Latest news with #XM6
Business Insider
4 days 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.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Sony WH-1000XM6 wireless headphones have major design change that I love – but are they worth it?
Design and comfort While the all-new XM6 borrow some of the same minimalist styling as the XM5, Sony's made enough changes here that it feels like an upgrade. The earcups are rounder and more sculpted, ditching that slightly squared-off look that never quite grew on me. They look more polished, with no seam running down the side of the earcups. But beyond the cleaner design, one of the first things you'll notice is that they fold again. After abandoning the hinges on the XM5, Sony's brought them back, and it genuinely makes a world of difference. The headphones now collapse inwards into a much more travel-friendly shape, making them easier to chuck into a bag. The only annoying bit? Despite the smaller footprint, the case is still just as big as the zip-up one that came with the XM5. That said, I genuinely love the design of the new case. You fold the headphones up, pop them in and close the lid. It's instant – it clicks shut with a magnetic flap, so there's no faffing about trying to line up a zip. You still get an internal pocket for cables, and the whole thing feels sturdy and protective. There's also a wider headband. It's still wrapped in that soft vegan leather, but the underside is now flatter and thicker towards the back, so it's easier to tell which way round to wear them without feeling around for the tactile L marker. The tweak is supposed to improve comfort and weight distribution – and maybe it will for some people – but I actually found its predecessor more comfortable. The new fit has a firmer clamping force that improves sound isolation, but after long sessions, I started to feel a bit of pinch at the crown. It's not unbearable, but a little more noticeable than I'd like. The XM5s felt more relaxed on my head, especially when wearing them for a full day. They didn't fall off or rattle around my head when I was wearing them at the gym, however. Talking of tactile markers, the power button has a small but welcome glow-up. It's now circular and slightly recessed, making it much easier to locate by touch, so no more thumbing around the cup wondering if you've just hit the ANC toggle by mistake. That's still a longer, flatter strip, so the two are thankfully easy to tell apart without looking. You can also turn the ANC button into a microphone mute button in the Sony Sound Connect settings – this will mute and unmute your mic if you click the ANC button twice. There are minor changes to the touch controls, but they feel more responsive this time around. I didn't find myself repeating gestures as often as I did with the XM5. There's still no haptic feedback, but there are sound effects, so you know when swipes and taps are registered. The XM6 come in black, platinum silver and a new midnight blue colour. Overall, it's just a much more refined pair of cans compared to the XM5. Features The WH-1000XM6 are just as feature-packed as ever. If you've used the XM5s, most of this will feel familiar. Speak-to-Chat (which pauses your music the moment you start talking) isn't turned on by default anymore, a welcome change if, like me, you've always found it more annoying than helpful. Quick Attention mode is still here and works well – just cover the right earcup and it'll pipe in the outside world without you having to fumble with buttons. You've also got support for LDAC, high-res wireless audio, multipoint for two devices, and DSEE Extreme upscaling. But there are new tricks worth flagging. The first is auto switch, a feature borrowed from Sony's newer LinkBuds Fit and LinkBuds Open. It automatically switches the music to your LinkBuds speaker when you return home (or pause your music on your headphones). Leave the house, and it'll switch it straight back to your headphones again. It's a really neat little feature. One of my other favourite features from the LinkBuds is also here: Background Music mode. This pushes your music outwards, so it feels like it's coming from a distance, a little like listening to a playlist in a café. It's really good if you need to focus but don't want it to be completely silent. It'll stop you from singing along to tracks because it sounds so far away. The XM6 also feature a new QN3 processor that's said to be seven times faster than the QM1 chip in the XM5. It powers smarter noise cancelling, with a new adaptive NC optimiser that adjusts on the fly depending on your environment and how much you're moving (but more on that below). There's now a dedicated Cinema mode that upmixes stereo sound into Sony's 360 Reality Audio. I tried this while watching a couple of shows on Netflix and was genuinely surprised by how immersive it felt. Dialogue still sounded clean and centred, but ambient effects and music had a bit more air and spatial separation. Is it Dolby Atmos? No. But for stereo content, it's surprisingly convincing. There's also a new ten-band EQ (up from the 5-band EQ on the XM5), including a dedicated Gaming preset, plus support for Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast, though there's not much that takes advantage of those just yet. One neat upgrade is that you can now listen while charging – something the XM5 didn't allow. Sadly, there's still no USB-C audio, so wired playback is limited to the 3.5mm jack. Noise cancellation and call quality Sony's noise cancellation has always been among the best, but the WH-1000XM6 improve that even further, making noise cancellation more consistent and natural. The XM5 had a slightly annoying lag with the ANC when the noise level changed. I found that if I walked from a quiet room into a noisy office, I'd hear that swoosh of sound sneak in before the ANC kicked in to silence it. It wasn't a deal-breaker, but it was distracting. I'm pleased to report that doesn't happen on the XM6 in my initial tests. With the new adaptive NC optimiser, it now feels much more stable and immediate. It handles shifts in environmental sound well without drawing attention to itself. It's better in every way. It's not quite as forceful as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, which still has a kind of vacuum-seal feel, but the XM6 is less fatiguing and more natural over long sessions. Wind noise was barely an issue in testing, even when walking outdoors or near traffic. Saying that, I still think ambient mode is better on the AirPods Max. While it's definitely improved, and you can hear practically every sound in your environment, the AirPods always make it sound like you're not wearing any headphones at all. There's still a little bit of blunting of environmental sounds with these headphones. In terms of call quality. Sony's new beamforming setup now uses three mics per earcup instead of two, and combined with some clever AI, it's remarkably good at isolating your voice. I made a few long calls in loud environments and didn't get a single 'Can you repeat that?' back. However, it still struggles a little with the wind. If you wanted better and more subtle noise-cancelling from your headphones, Sony's really delivered with the XM6 on first test. Sound OK, Sony's done it. These are my favourite-sounding noise-cancelling headphones right now – and I don't say that lightly. I already liked the tuning on the XM5s, but I always found that the bass lacked a little richness. These fix that issue and bring the sound to an all-new level. There's a newly developed 30mm driver built with the same carbon fibre composite materials in Sony's premium Walkman range, and it has been tuned in collaboration with Grammy-winning mastering engineers. Sony says this gives your music better separation, deeper bass and more clarity across the board. There's also a look-ahead noise shaper built into the processor, designed to smooth out sudden changes in volume and reduce distortion when streaming. Even without playing around with any EQ settings, the XM6 sound more spacious and balanced. When I listened to the vocals on Olivia Rodrigo's Sour, I could feel more depth and better separation in the mids. Bass is stronger too, but not in a showy way; it's less murky, more present. The rubbery synth bassline on MGMT's Little Dark Age used to feel a bit bloated on the XM5s, but here it's tight and punchy, gliding underneath the track without swallowing everything else. Dan Romer's Station Eleven score also sounds sparse and intimate. The XM6 do a better job of capturing string swells, with a sense of texture that wasn't quite as defined on the XM5. If you're coming from the XM5s, it's a clear step up, and I think the XM6s are more musical than the Bose QC Ultra or the AirPods Max. After a few days of listening, these are excellent. As for battery life, it's still rated at 30 hours – the same as the XM5 – but I haven't had long enough with them to say how accurate that claim is just yet. They've held up well so far, even with ANC on, but I'll need more time to test them properly across longer stretches. Still, in 2025, 30 hours doesn't feel quite as generous as it used to. Plenty of cheaper models can eke out more.
Stuff.tv
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Stuff.tv
WH-1000XM6: the secrets behind Sony's best headphones
The Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones aren't designed for audio obsessives. At least, not exclusively. They're also made for commuters, remote workers, casual gamers, frequent flyers, and anyone who wants great sound — and noise cancellation — with minimal faff. And it's precisely this versatility that makes them interesting. Because, as it turns out, they weren't easy to make. At a press event held at Sony's slick 5020 Studios in Madrid, the company pulled back the curtain on how the WH-1000XM6 came to be. What emerged was a picture of a product shaped as much by collaboration, restraint, and problem-solving as by cutting-edge innovation, worthy of topping our list of the best headphones. Shaping the sound The sound of the WH-1000XM6 wasn't grown in a sterile lab. It came from repeated sessions between Sony's engineers and mastering engineer Mike Piacentini, who works at Sony Music's Battery Studios in New York. Having mastered records for artists including Bob Dylan, Depeche Mode, Rage Against the Machine, and more, Piacentini's job was to help tune the XM6 so that they sound good with any genre, on any pair of ears — a task that's easier said than done. 'Koji's team came over twice,' Piacentini said, referring to Sony audio engineer Koji Takamura. 'They brought prototypes — different driver designs, different tuning profiles — and we just listened. We'd sit in my room, compare them to other headphones, my speaker setup, and argue about EQ. That's kind of the job.' He wasn't just tweaking software presets. 'They'd come back after I gave them notes and literally change the physical design — airflow, diaphragm shape, materials,' he said. 'Like, I'd say 'make the snare pop a bit more,' and a few weeks later they'd show up with a totally reworked prototype that actually did it. It's always impressive how they turn abstract EQ feedback into real, physical changes.' Takamura explained that the XM6's 30mm driver is structurally similar to the one found in the XM5, but with key upgrades. 'The dome is carbon fibre composite — more rigid now — so the high frequency response is more natural and clean,' he said. 'The diaphragm edge is soft, and we added airflow holes in the bobbin to make the sound smoother and more natural.' Unlike professional-grade studio headphones used by producers and sound engineers (where the goal is to use the flattest, most clinical-sounding pair of headphones possible), designing a pair of consumer headphones is a different beast entirely. 'With studio headphones, you know who you're building for. With these, you don't. They'll be used by people listening to everything from Dylan to EDM. So it's about making smart compromises that still feel musical.' Piacentini also spoke about the reference material used in testing — a tight selection of tracks he either worked on directly or knew intimately. 'You listen to the same songs 50, 60 times while tuning,' he said. 'You're listening for balance — does the snare hit the same way? Is the vocal sitting right? And more than anything, does it translate from the studio to these headphones?' Interestingly, other engineers brought in by Sony — including Randy Merrill, Chris Gehringer, and Michael Romanowski — all made similar tuning decisions. 'It was reassuring,' Piacentini said. 'We weren't working in a vacuum. The choices we made seemed to land with everyone.' The tuning process itself, once the hardware was fixed, also took time. 'We started with a few different EQs,' Takamura said. 'Then we brought it to Mike. He helped us tune it more precisely, and we saved that as a preset.' Naturally, one of the other key challenges was balancing ANC with sound quality. 'If the noise cancelling is too strong, you lose clarity,' Takamura continues. 'We worked on an algorithm that adapts to your head shape and your surroundings. That's new.' The sound of silence On that note, Sony's noise cancelling has long been among the best — and the XM6 pushes things further. The jump from eight microphones to 12 (six per earcup) gives the system more data to work with, and it's all handled by the new QN3 noise-cancelling processor, combined with a powerful, all-new algorithm. According to Sony, it's seven times faster than the QN1 chip used in the XM5, enabling more responsive real-time adjustments to changing environments. But it's not just about the hardware. Takamura explained how the new algorithm adapts not just to background noise, but also to head shape and air pressure — crucial for keeping ANC consistent in different situations. Still, he acknowledged the trade-offs. 'There's always a small difference between sound with ANC on and off — but we tried to keep it as small as possible.' In testing, the WH-1000XM6 delivered one of the most effective ANC performances I've used. On a flight, engine noise faded to near silence. In a busy home office, keyboard clacks and fan hum dropped to a distant murmur. Even without music playing, the XM6 created a noticeably quieter bubble — and once audio kicks in, external distractions all but vanish. The ambient mode (Sony's take on transparency) has been improved too. It now adjusts automatically based on surroundings — opening up more in quiet spaces, pulling back in louder ones — with no need for manual tweaks. Some power users may lament the lack of customisable ANC controls regardless, and I totally get that. For me, I have zero complaints about the ANC autopilot in the WH-1000XM6. Though I wouldn't mind seeing a future app update with customisation options. Power to the people, and all that. Nips and tucks While not a million miles away from the design of the XM5, there are some notable changes in the XM6 which, according to Sony designerChai Yee L., was led by a mixture of user feedback and stubborn attention to detail. 'We call it evolutionary, not revolutionary,' she said, 'but each change solves a specific problem.' One example, is the headband. On the XM5, it was perfectly symmetrical — sleek, but occasionally confusing. 'Some users wore them the wrong way round,' she admitted. 'That affects the seal, and sound quality. So the new headband is slightly asymmetrical, with a seam at the back to help you identify the correct orientation by feel.' Even the way the headphones fold was rethought. 'We brought back the folding design because people missed it,' she said. 'But we also reworked the hinge. There's less swing, more stiffness, a straighter profile. We wanted to reduce what we call the 'Mickey Mouse effect' — that triangular gap between the earcup and the head.' The carry case, too, has had a rethink — prompted by Sony's Inclusive Design Workshop in 2024. 'The old zip was hard for some people to use. Now it's a magnetic flap. You can open it with one hand.' Play Other small but considered changes include a redesigned power button (to avoid accidental presses), softer synthetic leather pads, and increased clamping force for better ANC performance. 'You can now wear it around your neck with closed cups too,' she added. 'We wanted it to look and feel more portable.' Sony WH-1000XM6: the best headphones for most people If someone were to ask me what headphones they should get, I'd point them in the direction of the WH-1000XM6 without hesitation — budget permitting, of course. They aren't exactly cheap. But if you're after a single pair of headphones for every conceivable task, and are willing to spend a premium, you won't be disappointed. And as for the inevitable XM7? I'm looking forward to what Sony's engineers and designers will cook up over the next few years.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- The Independent
Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones have a major design change I love (and you will too)
Design and comfort While the all-new XM6 borrow some of the same minimalist styling as the XM5, Sony's made enough changes here that it feels like an upgrade. The earcups are rounder and more sculpted, ditching that slightly squared-off look that never quite grew on me. They look more polished, with no seam running down the side of the earcups. But beyond the cleaner design, one of the first things you'll notice is that they fold again. After abandoning the hinges on the XM5, Sony's brought them back, and it genuinely makes a world of difference. The headphones now collapse inwards into a much more travel-friendly shape, making them easier to chuck into a bag. The only annoying bit? Despite the smaller footprint, the case is still just as big as the zip-up one that came with the XM5. That said, I genuinely love the design of the new case. You fold the headphones up, pop them in and close the lid. It's instant – it clicks shut with a magnetic flap, so there's no faffing about trying to line up a zip. You still get an internal pocket for cables, and the whole thing feels sturdy and protective. There's also a wider headband. It's still wrapped in that soft vegan leather, but the underside is now flatter and thicker towards the back, so it's easier to tell which way round to wear them without feeling around for the tactile L marker. The tweak is supposed to improve comfort and weight distribution – and maybe it will for some people – but I actually found its predecessor more comfortable. The new fit has a firmer clamping force that improves sound isolation, but after long sessions, I started to feel a bit of pinch at the crown. It's not unbearable, but a little more noticeable than I'd like. The XM5s felt more relaxed on my head, especially when wearing them for a full day. They didn't fall off or rattle around my head when I was wearing them at the gym, however. Talking of tactile markers, the power button has a small but welcome glow-up. It's now circular and slightly recessed, making it much easier to locate by touch, so no more thumbing around the cup wondering if you've just hit the ANC toggle by mistake. That's still a longer, flatter strip, so the two are thankfully easy to tell apart without looking. You can also turn the ANC button into a microphone mute button in the Sony Sound Connect settings – this will mute and unmute your mic if you click the ANC button twice. There are minor changes to the touch controls, but they feel more responsive this time around. I didn't find myself repeating gestures as often as I did with the XM5. There's still no haptic feedback, but there are sound effects, so you know when swipes and taps are registered. The XM6 come in black, platinum silver and a new midnight blue colour. Overall, it's just a much more refined pair of cans compared to the XM5. Features The WH-1000XM6 are just as feature-packed as ever. If you've used the XM5s, most of this will feel familiar. Speak-to-Chat (which pauses your music the moment you start talking) isn't turned on by default anymore, a welcome change if, like me, you've always found it more annoying than helpful. Quick Attention mode is still here and works well – just cover the right earcup and it'll pipe in the outside world without you having to fumble with buttons. You've also got support for LDAC, high-res wireless audio, multipoint for two devices, and DSEE Extreme upscaling. But there are new tricks worth flagging. The first is auto switch, a feature borrowed from Sony's newer LinkBuds Fit and LinkBuds Open. It automatically switches the music to your LinkBuds speaker when you return home (or pause your music on your headphones). Leave the house, and it'll switch it straight back to your headphones again. It's a really neat little feature. One of my other favourite features from the LinkBuds is also here: Background Music mode. This pushes your music outwards, so it feels like it's coming from a distance, a little like listening to a playlist in a café. It's really good if you need to focus but don't want it to be completely silent. It'll stop you from singing along to tracks because it sounds so far away. The XM6 also feature a new QN3 processor that's said to be seven times faster than the QM1 chip in the XM5. It powers smarter noise cancelling, with a new adaptive NC optimiser that adjusts on the fly depending on your environment and how much you're moving (but more on that below). There's now a dedicated Cinema mode that upmixes stereo sound into Sony's 360 Reality Audio. I tried this while watching a couple of shows on Netflix and was genuinely surprised by how immersive it felt. Dialogue still sounded clean and centred, but ambient effects and music had a bit more air and spatial separation. Is it Dolby Atmos? No. But for stereo content, it's surprisingly convincing. There's also a new ten-band EQ (up from the 5-band EQ on the XM5), including a dedicated Gaming preset, plus support for Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast, though there's not much that takes advantage of those just yet. One neat upgrade is that you can now listen while charging – something the XM5 didn't allow. Sadly, there's still no USB-C audio, so wired playback is limited to the 3.5mm jack. Noise cancellation and call quality Sony's noise cancellation has always been among the best, but the WH-1000XM6 improve that even further, making noise cancellation more consistent and natural. The XM5 had a slightly annoying lag with the ANC when the noise level changed. I found that if I walked from a quiet room into a noisy office, I'd hear that swoosh of sound sneak in before the ANC kicked in to silence it. It wasn't a deal-breaker, but it was distracting. I'm pleased to report that doesn't happen on the XM6 in my initial tests. With the new adaptive NC optimiser, it now feels much more stable and immediate. It handles shifts in environmental sound well without drawing attention to itself. It's better in every way. It's not quite as forceful as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, which still has a kind of vacuum-seal feel, but the XM6 is less fatiguing and more natural over long sessions. Wind noise was barely an issue in testing, even when walking outdoors or near traffic. Saying that, I still think ambient mode is better on the AirPods Max. While it's definitely improved, and you can hear practically every sound in your environment, the AirPods always make it sound like you're not wearing any headphones at all. There's still a little bit of blunting of environmental sounds with these headphones. In terms of call quality. Sony's new beamforming setup now uses three mics per earcup instead of two, and combined with some clever AI, it's remarkably good at isolating your voice. I made a few long calls in loud environments and didn't get a single 'Can you repeat that?' back. However, it still struggles a little with the wind. If you wanted better and more subtle noise-cancelling from your headphones, Sony's really delivered with the XM6 on first test. Sound OK, Sony's done it. These are my favourite-sounding noise-cancelling headphones right now – and I don't say that lightly. I already liked the tuning on the XM5s, but I always found that the bass lacked a little richness. These fix that issue and bring the sound to an all-new level. There's a newly developed 30mm driver built with the same carbon fibre composite materials in Sony's premium Walkman range, and it has been tuned in collaboration with Grammy-winning mastering engineers. Sony says this gives your music better separation, deeper bass and more clarity across the board. There's also a look-ahead noise shaper built into the processor, designed to smooth out sudden changes in volume and reduce distortion when streaming. Even without playing around with any EQ settings, the XM6 sound more spacious and balanced. When I listened to the vocals on Olivia Rodrigo's Sour, I could feel more depth and better separation in the mids. Bass is stronger too, but not in a showy way; it's less murky, more present. The rubbery synth bassline on MGMT's Little Dark Age used to feel a bit bloated on the XM5s, but here it's tight and punchy, gliding underneath the track without swallowing everything else. Dan Romer's Station Eleven score also sounds sparse and intimate. The XM6 do a better job of capturing string swells, with a sense of texture that wasn't quite as defined on the XM5. If you're coming from the XM5s, it's a clear step up, and I think the XM6s are more musical than the Bose QC Ultra or the AirPods Max. After a few days of listening, these are excellent. As for battery life, it's still rated at 30 hours – the same as the XM5 – but I haven't had long enough with them to say how accurate that claim is just yet. They've held up well so far, even with ANC on, but I'll need more time to test them properly across longer stretches. Still, in 2025, 30 hours doesn't feel quite as generous as it used to. Plenty of cheaper models can eke out more.
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
