SonyWH-1000XM6 The Best Noise Canceling Wireless Headphones, HD NC Processor QN3, 12 Microphones, Adaptive NC Optimizer, Mastered by Engineers, Studio-Quality, 30-Hour Battery, Black

Each new version of the Sony WH1000 series Wireless Noice canceling headphones has improved over the last version and the WH1000-XM6 is no exception. This is their best headphone yet for sure. The sound is much improved and comes very close in quality to the much more expensive headphones I own like the Dali I-O8, the Focal Bathys and the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100. The noise canceling is also improved. It still does not block 100% of noise, but no headphones do and it comes closest to that (i saw a test that showed the XM5 blocked 84% and the new XM6 blocks 87% of noise which seems right to me. I love that they listened to their customers and brought back the folding design but did it in an entirely new way rather than fo back to the standard old design. I initially bought the Midnight Blue because of the reported anti-fingerprint coating but was disappointed in it as it still shows off finger smudges (although perhaps not as bad as the previous versions). Due to that I also purchased the Platinum Silver and I love the matte finish on this color which looks so much cleaner and feels more premium, in my opinion. The headphones are comfortable for me with just the right amount of clamping force so that they sit firmly on my head without being uncomfortable. There is a weird sensor on the inside of the ear cups which protrudes out a bit and could be an issue for some although I haven’t had a problem with it. The headband is wider and this adds to comfort level over the previous XM5’s, but not by a large margin. Still, it is better. Also they have added new features which I appreciate such as gestures (nodding up and down to answer a call or side to side to decline a all), voice commands (“headphones turn up the volume, skip this track”, etc. and you can call up your device assistant such as Siri for iPhone by saying “assistant”) and a ten-band equalizer to control the sound as you like it. The case is almost the best part, with the new magnetic enclosure its a snap to open and close. One thing is they added the ability to listen to the headphones while charging, which would be great except the cord provided for charging is so short this isn’t feasible and also there is no USB-C audio which should be a feature as most headphones currently do offer this and is becoming standard issue. I wish they could improve the battery life but 30 hours is fine and certainly serviceable. The other audio modes are mostly useless to me (Background music, Cinema) so i have only tried them once, but I have yet to watch a movie with them so its possible Cinema would work well with that as that is the intention of it after all. I am disappointed they removed the ability to a toggle the Speaker-to-chat on/off by a two-fingered press on the touch pad, now you can only do this in the app. Not sure why they removed it as I found it most handy in the XM5’s. There are enough added and improved features that I feel the increased price is justified and also was inevitable with the Trump tariffs. I think they are worth the cost and have always believed the saying “you get what you pay for”. If out of your price range the XM5 and XM4 are both excellent options for a lower price, but I still recommend the XM6 as the best Sony has to offer!

How do I feel about these? I gave them a 5 star because they do the job well. The ANC is pretty absolute. While I haven't traveled with them yet, so far it blocks out all ambient noise. On a phone call the other day I asked how the reception was. Crystal clear was the response.I have a hesitancy to give 5 star only because of the price. Are they worth it? Maybe if you didn't know other things existed. Prior and still I use Soundcore Q35 which are also ANC and good ones. You can compare the specs from each website and clearly Sonys have more microphones etc. On paper Sony WH 1000 xm6 are superior. I paid $139.00 for the Q35s and they also fold into a smaller size and come with a hard case. Even an airplane adapter and 3.5 line. My only issue is, even with a huge head they didn't fit all that well. Sony's are a bit snugger. That said after long term use my ears sweat. Maybe my imagination as I am in the middle of hell in the summer.The most important thing to me is sound. For this pricepoint I should be blown away. AM I? I'm not so sure. There's a Sony appp that fine tunes the sound and it's nice. It sounds great, but is it better than the Q35s? I don't know. There are guys out there that have already done all the tests between Sony and competitors and they make a better case than me. I'm not an audiophile that needs perfection rather I'm an old guy that wants the best I can afford thats reasonable.I'm pretty sure the Sonys are better than the Q35s but so far not for the price difference.I need to become more immersed in this give a better review. That said, I also have a pair of Oneplus buds 2 pro that sound amazing. These also have spacial and a tuning app. And ANC.At the moment I'd say since I'm retired and don't have endless streams of money and have simpler needs, the equipment I was using is just fine and at a good price. If I was one of those guys that laid awake at night crunching decibel numbers I'd say spend the money, well worth it.So far they're easy to use, easy to set up. Not keen on the swipe controls instead of buttons but it works, i just need to adjust. A little learning curve for old guys like me. I usually watch videos while researching pre-purchase and so setup was a breeze. Battery life seems spot on 30 hours, just like Q35s.There are clearly things I missed or am not using that may enhance the experience, time and experimenting will help me with this review later.So these are 5 star cans, for sure and should be judged on their own merits and not off the price point. Still though if good enough is ok for you, comparing these to others may be like camparing cars. Upgrades cost more but don't get you there are faster.