Sony WH-1000XM6 hands-on review

This week, I had the opportunity to spend a few days trying on the new Sony WH-1000XM6 over-ear noise-cancelling headphones. I've been an avid series fan since the WH-1000XM2 and have been rocking the XM5s for the past two years. I found the upgrade from the XM4s to XM5s very satisfying - the lighter build, improved noise cancellation, and better microphones made a noticeable difference. That's why I'm happy that Sony has stuck with a similar design this year.

Sony also brought something back from past models - flexibility. The WH-1000XM6 have foldable hinges and fit in a more compact case. It's a practical upgrade for those who travel with their headphones and want to keep them protected. The case itself is sleek, compact and easier to open than the cumbersome zipper on the weirdly shaped XM5 case. Inside, there's the standard 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable and a short USB cable for charging.

Sony WH-1000XM6 unboxing

The headphones are a bit heavier than the XM5s (246 grams) but still lighter than the XM4s (251.6 grams). The design and materials are similar to those of the WH-1000XM5. Sony opted to change the shape of the power button to round so it's harder to mistake it for the rectangular noise-cancelling/ambient mode button next to it. The touch controls remain unchanged from previous models.

Sony WH-1000XM6 design

The listening experience is superb. Sony upgraded the noise-cancelling processor, and the active noise-cancelling (ANC) is once again among the best in the industry. For most users, though, the ANC will sound very similar to that of the XM5s; the improvement isn't as significant as the leap from the XM4s to the XM5s. The music listening experience is also like the previous model. Sony's Sound Connect app offers an equalizer and a user-friendly "Find Your Equalizer" wizard to set up a custom sound for everyone to enjoy.

Sony app screenshots

Sony also added a "Listening mode" feature in the Sound Connect app, which seems exclusive to the WH-1000XM6. You can choose between "Standard", "Background Music", and "Cinema". "Background Music" adjusts the sound to simulate a distant environment, such as a living room or a cafe. "Cinema" is supposed to be used for video content and simulates a movie theater environment, enabled by Sony's 360 Reality Audio Upmix technology. This feature won't be everyone's cup of tea, but I believe it can be helpful for people who work with headphones and would like a quieter environment or avid movie-watchers.

The microphone and call quality have been my biggest pet peeves in the WH-1000XM series in general. Since I use the headphones daily, I conduct many phone calls while wearing them. People on the other side of the calls have complained for years that hearing me in a noisy environment is hard. With the WH-1000XM5, Sony finally improved the microphone setup, featuring an eight-microphone array and an AI noise rejection algorithm. Even with the upgraded setup, the microphone still left much to be desired when used in a noisy environment, such as a busy street. Preliminary microphone testing on the WH-1000XM6 shows similar results, although more thorough testing is needed.

Still even after only a few days with them I'm convinced the Sony WH-1000XM6 remains among the best choices for ANC over-ear headphones. They're lightweight and compact, offering excellent noise-cancellation and audio quality for music. However, budget-conscious buyers might be better off choosing the older WH-1000XM5 model. In my opinion anyone using WH-1000XM4 or older models will get their money's worth by upgrading.