Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones review

The WH-1000XM6 is the sixth iteration of Sony’s flagship over-ear headphone and are a direct successor to the well-regarded Sony WH-1000XM5. On paper, they have a familiar spec., however there have been some significant changes, including upgraded drivers, new processing silicon and a sound-tuning philosophy guided by some of the world’s top mastering engineers.

The brand has even managed to trump itself with even more impressive class noise cancelling. If you’re the sort who wants to drown out the world so that you can submerge yourself in a sea of nu-metal, then they could be for you.

Sony WH-1000XM6: Design

The faux leather pads on the Sony WH-1000XM6 may be plush, and outer skin fingerprint-resistant, but the clamp force feels firmer than previous models. If you’re closely shorn, you may also find the headband’s padding a little meagre. There’s definitely less cushion here than on the JBL Tour One M3 for example.

That said, the Sony WH-1000XM6 doesn’t stray too far from the aesthetic of its predecessors. What’s new is a foldable structure makes these headphones more travel-friendly; metal hinges on the end of each arm replace plastic for durability, and the headband is slightly wider, ostensibly for improved weight distribution.

The left ear cup sports the active noise cancellation toggle, power and optional 3.5mm line input. The right has a USB-C port for charging. That cup is touch sensitive, offering swipe control of tracks and volume.

Unfortunately, there’s no option to play wired music via USB-C, and the high quality Apt-X HD codec is AWOL too.

In addition to Bluetooth LE Audio, there’s multi-point pairing for two devices, and wideband calling to enhance day-to-day usability. Colour variations at launch comprise black, silver, and a fetching midnight blue.

Sony WH-1000XM6: Features

If you could open up the WH-1000XM6, you’d find Sony’s new QN3 inside, a pearl of a noise-cancelling processor. It’s this, working in tandem with 12 microphones (up from 8 last time around), and adaptive AI routines that continually adjust cancellation based on the environment. This gives the WH-1000XM6 its main claim to fame - state of the art noise cancelling.

Working from home, the hum of a desktop PC vanishes. Out on a busy street, the XM6 significantly dampen traffic noise. Long-haul flyers, take note - these may be the best noise-cancelling headphones to buy when you fly.

Accidental chat activation is now less likely, as Speak-to-Chat can only be turned on via the app. New too is wind noise reduction and mic mute functionality. Call quality is aided by AI-driven beamforming microphones. All welcome additions, no doubt.

Naturally, there’s also support for high-resolution audio, plus DSEE Extreme upscaling to enhance low-bitrate tracks. A 10-band EQ (up from 5) offers plenty of room to sculpt the sound to your liking, and there’s even a gaming EQ preset.

I particularly like the new 360 Cinema Upmix mode, selectable via the app, which adds extra girth and weight to the soundstage when engaged. It virtualises stereo movie sound for a more spatial listening experience. Listen to dialogue or speech and you’ll detect the artificial reverb, as if your head has become an auditorium. I rather like the effect.

It’s worth noting that you can’t use DSEE Extreme or the Equalizer when the Cinema mode is set.

Sony WH-1000XM6: Sound

If you think these headphones have a studio sound vibe, there’s a good explanation. The company enlisted a who’s who of mastering engineers to shape their sound - Randy Merrill (Adele, Ed Sheeran), Michael Romanowski (Prince, Bonnie Raitt), and others from Sterling Sound and Battery Studios. The goal: to faithfully replicate the neutrality of a mastering suite.

The result is an articulate, well-defined listening experience. New 30mm carbon fibre hard dome drivers contribute welcome clarity, with a snappy transient response, low distortion, and wide dynamic headroom.

Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams (2004 remaster) glides with buttery ease. Every vocal breath, every string scrape, comes through untouched. On Never Going Back, Lindsey Buckingham’s acoustic guitar chimes with crystalline detail.

Switch gears, and these headphones can hit like a sledgehammer. There’s bass slam a plenty, without unnecessary boom. Slaughter To Prevail’s Russian Grizzly In America is a punishing barrage of groove metal, but the XM6 holds the line, without unwarranted distortion - every guttural shriek, every filtered siren riff, rendered clearly and with bite.

On Money For Nothing by Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler’s classic intro riff explodes from the headphones with spine-tingling immediacy. There’s space in the mix, depth in the drums, and snap to the guitars. You can get into the track, move around and appreciate the musicanship.

If there’s a caveat it’s that the WH-1000XM6 probably trade excitement for all this precision. It may be indicative of the tuning philosophy, or those 30mm (rather than 40mm) drivers, but worth mentioning. A pernickety point, but warranted given the price point.

Battery life is good. You get 30 hours with ANC on, and a handy quick charge gives another three hours of use from a three-minute top-up.

The alternatives

JBL Tour One M3
Considerably cheaper than the XM6 Sony headphones (if you don’t spring for the optional Smart Transmitter gizmo), these JBL’s are a blisteringly good buy. They sound great, are super comfy to wear and have big, punchy 40mm drivers - but can’t compete with Sony when it comes to noise cancellation.

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
In many ways the current gold standard when it comes to stereophonic, over-ear listening. These headphones are precise and musical, without sounding overly dry. They feature beautifully made 40mm biocellulose dynamic drivers, and play well with all genres.