Sony’s WH-1000X series has long been the heavyweight that comes to mind when you think of noise-cancelling headphones. The WH-1000XM6 is no different, with Sony saying they are the best noise-cancelling headphones in the world, with facts to back that up. But this isn’t just a one-trick pony, and the new flagship has been improved in a range of ways.
I’ve been using the new WH-1000XM6 for a while now, and in this hands-on review, I’ll break down what’s new, what’s better, and what I didn’t quite like. From sound quality and noise cancellation to comfort and features, here’s everything you need to know before deciding if these are the right headphones for you.
Price & Competition
This review was written around the time of launch, when the WH-1000XM6 was priced at $749, here in NZ. If you’ve got a good memory, you’ll know that this is a jump from the launch price of its predecessor, the WH-1000XM5. Without speculating on the various factors that could be responsible, it’s a price increase that can be justified at face value, considering the new flagship arrives on the scene with a range of improvements, as well as the ‘best noise-cancelling headphones’ title, at least for now.
Funnily enough, the nature of the 1000-X series and its popularity mean that the XM6 doesn’t just have to compete with other brands; it also has to compete with its own siblings. Naturally, it’s dearer than older 1000-X models. It’s also dearer than many of its competitors, but not all. Keep in mind though, that the XM6 is brand new, and many of the competitors that come to mind aren’t.
Design & Comfort
When you first open up the new carrying case, you’ll notice the first major change from the WH-1000XM5. The XM6 folds! The people asked, and Sony has delivered, bringing back the folding design, which makes these a little easier to store and transport.
Once I got them out of the case, my first thought was that they aren’t worlds apart from the WH-1000XM5 in terms of design. While the change between the XM4 and XM5 was quite noticeable, I could see these being mistaken for the XM5 by a layperson. That’s not a bad thing though; they look good, and when you have one of the world’s best headphones in your catalogue, it’s probably not the best idea to reinvent the wheel with each new generation.
The vegan leather earcups feel plush and premium, and the memory foam inside does a good job of ensuring you don’t get any pressure on sensitive parts of your ear. On paper, the WH-1000XM6 is slightly heavier than its predecessor, but the 4g difference is nothing to write home about, and these still feel very lightweight.
I was able to wear the headphones for hours at a time comfortably, and didn’t notice any issues with the clamping force being too tight or the headphones being too heavy overall. The headband is also comfortable, being a bit wider, and also shaped in a way that should work better with the contour of your head.
As a glasses-wearer, I haven’t really had any spectacle-related problems with comfort. During long listening sessions, I only had to adjust them a couple of times. I wear very thick glasses though, so I would assume those with thinner glasses should find they need even fewer adjustments.
Another welcome return in the design compartment is the ability to rotate the earcups flat, so they can sit nicely against your upper chest when they aren’t on your head. I don’t really mind either way, but I can see how this is a feature that would appeal to many, especially when hanging them on your neck for longer periods, or if you find yourself moving around a fair bit. One thing I appreciated while wearing them this way was that the earcups, facing inward, stay shielded from dust and other yucky stuff before going back on your head. A small win for germaphobes, I guess.
The carrying case is smaller now, courtesy of the headphones' ability to fold, but that’s not the best part about them. A new magnetic close mechanism means you can open and close them in a flash, and this definitely makes a big difference when you’re trying to store or access your headphones. In fact, it’s such a simple process that you could do it one-handed. I did feel as though some of the time that was saved ended up being lost though, because you have to fold the headphones to ensure they fit in the new case. Personally, I would have preferred a slightly larger case if it meant I didn’t have to shorten the headband and fold the headphones each time I wanted to put them away.
Aside from the headphones, you get a 1.2m headphone cable, as well as a USB cable for charging (Type A to Type C). The latter is about 20cm long though, so the one time I used it for charging will likely be the last.
Sony doesn’t actually recommend using the WH-1000XM6 for fitness or similar activities, since the headphones aren’t water or sweat resistant, and any damage caused by moisture isn’t covered under warranty. That said, plenty of folks will probably still use them for a workout or two - just keep in mind that it’s entirely at your own risk. With that in mind, I decided to give them a shot at the gym (don’t worry, it didn’t get too sweaty), because I figured those who still plan to use these for exercise might appreciate a bit of insight.
I used the WH-1000XM6 quite comfortably for a range of exercises at the gym and didn’t find myself needing to adjust them at any point. I wasn’t able to take them on a run, mainly because I despise running, but I imagine running and jumping would leave you needing to adjust them quite often. I ran around playing casual solo football for a bit, and this did require occasional adjustment, so I base my assumption on that. In terms of ventilation and sweat, it does get a bit warm in there when you work out, but that’s something you’d expect from any pair of over-ear headphones. Again, if you’re doing anything that involves sweat, it’s probably a good idea to leave these at home, unless you’re willing to risk damaging them. On the whole, I’d say they’re more than capable of keeping up with workouts that involve mostly static movements, but if you’re planning on running and jumping around, then don’t judge the WH-1000XM6 on its ability to do something it wasn’t really designed for.
Overall, the XM6 is a very comfortable pair of headphones, and the return of the folding abilities just makes them even more convenient for day-to-day use. Regardless of which colour you choose, they look sleek and premium, and the subtle design ensures they do a good job of fitting in with just about any outfit you put on.
Sound Quality
Sony has completely re-engineered the drivers in the WH-1000XM6, and the difference is noticeable, even if you're coming from the already excellent WH-1000XM5. Sony promised a broader and more dynamic sound range with these new drivers, and that promise holds up in real-world listening. The WH-1000XM6 delivers the best sound quality of any 1000-X series yet. While it’s not a groundbreaking improvement, its an improvement, nonetheless.
Bass is powerful but precise, and this theme is seen elsewhere as well, with a great level of detail in the mids and highs. The vocals are also crisp and clear and feel very natural. The WH-1000XM6 handled a variety of genres nicely, and having tried the WH-1000XM5 beforehand, it was easy to ‘feel’ the difference. I am also quite a committed ASMR listener, and this was another area where the detail on offer really showed itself off. ASMR is rarely recorded with the same level of equipment as professional music, but listening to ASMR videos with layered sounds, for example, definitely felt like an improved experience over the WH-1000XM5.
Now, something worth pointing out is the EQ in the Sony app, which has had a pretty major upgrade this time around. You now get 10 bands ranging from 31Hz all the way up to 18KHz, compared to the older models which only gave you 400Hz to 16KHz and a vague ‘Clear Bass’ slider. The addition of four extra sub-400Hz bands - 31Hz, 63Hz, 125Hz, and 250Hz, along with more precise control at 1KHz, 2KHz, 4KHz, and 8KHz (instead of the previous 1KHz, 2.5KHz, and 6.3KHz) is a massive improvement. If you’re not immediately sold on Sony’s default tuning, this new EQ setup makes it way easier to dial in a sound profile that suits you, especially compared to previous 1000-X generations.
Sony’s DSEE Extreme and LDAC support are still here, although I am yet to try the latter, as the trusty Android user I know is currently overseas. From what I’m told, LDAC makes these sound considerably better, so I will update here with more as soon as I can. LDAC offers up to 990kbps of bandwidth, which is a huge step up from the more compressed 320kbps AAC codec that iPhones are limited to, so if you do have an Android device, then you’ll definitely have a much better sound-quality experience with these. Not that I’ve been able to experience that myself yet, sadly. Another nice addition, especially for me, was the bass compensation for glasses wearers. Given you don’t get the same tight fit when you’re donning spectacles, Sony has compensated, and I definitely didn’t feel I was missing out on too much when listening with glasses on.
Noise Cancellation & Call Quality
Sony’s ANC has always been top tier, but the WH-1000XM6 takes it even further. Powered by the new QN3 chip, the noise cancellation has reached new heights, and this is evident from the get-go. It also gets 12 mics, instead of the 8 that the XM5 came equipped with. This improves call quality, of course, but is also huge for noise cancelling.
Is it the best noise-cancelling in the world? According to Sony, yes - and they’ve got the data to back it up. Using IEC-compliant testing, they measured ambient noise reduction across the top 10 headband-style wireless ANC headphones by market share. Now this was as of March 1, 2025, but with only one major headphone release since then, it’s safe to say that title still stands.
So, what was my experience? Funnily enough, when I first put them on, I forgot I wore glasses, and while I was still somewhat happy, I definitely felt like something wasn’t quite right. Consumed by the excitement of trying new headphones out, I trekked on, only to realise a little later. That’s when I finally took my glasses off, and well…
The WH-1000XM6’s noise cancelling is great, and for me at least, it was noticeably better than the WH-1000XM5, which is saying something, because the XM5s were no slackers either. I was fortunate enough to try them out in a range of environments, and it did a great job of tuning out pretty much all of the sounds it was designed to - like my very loud tower fan, distant voices, and even the kettle at one point (until I got really close and was slightly startled, thanks adaptive NC!). I used noise-cancelling in the gym, the car, and both inside and outside of the house, and had no issues at all. Sounds as close and as persistent as my mechanical keyboard were managed well by the XM6, and with music playing, they were completely obsolete. Interestingly, even with the headphones turned off, the sound isolation is surprisingly good. With glasses on, noise cancellation is never going to be quite as good, but this would be the case with any pair of headphones. I bring it up though, because once you have music playing, the noise-cancelling difference between glasses and no glasses is actually not that major.
Transparency mode works really well too, with sounds coming through in a very natural way. Occasionally, you will get a pretty crisp sound that you don’t really want, like my dusty fan that really needs a vacuum, but that’s more my fault, not Sony’s. In saying that, one area I would have liked some more control over is the adaptive NC optimiser. It mostly works okay, but there were times it adjusted to ambient sound when not necessary, and that was a little annoying.
Call quality has seen a big boost thanks to the 12-microphone array and AI-powered noise reduction. Calls are noticeably better than the WH-1000XM5. Bear in mind that this isn’t a business headset though, so call quality is great, for a pair of headphones that haven’t been designed specifically for that.
It picks up your voice really well, especially with the right settings selected in the Sound Connect app, and listeners on the other end should have no problem with background noises on your end. As far as headphones in the all-rounder category, the XM6 definitely does a great job with calls.
Features/Controls/Battery Life
One of the first changes that you’ll notice to the buttons on the WH-1000XM6 is the new power button, which is completely different to the NC/AMB button now. One problem users had with the WH-1000XM5 was the similarity of the buttons, causing confusion, so this is a welcome addition, and to be honest, from a stylistic perspective, the round power button is much nicer. Aside from those two buttons, there is a 3.5mm headphone jack and USB-C charging port, and you can now use the WH-1000XM6 wired over 3.5mm while charging over USB-C, which is a first for the 1000X lineup. As well as that, you can use the headphones over Bluetooth while charging too, which I’m personally even more excited about.
Everything else is taken care of by touch controls on the earcup itself. I found the 2 taps to pause and the swiping for next/previous song worked really well, as per usual. Volume adjustment has always been a bit annoying to me, but it works as it’s supposed to. Nothing new. Personally, I would prefer having volume buttons, but maybe my thinking is too old school. To increase or decrease the volume in increments, you simply swipe up or down and let go. If you want to increase or decrease continuously, then you swipe up or down and then hold.
I didn’t run detailed battery testing, but Sony promises 30h max continuous music playback with NC on, and 40h max with NC off. During the first week, I used the headphones for a few hours per day for a full week exactly, after which battery life had only dropped from 70% to 25%. Most of this listening time was with noise-cancelling on. You can also get 3 hours of listening time from just a 3-minute charge.
There are a bunch of other features on offer here too, like head gestures, head tracking, background music, and 360 Reality Audio Upmix. I’ll be sure to update here when I’ve had a chance to use them a bit more.
App Experience
The Sound Connect app has also received a thoughtful refresh. One of the standout additions is the expanded ambient sound control, which now offers more granular adjustments to tailor how much of the outside world you let in. There are also new options like the background music feature I mentioned earlier, which essentially gives you the feeling that your music is playing in the, you guessed it, background. The EQ section has also been enhanced with a wider range of presets, again, as we mentioned before, but now also has the ability to adjust virtual room size, giving you more control over how music feels spatially. Overall, the app works well and does what it needs to. One thing I would like to change though, and yes, it's yet again something I've already mentioned, is the adaptive NC optimiser. Being able to turn it off or adjust/customise it a bit would be quite helpful.
Final Verdict
The Sony WH-1000XM6 is a great pair of headphones. Sony has taken an already solid formula and improved it in a host of ways, ensuring the WH-1000XM6 is fresh, and more than capable, without straying too far from the status quo.
In terms of comfort, design, and noise-cancellation, I think they’ve really nailed it, and it's tricky to find much to complain about.
Sound quality has definitely improved, but unlike its world-leading noise cancellation, the WH-1000XM6 isn’t aiming to be the absolute best in the world for audio quality. They’re definitely right up the top of the tier that they find themselves in, and the sound quality is brilliant, but I can see this being an area where folks may be more compelled to compare with competitors, as there are definitely a few worthy contenders out there if you’re judging on sound quality alone.
So, how about the elephant in the room? The WH-1000XM6 and its improvements haven’t come free of charge, and looking to buy into the 1000X ecosystem from right at the top is definitely not a cheap exercise at the moment. I think the title of ‘best noise cancelling’ definitely has something to do with Sony commanding a bit more for these, and that’s understandable. Either way, with competitors coming in cheaper, dearer and about the same, I think the WH-1000XM6 could definitely be the current standard at this price point.
If you’ve got the WH-1000XM4 or the WH-1000XM5 already, then maybe have a listen to these and see for yourself if the improvements motivate you enough to go all out. There are improvements all around, but the XM4 and XM5 are still really great headphones, so an upgrade is definitely not vital here.
If you’re in the market for a new pair of headphones though, and the WH-1000XM6 fits your budget, I think you’ll be more than satisfied with what they deliver.
Check them out online now, or if you want to try them on, we have demos available in most PB Tech stores nationwide!
