Sony’s New WF-1000XM6 Earbuds Simply Jumped to the Prime of My Finest Earbuds Listing

Professionals

• Fully redesigned with upgraded parts and barely higher match than XM5
• Prime-notch sound that is correct, well-balanced and pure
• Glorious noise-canceling and voice-calling efficiency with 8 microphones (4 in every bud)
• Respectable battery life

Cons

• Fairly expensive
• Included eartips might not be match for all ears
• Android-only spatial audio options

After I first heard that Sony was popping out with new sixth-generation 1000X earbuds, I wasn’t fairly positive what to anticipate. Corporations like Bose and Apple have mainly caught with the identical design — or an analogous one anyway — for his or her flagship noise-canceling buds for the previous couple of years. However Sony’s new WF-1000XM6 buds are fully overhauled in and out and look nothing just like the fashions that preceded them.

The tip result’s spectacular: Whereas costly at $330, the WF-1000XM6 not solely options nice sound and wonderful noise canceling, however their voice-calling efficiency can be top-notch. Are they the best noise-canceling earbuds on the market proper now? Apart from a caveat or two, I would say so, although the AirPods Pro 3 stay a safer guess for Apple customers from a match and options standpoint (to not point out a lower cost tag). 

The WF-1000XM6’s design shift  

Each the buds and their case are a bit plain-looking. I am OK with that, and from a sensible standpoint, I appreciated that the case is flat on each its high and backside, making it simple to position down on a flat floor, similar to a wi-fi charging pad. 

The XM5s have a partially glossy finish, however these have a full matte end, which I want. That stated, they do not have something to differentiate them because the XM4s did with their eye-catching copper ring that served as a microphone housing.

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Extra intricately molded than your typical stemless buds, Sony says the brand new form (11% slimmer total than the XM5s and extra aerodynamic to cut back wind noise) conforms higher to the pure curves of your ears, and I agree with that. I additionally appreciated the little ridge alongside the highest facet of every bud that lets you grip it higher, so the bud is much less more likely to slip out of your fingers when placing them in or taking them out. 

The buds have contact controls which can be properly responsive and are outfitted with ear-detection sensors that pause audio while you take a bud out of your ear and resume playback while you put it again in. They’re IPX4 splashproof and appear fantastic for fitness center use, although I most likely would not suggest them for operating as a result of I wasn’t sure they’d keep in my ears with plenty of jostling. 

Like plenty of high-end buds, they’re a bit beefy and can stick out of your ears a bit. That did not actually trouble me. However as soon as once more, I am unable to say I used to be thrilled with Sony’s included eartips, that are the identical agency foam ideas that had been included with the XM5s. I used to be in a position to get a reasonably safe match with them, however I did not get a really tight seal, in accordance with the seal check in Sony’s SoundConnect app for iOS and Android. I did not discover the ideas tremendous snug, both, so I went with a pair of large-size silicone ideas from one other set of buds I would examined (I favor ideas from Sennheiser and Bowers & Wilkins, that are wider and extra rounded). With the tip change, sound high quality and noise-canceling efficiency improved noticeably, which makes me marvel why Sony does not embody extra tip choices. 

To be clear, many individuals ought to get match from one of many included ideas. However my ears fall into the ten% to twenty% of ears that simply aren’t an incredible match for Sony’s ideas. And, as you might have learn or heard me say too many instances, it is essential to get a good seal to get optimum sound high quality and noise-canceling efficiency. That is very true of those buds as a result of they ship some actual wow issue for those who get a good seal.

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Apart from the exterior makeover, the XM6s are upgraded on the within with new drivers, a 3X extra highly effective QN3e chip with improved analog conversion know-how, eight microphones — up from six — and an improved bone-conduction sensor that helps with voice-calling efficiency. The “HD Noise Canceling” QN3e processor is paired with Sony’s Built-in Processor V2, which now helps 32-bit processing in contrast with 24-bit processing. The identical V2 chip can be present in Sony’s XM5 earbuds and its flagship WH-1000XM6 over-ear headphones. 

Sony says the brand new XM6 buds characteristic 25% “additional discount in noise” than the XM5s, with positive aspects made within the mid-to-high frequency vary. I spent plenty of time evaluating the XM6s to different main premium noise-canceling earbuds, together with Apple’s wonderful AirPods Professional 3, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) and Bowers and Wilkins’ Pi8. Each the AirPods Professional 3 and QuietComfort Extremely Earbuds have excellent noise canceling. Sony says the XM6s have the most effective noise canceling for earbuds proper now, based mostly on worldwide testing requirements.

Alas, I haven’t got entry to costly technical tools to check noise-canceling efficiency, so I’ve to depend on a couple of much less scientific checks, together with evaluating how nicely every set of buds muffles the noisy HVAC unit in my kitchen and carrying the buds within the noisy streets of New York and on the subway. Within the HVAC check, they had been all actually shut, although I believed the Sony had a really slight edge.

Within the streets of New York, it is actually onerous to sense that the noise canceling is any higher than what you get with these competing fashions. All three are very shut, and your expertise may differ with the standard of the seal you get. It is fairly attainable that these Sonys are in a position to muffle a wider vary of frequencies with barely extra vigor, however they nonetheless cannot muffle larger frequencies in addition to decrease frequencies. Which means you’ll be able to nonetheless hear individuals’s voices and higher-pitched noises, albeit at considerably diminished quantity ranges. 

I do suppose Sony has additionally made some enhancements to its transparency mode. Apple’s remains to be the gold customary, however Sony’s now sounds fairly pure at its highest setting. Beforehand, you needed to mess around with the extent to search out essentially the most pure setting (the sound from the skin world was really augmented on the highest setting).

Sony additionally now has an auto ambient mode that is much like Apple’s Adaptive Audio mode, which routinely adjusts the extent of ambient sound filtered in, relying on the extent of noise round you. Plus, you’ll be able to toggle on a voice pass-through mode that filters in voices whereas suppressing ambient noise.

Superior sound

With regards to sound, each the AirPods Professional 3 and Bose QC Ultras sound wonderful, with the Ultras sounding clean and clear throughout a wide range of music genres. Some individuals complained that the AirPods Professional 3’s sound was a bit too aggressive (not sufficient heat) in contrast with the AirPods Professional 2’s, with extra dynamic bass and treble and barely recessed mids. I most well-liked the AirPods Professional 3’s sound — to my ears, it has a bit extra readability and definition, and I used to be OK with the extra energetic bass. However all people has their very own sound preferences, and you’ll expertise some listening fatigue for those who really feel the treble has an excessive amount of sizzle or the bass kicks too onerous within the unsuitable method.

I feel the XM6’s sound is best and extra particular than each the AirPods Professional 3’s and QC Extremely’s sound. Music sounds extra correct and pure with higher bass extension, total readability and refinement, together with a large soundstage the place all of the devices appear well-placed. Moreover, I discovered the XM6s got here throughout barely extra dynamic and bold-sounding than the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 buds, which additionally characteristic correct, pure sound for Bluetooth earbuds.

As I stated, all of the fashions talked about right here sound impressive, however the tonal high quality varies a bit. Whereas firms typically speak about how their buds and headphones ship audio the way in which artists supposed you to listen to it, some do it higher than others and are in a position to stay as much as audiophile requirements — or near them anyway. Such is the case for the WF-1000X6 buds.

I examined them with an iPhone 16 Professional and a Google Pixel 9, listening to a wide range of music genres on Spotify utilizing the lossless audio setting. They dealt with all the pieces with aplomb (just about no distortion) and did not trigger any listening fatigue. My connection was additionally rock strong with no Bluetooth hiccups. Whereas I did not expertise, any main connectivity points with the XM5s, some people apparently did, and Sony says it outfitted the XM6s with a brand new wi-fi antenna that is 1.5x bigger than XM5’s antenna to enhance the wi-fi connection, significantly in crowded sign areas (there are particular intersections in new York Metropolis which have plenty of wi-fi interference and might trigger Bluetooth hiccups).  

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Prime-notch voice-calling efficiency

They’re additionally onerous to beat for voice-calling efficiency, which I additionally grade an A. Callers stated my voice sounded largely pure and clear, they usually did not actually hear any background noise once I wasn’t talking (and solely a bit once I did communicate). If you wish to hear a check, take a look at the one I did with fellow CNET editor Josh Goldman in my video evaluation of the XM6 buds. 

It is value noting that the buds have a side-tone characteristic, so you’ll be able to hear your voice within the buds while you’re speaking. And like earlier 1000X fashions, these have Sony’s speak-to-chat characteristic, which lowers the quantity of your audio and goes into ambient mode while you begin to have a dialog with somebody.

Watch this: Sony WF-1000XM6 Earbuds Evaluation: Supreme Efficiency, Subdued Design

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Additionally, Sony has redesigned the venting of the earbuds to extend airflow and cut back inner noises similar to “footsteps and chewing sound.” I did discover some enhancements there (sure, lots of people do not like having their ears really feel occluded and listening to their footsteps).   

So far as audio codecs go, the buds assist AAC, SBC and LDAC in addition to multipoint Bluetooth pairing, which permits pairing to 2 gadgets to the buds concurrently. Sony says the buds are “prepared for LE Audio,” which signifies that sooner or later they need to assist the LC3 audio codec and Auracast broadcast audio with a firmware replace.

Sony has continued to streamline its SoundConnect app for iOS and Android, so it is a bit extra user-friendly, although there are nonetheless plenty of settings to mess around with, together with scene-based listening settings and numerous equalizer settings.

Battery life is rated at as much as 8 hours at average quantity ranges, with an additional two expenses within the case. That is a bit higher than what competing fashions supply and, once more, the case helps wi-fi charging. 

Sony WF-1000XM6 remaining ideas

The XM6s are noticeably improved throughout the board from the XM5s, which I nonetheless like. And whereas these buds are definitely costly, they’re fairly onerous to beat from a efficiency standpoint throughout all the important thing areas, together with sound high quality, noise canceling and voice-calling, which is why I’ve awarded them an Editors’ Selection.

The one factor I am unable to let you know is simply how nicely they will suit your ears. Whereas the AirPods Professional 3 do not supply fairly nearly as good sound high quality, they’re inexpensive and are in some methods a safer decide for Apple customers, as their light-weight stem design tends to suit a variety of ears comfortably. In addition they have extra options total, together with a Listening to Help mode, Apple’s new Dwell Translation characteristic and customized spatial audio (Sony’s spatial audio options are Android-only).    

That stated, for those who’re in a position to get match with a cushty seal, the XM6s are actually spectacular earbuds. They could simply be the most effective on the market in the meanwhile.