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

I'm not an audiophile and couldn't articulate the difference between timbre and tone, or wax eloquent on why some headphones have great mids but poor highs. What I can do, is tell you how they work for someone who uses headphones all the time for music, audiobooks and calls.I'm one of the subset of the population where earbuds simply do not stay in my ears, so I'm left with over-the-ear headphones. I use them all the time when I'm working in the yard or driving. I've used a number of brands, and have been using higher-end ones for about six years, starting with Bose 700, and then moving to the WH-1000XM5.Since I loved the WH-1000XM5, and was ready for an update, I ordered them on launch day. I've only had them a day, but here are my thoughts.1. The noise canceling is noticeably better than the WH-1000XM5.2. The sound is a littler better, but not enough to justify a purchase.3. I really like the folding ability and the hinges seem strong - still TBD if they last as well as the non-hinge version.4. The fit is a little bit better. This may be that my other pair have been used for many, many hours, but I don't remember them, when new, fitting quite as well - it feels like a gentle hug on your head and feels really good.5. The magnetic case is not the reason to choose headphones, but it's really awesome and unexpected bonusAre they good enough to justify buying over my current WH-1000XM5? If I were still in college or had limited disposable income, no - I would keep the WH-1000XM5 and be very happy. Since I have kids that are eagerly waiting for some hand-me-down headphones, it makes sense for me to upgrade.What about if you don't already have some earphones? If you have some flexibility with disposable income, I would definitely pay the premium and get the WH-1000XM6 over the WH-1000XM5. If you are really trying to maximize your dollar and get the best deal, get some refurbished WH-1000XM5 headphones.My next comments apply about the same to the WH-1000XM5 as well as the WH-1000XM6.These are the best headphones I've tried for voice calls - I haven't used every ANC headphones out there, but these do very well. The do a phenomenal job blocking ambient noise making it easy to hear what's being said. They also do a great job picking up my voice and not noise around me, so the person I'm speaking to can hear me clearly. Since I regularly use these for work, they are incredible.The earcups are great for people with larger ears. My ears must be a little anatomically odd since they are on the larger size, yet I can't use earbuds, and these headphones fit over them very comfortably.I can use these even when I'm working outside in the summer sun and they remain comfortable. Sure, I sweat where I'm wearing them, but I'm also sweating everywhere else, and they are not overly hot. I really like the noise cancellation when working with gas equipment (like lawnmowers) as they do a great job allowing me to still hear what's going on with my audiobook.

I took a leap of faith buying the XM6 because of the price, it's up there, they aren't cheap. I own Sony H900N (pretty old) and XM4 headphones. I wear hearing aids, my right ear needs a lot of help thanks to years in the military when hearing protection while using the tools of the trade weren't compatible. My H900's required me to take the hearing aids out to use the headphones, the ear pads were too small. I needed an upgrade, ear pods were not an option. After trying other brands I ended up with the XM4, they fit perfectly over my hearing aids. The only drawback with the XM4 was there are times I need to hear ambient noise clearly while listening to music, the XM4 was just okay. The XM5 came out, I skipped trying them because of reviews. Then the XM6 hit the market, there wasn't a ton of reviews, but they caught my attention. I tried other brands but the XM6 wasn't in the store I went to. So I just gritted my teeth and ordered the XM6. I've been using them for a little over a week, they are amazing. I've tested them with my hearing aids in and out. They do not interfere with my hearing aids at all. In fact I think they enhance the sound wearing them over my hearing aids. If I choose to hear ambient noise they perform perfectly. It's like having an speaker audio system on and clearly having a conversation with another person. The ANC is amazing. If you tweak the app settings for them, they're even more amazing. The XM6 is a keeper and worth the cost. My review is a little different because of my hearing aids, read the other 4 & 5 Star reviews for other angles. Yes they are that good.

I've owned three previous generations of these headphones - the originals, the XM3, and the XM4. I passed on the XM5 because I was disappointed with some of the design decisions...the biggest being that the XM5 did not allow you to fold the headphones flat. This was a BIG problem for me as I travel extensively. I am always looking to pack as efficiently as possible.I purchased the Bose QuietComfort Ultra a couple of weeks before the XM6. Everyone was raving about the Ultra...I had to hear them for myself. I was utterly disappointed in the noise cancelling! My Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones have better noise cancelling than the QuietComfort Ultra!I also couldn't stand Bose's "Immersive Audio" synthesized garbage. Bose never seems to want to follow any of the industry standards. Instead, they feel compelled to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes they get it right - in most cases, they do not.Thankfully, I was still within Target's return period, so I took them back to the store!I bought the XM6 as soon as it became available, and boy, am I glad I did! They sound WONDERFUL! They are light and comfortable. The noise cancelling is stellar. I love everything they've done wth them. The one thing I cannot comment on is battery life, as I have yet to utilize its entire capacity fully. That's a good sign.If you're considering the Bose and the Sony XM6 headphones, don't even bother with the QC Ultra. If all you're looking for is noise cancelling, buy the next level Bose down from the Ultra. However, if you're looking for exceptional sound and noise cancellation, you can't go wrong with the XM6!