We’re reviewing new headphones from Sony: the sixth generation of full-size wireless flagships that have retained the strengths of their predecessors and received several tangible upgrades. These include a comfortable fit, minimalist design, a set of smart features, and signature surround sound Let’s take a closer look at the Sony WH-1000XM6 and talk about the experience of using it in everyday conditions.
Content
The headphones come in minimalist eco-packaging, with a cardboard tape with color printing on it, which has all the information about the model. Inside is a protective case, which serves as the main container. The delivery set consists of the following items:
A short charging cable is already commonplace, but the fact that it is USB-A in 2025 is strange, although not critical.
Visually, the headphones are very similar to the previous generation, with some minor changes, so if you liked the simplified and more weightless design of Sony WH-1000XM5, you will like the new one. Personally, I’m a fan of the previous, visually more massive, generation of Sony WH-1000XM4 — they had an old-school Sony audio design, although they are ergonomically inferior to the new version.
The ear cushions are filled with soft and resilient material. Passive noise isolation is not the best, but it is sufficient for comfortable use.
Ergonomically, these are the most comfortable full-size headphones, putting on which you immediately feel the difference between the flagship and budget models, even within the same brand. The fit is solid — Sony WH-1000XM6 hold securely on your head and, if you want, you could even do sports in them; Sony has done a great job on the body and weight distribution.
The connection process is simple and intuitive: it is carried out by pressing the power button.
Control is via touch panels on the headphone cups and a few buttons on the sides. The touch controls are responsive and without any clicks, although, unlike the connection, they are not very intuitive and you will have to read the manual or even reassign them to your needs.
Among the interesting flagship features, it is worth noting the high-quality operation of stopping playback after removing or putting on the headphones, the permeability mode when you put your palm to the right cup, and the dialog mode that tracks human speech. Everything works quickly and clearly.
Apps are not the strongest point of the Japanese when it comes to interface design and conciseness. This can be clearly seen in Sony’s proprietary app: starting with the fact that it is called Sound Connect and has nothing to refer to the brand, at least on the icon.
In general, the app is stable and works well, but after the Technics reference software, which is also Japanese, but they managed to do it, it’s hard not to be nitpicky: a lot of unnecessary information and excessive application load But everything works without bugs and is very fast, so overall, the app is not bad.
Adjustable noise reduction works well in almost any environment. The microphones are of good quality, both for use as a headset and in the permeable mode. Sony used a system of 6 microphones for the headphones, which has a positive effect on the quality of conversations and the system as a whole.
The manufacturer claims up to 30 hours of operation on a single charge, which is very close to real-world use, but without ANC: the headphones lasted for 5 working days of 5 hours of listening with periodic noise tests and calls, i.e. about 25 hours, and there was still 14% of the charge left.The headphones also have a fast charging function that gives you 1 hour of listening time in just 3 minutes of charging, but the manufacturer does not specify which power adapter you need to use for this.
| Headphone type | Closed |
| Speaker | 30 mm |
| Magnet | Neodymium |
| Resistance (ohms) | 48 ohms (1 kHz) (when the headphone cable is used with the device turned on), 16 ohms (1 kHz) (when the headphone cable is used with the device turned off) |
| Frequency response (Bluetooth) | 20-20,000 Hz (44.1 kHz sampling rate), 20-40,000 Hz (LDAC technology, 96 kHz sampling rate, 990 kbps bitrate) |
| Sensitivity (dB/mW) | 103 dB/mW (when headphones are connected via a cable with the device turned on), 102 dB/mW (when headphones are connected via a cable with the device turned off) |
| Type of cord | One-way (left) |
| Length of the cord | Approx. 1.2 m |
| Nest | Gold-plated L-shaped stereo mini plug |
| Entrances | Mini stereo plug |
| Features of wearing | Full-size |
| Weight | Approx. 254 g |
| Multi-point connection | Yes |
| DSEE Extreme | Yes |
| Passive mode | Yes |
| Sound skipping mode | Yes |
| Microphone unit | MEMS |
| Microphone directionality | All directions |
| Battery charging time | Approximately 3.5 hours |
| How to charge the battery | USB |
| Battery life (continuous music playback) | Up to 30 hours with noise cancellation enabled and up to 40 hours with it disabled |
| Battery life (continuous communication) | Max. 24 hours (with noise reduction on), max. 28 hours (with noise reduction off) |
| Bluetooth version | Bluetooth specification version 5.3 |
| Effective range | Approximately 10 m |
| Frequency range | 2.4 GHz band (2.4-2.4835 GHz) |
| Profile | A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP, TMAP, CSP, MCP, VCP, CCP |
| Supported audio formats | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
| Protect your playable content | SCMS-T |
| Noise reduction system | Adaptive noise reduction optimizer |
The headphones are equipped with the new HD QN3 processor, which is responsible for noise cancellation. It manages 12 microphones, which allows for real-time optimization of the system, and the Adaptive NC Optimizer function automatically adjusts ANC to the environment, air pressure, and headphone fit.
With a specially designed carbon fiber dome driver, the headphones deliver high frequencies with precision. They support Hi-Res Audio Wireless and LDAC codec for high-quality sound, and DSEE Extreme technology enhances the sound of compressed files. The user can customize the sound with a 10-band equalizer.
A six-microphone system and AI-based algorithms ensure clear voice transmission by cutting out background noise. You can also instantly mute the microphone directly from the headphones.
The headphones support LE Audio technology with ultra-low latency. Multi-Point and Auto Switch functions allow you to easily switch between two connected devices.
Fast charging gives you up to one hour of playback in just three minutes. You can listen to music wirelessly or via a USB cable while charging.
The sound of Sony WH-1000XM6 is spectacular: they are rich, maximally voluminous and “rocking” – ideal for rap, electronica, light rock and jazz. If you listen to them, you’ll hear something in the style of The Weeknd, Daft Punk, Tame Impala, Kendrick Lamar, or 5 Seconds of Summer. Heavy rock, metal and orchestral music in general also sound good, but this is clearly not the strong point of WH-1000XM6. And by the way, Post Malone, who became the face of the advertisement this time, is also a great choice for this model.
The upper frequencies are smoothed out, without an excessive amount of ultra-highs, which is typical for wireless headphones, but in this case more noticeable. The middle frequencies are well-detailed and lively, which is especially noticeable on instrumental parts.
Low frequencies are very voluminous and assertive, but without sacrificing range – these are pleasant basses that are exciting and make you want to move. There’s no feeling that they’re trying to disguise poor sound, as is the case with cheap headphones.
Therefore, the overall sound of the Sony WH-1000XM6 can be characterized as universal, with an emphasis on volume and low frequencies.
The main testing was carried out on Apple iPhone 15 Pro, Google Pixel 7, and Apple MacBook Air M4 laptops using Spotify and Apple Music streaming services.
The price of the headphones Sony WH-1000XM6 is 19 999 UAH.
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