Headphones that'll take your breath away: The Sony WH-1000XM6 review
Wireless Headset for Odor Detection: Sony WH-1000XM6
By Klaus Wedekind
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It's a significant leap forward, with a few minor steps backward: The Sony WH-1000XM6 offers an exceptional listening experience, making it a prime contender for the title of the best current Bluetooth headphone. However, for the premium sound quality, you'll have to dig deep into your pocket.
After a three-year wait, Sony has finally released a new headphone in the 1000X series, and it was worth the wait! The Japanese electronics giant has addressed the criticism of the predecessor and made numerous improvements in detail. The result is a comfortable and compact Bluetooth headphone that offers excellent sound and outstanding active noise cancellation (ANC).
Incredible comfort and improved design
The WH-1000XM5 was criticized for its rigid headband, which prevented it from folding compactly. The new model addresses this issue with hinges that sit just above the ear cups, giving a stable, creak-free impression. The ear cups now have thicker cushions, making the headphones comfortable to wear, even for glasses wearers. Additionally, Sony has slightly improved the passive noise cancellation. The headband cushion has also been widened and thickened, providing an even more comfortable fit. Folded, the headphone fits into a more compact case, taking up significantly less space in luggage.
Intuitive controls and a user-friendly app
The control system remains largely unchanged. On the outer side of the right ear cup, there is a touch surface that responds precisely to tapping and swiping gestures for playback control. There are also two buttons on the underside of the left ear cups that are easy to find and distinguish with your thumb. One is used to turn the headphone on and off and to pair it via Bluetooth. The other is mainly used to switch between ANC and transparency mode. Other practical features include voice recognition that stops playback when you start speaking, and a sensitive, adjustable touch surface. All settings are made in the user-friendly Sound Connect app, where you can also choose to start a music app automatically for certain activities.
Stellar sound and top-notch ANC
The WH-1000XM6 delivers stellar sound with improved detail, definition, and clarity compared to the XM5. Sony has also refined the interior, offering more detail, definition, and clarity. The headphones perform admirably across all music genres. Gamers will also appreciate that the WH-1000XM6 supports Bluetooth LE Audio with extremely low latency and the Auracast standard, allowing you to use your own headphones during audio tours at museums.
The active noise cancellation (ANC) has also been improved. Sony has increased the number of microphones from eight to twelve, effectively suppressing disturbing noises more effectively than its predecessor and adapting better to the environment. The ANC reliably filters out noise from busy streets, airplanes, or trains. The transparency mode is similarly extraordinary, allowing you to adjust the strength, leaving it to automatic control, or letting voices through when using ANC.
The WH-1000XM6 also impresses with its ability to adapt to noisy environments during calls. With six microphones and AI support, the headphones create a beamforming system that captures the voice excellently and effectively suppresses ambient noise. During a call at a busy intersection, a conversation partner reported hearing almost nothing from the surroundings. The headphones also handle wind noise reduction impressively.
The battery life of the WH-1000XM6 is not outstanding, but still very good. Sony claims up to 30 hours, and the test period didn't allow for the battery to be fully drained, but the display showing 83% after around five hours confirms the manufacturer's claim. Once the battery is empty, just three minutes on the charger will give you about three more hours of music. And unlike its predecessor, you can continue using the WH-1000XM6 while charging.
In conclusion, the Sony WH-1000XM6 offers an exceptional listening experience, addressing the design flaws of its predecessor and taking sound and active noise cancellation to a new level. At a price of 450 euros, the headphones offer a lot in return.
Source: ntv.de
Enrichment Data:
- Audio Quality and Design: The XM6 offers improvements in audio quality, making it sound great and providing a more robust listening experience compared to the XM5. Additionally, the headphones are designed to feel more solid and durable than their predecessors, enhancing overall user comfort and stability. The XM6 can also fold up more compactly, making them easier to carry around.
- Noise Cancellation and Microphones: The XM6 features a new HD Noise Canceling Processor QN3, which is seven times faster than the processor used in the XM5. This enhances noise cancellation performance significantly. Additionally, the XM6 includes 12 microphones, four more than the XM5, improving noise cancellation and providing better passthrough mode functionality.
- Battery and Charging Features: The XM6 offers a 30-hour battery life with ANC engaged, extending to 40 hours without it. A quick-charge feature allows for about three hours of playback from just three minutes of charging. The XM6 also allows users to listen while the headphones are being charged, which is a convenient upgrade.
- He found the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones to be a significant improvement over its predecessor, boasting enhanced audio quality and a more comfortable design, making it a worthy gadget for those seeking the best Bluetooth headphones current technology has to offer.
- The Sony WH-1000XM6 is not just a headset with outstanding active noise cancellation and superior sound quality, it's also equipped with a user-friendly app and advanced technology features like the HD Noise Canceling Processor QN3 and 12 microphones, enhancing its noise cancellation performance and providing better passthrough mode functionality.
