Customer Ratings & Reviews

Pretty serious pair of headphones here. The Sony WH-1000XM6 boast hi-res Bluetooth capability, noise canceling technology, and up to 30 hours of battery life. I’ve had the 1000XM6 for almost a week now, and have really put them through their paces. I’ve listened to a wide variety of music through them, and have been extremely impressed by their thumping bass and their smooth, detailed midrange. The Sonys are very comfortable, with plenty of cushion on the ear pads and the top arch. I wore them for hours without any fatigue or pain. The noise canceling feature was one of the best I have used. One of my tests for any ANC set of cans is to play the drums with the noise canceling feature turned on. Drums have a habit of overwhelming noise canceling, and I’ve reviewed some ANC headphones that started crackling and distorting trying to cancel out the noise of cymbals and toms. Not the 1000XM6… No matter how hard I played the drums, the auto noise canceling feature handled all the racket without any issue whatsoever. Better than any headphone I’ve worn up to this point. On to some listening tests. Fleetwood Mac’s Never Going Back Again sounded very detailed. The plucking of the acoustic guitars could be heard distinctly. I could also tell the difference between the guitars that were being picked, and those being plucked by finger. Pretty impressive. Another song by FM, Tusk, was great to listen to. The kick drum thumped, could feel it in my ears. Around the 1:15 mark, the bass joined the mix, and you could easily hear the growl. The chorus had bite but didn’t sound shrill, something that I noted immediately. The 1000XM6 sounded slightly rolled off in the upper registers while being boosted in the mid-bass and midrange. The result was great sounding bass frequencies, great thump on the kick pedal, and beefy toms. But it was almost a little too rolled off. I cycled through a couple more songs, noting that the treble wasn’t where I wanted it to be, and then started messing with the settings. For the heck of it, I turned off Adaptive Sound Control. I noticed a slight tilt upward in the higher frequencies. I don’t know why the Adaptive Sound Control would make a difference in high frequency sound, but it did seem that way. I worked my way through some more songs, and also noticed, on songs like Marco Polo by Loreena McKennit, that deep bass, like below 50 Hz, seemed rolled off too. Anything above 80 Hz was weighty, thumping, and solid (without being boomy). Anything under seemed to lose a little of that weight. Regardless of those two small shortcomings, the 1000XM6 sounded amazing. I couldn’t believe how good a set of Bluetooth headphones could sound. Combine that with a comfortable fit and great battery life, and I say Sony has a real winner here.

I own quite a few headphones, but most of them are of the "Gaming" variety, between my PS5 Pro and Gaming PC. As far as regular Bluetooth audio on my iPhone, iPad and other devices, I usually gravitate towards earbuds (Airpods Pro 2). The reasons for this are several ...I do have a hearing disability (mostly in my right ear) and I have super oily skin. So, typically, for music and calls, I can simply hear better with my Airpods, while being pretty comfy for long-haul use and require minimal cleaning/upkeep. However, these new Sony XM6's may very well break that cycle and just make it worth the extra bit of hassle to remove them from the case, put them on and enjoy...versus the convenience of a quick pop-in of my Airpods. I also want to preface this review with the fact that I have used the Sony XM4's many, many years ago...but they quickly went to the wayside in favor of the convenience of earbuds. I did enjoy the audio quality of them, but not to the extent to make it worth the ritual and habit of putting them on. I also purchased the XM5's last year, but returned them after a week because, honestly, they just seemed redundant to my XM4's and not really much of an upgrade (heck, they even lost the foldability!). But, I did get to test and compare those for a small bit of time. With that being said, I do have the XM4 and XM5's as a point of reference to compare these XM6's to! Packaging: First things first - I've always loved the retail unboxing experience of Sony audio products. You always get that "premium" experience and it feels like you got your money's worth. Sony did not disappoint with these XM6's, even down to the shipping box they arrived in... along with the little grass/confetti material used inside the box for presentation. Unboxing was pretty easy and I immediately noticed a big difference in the storage case between the XM4/XM5 and this product. Both of the previous ones used a zippered case, which I didn't really love. However, Sony's R&D really listened to user feedback for the XM6 and now, there is a magnetic "latch" that goes over the side and keeps the case shut. Overall, the case seems almost the same size as the one for the XM4's (since those folded, like these) and they even accidentally fell about 3-4 feet to the carpet while we were away from the house, thanks to the dog, lol. When we came back home, the case was still closed and latched. The magnet is pretty strong to hold it together, even with a short fall. Setup and App: After unboxing and admiring their beauty, I immediately placed them on charge. I checked on them a few hours later and they were good to go. Later that evening, I downloaded the Sony Sound Connect app. I used that to setup the headphones and get them connected with zero problems. There was an immediate firmware update, which didn't take long at all. Once all that was done, I was presented with the home screen and ready to start listening. I will say that this app has been significantly overhauled and improved since I used it last on the XM5's that I tested. It's much simpler now and I was able to get logged in with my existing Sony account that i used on the previous version without much of a problem. I love that there's so many less configuration options to choose from because previously, it was way too cluttered. Now, previously, I always set the Equalizer to the "Bright" setting, which I noticed is no longer an option. I went through all the options: Off, Heavy, Clear, Hard, Soft, and Game. The rest were Custom profiles. Immediately, the "Off" setting sounded PERFECT. I'm not sure why, but upon selecting any other Equalizer setting, the overall volume reduced by about 20-25%, which I thought was odd. Between everything I've listened to, "Off" continued to be the highest-quality sounding option and great volume. I also do want to mention that there is plenty of volume overhead on these cans, regardless of what setting you use. Using "Off", even with a hearing disability, I could set my volume no louder than 3/4 of the way. Anything beyond that was uncomfortable. This is a huge win for me, as I hate having to max out the volume level just to get to the volume I need. Plenty of overhead like this is nice, in case you wanna "jam out" to something for a short period of time. Beyond this, there are other options, such as Speak-to-Chat, various "Listening Modes", such as Standard, Background Music and Cinema, which are pretty cool - they're really well done effects that mimic various environment settings, such as being in a Cafe, etc. There's even a "Find your favorite sound balance" option that custom-sets an Equalizer for you, in real-time as you listen to a song! It saves this to your Custom2 profile. I thought this setting is super neat and I will be playing with this next! I did not mess with the Spatial Sound Optimization or 360 Reality Audio Setup (ear shape, etc). Overall, I'm extremely happy with the quality of the updated Sony Sound Connect app. It's much nicer and more streamlined than it used to be. Sound/Bluetooth Quality and Noise Cancelling: The sound quality on these XM6's are phenomenal! These are the best sounding headphones I've ever used for listening to music, YouTube videos, Podcasts and such. Compared to even the XM4's and XM5's, they're a nice improvement - especially without even having to use an Equalizer. Some Bands/Songs I have listened to: Alestorm, Ghost, The Bug (the song "Angry" is a great test of the Bass), Sleep Token, the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Soundtrack, The Browning, The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack, Daft Punk, Falling in Reverse, BabyMetal, Slaughter to Prevail and Eminem, just to name a small selection. As you can see, this is a pretty wide variety of music and everything sounded fantastic. I also do want to point out the fact that with my hearing disability, a lot of it is tonal, so I do have some issues hearing voices. With these headphones, I could actually hear every singe word in my listening time with Sleep Token, among others and prior to this, I always struggled to hear exactly what they were saying without Lyrics. Not an issue here at all. So, that's a huge WOW from me. The same applies to some of the other music I listen to as well. Alestorm was also another huge step-up for me on these cans. So, sound quality is a winner on these. And so is the Bluetooth connection and quality. I left my phone in my Game room on one end of the house and went to the bathroom all the way on the other end (about 2,000 sq. ft. away) and suffered ZERO audio drop outs or connection losses. I did also test these on audio calls on my iPhone and that went great as well. The person on the other side said I sounded great and was clear as a bell and at a regular, comfortable volume. I'm sure the extra mics on this one help the quality in various ways. As for Noise Cancelling, for over-ear headphones, it truly is one of the best out there... even better than what the XM4's provided. There are three options - Noise Cancelling, Ambient Sound and Off. The Noise Cancelling is top tier and completely drowns out everything around me. The Ambient Sound mode is pretty much a "transparency" mode, much like Apple devices offer (Airpods Pro and Max). However, the biggest issue I have when using it is that it sounds "amplified", if that makes sense? The audio coming in doesn't sound natural and has this weird computerized sound signature to it. Yeah, it's great in a pinch, but it misses that realistic sound that Apple devices have. With the XM6's, you can tell it's coming in and being "filtered" by the headphones. With Airpods, it sounds completely natural, like nothing is on your ears at all. Would I ding a star off for this? No. But I would like to see this improved in future versions of the headset. Other thoughts and Conclusion: So, I'm happy to report that these are one of the best headphones on the market. There are several other Brands competing with these, but until those get refreshes, at least, the XM6's are the ones to get! I've been absolutely glowing in this review, so, I'm sure you're wondering....are there any cons? A few, but they're more nit-picks than anything: 1) As I mentioned before, I do have super oily skin. So, when I take these off, I have to wipe the headband strip and the earcups down with a cloth, or my shirt if I'm in a hurry. I did hear that these have a new coating that's more "smudge-resistant" on the actual headphones themselves, but of course, this would not apply to the leatherette parts. I know Wicked Cushions does have pads for the previous models, so I'll need to keep an eye out to see if/when they release them for the XM6's! 2) I would have loved to have seen a little extra room in the case to keep your headphones extended to where you normally keep them. I've seen so many issues on the internet with previous models and broken hinges, etc...even from folks that baby their things. If I had to guess, some of that could boil down to the constant sliding up and down and folding in and out to store them in the case, each and every time? I'm not sure, but to avoid this, I may just keep them out and throw them on my headset stand, just to be safe and just use the case if I take them traveling or something. 3) What I just mentioned above about the "Ambient" transparency mode. But yeah, that's literally it for me. Everything else is A+ tier with these. To piggyback off of my intro to this review - for me, these headphones sound so good and are so comfortable (it's feather-weight and almost like wearing nothing at all), it would be worth it for me to use these over my Airpods Pro 2's as a daily driver for all of my music and other audio needs...especially while working from home! If you're in the market for a new pair of cans, you can't go wrong with these at all! 5/5 stars, highly recommended!

The Sony WH-1000XM6 over ear headphones are beautiful, sound amazing, and have just about every feature you could possibly want. PROS - Design - Both style and function including with the Case - 10/10. - Sound - The excellent sound you'd expect from Sony - 10/10. - Function - They put all the features you could possibly want or need into these - 10/10. CONS - Being super picky, there's one or two improvements I'd like to see added. From my experience with these headphones so far, I'd say they are nearly perfect in every way. When I first got them I was SO immediately impressed with the case. I absolutely love that they case is a magnet clasp case. With my previous headphones I had a zipper case and not only could it be a nuisance to zip/unzip, but the zipper would occasionally get hung. The magnetic clasp is a brilliant design - just as secure as a zipper but much easier to deal with. Opening up the case, I was impressed that Sony clearly labeled which earpiece goes where - it's so easy to fold and put them in! (With my old case/headphones sometimes it'd take me several minutes just to figure out the right way to get them in.) And the case has a really nice built-in pocket that not only holds the Aux cord and charging cable, but also has enough room for my Bluetooth Transmitter I use when flying. Super cool bonus! Moving on to the headphones themselves, they really are beautiful. Yes, they fit the traditional design more than say the Apple Heaphones, but within that traditional design, Sony did an excellent job of making them look great and function great. The hinges for folding and the slide outs are all strong but smooth. The headband cushion is great - the earmuffs are super comfy. And the minimal number of buttons (due in part to touch control for many things) is great. As for sound, this is Sony. They've always made some of the best sounding headphones, earbuds, and speakers, and the WH-1000XM6s continue that trend. I can't imagine any audiophile being disappointed with these. Whether you're talking on the phone or listening to a podcast, watching an action film or streaming lossless music from Apple Music, everything sounds amazing. Sound is rich and full across the entire spectrum. These are the kind of headphones that sound so great, I can't see needing to upgrade for many, many years because it'll be a while before any headphones are gonna sound significantly better. Aside from the sound of headphones, these being Active Noise Cancelling, Sony has also developed some of the highest quality ANC Headphones that I've used. There was a time when BOSE was the one to beat in this category, but others have caught up now and these Sony Headphones definitely have some of the best ANC I have ever heard...or not heard. :-) They do an excellent job of eliminating sound so you can focus on what you want to hear coming through the headphone speakers. Getting into the function of these, all I can say is "WOW!" Sony really made sure everything was covered. There are some features I'll never use and I'm sure some I love may be ones someone else won't use, but just about anything you could want is there. The headphones keep Noise Canceling simple with an on/off/ambient option. Ambient sound works great to allow you to hear what's going on around you nice and clear without removing the headphones. Speak-to-Chat has worked well for me so far (though I haven't yet got to test it in a noisier environment) and is a cool feature that automatically switches to Ambient mode if you start talking. Voice Sensitivity is adjustable and you can also change how long it waits after sensing silence before switching back to ANC. Besides that method you can cover the right earmuff with your hand to temporarily switch to Ambient mode. Or you can permanently toggle from ANC to Ambient using a dedicated button on the left earmuff (which is easy to distinguish since it's a slim rectangle button and the only other button for power is round). There are three "listening modes" you can choose from. Standard which is just "normal"; Background Music which is if rather than listening to music or something, you just want to create an ambiance like what you might have in a coffee house if you're working on your computer or maybe reading a book; and Cinema which is of course is meant for watching movies and is supposed to make the sound more cinematic. For the most part, I think I'll probably use Standard, but there may be an occasion where background could be useful and Cinema might be cool for some shows. Sony does include an Equalizer (like all these functions, you access and change in the app) which has several built-ins but also allows you to create custom ones. It's a 10 Channel Equalizer so you can fine turn to your heart's content. The app also has a "Find Your Equalizer" feature if you're not an audio expert and want some help figuring out the best for your tastes. Aside from that, there's also a 360 Reality Audio feature which claims to create an immersive experience as if you're at a live performance, but it only works with specific apps that are optimized for it so I consider it to be a fairly useless feature except for a small percentage of people. You can choose to prioritize Bluetooth sound quality or connection stability - of course sound quality is default as it should be, but you can switch if you're in a specific situation where there are stability issues. You can also further enhance sound quality by turning on DSEE Extreme which uses AI to upscale some MP3 Streaming sources. (This would only be useful if your streaming non-high quality audio, but nice to have the option.) Of course you can connect to two devices at once which I'd expect of all high end headphones these days. Another unique and pretty cool feature is the Voice Control feature - if turned on, it allows you to controll your headphones by saying "Hey, Headphones" then a command like "Play" "Pause" "Next Song" "Raise the Volume" "Set Noise Cancelling to On" etc. You can also access your phone's default assistant (Siri/Google) by saying "Assistant" so you still have that accesible. The only thing I don't like is that normally, long pressing the touch surface of the right earphone calls up your phone assistant, but if Voice Control is on, this is disabled. I don't really understand why. Speaking of the touch sensor control, this is an AWESOME feauture (can can be turned on/off) that allows you to control your headphones and your music with simple touch gestures on the right earpad. It's so much better than a bunch of buttons that you're trying to blindly hit correctly. You can tap to pause/play. You can swipe forward/backward for next/previous, swipe up/down for volume control, and more. It's so easy and intuitive to use and the best control of any headphones I've ever had. The only buttons on the headphones are on the left earpad and there is one circle one for power and one slim rectangle for Noise Cancelling which makes them easy to find and distinguish. The Noise Cancelling button can be set to toggle between any of the three modes (ANC/Ambient Sound/Off) which is cool. The one thing I do not like is that button has customizable controls for 2 taps and 3 taps but Sony has limited this feature to only control the 360 Reality Audio Apps which means this function is pretty much useless for most people. It would be nice if you could map these controls to launch any music app on your phone and/or control other headphone functions. There are some other cool features (I told you Sony really packed everything into these) like Head Gesture which if turned on allows you to accept or reject an incoming call by nodding/shaking your head as well as control scene-based listening; auto-switch sound from your headphones to a speaker when removing/putting them on; set the Auto Power off mode for the headphones; auto-pause your music/movie when you remove the headphones; select to hear your own voice when on phone calls; and adjust the volume (or turn off) audio notifications and voice guidance for the headphones. There is also a "Scene-based listening" option for these that I have not used myself and likely won't, but would be good for people who like to wear headphones like these all the time. When enabled the settings for the headphones will change and be optimized as you change environments. So say you are at home eating breakfast when you put them, then you walk outdoors and down the street to the bus stop, then you get on the bus and ride the bus to work - as you change to thest three different "scenes" the headphones use Adaptive Sound Control to tailor things to your situation. This is something I won't use, but I can see how it could be a great feature for some people. It's hard to say anything is "perfect" but I can't imagine a more perfect pair of headphones available today. The sound is audiphile quality. The ANC is as good as it gets. The design and style is among the best I have ever seen. And Sony put so many features and functionality into these that anyone should be able to customize them to be their own personal dream headphones! The WH-1000XM6 Headphones are Sony at it's best! I can't imagine anyone not loving these.

What a great fit these are comfortable arounf my ears and over my head. I have an older pair i got in 2020 these are slimmer and have touch controls on the side cups. I have to say i like it that way instead of the touch buttons on the side because you always hit the wrong button. Noise Cancellation has improved so much since 2020 these are very quiet. I havent take a call on these so i don't have anything to say about that but im sure they work just as great as my older one's. The app that powers these is so cool you can set it to the gym the office or school commute home. whatever you need to help these sound great. You can have it set to safe Listening to protect your hearing trust me you want that i know it's cool to listen to loud music but your hearing i more important. I have a couple other pair of headphones i have to say Sony's are my go to it just fit's better and sounds better The bad is the charging cord it is really short i mean really short. The case it comes with is so much easier to open and close no zipper to mess with and to get stuck on. It is a hard side case witch is great you won't have to worry about the any damage from a drop. So overall these will be with me on all my travels in the next few month's.

The Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones are awesome! Audio is crystal clear, accurate, expansive, and with excellent bass reproduction. Comfort is fantastic. I could wear these all day without much worry for discomfort. ANC does a fantastic job of filtering out ambient noise. And the app support is second to none. As an all-arounder, the Sony XM6’s checks every box. I have seen nothing at this price level or above that delivers as complete a package Sony does with the XM6. The musicality of the XM6 headphones are nothing short of amazing. I tend to listen to headphones at low to low-medium volume. According to Sony Sound Connect, this is equivalent to 60db to 65db; a very safe level for all day listening. At my preferred volume, vocals were clear and airy, instruments were resolving, and bass was crisp, clean, and very well behaved. For example, listening to Wilson Philip’s “Hold On”, the vocals and harmonies were front and center, the beat never got in the way of the vocals, and the guitars were properly both in the background and supportive of the vocals. This experience was easily reproduced with any artist and musical genre. Beastie Boys’ “Intergalactic” is an excellent example of a bass heavy track mixed with Beastie Boys typical rapping signature. The bass track is so heavy that it could easily overwhelm a pair of headphone drivers. Not here. Separate and clarity were perfect. Movies are equally fun. The Sony XM6’s allows for standard 2-channel audio that can be up-mixed to Sony’s own 360 Audio format. My primary streaming platform is Netflix. Netflix recently produced an animated series titled “Arcane.” This series is a cornucopia of neon colors, hard-edged artistically rendered characters, and has a surprising rich musical and special effects soundtrack. The series is mixed in 5.1 surround. I originally watched the series on my 5.1 home theater system. I fired up a few key episodes on my laptop to test both stereo (Standard) and Cinema (360) modes. This is controllable via the Sony Sound Connect Application. Standard mode offered what I would call a standard two-channel, two-dimensional presentation. Cinema mode was a completely different presentation. Dialogue was shifted from the left and right ear cups to front and center. Explosions were spacious and extended beyond the confines of the ear cups. There were more subtle sound effects that seem to weave in and out of the scene like an ocean wave. Overall, I cannot think of any reason not to watch Netflix with anything other than the XM6’s from here on out. Will these replace my home theater? No. But if you enjoy cinema then I think you will love the Cinema mode. I found it hard to go back to standard two-channel listening after using Cinema mode for a few episodes. ANC is fantastic. Constant, consistent noise such as fan noises and vacuum cleaners are easily filtered out. The noise reduction may cause a slight background hum which will invade the ear cup when nothing is playing. It is almost inaudible at my normal playing volume. ANC with music, even at low volumes, completely drowns out voices. For example, I was listening to NPR with ANC turned on during my workday. My wife had company in the next room that was speaking as if they were alone in the house. I had no idea they were in the house until I took off the XM6s. They could have been right outside my doorway, and I probably would not have heard them. Ambient noise mode does a great job of providing a transparent hearing experience. It is not perfect. For example, the wall reflections from a hand clap are boosted by the XM6’s 12 microphones. Otherwise, the transparency is nearly perfect. Other headphone manufacturers also offer near transparency ambient noise passthrough. However, Sony takes their ambient sound to the level. First, in the Sony Sound Connect app, I can set the ambient noise threshold. Meaning, I can control the balance between my music intensity and the ambient sound intensity. I can also set a filter to prioritize voices. This allows me to filter out noise while allowing voices to pass through. Sony goes as far as to allow Speak-to-Chat which will reduce the volume of the music, or other audio content, and auto switch to an Ambient conversation mode. The voice sensitivity and mode time out are fully configurable. The Speak-to-Chat feature can be a mixed bag. First it works awesome and does exactly what it is supposed to do. Second, clearing my throat will, even on low sensitivity, activate this feature. Making an under-my-breath comment will also activate the mode. If you are one of those who talk to themselves, or self-narrate their day’s activities, then you will find it best to leave this mode disabled. Sound quality, musicality, comfort, ANC flexibility, and an immersive cinema experience are worth Sony’s price of entry for the XM6’s. But Sony did not stop here. None of this would be possible without industry-leading software. No one comes close to what Sony offers in this space. I touched upon flexible ANC and Ambient modes above. Other notable features are a 10-band equalizer with three programmable presets. Too little bass? No problem. Maybe you want the vocals to be a bit brighter? No problem. Or maybe you want different presets for classical, Jazz, and Rock. That is easy enough to set. Sony even includes a built-in hearing test that will allow you to discover your best EQ settings. However, the test depends on the listener providing their own music for the test instead of providing a standardized loop of sounds that would aid in a more accurate test. Sound Connect will also take hearing and headset wearing measurements to optimize 360 Reality Audio and Spatial listening. This is done using your cell phone’s camera. It is quick, simple, and does a great job. A sub tab in Sound Connect, “Discover”, has a feature called Safe Listening. This page is dedicated to sound pressure in the ear cup over time. The most helpful feature on this page, in my opinion, is real-time ear cup sound pressure level (SPL) measurements. Once registered, this information will be displayed on the “My Device” page under your playing musical selection. Personally, I think this data should be front and center at the top of the page. Why? This is invaluable data to maintain good hearing health. Hearing damage is cumulative. Also, for whatever reason, Apple Music does not normalize every track to a standard output level. Meaning, there are times I am riding the volume controls because track 1 is quiet and track 2 blows my doors off. Overall, the Sony WH-1000XM6’s are amazing. They are fun, musical, supremely comfortable for all day wearing, have outstanding ANC, are light, have unassuming aesthetics, and have a level of flexibility that make the XM6’s unique at any price level. There is a lot more that the XM6’s are excellent at that I did not cover here. Phone calls, multi-point pairing, automatic phone to music switching, automatic source switching, touch controls, storage, the case, and so much more that I could go on for hours about how much Sony got right with the XM6’s. If you are looking for the best all-arounder coupled with a robust software package, then you will love the Sony WH-1000XM6’s.

I used to have the AirPod max, and I decided to get rid of them for these headphones. I had the Apple AirPod maxes for over a year, and it was TOO HEAVY for my head. I know and I get the hype for them but, the noise cancellations wasn’t great for the gym as much as these headphones were, and sometimes the cuffs would air out to the point I could still hear everything. I love headphones where I can almost hear nothing. These were calling my name the first minute I heard it was coming out, and it was the best decision I have ever made. Noise cancellation is perfect, I don’t hear the little inconvenience of the loud area noise, much to say also A LOT LIGHTER in weight compared to the AirPod Maxes. Quality wise is outstanding, I even wear these to sleep without worrying that I would have an indenture in my head like the AirPod maxes would give me. It also doesn’t fall off my head, and I don’t have a small head whatsoever, the AirPod maxes had so many times it would slip off. These wouldn’t slip off if were to rock n roll my head like a rockstar man. The battery life is 100x better than the AirPod maxes, and I want these to last me for over 10 years because of how amazing these headphones are, and these are DEFINITELY WORTH the hype and the name of headphones.

I’ve been using the Sony WH‑1000XM6 for a few weeks now, and here’s my honest review as someone who’s used the XM series before. Noise Cancellation: This is where Sony keeps raising the bar. The XM6 cancels out not just low rumbles but also more “human” noises like voices and keyboard clatter. It feels like stepping into a quiet bubble, even in a busy office or on a plane. Definitely the best I’ve experienced. Sound Quality: The audio is clean and balanced – tighter bass than the XM5, clearer mids, and a wider soundstage. I love the new “Background Music” and “Cinema” modes – they actually make a difference when switching between work, music, and movies. It also supports 360 Reality Audio for an immersive experience if you use compatible apps. Design & Comfort: Sony brought back the folding hinge, which is great for travel. The case now has a magnetic clasp and feels premium. Comfort-wise, they’re good for long sessions, though I did notice a bit of pressure after hours of wearing (especially with glasses). Battery & Features: Battery life hasn’t let me down – around 30+ hours with ANC on, and fast charging is a lifesaver (3 minutes for about 3 hours of use). Multipoint Bluetooth and LE Audio/Auracast make these future-proof. Calls & App: Calls are solid – people hear me clearly even in noisy spots. The Sony app is still one of the best out there, with a full EQ and custom sound profiles. Downsides: Pricey at $449. Fit might feel snug for some (especially with glasses). Still no water resistance or aptX support. Verdict: If you want the best ANC headphones right now, the XM6 are worth it. They’re not a “must” if you already have the XM5, but if you’re upgrading from older models or want top-tier noise canceling, these are hard to beat.

The Sony WH-1000XM6 Noise Canceling Headphones are premium headphones offering studio-quality sound. • Packaging – The headphones come nicely packed in a carrying case; however, I wish the carrying case had a zipper instead of a magnetic buckle as the magnetic buckle seems less secure. • Noise cancellation – The quality of the noise cancellation is outstanding, especially when used on an airplane. During my recent flights the external noise was completely eliminated which allowed me to relax and enjoy my playlist. Sony upgraded the noise cancelling processor to the QN3 which is reportedly 7x faster than their WH-1000XM5 model. • Audio – The audio quality is rich and balanced. I greatly enjoy listening to both music and audiobooks with these headphones. I also found the audio during calls to be clear and easy to understand. There are several customization settings in the Sound Connect app including: o Ambient sound control – able to pick from noise canceling, ambient sound, or off o Listening mode – Standard (allows you to set the equalizer and DSEE), background music (sets music and other content to simulate distant ambience), or cinema (immersive content enabled by Sony’s 360 Reality Audio Upmix technology) o Equalizer – Heavy, clear, hard, soft, game, custom. It allows you to find your equalizer by giving you several different profiles to pick from while listening to music which can be saved to a custom slot. o Spatial Sound optimization – Measures the angle of the headphone placement to optimize spatial sound o 360 Reality Audio – Analyzes the shape of your ears for a more immersive experience as if you were at the performance. This requires you to allow the app to take a picture of each ear. • Comfort – The headphones are lightweight and fairly comfortable over long duration use; however, I did notice some discomfort along the top of my head at the center of the band after a few hours. • Battery life – These headphones have a long battery life lasting up to 30 hours and charge quickly with the included USB-A to USB-C charging cable. Overall, I think these headphones are great. They offer immersive audio and many features/customizations in the app. Highly Recommend!

The WH-1000XM6 delivers outstanding noise cancellation and superb sound quality with deep bass and clear highs. They’re extremely comfortable for long listening sessions, and the touch controls make managing music and calls effortless. Battery life is excellent, and quick charging is a big plus. Pairing with multiple devices is seamless. If you want premium sound and top-notch noise cancellation, these headphones are worth every penny.

The Sony XM6's have to be one of the best upgrades I've gotten. The noise cancellation is great, it feels comfortable even when wearing a mask or glasses, and being able to fold the headphones down help with portability. The battery life is great and it charges extremely fast. The power button and mode switch buttond are easy to locate, and being able to use multipoint connections is really nice. The ambient sound also comes really clear too and useful when listening in busy areas. The price is more expensive from previous generations though. But it is definitely superior than the xm5 in terms of usability. The build quality is claimed to be a bit sturdier aroind the hinges but only time will tell. Overall, they're solid headphones, with a few minor issues, but overall Sony is still at the top

I use these for work every day, I only have to charge them once a week. The battery life is great, and if I forget to charge them, I only have to go without for like 10min and then I’m set. They are comfortable and the audio pass through is great, I don’t have to take them off my ears to hear when someone needs something. The only things I dislike is they don’t seem to have noise cancelling calibration quite like the older ones used to. But the noise cancelling still works pretty well and doesn’t bother my ear drums like some noise canceling does. My only other gripe is the headband is made of some weird flexible material and if I do take a cup off just 1 ear then put it back on, the headband doesn’t really untwist and I have to manually realign both ear cups to make it straight. When it’s twisted like that it’s slightly uncomfortable and I have been told that it’s hard to hear me when taking a call, but only while it’s twisted, it I straighten them out I’m told I can be heard clearly again. The connectivity is great!

Coming from the XM4s, the XM6's have a noticeable sound change that sounds excellent. Good overall balance of lows, highs, and mids. The battery is life is great since I can go a whole week without having to charge them and I use these all day long for work. But the biggest upgrade is the comfort. Coming from the XM4s, the comfort of the cushion and head rest is a nice upgrade. I couldn't wear my XM4s all day since after a while it would start to hurt my ears. I have thicker hair so having a headset that can actually fit my big head is a need and the XM6s do that for me. I skipped the XM5s since the sound quality of them was just very mid, but I liked the comfort of them. The XM6's have the comfort from the XM5s but way better sound quality. Overall I recommend them. You also won't be disappointed with the transparency mode either.

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After testing these headphones for about two weeks, here are the only reasons to consider upgrading from the XM5s to the XM6s: 1. Portability: If portability matters to you day-to-day, the XM6s are a clear step up. They’re foldable—unlike the XM5s—which makes them easier to store and carry. The new magnetic carrying case is smaller and more travel-friendly. Being foldable also means they can lay flat around your neck, something the XM5s can’t do. 2. Build Quality: The XM6s feel noticeably more premium and durable. They have a heavier, more solid build that suggests better long-term sturdiness. That said, I actually find the lighter design of the XM5s more comfortable for long listening sessions. The XM6s, while better built, are definitely more noticeable on your head over time. That’s it. Those are the only two reasons I’d recommend making the switch. If you’re wondering why I’m not listing sound quality, noise cancellation, or other features—it’s because the differences just don’t justify the $450 price tag. Yes, the XM6s offer slightly better sound clarity and improved noise cancellation, but the improvements are marginal. In fact, I sometimes prefer the warmer, deeper bass of the XM5s. The XM6s lean more toward a sharper, punchier bass, which may or may not be your preference. At the end of the day, unless portability or build quality are major priorities for you, the upgrade simply isn’t worth it. Hope this helps.

​The Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones are the new benchmark for premium wireless headphones. They take the already industry-leading noise cancellation of the XM-series and pair it with a more refined sound, class-leading comfort, and a design that is genuinely practical for travelers and commuters. ​Should you buy them? ​Yes, if you are upgrading from an older model (XM4 or earlier) or buying your first set of premium headphones. The combination of best-in-class ANC, excellent sound, and a compact folding design makes them the strongest all-around choice. ​If you own the WH-1000XM5: The improvements are iterative but meaningful. The folding design and improved sound/ANC are strong incentives, but you can likely wait unless portability is a major pain point for you. ​Simply put, the WH-1000XM6 are arguably the best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy right now.

The headphones are good. Ive had the 1st gens to the WH1000XM5 before this. What I found most impressive is BB last mile delivery. I purchased on a Saturday night and my order was at my door by a gig-economy style driver by 2pm est that monday. They use a UPS service called Roadie and it’s impressive. I’m not saying BB is a better conglomerate than Amazon - but for this use case - I am. Now to the ear cones; the headphones case is way better. I travel a lot and mostly keep the cans on my neck through the flight process but its better than the MX5. They updated the app, no doubt for this gen of the hardware, but its got better UI/UX. The actual hardware is very similar but it does fit my fat watermelon head better than the 5’s did. Otherwise, connectivity has been better so far, but ive only had <12hrs. Im mainly impressed with BB and using UPS to get my package here in <1 business day — and we live in the sticks. Cheers.

The new 1000XM6 headphones by Sony are very sleek. They feature some new features this year over previous versions. The headphones come with a carrying case that closes with a magnetic hatch that closes with ease. I have taken a picture of the carrying case. There are several software options in the X6 like dynamic noise cancelling depending where you are. Sony took this a step further by implementing gps too. They use an example in the booklet showing how the headphones will get louder or quieter depending on location like a bus stop or sitting in your room. I’m not sure I am the biggest fan. I kind of equate it to how cars are slowly being taken over with similar software, but to avoid accidents. I personally find that I like to pick a setting and keep it that way until I consciously decide something else. The headphones come in 3 colors: white, black & blue. I have the blue variant myself. I can say it is a dark navy type color that if seen in certain lighting, looks black. As I stated earlier, I have had these Sony headphones before, the XM4. I loved how those felt over my ears. The 1000XM6 unfortunately doesn't feel as comfortable. The way the sides come down on the head and ear tend to feel just a bit awkward. First few times I put on the headphones, I had to repeatedly check if they were on the correct side. Compared to the XM4, when you put them on, you can tell immediately if they are on correctly or not. If you are happy with your current set, I wouldn’t honestly suggest buying these. At over $400+, the price is not cheap. Also, there is no IP67 here, in fact the booklet shows not to get them wet with spilled water for example, so keep this in mind. + Feels very sleek in the hand + Noise cancelling - Feels awkward putting on - No IP rating

I love these headphones! I have used both Apple and Beats products, and these are by far the best performing headphones I've experienced! I love that you can customize your listening preferences within the app. I have a few different settings for music, audiobooks, and gameplay. I love music, and I feel like I'm truly hearing the artist's vision and creative craft for the first time with these headphones. The battery life is really surprising too! I have only charged them once since purchasing and listen with them daily. I also wear glasses and these are some of the only headphones that sit comfortably on my ears and don't pinch my glasses or make my ears sore after hours of use.

They fit great, pretty light and not suffocating to my ears. The only thing I miss about my previous headphones is the Apple ecosystem by switching from device to device seamlessly, these arent as seamless but pairing them isn’t overly difficult. They’re not cheap but if audio quality is something you’re looking for, they’re absolutely worth it!

I upgraded from the W4 to this model. I wouldn’t say that it’s vastly different but the changes they did make are appreciated. Love the noise cancelling. The new case and folding option. Battery life is fantastic. Build feels solid. I use this everyday for work and the gym. Connections between my iPhone pro max and Dell work laptop are seamless. The upgraded sound connect is good if you are into customization and tinkering with your electronics. The blue color does smudge up with fingerprints. That would be my only issue.