Meet the Sony WH-1000XM6: More mics, more power, best noise cancellation in the industry
Sony's newest over-ear headphones promise to offer the best active noise cancellation in the world at a recommended US price of $450.
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Just in case it wasn't already abundantly clear how much Sony cares about its hugely popular family of over-ear headphones, the latest such product has been formally unveiled at a separate event from the hot new Xperia 1 VII to avoid the ultra-high-end handset stealing any attention away from the WH-1000XM6.
At first glance, these bad boys look an awful lot like the 2022-released WH-1000XM5, but under the surface, some of the most advanced technologies and cutting-edge new components are joining forces to improve your audio listening experience in a number of crucial and easily noticeable ways.
Bigger sound, better noise cancellation, higher price
Before diving into the breathtaking list of Sony WH-1000XM6 capabilities and all the major (and slightly less major) upgrades over the WH-1000XM5, let's quickly get a key detail out of the way.
As predicted a few times over the last couple of months, the $399.99 recommended price of the past few 1000XM generations has jumped to $449.99. If that's a dealbreaker for you, well, there's not much you can do other than wait for a hefty discount to arrive... six or 12 months down the line or opt for something like Apple's oft-discounted Beats Studio Pro.
Audiophiles willing to pay that price in exchange for something special, meanwhile, should be delighted to know that the WH-1000XM6 are equipped with a state-of-the-art new QN3 processor billed as seven times faster than the QN1 found inside the WH-1000XM5.
Since when are processors important for headphones in addition to smartphones or tablets? Well, in this case, that massive speed increase should translate into a "dramatic leap" in both noise cancelling and overall sound quality, with the QN3 leveraging a grand total of 12 microphones (up from eight on the WH-1000XM5) to "precisely detect external noise and counteract it with opposite soundwaves."
Long story short, Sony claims these are the world's best noise-cancelling headphones now... which I'm sure Bose will take issue with before long.
Apart from the aforementioned 12-microphone system, the Sony WH-1000XM6 also use six other mics (up from four on the WH-1000XM5) with AI to guarantee "ultra-clear" calls even in the toughest and windiest weather conditions.
Meanwhile, the 30mm neodymium driver unit seems to have gone unchanged, but with the help of "world-renowned mastering engineers", Sony claims to have vastly improved the audio performance, creating an "unparalleled solution for music lovers, fashionistas, travelers, and professionals alike." Is that just marketing? You'll have to wait for our review to find out, but for the time being, what I can say is that the early (and theoretical) signs are certainly promising.
Other upgrades, changes, and key details to note
Available in black, midnight blue, and platinum silver colorways, the Sony WH-1000XM6 are subtly refined and "masterfully crafted" from a design standpoint to further improve the all-day comfort of the already stylish WH-1000XM5.
That's made possible primarily by a wider soft fit headband "infused" with vegan leather, while the earpads come with a stretchable material that promises to make no noise blocking compromises while reducing pressure on your ears and skull. These small but potentially important revisions seem to have added a few grams to the XM5's weight, which hopefully will not pose a big portability problem.
To help with that, the WH-1000XM6 are easily foldable and shipped alongside an elegant carrying case. In terms of battery life, there are no changes to note, with the awesome 30-hour endurance rating between charges still present in the official spec sheet of the super-premium new headphones, which also includes things like LE Audio support, Multi-Point, Auto Switch, 360 Reality Audio Upmix for Cinema, and Auto Ambient Sound Mode.
Some of these technologies are new and some are taken to the next level by the Sony WH-1000XM6, which are thus virtually guaranteed to jump to the top spot on our list of the best high-end Bluetooth wireless headphones in the world very soon.
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