Sony Launches WH-1000XM6: Pricing, Specs, Opinions, and Full Details Revealed
Alright, buddy, let's dive straight into the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones. These bad boys have been dropping jaws for three long years, and now the XM6 is finally here to take the throne. But, is it worth the alleged fuss? Hell yeah, let's find out if these cans live up to the hype.
First things first, let's talk pennies—or rather, the amount of them you'll need to fork over for these cans. They're more expensive than their predecessors, with a price of £400 / $449 / AU$699 compared to the XM5's initial retail price of £380 / $399 / AU$649. Now, a price increase is never fun, but considering it's only £20 / $50 / AU$50, we can't complain too much. But please do keep in mind that this makes the XM6 more expensive than rivals like the Bose QC Ultra Headphones, Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, and Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3.
So Sony's got their work cut out for them to make these cans shine. Thankfully, they've made some pretty great design tweaks. The most notable change is that the new model folds up for easy carrying. Thanks to some new hinges at the end of each sliding arm on the headband, the XM6 now fold up into a ball, making them easier to tote around in a pocket or bag.
But, there's one small issue—the case still requires them to be stored flat. Now, fashion police, don't crucify me, but I think Sony missed a trick here. When kept in the case, they take up more space in a pocket or bag than when folded up on their own.
Aside from that, the headband is wider and flatter than the XM5's for added comfort, and the sliders for adjusting the earcups are once again noiseless and stepless, but with a slightly increased clamping force to improve noise isolation. The earcups are a little rounder than the XM5's and no longer have a seam down the edge. The power button is now circular and slightly recessed, and the touch controls on the right earcup are still there, but can be deactivated in the Sony Sound Connect app if you prefer.
In terms of features, Sony claims their new HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN3 is seven times faster than the QN1 chip found in the XM5, which should result in better ANC performance. They also claim a 'look-ahead noise shaper' that reduces distortion and improves dynamics during the digital-to-analogue conversion process. The new 30mm 'soft edge' dome driver is supposed to improve sound quality and ANC, and it's the same size as the XM5's, though it's made from a lightweight, rigid carbon fibre composite material.
The XM6's also come with a 10-band equaliser and a dedicated Gaming EQ, as well as Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast—both of which were missing from the XM5. Of course, returning features like Bluetooth Multipoint, Speak-To-Chat, Quick Attention, and Ambient Sound mode are still there for your listening pleasure. The battery life remains the same 30 hours, and for the first time, you can listen to music on them while charging.
The XM6 uses 12 microphones, six on each earcup, to improve both noise cancellation and call quality. These microphones have been enhanced with a mesh to reduce wind noise, and they're operated by a new adaptive NC optimiser that constantly adjusts depending on your environment, enhancing the performance of the noise cancellation. However, unlike the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, you can’t manually adjust the noise cancellation.
So, you want to know what we think about these cans? We've gone ahead and whipped up a full review of the Sony WH-1000XM6 for you to check out, but let me tell you, these things sound even better than the XM5. With meaningful upgrades in terms of design and features, they're seriously tempting, even for owners of the XM5.
Now, get your grubby palms on these cans and experience them for yourself. If you can't wait, our full review can help you decide if they're the right fit for your earholes. Happy listening!
Additional Insights:
The main competitors of the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones in terms of price and features include several flagship models from brands such as Bose, Apple, Bowers & Wilkins, JBL, and Sennheiser. These include the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, Apple AirPods Max, Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3, JBL Tour One M3, and Sennheiser Momentum 4.
Each of these headphones offers its own unique advantages and disadvantages, but overall, the WH-1000XM6 stands out for its balance of feature-rich performance, superior noise cancellation, and compatibility with multiple platforms. Furthermore, they excel in terms of sound quality, broad codec support, and integrated features like a 10-band equalizer and dedicated Gaming EQ.
- The Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones are priced at £400 / $449 / AU$699, more expensive than its predecessor XM5, but also pricier than competitors like the Bose QC Ultra Headphones, Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, and Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3.
- To make the XM6 stand out, Sony has made design tweaks, such as making the headphones fold up for easy carrying and adding a wider, flatter headband for increased comfort.
- However, the case for the XM6 still requires the headphones to be stored flat, taking up more space than when they're folded up.
- The new Sony WH-1000XM6 features an HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN3, look-ahead noise shaper, 'soft edge' dome driver, 10-band equalizer, and dedicated Gaming EQ, as well as Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast.
- The headphones also offer improved noise cancellation and call quality, thanks to 12 microphones and a mesh to reduce wind noise.
- In our full review of the Sony WH-1000XM6, we've found that these headphones sound even better than the XM5, making them a strong contender in the market of high-end headphones, especially when considered for their balance of feature-rich performance, superior noise cancellation, and compatibility with multiple platforms.
