (20) 15 15 Call quality (10) 9 9 Connectivity (5) 5 5 Battery life (10) 8 3 Total Score (100) 82 78
Hypebeast
18-05-2025
- Hypebeast
Sony Launches the WH-1000XM6, its Latest Flagship Wireless Headphones
Summary Sonyhas unveiled the WH-1000XM6, the latest member of its wildly popular 1000X family of active noise-canceling (ANC) wirelessheadphones,introducing several technical and quality of life improvements that are sure to be welcomed by its users. The first thing to note about the WH-1000XM6 headphones is that Sony has brought back the foldable form factor dropped in the WH-1000XM5, which had adopted a rigid design similar to Apple's AirPods Max. This was one of the most common gripes heard among fans of the Sony series and the returning foldability provides users with a bit more flexibility in terms of storage. Powering the WH-1000XM6 headphones is the QN3, an all-new HD noise canceling processor that Sony says is 'seven times faster than the previous model', which uses 12 onboard microphones ('1.5 times more than the WH-1000XM5') and a newly included Adaptive NC Optimizer to continuously monitor 'any form of external noise and air pressure' and adjust in real time. Sony says this delivers 'unmatched noise canceling precision' and adds that users can manually adjust and edit these settings to their liking in its app. The ANC found in Sony headphones is generally considered to be among the best in the industry, making these additions and improvements sound very promising. Internally, the new headphones feature a new, custom-built carbon fiber composite driver unit that Sony describes as having a 'high rigidity' that 'brings out the subtleties in every frequency.' Additionally, the newly designed driver helps to provide richer vocals and more defined instruments that the brand says better conveys 'the emotion' of your music. And, in terms of codecs, the WH-1000XM6 headphones support High-Resolution Audio and High-Resolution Audio Wireless, as well as Edge-AI and DSEE Extreme that 'upscales compressed digital music files in real time to restore high range sound lost in compression.' Sony is usingAIthroughout its new headphones, including with its 'AI-based beamforming system' that uses six of the 12 onboard microphones to improve call quality by isolating the user's voice from background noise, making the WH-1000XM6 effective for calls 'even in noisy environments.' Scene-based Listening, another new feature, uses AI to get a sense of a user's surroundings and can adjust the level of noise canceling based on both a user's environment and their location. This intuitive new feature is compatible with most popular streaming services including Amazon Music, Apple Music and Spotify. The WH-1000XM6 headphones feature 'up to 30 hours of battery life' with ANC switched on (and even more without, though Sony hasn't disclosed how much more) and just three minutes of charge provides 'three-hours' worth of charge', according to the brand. The new headphones also support LE (low energy)Bluetoothaudio and include multi-point connectivity, meaning they can be paired and simultaneously connected to more than one device at a time. Sony's latest flagship wireless headphones are available now in three colors – 'Black', 'Platinum Silver' and 'Midnight Blue' – priced at£399.99 GBP/$449.99 USD.
Malaysian Reserve
18-05-2025
- Malaysian Reserve
Sony debuts foldable ‘M6' headphones with better noise cancellation
SONY Group Corp. rolled out an upgraded version of its wireless over-ear headphones, bringing improved noise cancellation and a new design to an increasingly popular category. The headphones, called the WH-1000XM6, are $450, $50 more than the prior WH-1000XM5 model that went on sale in 2022. To improve noise cancellation, the new model — which comes in black, silver and midnight blue — includes 12 microphones (up from eight on the prior version) and expands the use of artificial intelligence to continuously adapt to external factors such as changes in air pressure. The new model also includes improved beam forming, which helps eliminate background noise for the person on the other line during a phone call. The technology was improved by the use of AI and with a total of six microphones focused on beam forming, up from four on the last version, according to the company. There are also improvements to what's known as spatial audio — an effect that creates virtual surround sound for the wearer. The headphones can convert any file in real time to the emerging standard. The main audio upgrade, however, comes from the updated hardware. That includes a new audio driver that results in richer details, clearer vocals and improved balance, according to Sony. Externally, the main design changes are foldable ear cups, a wider headband for improved comfort, a redesigned power button, the addition of a dedicated button to mute and unmute the microphones, and a smaller carrying case that latches magnetically. Battery life remains unchanged from the last-generation model: as much as 30 hours with noise cancellation enabled and a maximum of 40 hours with the feature turned off. As on the previous version, Sony claims that three minutes of recharging can restore the battery to three hours' worth of use. But, in a new development, a wearer can listen to music what the headphones are charging. During a hands-on test, the headphones were comfortable to wear, thanks to both the cushioned ear pads and updated headband design. The foldable ear cups won't affect the listening experience, but they do make the headphones easier to transport. Different genres of music sounded warm and richly rendered, especially in the 'standard' listening mode, which puts audio front and center. (A different mode for background listening lets more ambient sound in.) With music playing and noise cancellation enabled, environmental noise is virtually nonexistent. Without any audio, it's possible to still hear faint sounds in public places. While many of the biggest technology players have shifted to in-ear earbuds after the emergence of Apple Inc.'s AirPods nearly a decade ago, over-ear headphones are regaining steam. Sonos Inc., Apple and Bose Corp. have all rolled out major new headphones in recent years. –BLOOMBERG
Engadget
16-05-2025
- Engadget
The Morning After: Sony's best headphones keep getting better
When it comes to headphones, we can't shut up about Sony's top-tier buds and over-the-head options. In each iteration, the company adds new features, develops better technology and hones its strengths in portable audio, and three years on from the WH-1000XM5, the sixth-gen model does it yet again. Sony's overhauled its flagship headphones in all the right ways. The WH-1000XM6 sound better, with improved active noise cancellation and convenient features that match the best-sounding and the most feature-packed rivals. You should definitely check out Billy Steele's full review. The headphones' only major challenge remains a non-clunky naming convention. — Mat Smith Get Engadget's newsletter delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! As spoiled by Google itself, Android is getting a major visual refresh. Dubbed Material 3 Expressive, it's the latest evolution of the Material You design, adding customizable color swatches and, I guess, spicier fonts. Google says the Quick Settings menu can now fit more actions, and there is an addition of live-updating notifications, similar to Apple's Live Activities. In Android 16 (and even Wear OS 6), expect more animation between menus and items, while notifications will jiggle and offer haptic responses to your touch. Google is basing a lot of these tweaks on research: The company claims up to 87 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds prefer expressive design — a term hard to define. There's a lengthy post on Google's design blog if you want to get into all that. Continue reading. Sony has now folded in Hi-Fi sound from its Walkman series, as well as the company's Bravia screen tech and Alpha camera smarts. The Xperia 1 VII has launched quietly with an array of new audio features, including high-end Walkman components. Unlike other smartphone makers, Sony has kept its headphone jack and improved wired sound via a premium-grade integrated circuit. The Xperia 1 VII supports Sony's DSEE Ultimate AI sound upscaling technology, along with 360 Reality audio or Dolby Atmos formats. The latest Xperia also features a new 48-megapixel ultrawide camera with a good-sized 1/1.56-inch sensor, significantly improving the specs of the Xperia 1 VI's ultrawide. That's on top of the main 48MP 1/1.35-inch 24mm camera and a 12MP telephoto zoom. Sony is also trying to differentiate its smartphones through camera features, with improved Bokeh mode, real-time tracking, and even real-time eye autofocus. It claims low-light shooting is 'in line with full-frame cameras, " which is bold! I'm wondering what other parts of Sony's corporate machinery it will integrate next. Maybe Aibo dog ears? Continue reading. Want a cheaper sub for Peacock? You'll need a code, but if you input SPRINGSAVINGS at checkout you'll get $55 off the standard annual price of the Premium plan. It does include ads, however. The big draw for this particular streaming service is likely the long-awaited spinoff of The Office , called The Paper . That premieres in September, so you'll be primed and ready to watch (and rewatch). Continue reading.
