Sony WH-1000XM6 hands-on: back to the fold

Sony’s WH-1000XM6 noise-canceling headphones have arrived three years after their popular predecessors. That’s a longer gap than usual for the lineup, but don’t expect any earth-shattering changes. Whereas the 1000XM4 to 1000XM5 upgrade brought a significant design overhaul, this time Sony is mostly focusing on sound, noise cancellation, and quality-of-life hardware refinements, rather than messing with the visual style.

The 1000XM6 are an amalgamation of the best traits from Sony’s past models and should be the best of the series. But they’re also the most expensive. Sony has raised the price to $449, a $50 jump compared to the prior model and $20 more than Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. That’s a lot of money for headphones that are unabashedly plastic.

Apple’s AirPods Max have a design befitting of their price, even if they’re overly heavy as a result. But much like Bose, Sony sticks to a different game plan by prioritizing long-term comfort for frequent flyers, commuters, and anyone who needs to dial down the outside world for a few hours.

The 1000XM6 borrow most of their DNA from the 1000XM5 with one extremely welcome change: they can fold up again. Sony added a joint to each arm that lets the headphones collapse down and take up less room in their carrying case; similar joints were found on earlier models but were absent on the 1000XM5. I’m already leery about how robust these hinges will prove over several months or a year; Sony has a mixed track record there, so stay tuned.

But the return of folding means the case is noticeably smaller than last time, and Sony has also completely ditched the zipper for a magnetic clasp. I’ve really come to love this tweak. It’s possible to close the case and lock the clasp with just one hand, which you’re obviously not going to pull off with a zipper. And the fabric case is designed in such a way that it remains tightly shut even at the far ends away from the clasp. Well done, Sony. There’s a “right way” to position the headphones when putting them in, which takes a beat to memorize, but it’s a vastly better situation for headphones you’re meant to tote everywhere.

Sony has made several other smart revisions: the headband is wider and puts less pressure on the top of your noggin. Both pleather ear cups are removable (though it takes a good tug) and easy to clip back in should you need replacements. The power button is now round, so you can quickly distinguish it from the ANC button just by feel. And for the first time in the 1000X lineup — don’t ask me how it took this long — you can charge the headphones and listen to them at the same time. But it’s not the approach I would’ve preferred. Bafflingly, Sony still doesn’t support audio over USB-C with these $450 headphones, so you have to use two cables in this scenario — USB-C for charging and the 3.5mm jack for your music.

Those are the functional differences, but Sony also upgraded its silicon this time around. The 1000XM6 use the company’s latest noise-cancellation chip, which produces class-leading ANC that surpasses the 1000XM5 and, according to Sony’s claims, all competitors on the market today. If you were already impressed by how well the 1000XM5 dialed down the outside world, hearing that these do an even better job might push you toward upgrading. (The transparency mode on the 1000XM6 remains natural-sounding, and you can still temporarily activate it by covering the right ear cup with a hand.)

Sony says its latest headphones outshine all previous 1000X models in sound quality. This can be attributed to two factors: first, the company says it consulted audio engineers at Sony’s various music studios for input on tuning the headphones. And second, the 1000XM6 includes new drivers that output clearer vocals and richer details. I haven’t spent enough time with them to reach a full verdict, but these still sound every bit like Sony headphones. They’re dynamic, lively, and don’t shy away from bass. If the default sound profile isn’t your jam, Sony gives you a 10-band EQ for customizing the sound, and I’m sure owners will be comparing their favorite settings on Reddit and elsewhere. The AirPods Max still have a wider soundstage to my ears and win out on overall clarity, but I don’t think Sony fans will be disappointed. Multipoint Bluetooth and Sony’s signature LDAC codec remain present.

This being Sony, there are always some gimmicks tossed in, and with the 1000XM6, the gimmick is spatial audio upmixing. Inside the Sound Connect app, you’ll find new options for simulating a room, coffee shop, or movie theater — with each effect adjusting the “immersion” and ambiance of stereo content with virtualized fakery. These are all terrible. I mean, bad bad. They’re easily the low point of the 1000XM6 but are easy to completely ignore or try once and never again. It’s starting to feel as though Sony has run out of ideas for competing with the ecosystem advantages that Apple, Google, and Samsung can offer.

As for voice calls, the company says it’s using AI beamforming to better isolate your speech from the surrounding environment. And Sony’s also throwing more microphones at the problem: the 1000XM6 use six mics for voice pickup compared to four last time. (There are 12 in total, with the others dedicated to noise cancellation.) I’m sure you’ll soon be able to find all sorts of mic tests around YouTube to gauge any improvements for yourself. Battery life is one area that’s completely unchanged from the 1000XM5. You’ll still get up to 30 hours with ANC on or 40 with it off.

Sony’s 1000XM6 headphones don’t come with another head-turning visual makeover, but they wisely bring back a folding design while improving comfort, noise cancellation, sound fidelity, and small touches like the physical controls. Their higher-than-ever price might push Sony loyalists to explore what else is out there, and 1000XM5 owners shouldn’t feel any rush to spend the $450. But if your older Sony earbuds are on their last legs, these could be worth saving up for.

Photography by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge