Sony WH-1000XM6 Evaluation: Hail to the New Noise-Canceling King

9.3/ 10
SCORE

Sony WH-1000XM6

Professionals

• Upgraded design with extra comfy match
• Improved noise canceling and sound high quality
• New QN3 chip is seven occasions as highly effective as QN1 chip in XM5
• Wonderful voice-calling efficiency with extra mics
• Spatial audio with head monitoring

Cons

• $50 greater than earlier mannequin
• No USB-C audio
• It is not so clear the way you entry spatial audio

During the last a number of years, Sony has made a number of the greatest noise-canceling headphones available on the market, so it is a large deal when the corporate comes out with a brand new flagship mannequin just like the WH-1000XM6, which arrives three years after the discharge of the WH-1000XM5. Although the XM5 was — and nonetheless is — one of many prime over-ear Bluetooth headphones, there’s all the time room for enchancment. With the XM6, Sony has mounted the small design flaws of its predecessor whereas bumping up the general efficiency. The result’s a headphone that is arguably edged simply forward of the competitors and is now on the prime of its class.  

If that feels like excessive reward, it’s. However earlier than I get into all the things I like in regards to the XM6, let’s begin with one factor I do not like a lot: the value. It prices $450, or $50 greater than the XM5, which was already costly at $400. You possibly can blame tariffs or inflation generally, however $450 continues to be loads to pay for headphones. That mentioned, Bose has quietly raised the record worth of its QuietComfort Extremely Headphones from $430 to $450, and each the brand new Bowers and Wilkins Px7 S3 and the extremely rated Sonos Ace record for $450. In the meantime, Apple’s wonderful AirPods Max are promoting for round $480. So, sadly, that is the place pricing for high-end noise-canceling headphones has settled.

Watch this: Sony WH-1000XM6 Evaluation: Cream of the Noise-Canceling Crop

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Sony WH-1000XM6’s design upgrades result in a greater match

At first look, the XM6 seems fairly just like the XM5. It is obtainable in three colour choices — platinum silver, black and midnight blue — and at 254 grams, it weighs solely 4 grams greater than the XM5. That makes it fairly light-weight, particularly in contrast with the AirPods Max, which tip the scales at 385 grams. Nevertheless, as I mentioned, Sony has upgraded the design in just a few methods to handle some small however notable complaints in regards to the XM5 from homeowners and critics.

When transferring from the XM4 to the XM5, Sony eliminated the dual-hinge design that allow you to fold the headphones up, not simply flat, and a few individuals weren’t thrilled with that change. Now the dual-hinge design is again, which additionally allowed Sony to make the carrying case just a little smaller. It is barely trickier to get the headphones into the case, however I do just like the case’s design, significantly the brand new magnetic latch.

I additionally just like the up to date energy button design. It is now spherical and recessed, bodily distinguishing it from the button for toggling between noise-canceling and transparency modes (Sony calls its transparency mode Ambient Sound mode). That button may also be programmed to mute and unmute the microphones once you’re on a voice or videoconference name (you must allow that characteristic within the settings of the Sony Join app for iOS and Android).

I did not have a problem with the scarf on the XM5, however some individuals thought it was just a little too slender and wasn’t as comfy on their heads. The XM6’s headband is wider, and the earcups have a round design on their exterior as an alternative of an oval. Nevertheless, the well-designed and well-cushioned earpads are the identical (like all over-ear headphones, these will steam up your ears on a sizzling day, however the fake leather-based materials on the earpads provides just a little extra breathability in contrast with sheepskin leather-based pads).

The contact controls are additionally the identical because the XM5’s (the headphones’ solely bodily buttons are the facility and NC/Ambient buttons). They embrace swiping up and down on the ear cup to boost and decrease quantity and swiping ahead or again to skip tracks ahead or again. I are inclined to desire bodily management buttons, however Sony’s contact controls are fairly good they usually appear to have overcome the issue of the controls not working in very chilly climate (this was a problem with the WH-1000XM3 particularly). 

General, the XM6 match my head just a little higher than the XM5. By that, I imply it match just a little extra snugly and securely, with out clamping an excessive amount of. They are surely comfy headphones, and the marginally snugger match helped me get a barely tighter seal from the earpads. Delicate design modifications can have an effect on each noise canceling and sound high quality a bit. However Sony additionally geared up the XM6 with a brand new, extra highly effective QN3 chip — seven occasions extra highly effective in contrast with the XM5’s QN1 chip, based on Sony — in addition to extra microphones, with a complete of six in every earpiece for 12 whole in contrast with eight mics for the XM5. The 30-millimeter drivers have additionally been upgraded with a extra inflexible dome. These updates are the most important components with regards to efficiency boosts.

The WH-1000XM6’s noise canceling ranges up

The XM5 had wonderful noise-canceling and voice-calling efficiency. I will get to the sound high quality in a minute, however after some comparisons with Bose’s Quiet Consolation Extremely Headphones, I would say the XM6’s noise canceling has edged barely forward and is arguably the very best noise canceling I’ve skilled thus far. Apple’s AirPods Max and the Sonos Ace even have wonderful noise canceling, however Bose and Sony have usually vied for the noise-canceling crown, with one inching forward of the opposite with every new launch.       

I spent a variety of time strolling across the noisy streets of New York and using the subway, and the headphones do a remarkably good job of muffling sound throughout a fair wider vary of frequencies. Most noise-canceling headphones do job of muffling decrease frequencies however have a more durable time with increased frequencies and other people’s voices. With the XM6, you’ll be able to nonetheless hear individuals speaking round you, however voices at the moment are much more toned down.

As a result of I am only one individual with one set of ears, I had just a few of my colleagues check the headphones’ noise-muffling talents, and most of them ended up feeling that the XM6 provided barely higher noise-canceling than the Bose (it wasn’t probably the most scientific check, however you’ll be able to view their reactions in my companion evaluate video).

The XM6’s noise canceling makes use of one thing referred to as Adaptive NC Optimizer, which Sony says is an improve over the XM5’s Auto Optimizer. I assume that is a elaborate means of claiming the digital processing has improved. Regardless of the case, there’s one thing in regards to the XM5’s noise canceling that simply appears just a little extra pure and exact when muffling sound. I additionally thought the ambient sound mode has improved a bit — it, too, sounds extra pure (Apple set the gold commonplace for transparency mode, however others at the moment are catching up).

The Sony WH-1000XM6 has stellar voice-calling efficiency  

The XM5s had been nice for calls with top-notch noise discount. Sony says the XM6s provide even higher voice-calling efficiency, with six AI beamforming microphones dedicated to voice calls as an alternative of 4.

After I used the XM5s within the noisy streets of New York, callers mentioned they thought I used to be inside — they may barely hear any background noise and mentioned my voice sounded principally clear. The identical was true for the XM6, so it is arduous to say how significantly better they are surely for voice-calling. I can solely say they’re among the many greatest headphones for decreasing background noise whereas honing in in your voice in order that it stays clear with minimal warbling because the headphones’ digital processing acts as a noise filter.

You possibly can hear a name pattern in my video evaluate of the XM6.   

Sony WH-1000XM5 options

Sony’s headphones have all the time been loaded with options, and the XM6 is not any totally different. For instance, you may discover Sony’s pioneering Converse-To-Chat characteristic, which mechanically lowers the quantity of no matter you are listening to and switches from noise-canceling to ambient sound mode to let sound in once you provoke a dialog with somebody. Equally, with Sony’s Fast Consideration characteristic, you’ll be able to put your hand over the suitable ear cup to mechanically decrease the quantity and enter ambient sound mode. 

Sony has made some progress simplifying its Sony Join companion app for iOS and Android, however there’s nonetheless loads to navigate and loads of settings to mess around with, together with EQ settings, scene-based listening settings and gesture settings that can help you nod your head to reply a name or shake it to reject it.

New to the XM6 is spatial audio with head monitoring utilizing Sony’s 360 Actuality Audio “upmix” expertise, which is a part of the cinema listening mode. Whereas I used it just a little, I am nonetheless testing it out, and admittedly, it is just a little unclear the way you have interaction it since there does not appear to be a easy spatial audio on/off possibility (with head-tracking or mounted) like there may be with Apple headphones or earbuds.    

The default audio codec is AAC, however Android customers may also go for Sony’s high-quality LDAC codec for Bluetooth streaming. There’s additionally SBC and LC3. The XM6 makes use of Bluetooth 5.3. I did not see any point out of Auracast broadcast audio, however it’s attainable the headphones could assist it sooner or later. 

Upgraded sound high quality

When Sony moved from the XM4 to the XM5, it went from utilizing 40mm drivers to 30mm drivers, which modified the sound pretty dramatically, and never everybody favored the change. The XM4, which stays obtainable, is a hotter headphone with larger, extra energetic bass, whereas the XM5 provides extra detailed sound and tighter bass. 

The XM6’s sound is actually an enhanced model of the XM5’s, with even smoother, extra detailed sound, higher midrange readability and barely higher bass efficiency. It is a richer-sounding headphone with just a little extra depth and extension to the sound. Nicely-balanced and pretty exact (varied devices really feel like they’re proper the place they’re speculated to be within the soundstage), the XM6 has a bit extra of a studio headphone vibe, extra consistent with Sony’s prime wired headphones, although Sony does not classify these as “analytical” headphones.   

I ran by means of the standard tracks I take advantage of for testing headphones — it is an eclectic combine. Tracks included Spoon’s Knock Knock Knock, Athletes of God’s Do not Wanna Be Regular, Orbital’s Soiled Rat, Bjork’s Hole, Drake’s Passionfruit, Pixies’ Vault of Heaven, Florence and the Machine’s Choreomania, varied Foo Fighters songs, plus some tracks from Automotive Seat Headrest’s The Students, CNET house audio editor Ty Pendelbury’s favourite new album (it’s properly recorded).

I spent a good period of time evaluating the XM6’s sound to these competing fashions I discussed earlier, together with the Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones, the Sonos Ace and AirPods Max (I did not get an opportunity to check it to the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 but, however will add my feedback as soon as I get a evaluate pattern). All these fashions are definitely very good-sounding Bluetooth headphones, they usually have delicate variations in sound high quality.

Sony has touted the way it had some exceptionally achieved sound engineers in New York tune the headphones, and I spoke with considered one of them earlier than the launch of the headphones. He mentioned the stiffest competitors for sound high quality got here from the AirPods Max, and I are inclined to agree with that, though I additionally suppose the Sonos Ace is sort of aggressive. Nevertheless, I favored the midrange on the Sony barely higher, and the bass has just a little extra kick to it. With tracks that had very deep bass, the Sony resolved the lows with aplomb and sounded fairly constant.

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One of many points with wi-fi Bluetooth headphones is that they merely have sound high quality limitations. You may get a $250 wired headphone from Sony and others that sound simply nearly as good as these or higher. So I spent a while listening to the XM6s in wired mode to listen to what they seemed like at their greatest. They do not have USB-C audio just like the AirPods Max has now, however they arrive with a twine, and I plugged it into a conveyable headphone amplifier and listened to some lossless music. There is a noticeable tick up in readability, and the headphones begin to sound extra particular in wired mode, as do the AirPods Max. By that, I imply they change into extra interesting to audiophiles. 

A fast word on battery life: Just like the XM5, the XM6 is rated for 30 hours of battery life at reasonable quantity ranges with noise-canceling on and 40 hours with it off. If the headphones run out of juice, a 3-minute cost will get you 3 hours of battery life. What’s new with the XM6 is that you may hearken to the headphones whereas charging them. That wasn’t the case with the XM5. You do want energy to pay attention in wired mode.

Sony WH-1000XM6 last ideas

That is the Sony WH-1000XM6 in a nutshell. After Sony purchased Audeze and geared up its $150 PlayStation Pulse Elite gaming headset with planar magnetic drivers, I hoped it could determine a method to incorporate that high-end driver expertise into this headphone. That did not occur, however the XM6s definitely are improved general — about 20-25% by my tough estimate.

For those who already personal the XM5s, you needn’t rush to purchase these whereas they’re at full worth. For those who personal the XM4s, I could be extra tempted. 

As for the way they stack up towards different premium noise-canceling headphones, I would have to provide them the slight edge. With their design tweaks, improved sound high quality, noise canceling and stellar voice-calling efficiency, they’re just about the entire package deal with regards to noise-canceling headphones.

At some point, we may even see an AirPods Max 2, and Bose will ultimately improve its QuietComfort Extremely headphones, which got here out in Oct. 2023. However for the second, the Sony WH-1000XM6 is arguably the noise-canceling king. It is a disgrace it prices $450, however hopefully, we’ll see some respectable reductions within the fall and through the vacation shopping for season.  

Sony WH-1000XM6 key specs

• New foldable design with wider headband
• Weight: 254 grams
• New QN3 processor (7 occasions sooner than QN1)
• 12 microphones
• Multi-Noise Sensor expertise
• Auto NC Optimizer
• Ear-detection sensors
• Multipoint Bluetooth 
• Bluetooth 5.3
• Contact controls
• Battery life: 30 hours with noise canceling on (40 hours with it off)
• Quick cost (USB-C): 3-minute cost will get you 3 hours of battery life
• Supported audio codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3
• Frequency response: 4 Hz – 40,000 Hz
• Further options: Converse to Chat, Adaptive Sound Management, Fast Consideration, 360 Actuality Audio with head monitoring, 10-band EQ
• 3.5mm jack audio cable (size 1.2m)
• Colours: black, platinum silver, midnight Blue
• Value: $450