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A new flagship model usually means discounts on earlier versions, and the arrival of the Sony WH-1000XM6 headset also saves a lot of savings for the 2022 XM5. Generally, you can choose XM5 headphones for $300 in most color schemes at most retailers, including Sony, Amazon, Target, and more.

This is a particularly noteworthy discount as Sony raises the price of the XM6 headset by $50. This means that the discount reduces the price of the XM5 headset to $150 less than Sony's latest flagship store.

In my tests, the XM6 headset represents a meaningful upgrade for the XM5, but not a huge upgrade. The XM6 is designed to be as similar as many features. The XM6 headphones have slightly improved sound and microphone quality, thanks to redesigned drivers and other microphones, and have better comfort and more cushioning on the headband. The XM6 earbuds also rotate, making it more compact and packed.

But while the XM6 headphones may beat the flagship, the XM5 headphones remain an audio champion with excellent ANC, the same great controls and the same 30-hour battery life. So if you don't want to sell $450 on a pair of headphones - we can't blame you in this economy - the $300 XM5 headphones are worth the choice.

When I compared the XM5 headphones to the flagship store with similar price tags at the Bose, Sony stood out for its excellent intuitive controls. Swipe up and down to increase and decrease the volume, slide back and forth the previous or next track, and double-click the handle to play. You can also place your hand on the right to temporarily disable the noise cancellation for conversation or listen to airport announcements.

This isn't the only Sony headphone deal worth leveraging. Keep reading for some other Sony headphones and earbuds that you can sell. And, if you prefer another brand, we will complete other great headphone deals.