Sony WH-1000XM6
Overview
After a three-year break, Sony unveiled a new model in the upscale active noise-canceling (ANC) WH-1000X series this year. According to Sony’s official website, the new WH-1000XM6 model promises “the best noise cancellation” but also comes with a $50 price increase.
Since the WH-1000XM2, I have been a frequent user of the series, so testing out the new Sony WH-1000XM6 and comparing its performance to that of Sony’s older models was a pleasure.
Comfort And Design
Full-sized over-ear headphones are the Sony WH-1000XM6. They are available in three colors: Platinum Silver, Midnight Blue, and Black. Along with a 3.5 mm jack and a USB-C port for charging on the right ear cup, they have the typical two buttons on the left ear cup: an on/off button and a noise-canceling/ambient mode button. Sony redesigned the power button on the XM6 to make it more rounded and easier to find with the touch of a finger. The touch controls from earlier models are still the same. The same carbon fiber composite is used to make the headphones. My ears are perfectly covered by the earpads without being compressed. Compared to the XM5, the ear cups are more resistant to fingerprints. All things considered, they are comfortable to wear and don’t appear to cause excessive perspiration or discomfort when used for extended periods of time. The headband is still comfortable and doesn’t produce any unpleasantness, despite having substantially less padding than the XM5.
A magnetic handle, which is more practical than the zipper found on earlier models, makes the headphone case a little smaller and easier to open. There is a short USB-C charging cable inside in addition to the standard 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable. The hinges make a significant comeback with the Sony WH-1000XM6, even though the overall design is similar to that of the headphones’ predecessor. Like models older than the XM5, the headphones can be folded up and put in a smaller case. Removing the XM5’s hinges was arguably one of Sony’s most contentious series design choices.
In contrast to earlier models, I personally thought the folding process was difficult and fussy. Furthermore, despite being only 3 cm shorter and 2 cm narrower, the case isn’t all that much more compact. Furthermore, the ear cups curve upward and inward from the headphones’ base, and the hinge allows the top band to pivot asymmetrically. I found the XM6 to be a little harder to put on correctly, possibly because of its curvature, which frequently led to the earpads not fitting snugly around the ears. In addition to being comfortable, a snug fit is necessary for the best ANC performance. Later, more on that.
All things considered, the Sony WH-1000XM6 are comfortable to wear and well-made. Although it ultimately comes down to personal preference, I think the folding feature is a little overrated.
Features And Software
The Sony Sound Connect app is available on iOS and Android for the Sony WH1000XM6. For many years, the app—formerly known as Sony Headphones Connect—has been essential to Sony wireless headphones.
Personally, I think the app is too bloated and glitchy; for instance, it keeps forgetting which settings I’ve turned on or off (like Speak-to-Chat). The application walks the user through laborious, unskippable tutorials and other preliminary setup procedures upon a new installation before granting them access to the device settings. The badges under the Listening activity tab are among the impractical features that Sony seems to have eliminated recently.
Simultaneously, “Scenes” were introduced, enabling users to personalize the behavior of their headphones, such as turning them on or off at particular times of day or places. Given how easy it is to manually turn on and off the headphones and control playback, some may argue that such a feature is unnecessary, but it is arguably useful. Adaptive Sound Control, which automatically alternates between ANC and Ambient mode based on user activity, is a feature that is familiar from earlier models. Since I have trouble hearing people clearly in ambient mode, I personally don’t use Speak-to-Chat or Adaptive Sound Control. So when I’m talking, I just take off the headset.
Exclusive to the Sony WH-1000XM6, Sony has added a Listening mode to the app. “Standard,” “Background Music,” and “Cinema” are the options available. “Background Music” modifies the sound to mimic a far-off setting, like a café or living room. Sony’s 360 Reality Audio Upmix technology enables “Cinema,” a video content simulation that mimics a movie theater setting.
Furthermore, the Sound Connect app provides well-known features from earlier models, such as 360 Reality Audio Setup, Spatial Sound, and Head Tracking, all of which improve the listening experience. The headphones can connect to multiple devices at once because they support Bluetooth multipoint. Additionally, they provide voice assistant integration (with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa as options) and the ability to personalize the set’s ANC/Ambient mode button.
Similar to earlier models, the Sony WH-1000XM6 has the ability to automatically pause playback when you take your headphones off. Additionally, they shut off on their own after a brief period of inactivity. Some users might be turned off by the headphones’ lack of USB audio playback, even though they have a 3.5 mm jack.
Audio Quality And Performance
The sound quality of the Sony WH-1000XM6 is excellent. They provide enhanced clarity, a powerful bass presence, and warm tuning. Overall, the headset sounds softer and much fuller than its predecessors, and there is a noticeable improvement in midrange clarity. The Sony Sound Connect app is especially helpful for people who like to customize their sound because it has an equalizer control that can be adjusted. Users who are unsure of their preferred sound can choose a custom EQ setting with ease thanks to the app’s user-friendly “Find Your Equalizer” feature.
In general, the audio quality of Sony’s most recent headset is superb. The XM6s, which were tuned with help from expert mastering engineers, are perfect for both casual listeners and even some audiophiles because they achieve a balance between studio-caliber accuracy and everyday listening pleasure.
A Microphone
The Sony WH-1000XM6 has a six-microphone AI-based beamforming system that filters background noise and isolates your voice. Despite being a technological improvement over earlier models, the microphone is still the headset’s weakest component. For headphones of this type, the microphone quality is adequate in a recording studio. However, the microphone still performs appallingly outside, particularly in noisy settings like public transportation. Although Sony’s algorithm effectively separates background noise, voices become nearly inaudible as a result.
The Sony Sound Connect app on the XM6 has an extra toggle that activates voice recording while on the phone. Although voice capture is meant to enhance voice quality, our tests revealed no discernible improvement. In our experience, it functions more like a noise gate, blocking sounds below a predetermined threshold, which occasionally includes your voice, despite its claims to provide AI-based voice isolation. In terms of AI voice isolation, other businesses, like Nvidia, are far ahead. In the end, even though the Japanese company has gradually improved the microphone arrangement in recent models, voice clarity could still be enhanced.
Cancellation Of Noise
The Sony WH-1000XM6 has outstanding noise cancellation, as anticipated. The HD Noise Canceling Processor QN3, which is included with them, is seven times faster than the XM5’s Q1. The headphones work incredibly well on an airplane, public transportation, or a busy street because ANC is excellent at blocking out repetitive noises like trains and running engines. The occasional unintentional loud noise, like a train announcement, is where technology frequently fails, though faster processing has greatly improved the ability to cancel out such noises. Although the technology is still not perfect, the XM6 shows improvement over earlier models in terms of reducing unintentional noises. That being said, Sony manufactures some of the best ANC headphones available, if not the best, and the XM6 is currently their best model.
When Ambient mode is set to its highest level, voices sound crisper and outside noises are notably more distinct than on earlier models.
As previously mentioned, the only issue I ran into was finding a comfortable fit. Because of the ear cups’ curvature and the fact that I wear glasses, the fit was worse than with earlier models, which led to a less effective noise-canceling experience. This merely means that users need to be more careful when putting on the headphones, but it’s not a big deal.
Connectivity And Latency
There was no discernible latency when we tested the Sony WH-1000XM6 with the AAC and LDAC codecs. During testing, the headset’s connectivity performance was outstanding. During phone calls and audio playback, there were no stutters or connection drops.
Life Of The Battery
The headphones in the WH-1000X series typically have exceptional battery life, and the XM6 is no different. According to Sony, the headset has a 30-hour battery life and can be charged quickly (3 minutes for 3 hours of playback). Even more remarkable results came from our tests: the headphones lasted about 40 hours on a single charge when used for voice calls and music playback with ANC turned on.
In Conclusion
To sum up, the Sony WH-1000XM6 is without a doubt one of the greatest ANC over-ear headphones on the market. They are reasonably small and light. The audio quality and noise-cancelling experience have never been better. Even the longest flights will be supported by the headset’s long and dependable battery life.
Although the new model’s ANC and audio quality are better than those of its predecessor, the design is essentially the same, if not marginally worse. The hinging mechanism adds little to the headset’s compactness but makes it feel less solid. When used outside, the microphone is still at its worst. Customers should be wary of the $499.99 price tag. We have trouble defending the value proposition, even though it might make sense in light of global inflation. The WH-1000XM5 is currently selling for $299.99 on Sony’s official website, which is especially noteworthy given that older models are available at reduced prices or used. According to this reviewer, the WH-1000XM6 is a fantastic investment for people looking to upgrade from midrange ANC over-ear headphones or models older than the XM5.
Sony has ultimately produced a powerful addition to the WH-1000XMX family. For both travel headphones and over-ear headphones in general, the Sony WH-1000XM6 established a high standard.