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Few in the audio world are as much anticipated as new headphones in Sony’s 1000x series, which is usually reserved for the Marvel Trailers. And now, with the outbreak of rumors and a small amount of leaks, the WH-1000XM6 headphones are actually here.

After a large-scale design with the XM5 on the 2020s XM4 headset, Sony is no surprise with a more subtle upgrade: these look a lot like the XM5. Of course, Sony's commitment to its clumsy naming plan continues.

First, the basics. The XM6 headset costs $449.99, which is more than the XM5 headset's price tag of $50. They can now buy black, silver and midnight blue online, and they will be on the shelves later in the summer.

Are they worth upgrading? it depends. However, these are a great pair of headphones with enough small (but important) upgrades to make them worthy successors in the series.

Sony WH-1000XM6: Design and Construction

Sony has completely revamped the appearance of the XM series with XM5, so it's no surprise that they haven't made any huge changes this time. The XM6 shares the XM5's bulb seamless design, but Sony takes a few steps to improve comfort and portability.

The thin headband is slightly reinforced to make it more comfortable, although I can add extra filling to the headband and earmuffs. The biggest change in physical design is the double hinge design. The earbuds fold and rotate, which is the last feature seen on Sony XM4 headphones.

This means that Sony can significantly narrow the carrying case compared to the previous generation, which is a welcome change. Sony also uses magnetic buckles instead of the zipper on the carry case, which is a convenient touch that makes it easier to quickly access the headphones. The oversized size is one of my biggest grips for the XM5 headsets, especially considering that travelers and commuters are the target population of such headsets.

It can be said that the all-plastic structure is lower than the metal decor on headphones with similar priced prices from Apple and Bose, and certainly less than brands like Bowers & Wilkins. But the advantage is that they are lightweight and do not feel vulnerable. Admittedly, long-term durability is difficult to evaluate at this stage.

Sony WH-1000XM6: Controls and Features

The control of these headphones is basically the same as the XM5, which is a good thing. They are intuitive and reliable. Slide up or down the right ear cabinet to control the volume, slide back or back on or in front of the track, and perform double taps or pauses.

You can also cover the right ear cabinet to pause the music and switch to ambient mode, which is convenient if you listen to the door to change at the airport. Like the previous generation, these headphones also have neat and talk-style features that pause music and switch to the environment when you start talking (you need to turn off this if you are singing type). When the headset is removed, the headset will also automatically play and pause. These features are adjustable in the Sound Connect app.

The left ear cabinet has a multi-function button that switches between ANC and ambient modes and a power/pair button. The only adjustment here is now bypassing and denting the power button, making it easier to distinguish the two buttons when wearing the headphones.

The Sound Connect app has many features, including custom EQ and controls, as well as setting up location-based ANC mode or fast access mode for your favorite music streaming services. In my opinion, the Sound Connect app is too messy and too many subs can pass, but generally works reliably.

Battery life has not changed, up to 30 hours of ANC or 40 hours of rest, three minutes of battery adds three hours of listening time, outperforming the Bose Quietcomforts and Apple AirPods Max. You can also charge the headphones when using them, and the XM5 does not include features.

Sony WH-1000XM6: Sound quality and ANC

Compared to the XM5's eight microphones, Sony made a considerable number of changes under the hood, including 12 microphones, which is what Sony claims to be a new processor, which Sony claims to be 7 times faster, while the new driver unit. There are six beam microphones for voice calls, and Sony says it uses AI to separate the sound from background noise.

As for call quality, I found that adding two extra microphones was a small improvement, and it was clearer when I recorded the sound using the microphone in a quiet environment. My receiver noted on the phone that the XM6 had less background noise, but did not find a huge difference in overall quality.

Sony also added spatial audio technology to the immersive experience, although I rarely use these features, even if they have become strict at this point. As for active noise strategies, this is the best noise that can avoid all kinds of noises.

You can switch between ANC and environment, and although the ANC strength is not adjustable, there are still solutions. You can adjust the environment level in your application with up to 20 levels, thus controlling how much sound you have. Alternatively, you can have the headset do the job for you using Adaptive Environment Mode. There are also some location-based settings that can adjust the mode to your location, although not everyone wants to license the location for this.

The sound quality is excellent, the details are impressive, and spacious in a variety of genres. It's balanced, not bass, but if you prefer a little "Mo'Bounce to the Ounce", you can use the EQ setting. Sony uses its proprietary LDAC codec to perform high-resolution audio on Bluetooth, although iOS does not support LDAC. Overall, the headphones offer excellent audio quality and unlike some options, there is minimal trade-off whether the ANC is on or off.

Sony WH-1000XM6: Verdict

Sony did not reinvent the wheels with XM6 headphones, but they didn't need them. These still have the best ANC on the market, excellent and intuitive controls, and engaging audio quality.

So, the biggest question is: Are these worth upgrading? If you're already wearing XM5 headphones, the answer may not be - the improvements here are important, but the four and a half Benjamins are part of the change that can be worn without a fundamentally different headphone on the headphones.

But if you need new headphones and are willing to splurge, these are certainly worth it. They have achieved the right performance and ease of use with music lovers and casual listeners. Upgrades such as folding earbuds and improved call quality are also reliable improvements. Sony's 1000x series took a lot of hits, and the WH-1000xm6 headphones are another winner.