Published:
Readtime: 3 min
Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here.
For years, when someone asked which earbuds to buy, you said Sony without going into a full comparison. Need the very best in noise cancelling? Sony. Want great sound plus every feature under the sun? Sony. End of discussion.
The new WF-1000XM6 makes that recommendation harder to give.
On paper, Sony has ticked all the boxes. New processor. Four mics per earbud. Redesigned drivers. Smaller shell. A claimed 25 per cent improvement in noise cancelling over the XM5. The app is still one of the most customisable in the game.
But the gap has closed.
The early verdict is simple: these are still very good earbuds. Warm, full Sony sound. Strong control through the app. No one’s calling them bad.
They’re just not clearly the best anymore.
Noise-cancelling is the shift. Sony built the 1000X name on shutting the world out better than anyone else. This time, it doesn’t look like a clear leader amongst the competition, especially with voices and that steady cabin hum or office air-con drone. If that’s your main reason for spending this kind of money, it matters.
Call quality was meant to be another headline upgrade. More mics. Bone conduction sensors. AI doing its thing. The reality is simpler. They’re fine. Clear enough. But not class-leading. And at USD $329.99, “fine” starts to feel expensive. And for us in Australia, we’re looking down the barrel of a $500 price tag. At that level, you don’t want to be comparing trade-offs.
Fit is still a question mark, too. Sony’s foam tips divide people. If they seal properly, great. If they don’t, you lose bass, and you lose noise-cancelling performance. For a flagship product, comfort shouldn’t feel like a lottery.
Where Sony still pulls ahead is software. Adaptive Sound Control, deep EQ tuning, multipoint, battery care features, LE Audio support. If you like setting things up once and letting them adapt to your day, Sony still offers more control than most.
Sony WF-1000XM6 – Key Specs
- Price: USD $329.99 (Australian pricing TBC)
- Battery: Up to 8 hours (24 hours with case)
- ANC: Sony HD Noise Canceling Processor QN3e
- Drivers: Newly developed dynamic driver
- Connectivity: Multipoint Bluetooth, LE Audio ready
- Water resistance: IPX4
- Wireless charging: Yes
If you’re an Android user who likes control, or you’re upgrading from something older like the XM3 or XM4, the WF-1000XM6 will still make plenty of sense. If you’re chasing the strongest possible noise cancelling or standout call clarity, there are other names you should be looking at first.
Sony hasn’t slipped. The rest of the market has just caught up. And at this price, that changes everything.
Comments
We love hearing from you. or to leave a comment.