When it comes to noise-cancelling headphones, most people would immediately think of Sony. This is an objective fact. On one hand, Sony has a profound technical accumulation in the field of noise-cancelling headphones; on the other hand, with its flagship 1000X series featuring cutting-edge noise cancellation and benchmark-level sound quality, Sony's position in the industry is truly unshakable.
In 2025, the Sony 1000X series of headphones finally received its latest model: Sony WH-1000XM6. After using it for some time, I think the biggest surprise for me was that Sony did not get stuck in its past achievements but handed over a result that exceeded expectations to its fans.
However, before sharing the detailed review, I would like to say that even as a user of an older model, the Sony XM6 still brought me a lot of surprises.
The two most prominent points:
The noise reduction effect is even more remarkable. As soon as you put on the headphones, the noisy ambient sounds disappear instantly, making you feel as if you were in a quiet business-class cabin.
② Environmental sound mode is extremely natural, almost as if it hasn't undergone digital signal processing for headphones. The auditory effect is almost identical to the sound quality heard directly with the ears without wearing headphones. This is truly excellent!
Next, I would like to share my experience using the Sony WH-1000XM6 (hereinafter referred to as Sony XM6).
Appearance | Returns to the folding design, ultra-lightweight + excellent materials, outstanding details
Let's take a look at the appearance design of Sony XM6 first.
In addition, the Sony XM6 adopts a lightweight design, weighing approximately 254g. Its foldable design makes it even more convenient for carrying around when going out.
The Sony XM6 comes in three colors. Besides the black color I purchased, there are also two other colors: platinum gold and midnight blue.
The first impression I got from this headphones is that the craftsmanship is extremely exquisite. After all, it is a flagship-level over-ear noise-cancelling headphones, and the overall feel is very delicate.
The design of the rotating shaft is extremely excellent, and it adopts the MIM precision processing technology.
The endless slider is also more smooth to operate and easier to adjust the size of the headrest, allowing it to fit more users with different head shapes.
This time, in terms of details, the Sony XM6 has also undergone many changes. Among them, the most notable one is the circular power-on/off button, which effectively distinguishes the NC/AMB buttons and avoids accidental touches during blind operation.
In terms of hardware, the Sony XM6 truly stands out among all others.
The operation of the touch panel is concentrated at the position of the right earpiece, which is sensitive and easy to use. In addition, many intelligent functions have been added, such as voice control and head posture control, etc., making it highly playable.
Finally, let's talk about two minor details regarding the appearance. Firstly, the size of the headrest is wider, and the leather material has excellent breathability and is very soft.
Secondly, the ear pads are also made of soft and pressure-reducing leather material. They are very soft and closely fit the ears, providing no pressure during long-term wearing.
Experience | Hardware configuration at the top level, with more powerful and intelligent functions
The Sony XM6 boasts top-notch hardware configuration.
High-performance microphones, there are as many as 12 of them! Compared to the previous generation XM5, the number has increased by a full 4!
Moreover, the built-in processor is Sony's newly developed generation noise reduction processor QN3. Compared with the QN1 chip used in the previous generation Sony XM5, its computing power has increased by about 7 times!
With such powerful hardware configuration, it can comprehensively enhance noise reduction, sound quality and call quality!
The driving unit that everyone is concerned about is the newly developed 30mm carbon fiber driving unit. Its performance in handling the three frequencies has been significantly enhanced. The new dual-core driver QN3+V2, along with a master tape engineer who has previously won a Grammy Award, jointly conducted the sound tuning. In terms of sound quality, the Sony XM6 truly gave me many surprises.
In terms of low-frequency, the most notable aspect is the abundant volume, excellent elasticity, and particularly outstanding layering. It is rich yet not overpowering. For example, in the classic "Interstellar Organ Version", the unique low-frequency of the organ, combined with the grand space of the church, allows one to perceive the details of each note and clearly sense every sound line. Closing one's eyes, through the Sony XM6, one feels as if they are in, and is then transported into the vast expanse of the starry sky. The classic drum sound in "The Ferry Wharf" is well-executed, with deep submersion and smooth release, and the overall style is transparent.
The mid-frequency performance was even more astonishing. In "Boat Song", Zhao Peng's deep voice was extremely natural, with precise and clear details of the sound; in "Your Backpack", the breath sounds and slightly trembling vocal lines in Chen Yixun's song were clear, with the position being forward and very catchy; the female voice was clear and gentle without being overly soft, with natural teeth sounds, and there was no obvious tonal coloring, achieving a very high degree of authenticity in the reproduction of the original sound.
The high-frequency performance is quite outstanding. Sony XM6 has achieved excellent extendibility and has a relatively good tonal quality. For example, in the song "I Just Like You", the piece features a large number of string instruments, pianos, etc. Sony XM6 performed well, not being harsh, and provided a very bright auditory experience. The tonal volume was indeed sufficient, and the string instruments were handled precisely.
The Sony XM6 also offers users a wider range of more powerful listening modes to choose from this time.
By using different listening modes, one can enjoy completely different sound effects without leaving home. For instance, in the background music mode, the sound quality in various environments such as a living room, a room, or a café is extremely realistic and natural.
In the movie mode, it offers surround sound stereo effects, as if you were in a high-end cinema. Thus, watching movies at home can also achieve an immersive experience.
After discussing the sound quality, let's talk about the noise reduction mentioned earlier, as well as the actual usage experience of the ambient sound.
There are so many noise-canceling headphones on the market, but when people think of noise-canceling headphones, Sony is the first brand that comes to mind. And I think the noise-canceling capability of Sony XM6 has reached a new level. Just like the feeling of being in a business-class cabin, it's extremely quiet.
Here are a few examples to share the noise reduction experience when using Sony XM6 in daily use.
① Office Usage: After activating the noise reduction mode, the previously continuous sounds of keyboard typing, water dispenser operation, desktop computer fans, etc. in the office have been significantly reduced. Apart from the faint sounds of close-range keyboard tapping, most other sounds have almost vanished completely. It feels as if one is isolated from the surroundings and immersed in a quiet environment, truly achieving immersive quiet office work. Of course, due to the active noise reduction design, human voices will be significantly reduced. They sound quieter and farther away, but not to the point of complete elimination.
② Noisy streets: All the sounds of car horns, tire noise against the road surface, engine roars, etc. vanished instantly. If it was a busy downtown area, the human voices also significantly decreased. One could read books or listen to music quietly on the benches in the street garden.
③ Subway Commuting: This might be the environment where noise reduction is utilized the most. By wearing the Sony XM6, the powerful noise reduction function instantly eliminates most of the friction sounds from the tracks and various noises in the environment. One can listen to the music played through the headphones in a quiet manner, and their mood instantly becomes relaxed.
The most remarkable feature of the ambient sound is its naturalness. Once it is turned on, you won't notice any digital signal processing. This shows the remarkable technical capabilities of Sony.
Why is it said that Sony has not been obsessed with its past achievements but has instead been constantly innovating?
By using the APP in conjunction, we can enable more intelligent functions.
For instance, adaptive voice control can precisely recognize the user's actions, thereby automatically matching different modes. There is no need for the user to manually switch modes, making the operation more concise and efficient.
In terms of ambient sound, the Sony XM6 supports an automatic ambient sound mode, and has 20 levels of controllable noise reduction for ambient sounds. Once the automatic ambient sound mode is enabled, the headphones can automatically adjust the ambient sound level according to the volume of external noise, which is very intelligent.
Here, the personalized equalizer has been expanded from the previous 5 sections to 10 sections. Additionally, please feel free to share your preferences for adjusting the equalizer.
Of course, Sony's highly advanced intelligent hands-free function, voice activation, and head posture control features have further enhanced the intelligence of the headphones.
The rich functionality is one aspect, but what makes Sony XM6 particularly outstanding is that it has successfully made these functions very mature and user-friendly, providing me with an excellent experience.
At the end of the article, I would like to summarize the overall usage experience of Sony XM6.
In fact, it's very simple. Each item has reached an extremely high level. Compared to the previous generation, the improvements in various functions are very significant. And in terms of sound quality, noise reduction effect, environmental sound effect, intelligent experience, etc., every aspect is a benchmark in the industry.
When I saw the official promotional page's description of the product as "super flagship noise reduction and殿堂-level sound quality"， I thought this description was extremely appropriate. The Sony WH-1000XM6 does indeed meet users' expectations for flagship over-ear headphones and is definitely worth having！
