Sony resurrects the fold and bets on comfort with WH 1000XM6
Having been designed with portability and comfort in mind, many long time users of Sony headphones consider these two features as must-haves. With the WH 1000XM6, Sony has reintroduced the sorely missed folding design, along with physical improvements that correct a few pain points from previous iterations. The result is a travel-friendly headphone that will capture audio without taking up too much space in your bag.
The last big release in the WH 1000X series was three years ago. With the WH 1000XM5 bringing with it a new design, the WH 1000XM6 retains the visual aesthetic but offers enhanced audio quality, better noise canceling tech, and comfort improvements. All of this now comes at a premium. The WH 1000XM6 will cost 449 dollars, 50 dollars more than their predecessor, and 20 more than the most recent Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones.
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And one of the most appealing upgrades is the foldable hinge that was omitted from the last model. That addition ensures a more-neat fold-up into the smaller carrying case, the opening of which has been updated to a magnetic clasp from a zipper. A small change, but one that very obviously makes a difference when you happen have a fistful of bags or are boarding a flight.
The headband has widened and sits more comfortably on the top of the head. T he ear cups are also wrapped in soft pleather, just like before, but this time they are also removable and replaceable. The Power button has been attacked to display a circular shape to differ from the noise cancelling button strictly by feel.
All of those small changes make the WH 1000XM6 not only more travel friendly but more robust and practical for day-to-day use.
Top-notch audio quality and noise cancellation stand out.
Beneath the hood, there are big changes at Sony. The WH 1000XM6 includes improved drivers and a new noise canceling chip. Sony mentions that the new active noise canceling system is an improvement on not only the WH 1000XM5, but of all other noise canceling headphones on sale today. That’s in the face of fierce competition from Apple and Bose.
Sound tuning was conducted in consultation with Sony’s in-house music studio engineers. Vocals are clearer, detail more distinct and bass so lively with great music. Their sound can be tailored, using the Headphones Connect app, with a 10 band equalizer.
The transparency mode still feels like the most natural and you can easily activate it by covering the right ear cup with a hand. It still supports Multipoint Bluetooth and LDAC codec for convenience and high resolution audio streaming.
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The only thing I might describe as a disappointment here would be the spatial audio upmixing features in the app, which simulate various environments, one type of virtual space being coffee shops or movie theaters. These have an artificial feel, and players will likely forget about them after trying them once.
The battery life and charging are still a mixed bag
The battery on those is the same, with up to 30 hours of playback with noise cancellation on and 40 hours off. Yet, that will be adequate for most users. For the first time in the 1000x series, you can now charge the headphones and listen at the same time. But because the WH 1000XM6 lacks audio over USB C, you’ll need to connect both an adding charging cable and a separate 3.5 millimeter audio cable.
Voice calls should be upgraded, as well. Sony now employs six microphones for voice pickup, versus four on the older model. AI based beamforming algorithm can isolate the speech signal from noise.
Worth the upgrade with a pricing caveat
The Sony WH 1000XM6 doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but builds upon nearly every key aspect of its forerunner. Its good sound, great noise cancellation, and smart ergonomics make it a strong competitor among noise canceling models on the market. But at $449, it is also demanding more than ever from its loyal patrons. For people with older headsets or that have lots of travel in their future, it may still be worth the investment.
