Pros
Completely redesigned with upgraded parts and barely higher match than XM5
Top-notch sound that is correct, well-balanced and pure
Excellent noise-canceling and voice-calling efficiency with 8 microphones (4 in every bud)
Decent battery life
Cons
Pretty expensive
Included eartips might not be a superb match for all ears
Android-only spatial audio options
When I first heard that Sony was popping out with new sixth-generation 1000X earbuds, I wasn’t fairly certain what to anticipate. Companies like Bose and Apple have mainly caught with the identical design — or the same one anyway — for his or her flagship noise-canceling buds for the previous couple of years. But Sony’s new WF-1000XM6 buds are utterly overhauled in and out and look nothing just like the fashions that preceded them.The finish result’s spectacular: While costly at $330, the WF-1000XM6 not solely options nice sound and glorious noise canceling, however their voice-calling efficiency can also be top-notch. Are they one of the best noise-canceling earbuds on the market proper now? Aside from a caveat or two, I’d 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 cheaper price tag). The WF-1000XM6’s design shift Both the buds and their case are somewhat plain-looking. I’m OK with that, and from a sensible standpoint, I preferred that the case is flat on each its prime and backside, making it simple to position down on a flat floor, comparable to a wi-fi charging pad. The XM5s have {a partially} shiny end, however these have a full matte end, which I desire. 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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Sony calls this shade silver. David Carnoy/CNETMore intricately molded than your typical stemless buds, Sony says the brand new form (11% slimmer general 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 permits you to 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 are properly responsive and are geared up with ear-detection sensors that pause audio if you take a bud out of your ear and resume playback if you put it again in. They’re IPX4 splashproof and appear high-quality for gymnasium use, although I most likely would not advocate them for operating as a result of I wasn’t sure they’d keep in my ears with a number of jostling. The buds now have eight microphones (4 in every bud) as a substitute of six. David Carnoy/CNETLike a number of high-end buds, they’re somewhat beefy and can stick out of your ears a bit. That did not actually trouble me. But as soon as once more, I can not say I used to be thrilled with Sony’s included eartips, that are the identical agency foam ideas that have 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 very tight seal, based on the seal take a look at in Sony’s SoundJoin 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’d 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 surprise why Sony does not embody extra tip choices. To be clear, many individuals ought to get a superb match from one of many included ideas. But my ears fall into the 10% to 20% of ears that simply aren’t an amazing match for Sony’s ideas. And, as you will have learn or heard me say too many instances, it is essential to get a decent seal to get optimum sound high quality and noise-canceling efficiency. That’s very true of those buds as a result of they ship some actual wow issue when you get a decent seal.
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Sony’s tip on the left, my very own on the appropriate. Sound high quality and noise-canceling efficiency improved after I swapped in my very own ideas and obtained a decent seal. David Carnoy/CNETUpgraded parts result in higher efficiencyAside 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 Integrated Processor V2, which now helps 32-bit processing in contrast with 24-bit processing. The identical V2 chip can also be present in Sony’s XM5 earbuds and its flagship WH-1000XM6 over-ear headphones. Sony says the brand new XM6 buds function 25% “further reduction in noise” than the XM5s, with positive aspects made within the mid-to-high frequency vary. I spent a number of time evaluating the XM6s to different main premium noise-canceling earbuds, together with Apple’s glorious AirPods Pro 3, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) and Bowers and Wilkins’ Pi8. Both the AirPods Pro 3 and QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds have very good noise canceling. Sony says the XM6s have one of the best noise canceling for earbuds proper now, based mostly on worldwide testing requirements. I in contrast the WF-1000XM6 buds to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen). David Carnoy/CNETAlas, I haven’t got entry to costly technical gear to check noise-canceling efficiency, so I’ve to depend on just a few much less scientific assessments, together with evaluating how effectively every set of buds muffles the noisy HVAC unit in my kitchen and sporting the buds within the noisy streets of New York and on the subway. In the HVAC take a look at, they have been all actually shut, although I assumed the Sony had a really slight edge.In 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 might fluctuate with the standard of the seal you get. It’s 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 greater frequencies in addition to decrease frequencies. That means you’ll be able to nonetheless hear folks’s voices and higher-pitched noises, albeit at considerably decreased quantity ranges. I do assume Sony has additionally made some enhancements to its transparency mode. Apple’s continues to be the gold commonplace, however Sony’s now sounds fairly pure at its highest setting. Previously, you needed to mess around with the extent to search out essentially the most pure setting (the sound from the surface world was really augmented on the highest setting).Sony additionally now has an auto ambient mode that is just like Apple’s Adaptive Audio mode, which mechanically 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. The buds have somewhat ridge on their facet that assist you get a greater grip on them when placing them in you ears and taking them out. David Carnoy/CNETSuperior soundWhen it involves sound, each the AirPods Pro 3 and Bose QC Ultras sound glorious, with the Ultras sounding clean and clear throughout quite a lot of music genres. Some folks complained that the AirPods Pro 3’s sound was somewhat too aggressive (not sufficient heat) in contrast with the AirPods Pro 2’s, with extra dynamic bass and treble and barely recessed mids. I most well-liked the AirPods Pro 3’s sound — to my ears, it has somewhat extra readability and definition, and I used to be OK with the extra energetic bass. But all people has their very own sound preferences, and you may expertise some listening fatigue when you really feel the treble has an excessive amount of sizzle or the bass kicks too onerous within the mistaken manner.I feel the XM6’s sound is best and extra particular than each the AirPods Pro 3’s and QC Ultra’s sound. Music sounds extra correct and pure with higher bass extension, general readability and refinement, together with a large soundstage the place all of the devices appear well-placed. Additionally, I discovered the XM6s got here throughout barely extra dynamic and bold-sounding than the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 buds, which additionally function correct, pure sound for Bluetooth earbuds.As I stated, all of the fashions talked about right here sound spectacular, however the tonal high quality varies a bit. While firms typically speak about how their buds and headphones ship audio the best way artists meant you to listen to it, some do it higher than others and are in a position to reside 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 Pro and a Google Pixel 9, listening to quite a lot of music genres on Spotify utilizing the lossless audio setting. They dealt with every thing with aplomb (just about no distortion) and did not trigger any listening fatigue. My connection was additionally rock stable with no Bluetooth hiccups. While I did not expertise, any main connectivity points with the XM5s, some folks apparently did, and Sony says it geared up the XM6s with a brand new wi-fi antenna that is 1.5x bigger than XM5’s antenna to enhance the wi-fi connection, notably in crowded sign areas (there are specific intersections in new York City which have a number of wi-fi interference and might trigger Bluetooth hiccups).
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Testing the WF-1000XM6 earbuds on the bone-chilling streets of New York. David Carnoy/CNETTop-notch voice-calling efficiencyThey’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 after I wasn’t talking (and solely somewhat after I did converse). If you need to hear a take a look at, take a look at the one I did with fellow CNET editor Josh Goldman in my video evaluate of the XM6 buds. It’s price noting that the buds have a side-tone function, so you’ll be able to hear your voice within the buds if you’re speaking. And like earlier 1000X fashions, these have Sony’s speak-to-chat function, which lowers the quantity of your audio and goes into ambient mode if you begin to have a dialog with somebody. Watch this: Sony WF-1000XM6 Earbuds Review: Supreme Performance, Subdued Design
07:45 Also, Sony has redesigned the venting of the earbuds to extend airflow and scale back inner noises comparable 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). As far as audio codecs go, the buds help AAC, SBC and LDAC in addition to multipoint Bluetooth pairing, which permits pairing to 2 units to the buds concurrently. Sony says the buds are “ready for LE Audio,” which implies that sooner or later they need to help the LC3 audio codec and Auracast broadcast audio with a firmware replace.Sony has continued to streamline its SoundJoin app for iOS and Android, so it is somewhat extra user-friendly, although there are nonetheless a number 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 prices within the case. That’s somewhat higher than what competing fashions provide and, once more, the case helps wi-fi charging. Sony WF-1000XM6 ultimate ideasThe XM6s are noticeably improved throughout the board from the XM5s, which I nonetheless like. And whereas these buds are actually 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’ Choice.The one factor I can not inform you is simply how effectively they’re going to suit your ears. While the AirPods Pro 3 do not provide fairly nearly as good sound high quality, they’re cheaper 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. They even have extra options general, together with a Hearing Aid mode, Apple’s new Live Translation function and personalised spatial audio (Sony’s spatial audio options are Android-only). That stated, when you’re in a position to get a superb match with a snug seal, the XM6s are actually spectacular earbuds. They may be one of the best on the market in the meanwhile.