Sony's WH-1000XM6 makes its entrance featuring improved ANC, a folding hinge, and a raised price point.
After numerous leaks, Sony’s official announcement is finally here: the WH-1000XM6 headphones have arrived, boasting several upgrades from the WH-1000XM5. Notably, there’s a new metal folding hinge designed for enhanced durability and flexibility. The XM6 is available in three colors: black, midnight blue, and a peculiar platinum silver (which resembles an off-white, sandy shade). The U.S. price is set at $450, reflecting a $50 increase over the XM5, which appears to be partly influenced by tariffs, given their price of $599 Canadian dollars (approximately $428 U.S.). They are available for purchase starting today at major online retailers and sony.com.
Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
Sony faced some criticism regarding the fold-flat design of the WH-1000XM5, which some believed was less suited for travel. The XM6 addresses these concerns adeptly by maintaining the sleek design of the XM5 while adding an additional degree of motion to the hinge. Furthermore, the travel case has been made smaller and features a quick-release magnetic closure instead of the traditional zipper.
Sony WH-1000XM5 (top, black) and WH-1000XM6 Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
The headband has been slightly widened and designed in an asymmetrical shape, similar to the Sonos Ace, which Sony claims will assist users in orienting the headphones correctly without needing to check the left/right labels. The ear cushions have also been upgraded with increased padding.
For the XM6, Sony has opted for a new plastic finish, moving away from the slightly rubberized coating of the XM4 and XM5 in favor of an almost ceramic-like texture.
Sony WH-1000XM6 (left) and WH-1000XM5 Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
Sony prides itself on mastering active noise cancellation (ANC) and likely took notice when Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Headphones garnered awards for superior ANC compared to the WH-1000XM5. With the XM6, Sony aims to bridge that gap with three enhancements, starting with a new processor (the QN3) that reportedly measures and reacts to noise conditions seven times faster than the QN1 chip used in the XM5. Additionally, there are now four extra microphones (12 instead of 8) to better capture external sounds, and Sony has replaced the XM5’s Auto NC optimizer with a new Adaptive NC optimizer. These algorithms adjust ANC based on factors such as hair or eyeglasses, helping ensure a strong seal around the earcups.
Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
Out of the 12 microphones, six are now utilized for phone calls (up from four on the XM5), and Sony states that it employs an AI noise reduction algorithm trained on 500 million voice samples, allowing the XM6 to better distinguish your voice from background noise. A new feature on the XM6 enables the muting of these microphones during calls.
On the audio front, Sony has introduced new drivers for the XM6 (the XM5 drivers were also distinct from those in the WH-1000XM4), made from a high rigidity carbon fiber composite material dome, which is said to enhance balance and improve high-frequency performance through a perforated voice coil bobbin. The extensive tuning of the XM6 has also been conducted by several Grammy-winning audio engineers.
Spatial audio returns in the XM6 in the form of “360 Reality Audio Upmix for Cinema.” Sony promotes this as an immersive enhancement for movie content (referred to as “Cinema” mode in the app), but it is compatible with any stereo source on both iOS and Android. Unlike the XM5, which limited spatial audio to Sony's proprietary 360 Reality Audio format, the XM6 allows for a broader application. However, head tracking remains a feature exclusive to Android.
Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
Battery life stays the same at 30 hours with ANC activated and 40 hours without it, but Sony has added the ability to charge the XM6 while using them, a first for the company’s wireless headphones.
While Sony did not emphasize this in their press briefing, similar to the LinkBuds Open and LinkBuds Fit, users can utilize Bluetooth Auracast when switching the headphones to LE Audio mode, provided their smartphone’s operating system supports Auracast. This should function on most Android devices with the latest OS update, but not on iPhones.
A new feature for the XM6 is Scene-based Listening. According to Sony, this feature “utilizes sensing technology to automatically play music based on the user’s activity and adjust the noise cancellation level according to their environment and location.” It appears to extend the existing Adaptive Sound Control option that manages ANC and transparency settings based on activity and location.
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