It’s been over two years since Sony’s last flagship earbuds came out and it was about time for an update. Enter the WF-1000XM6, still sporting an absurdly long name, these feature an updated design alongside claims of even better sound tuning and noise cancellation.
The earbud version of the WH-1000XM6 gets two more microphones compared to its predecessors with promises of even better call quality and adaptive noise cancellation. Sony actually claims these earbuds inherited their adaptive noise canceling from the over-ear XM6s alongside an optimized antenna structure for better connectivity.
Did Sony achieve these claims, or is it resting on its laurels? We’ve been using the XM6s for over a week, and we can finally share our thoughts. You can check out a quick video version here or read on for the full details.
Table of Contents:
Содержание статьи:
- Design
- Features
- Performance
- Battery life
- Verdict
Design
At first glance, the WF-1000XM6, which will be referred to as the XM6 throughout the review, don’t look that different from their predecessors. The new model is still chunky compared to the current crop of TWS earbuds, and they stick out from your ear in a noticeable way.
The XM6s retain a similar oval shape to previous entries from Sony, but they are even longer and heavier than the XM5s. Each earbud measures 6.4 grams, and the combined total with the charging case comes out to just over 58 grams.
The case itself is made entirely from plastic with a matte finish, while being larger (62 x 26 x 41mm) than the one on the XM5 generation. The sharper corners and the generic case design looks and feels less premium than the XM5’s case. We honestly prefer the curvier and more compact case of the previous generation. We also don’t see how the new case would fit in smaller pockets, which is an important factor when dealing with earbuds.
Sony WF-1000XM5 (silver) vs WF-1000XM6 (black)
Back to the actual earbuds, Sony claims they feature an updated ergonomic shape with an embedded ventilation structure, which increases airflow and prevents ear fatigue. We’d say they are fairly comfortable, though they certainly have an added heft compared to more traditional earbuds.
While on the topic of comfort, the XM6 once again opt for foam ear tips. These offer better passive sound isolation compared to traditional silicone tips, but that comes at the cost of comfort, at least in my case.
I had a similar experience with the XM5s, where the foam tip would continue to expand in my ear canal, resulting in pressure build-up after 20-30 minutes of use. I tried opting for the smaller size S and XS replacement tips, but the issue persisted. The only solution in my case was switching to third-party silicone ear tips.
The XM6s in black honestly look pretty generic. The microphone grilles are now color-matched to the body, and you still get subtle gold accents for the Sony branding on the buds and case. The buds are IPX4 rated against water and dust at a time when competitors are adopting IP57 ingress protection ratings.
Features
Sony’s flagship earbuds don’t disappoint when it comes to the features department. Just like previous WF-1000X series entries, the XM6s are packed to the brim with features ranging from genuinely useful ones to more gimmicky solutions.
You control most of the features via the Sony Sound Connect app, which has been around for quite some time. It’s not the most polished bit of software out there, but it brings a pretty structured design and lots of menus and submenus to tinker with. The buds are controlled by the same basic touch controls just like their predecessors, and we finally get the option to remap the controls.
With the XM6 generation, Sony is bringing an updated version of its Integrated Processor V2, which now features 32-bit audio processing, up from the XM5’s 24-bit depth. Sony claims the XM6 offers improved clarity, dynamic range and detail. The other key update is the QN3e noise-cancelling chip, which is inherited from the over-the-ear WH-1000XM6.
According to Sony, the XM6 offer 25% more effective noise reduction compared to the XM5s. The ANC system features an adaptive noise canceling optimizer, which analyzes external noise and adapts the sound and noise canceling in real time according to how you wear the earbuds.
But outside of PR talk, Sony also added an additional outward-facing microphone on each earbud, bringing their total to 4 per side. That’s two more microphones than the XM5s, and Sony is confident that the XM6s offer the best noise cancelling of any earbuds to date.
The new mics also come in handy for the updated ambient sound mode, which leverages the extra hardware to reproduce external sounds in a more natural way without over-amplifying them. And this proved to be the case during our review period. You can jump to the performance section for more details.
With ambient mode on, voices were faithfully reproduced and actually sounded life-like and not as if they’ve been funneled through a cardboard box.
Speak to chat is another familiar Sony feature that instantly enables ambient mode when it detects your speech so you can hold a conversation without stopping your music.
Speak-to-Chat controls inside the Sony Sound Connect app
It comes with three sensitivity options for voice detection, and I actually managed to trick it a few times by coughing and sneezing instead of talking. Still, the feature is useful for those times when you’re out ordering lunch but don’t feel like taking off your earbuds.
Alongside these changes, Sony also optimized the internal antennas inside the XM6s, which are now 1.5x larger than the ones used in the XM5s for even more reliable connections in busier environments. We did not experience any connectivity issues with the XM6s, but that was also the case with the XM5s and just about every other pair of TWS buds in the last few years.
The XM6 brings back staple features like dual device pairing over Bluetooth 5.3 (LE) and wear detection sensors for automatic play and pause when inserting and removing the buds from your ears. You also get 360 Reality Audio with head tracking for a more immersive feeling when watching movies, gaming or listening to concerts.
Sony’s adaptive sound control feature is once again available, offering the ability to automatically switch between noise canceling and ambient mode based on your surroundings and activities.
Adaptive Sound Control and Scenes
The buds can automatically toggle noise cancelling for activities like public transport commuting and enable ambient mode for running and walking. While this feature is generally good at differentiating between these activities, we’d classify it as more of a gimmick since you can easily accomplish the same tasks via the touch controls on the buds.
Speaking of gimmicks.
The XM6 feature head gestures, which allow you to accept incoming calls by nodding or reject them by shaking your head. We did not try these out, but they are becoming more common in earbuds
Rounding out the long list of features is the optional voice control feature, which lets you control all key functions of the buds with your voice. You’ll need to use the “Hey Headphones” wake word first, followed by any command you’d normally use via the touch controls.
This feature works with English, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, French and German. In reality, it did not perform that well in our testing, with simple commands like “volume up” not being recognized. We were using a pre-production unit of the XM6s, which could explain the fault, but then again, sticking to the standard touch controls proved more convenient and accurate.
Performance
Audio quality
Sony set the bar high with the WF-1000XM5, which remained one of the best premium earbud options over two years since their launch. The XM6 gets updated 8.4mm drivers featuring sound tuning from Sony’s acoustic engineers in collaboration with several Sony Music-affiliated recording studios.
The XM6 bring support for the AAC, SBC, LC3 and LDAC audio codecs as well as Sony’s DSEE Extreme. The latter is an AI-powered algorithm that upscales low-quality, compressed music like the type you’d find on most streaming services.
From the moment you put the XM6s in your ears, tunes sound larger than what you’d expect from a pair of earbuds. There is a healthy amount of bass that manages to stay balanced in the general soundstage. This balanced bass approach proves to be the key differentiator with the XM6 as most competitors tend to overpronounce their lows.
Audio from the XM6 is sharper and even warmer than the XM5s, with a wider dynamic range and excellent reproduction of details like vocals and instruments. We can’t think of any other pair of earbuds that excel at instrument reproduction the way the XM6s do. They also get quite loud, noticeably louder than competitors. You’d rarely have to go over 50% volume even in noisier environments.
You get class-leading clarity in the higher range, which is a step up from what the XM5 had on offer. We’re confident most users will feel perfectly fine with the XM6’s default soundstage tuning, but Sony is also offering an updated 10-band equalizer inside the Sony Headphones app. It replaces the 5-band EQ found on their predecessors, so you have more room to work with in tweaking the sound output to your liking.
Sony’s “Find Your Equalizer” feature is also present and is a generally useful way to get a custom-tailored EQ profile if you feel intimidated by sliders and frequency spectrums.
Noise canceling
Drowning out unwanted noises has proven to be Sony’s bread and butter, and the XM6 are, without a doubt, the best noise-cancelling earbuds we’ve tested. The combination of the updated QN3e noise-cancelling chip alongside the two additional outward-facing microphones gives the XM6 power to suppress the usual noise pollutants you’d face in your day-to-day.
The XM6s are able to significantly drown out noise pollution on their own, even without music playback. Adding in a song or podcast, even at low volumes, can completely detach you from mundane irritants like car traffic and all of the commotion surrounding public transportation.
Going back and forth between the XM6 and XM5 in the usual office, street and public transport scenarios gave us enough time to appreciate the upgraded ANC setup. There’s a noticeable step up in cancelling out repetitive mid and high frequency range, which are the most common noise polluters around. Think speech, car traffic and airplane cabin noise.
Sony’s updated ambient sound mode does indeed bring clearer reproduction of sounds in your surroundings. While you still get the classic hissing sound associated with virtually any pair of noise-cancelling wireless earbuds, the ambient mode on the XM6 sounds more life-like than just about any pair of earbuds we’ve tested.
There’s far less distortion in incoming speech, and you can even toggle on an additional filter that only isolates incoming voices while suppressing other sounds.
Call quality and connectivity
You also get impressive call quality with excellent voice pickup. The XM6 consistently managed to isolate my voice during calls indoors and were also impressive when tested at a noisier street level with plenty of traffic.
This is the usual differentiating factor between affordable and premium wireless earbuds. One trick we noticed is that turning on ambient mode during calls results in clearer sounding voice on our end.
When it comes to latency, the XM6s were better than average with perceivable lag when watching videos, but they still have noticeable audio lag during gaming sessions.
The XM6 exhibited impeccable connectivity throughout our testing with no dropped connections or stutters. Multipoint pairing worked as expected with instantaneous switching between devices, and connectivity remained strong even when moving more than 10m away from the audio source.
Battery life
Sony claims the XM6 are good for 8 hours of playback with ANC on. The case offers two full recharges, bringing the combined battery life from buds and case to 24 hours. During our testing period, we achieved 8 hours and 15 minutes from the buds with playback on the AAC codec and ANC on. That’s a minor upgrade from the XM5, which were good for about 7.5 hours.
When you do need to recharge, a full 0-100% charge for the buds and case takes 80 minutes. You can also top up wirelessly, but that takes twice as long. Sony also added a battery care feature for the buds, which limits charging to 80% in order to extend the lifespan of their batteries.
Verdict
Sony didn’t reinvent the wheel with the WF-1000XM6. They are an iterative upgrade to the already excellent WF-1000XM5 with even warmer audio and more potent ANC. At €300/$330, the XM6 are among the most expensive wireless earbuds on the market. They deliver top-tier sound, class-leading noise canceling and improved microphone performance, which makes them a worthy pick in the premium TWS market.
Sony WF-1000XM6
$330 at SONY.COM
It may sound strange, but Sony took a step backwards in terms of design for the earbuds and their case. Both are larger and heavier than the previous generation, and we honestly prefer the fit and looks of the predecessors more.
While the XM6 deliver solid battery endurance, competitors are now pushing over 10 hours on a charge. Sony is giving you a little over 8 hours from the XM6 and two full recharges via their case.
At a time when brands like Apple and Samsung are shifting to “AI-enabled” earbuds, offering features like on-device real-time translation and adding health tracking hardware, Sony is once again betting on refined audio quality and potent noise cancelling. We can’t say we’re against this approach, and if the price tag is not a deterrent, then the XM6 is worth the price of admission.
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