/ Three months later, the XM6 still delivers.
Reya Collins is a tech reviewer who reviews those products which individuals wear, put on their desks and pin to their bags and she does not even take them lightly. She studied consumer behaviour and has 5 years of writing experience in this field. She joined as a review writer of wearables, smart home and different accessories of the tech industry. She even values the purchase of 100 dollars of any consumer and this thing reflects in her writing style as well. One more thing about her is that she is extremely creative and loves to paint in her free time and her favourite painter is Alex Katz.
Quick Verdict
The Sony WH1000XM6 wireless noise canceling headphones address a few minor gripes I had with the XM5 (they’re call quality is better, they cancel more noise in low-frequency environments, and I like their case design better) without negating what they had going for them.
For three months now, I’ve been using the Sony WH-1000XM6 almost daily, on flights, at the grocery store, at shared workspaces, in Zoom calls, etc. and I’ve never been happier wearing a pair of headphones. This is not an initial impressions report of a weekend with the box. This is what I found when the new tech gadget hype died down, and these were yet another pair of headphones I grabbed for without a second thought.
Short answer: the sony wh-1000xm6 are a legitimate but non revolutionary upgrade from the wh-1000xm5, but I haven’t longed for a change back in three months.
| Feature | Sony WH-1000XM6 |
|---|---|
| Type | Closed-back over-ear wireless headphones |
| Noise cancellation | Adaptive ANC |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
| Battery life | Up to 30 hours with ANC |
| LDAC + ANC | Up to 26 hours |
| Weight | Approx. 254g |
| Multipoint | Yes, two devices |
| Wired audio | 3.5mm stereo mini jack |
| USB-C audio | No |
| Charging | USB-C |
| Companion app | Sony Sound Connect |
I think Sony’s biggest improvement here is its noise cancellation in noisy, low frequency environments such as a plane cabin, subway train or the low frequency noise of an office HVAC system. Since it’s now powered by the new QN3 processor, which is paired with the 12-mic array, this is a noticeable improvement over my old Sony 1000XM5, where a bit of that engine-tone noise always got through.
The hinge is the biggest drawback. The fold into a ball design is also back with Sony from the XM4 days and no doubt, it is more convenient than the flat-fold hinge of the Sony 1000XM5, it is felt to be less robust. It’s a little more careful with it, than I was with the XM5, which seemed like it could take anything being thrown in a bag with no thought.
I used the Sony XM6 as my main set of headphones for three months, in a pretty mixed routine: two round trips, about 20 hours a week on headphones in a coffee shop, daily walks with my dog near busy traffic, and an unabated stream of calls, podcasts and music, primarily through Spotify and Tidal, with LDAC when available.
I also alternated between my old WH-1000XM5 during the entire journey, switching between them on the same journey, part of the same call, etc., so that the comparison was not purely from memory.
On paper, the changes include a new QN3 HD processor, an increase from 8 to 12 microphones, a new “soft edge” 30mm speaker driver, the restoration of the inward folding hinge, refinements to the touch controls, and parts from Sony’s top-of-the-range Walkman line to improve the handling of the internal signal path.
Nothing dramatic in a spec sheet, right? For everyday use, it feels like an enhancement, rather than transformation, which is what I was expecting.
There were two glaring points in the first week. First, it is a smaller case and the headphones fold up into a much tighter, rounder shape, which means that they won’t take up as much space in my bag as the XM5 did.
Second, the calls were heard on the other end almost immediately, without seeking out the help of the listener, my partner noted that I did not sound “underwater” like I used to when listening to the XM5.
Those differences that were harder to come by were more of a consistency factor. The XM6’s noise cancellation doesn’t seem to be adjusting settings as I change my perspective and walk outdoors before entering a noisy restaurant or a train.
I’d noticed a couple of seconds of recalibration time on the XM5, but not so much on the XM6, which is probably because of the constant background processing Sony put into the new chip.
It’s a modest update of the XM5, where the earcups become a bit more squared-off, the material is slightly more matte which is very resistant to fingerprints and the same iconic silhouette that makes it instantly recognizable as a Sony flagship.
The headband padding feels a bit thicker, the metal-reinforced hinge arms feel more like a premium touch, though I have concerns about how long they’ll last. They weigh in at 254g which is about the same weight as the XM5, so if you’ve already worn Sony’s flagship, it won’t come as a shock to you on the scales.
There’s extensive use of plastic here, but not quite as luxurious as the aluminium-bodied AirPods Max, even though the construction still feels premium enough for a flagship headphone.
During my testing, the headphones also endured some scuffing during regular three week periods of operation. No structural changes occurred, and there was no hinge looseness, cracking or creaking. But the finish is not really that scratch resistant, either.
The lack of an IP water rating also means that these will not be my choice for sweaty workouts or for them to be thrown in the water intentionally. Independent testing also shows an absence of an ingress-protection rating.
Comfort is the only area which actually changed my opinion over the period of 3 months but not in a direct line. The clamping pressure was just a little bit more than my old Sony XM5’s, which is noticeable during some long sessions of work.
By week three, the headband loosened up just enough that four to five hours weren’t a problem any longer. So after spending three months with Sony XM6, they are actually one of the most comfortable sets of headphones that I’ve worn on full travel days with, due to the relatively non-trappy earpads.
That is where the price bump of the XM6 comes, in my experience.
The standout upgrade for the three months has been the ANC. Not a night and day difference in every scenario, but in the situations where noise cancellation really matters the most like travelling, transit, shared workspaces. To be honest, it is a step forward.
This is the largest victory. I noticed the engine drone was significantly more subdued than I recall it being with the XM5, just enough to make me turn down my music half way through flight on both of my two flights because I didn’t need to do that anymore.
Nearby conversation and keyboard clatter is muffled to the extent of most ANC headphones I’ve used but not completely and the Sony XM6 doesn’t do that either. It does not remove them from sight, but rather, makes them white noise to get used to in the background, and that is the more useful of the two goals in maintaining awareness of what is going on.
The transparency mode sounds more natural than the XM5’s, and it has less of that slight processed hissing I used to hear when I would turn it on to listen to an announcement or have a conversation with someone. The voices sound clearer and stronger, and there is definitely a reduction in wind noise when on walks outdoors.
The XM6 was better able to block out the low rumble of the tracks when compared side by side, on the same train ride, at similar audio levels, the XM5 was slightly less effective at blocking out that quiet noise.
Higher frequency sounds, a barking dog, car horn suppressed equally well on both. If the XM5 is the one you don’t like because of the low frequency droning noise, it is the obvious reason to upgrade.
The XM6 really did blow my mind with its fronts and center stage vocals, not being thin and making everything sounded enjoyable to listen to, for me, in podcasts and dialogue-heavy content for the past three months.
The tuning is more towards a controlled, slightly proggy low end, instead of being boisterously boosted. Treble is smooth without being rolled off but not super bright or sparkly on top end, unless that’s what you like, then it’s a little tame.
Throughout the album’s genres, the XM6 was capable of getting into acoustic singer-songwriter tracks, as well as more dense electronic production without getting muddy.
The bass heavy hip hop and electronic tracks are real and have some control instead of boom and there was undeniable improvement in the clarity of the mid-range which made vocals heavy songs like the ones I listen to most a lot more interesting than they were on the XM5.
The one thing that never changes and I actually noticed more as I got more into using them, is soundstage. They don’t spread out wide, which is more important if you’re using them for orchestral or live-recording listening, but not so pertinent when streaming your morning music.
When used with a compatible Android phone and with LDAC activated, it’s actually possible to hear the difference in details and separation between standard AAC and LDAC when streaming at higher bitrates.
So if it is supported by your phone and your streaming service, it’s worth the bother of switching it on in the Sony App.
The driver upgrade is most evident in the clarity of the voice and the bass control: The XM6 is a little more precise and a little less warm and loose bass sounding than the XM5. A step up, but after three months I do turn to the XM6 first when listening is of utmost importance.
The upgrade in everyday use is by far the most consistent. The increased 12 microphone array has made for more of a totally different sound for the people I talk to on a regular basis and they’ve done their part by saying that I seem clearer, especially in windy or noisy outdoor conditions where the XM5 had trouble.
When I’m on the phone on a busy street or near open windows, I can hear all the background noise, but not when I take a call.
I had been using the XM6 with ANC on for three months and in the real world, mixed music and calls with ANC left on pretty much all day, my average charge comes out to about 27 and half hours.
The fast charging of 3 minutes works for around 3 hours of playback and has saved my time again prior to a flight. The feature to listen while charging over the USB-C port, which is unique to this generation of Sony’s, is a minor but very helpful feature I’m glad to have become accustomed to.
The 10-band EQ, Adaptive Sound Control and firmware updates are all available in the Sony Sound Connect app (previously Headphones Connect). Early on I created some custom EQ presets, one of which had the low end rolled off for my podcasting and one which had the bass end boosted for the gym and was switching between them much more than I anticipated from the app’s main screen.
In 3 months, my experience has been that Adaptive Sound Control works well to automatically switch the ANC and ambient sound depending on the activity and location. I tried it by walking out of my apartment in the middle of a song and it did take me into a lighter ambient-aware mode before switching back to full ANC.
When I sat on the train during the end of the song, it did work correctly. It also remembered my coffee shop I had as a saved “location” and then remembered my preferred settings the next time I walked in, which I only noticed after the third or fourth visit.
Speak-to-Chat will allow you to pause your audio when you start talking, which is quite useful but can sometimes over-trigger when you’re humming along to a song or talking to yourself (guilty), because it will also pause the audio mid-sentence at a podcast. After around two weeks, I dialed it down a bit in the app and that got rid of most of the issues.
I’ve had my laptop connected to my phone via Bluetooth for a while now and mostly it works and when I get a call, the laptop automatically switches the audio to the phone, but sometimes it needs to be reconnected back in the Bluetooth menu of my phone, and that’s it. Also, during my testing period, the app forced two firmware updates on me, each installed in less than 5 minutes without any problems.
The WH-1000XM6’s USB-C charging port does not play digital audio. If you connect the headphones to any phone, tablet or laptop via a USB-C connection, it won’t work as a USB audio device.
Sony offers a 3.5mm stereo mini-jack for wired listening, however. The XM6 will still run with conventional headphones but its USB-C digital-audio functionality is not included on some competing high-end headphones.
If you’re particularly interested in wired USB-C audio or lossless playback via a direct digital connection, this is something you’ll want to know. Rather, the XM6 uses Bluetooth codecs like LDAC for high-quality wireless connectivity and the wired option is via the 3.5mm jack.
This isn’t problematic for most users since Bluetooth and the 3.5mm input are used for regular listening. The XM6 isn’t quite as versatile, however, if USB-C audio is a priority.
Both platforms receive the same pieces of functionality: ANC, ambient mode, multipoint and app-based EQ control. Android is also an added advantage, as they have LDAC support for higher resolution wireless audio that iPhones don’t.
Apple doesn’t support the codec. The quality of the calls and battery life was consistent with both phones for the three months.
The differences are real but not radical. Improved low end noise canceling, improved voice clarity and a slightly more civilized sound signature for months of use on both models on the XM6, but a less robust hinge and the same narrow soundstage that was seen in the previous model.
If your XM5 units are in good condition, and you’re not concerned about the quality of the calls or low-frequency noise, then I’m not in a rush. The improvements are evident when compared side-by-side, but they are not so significant as to warrant a complete change of the perfectly good pair. The upgrade is worth it if you are a heavy caller, regularly travel or you are looking to replace your XM5s in the near future.
I had an opportunity to try both in the same test period, alternating between them on the same commute and the same stream of phone calls in order to level the playing field. While on a five-hour plane ride, I switched to the other headphones halfway through: the Bose felt a little lighter on my head towards the end, and put slightly less pressure on the top of my skull, and that makes sense considering the advantage of the latter in terms of comfort.
The Bose also has a marginal advantage in terms of the immersiveness of the bass effect; bass-loaded tracks felt a little better on the Bose. However, running the same episode of the same podcast through both showed the superiority of the vocals on the Sony in terms of clarity and lack of coloration.
In addition, when testing the phone call between me and my brother, he said that he heard the voice from the Sony headphones with less background hiss than on the Bose. The noise cancellation performance was almost equal between them depending on the environment, with the Bose being better at blocking the sudden sharp noises like slamming the door and the Sony maintaining its advantage on the low-frequency droning sounds.
While in case of iPhone owners the AirPods Max works better with the Apple ecosystem and gives lossless audio through its USB-C cable (I tried it by plugging both headphones into the same USB-C to USB-C cable of my MacBook, and only the AirPods Max gave a digital signal without using Bluetooth), in three months of daily usage, I prefer the Sony headphones due to their battery life, I was recharging the AirPods Max more often, better comfort during long listening periods.
The AirPods Max became heavier after about two hours of usage, which didn’t happen with Sony even once) and price, the XM6 is significantly cheaper.
The upgrade is most beneficial for frequent travelers, commuters who have to endure a lot of low-frequency noise, and people who are on the phone for a lot of time. When you need class-leading ANC and reliable all-day comfort, and you’re looking for the best wireless headphones in this price range, you will not be disappointed by XM6.
Before opting for the XM6, those who already have a solid working WH-1000XM5, prefer lossless wired USB-C audio, or are on budget are encouraged to consider the more affordable and now discounted XM5 or its contenders.
| Category | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|
| ANC | 9.5/10 | Outstanding low-frequency cancellation |
| Comfort | 9/10 | Slight clamp initially, excellent after break-in |
| Sound | 8.5/10 | Controlled bass and clearer mids |
| Calls | 9/10 | Major improvement outdoors |
| Battery | 9/10 | ~27.5h in real-world testing |
| Features | 8/10 | Excellent customization, minor software quirks |
| Value | 7.5/10 | Expensive unless you need the upgrades |
I now have the Sony WH-1000XM6 in my bag for good after three months of everyday usage. While it’s not a rehash of the WH-1000X line, it does fix the right things: the noise cancellation in low, droning environments and the clarity of calls, maintaining the comfort and sound quality that made the XM5 a favorite.
The Sony WH-1000XM6 is one of the best all-round ANC headphones I’ve used, but it’s not a must-upgrade from the XM5. Its biggest advantages are stronger low-frequency ANC and noticeably better call quality.
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