Back
Sony WH-1000XM6
Sony · Headphones

Sony WH-1000XM6

Best-in-class travel headphones

$449
4.7 (3,210 reviews)
AI Summary

If you fly often or work in loud spaces, these are the safest premium pick — nothing else nails ANC + call quality this well. Audiophiles may prefer Bowers or Focal.

Deep AI analysis

Sentiment, complaint themes, competitor take & buying verdict

GPI scores

How it holds up

Health
90/100
Reliability
91/100
Performance
92/100
Durability
85/100
Value
80/100
What's great
  • Class-leading noise cancellation
  • Foldable again vs XM5
  • Excellent call quality
  • 30h battery, fast charge
Common complaints
  • Higher price than XM5 launch
  • Still plastic-heavy build
  • No lossless over Bluetooth
  • App experience is cluttered
Ask the GPI assistant

Get honest buying advice

Specifications

The details

ANC
Adaptive, dual-processor
Codecs
LDAC, AAC, SBC
Driver
30mm carbon fiber composite
Weight
254 g
Battery
30h ANC / 40h off
From across the web

What reviewers say

expertRtings 4.5
ANC leader once again

Slightly warmer tuning, foldable design is back, ANC pulls ahead of Bose again.

Rtings Team · verified
In the news

Recent updates

Alternatives

You might also consider

Sony WH-1000XM6
SonyGPI 91

Sony WH-1000XM6

Best-in-class ANC.

$4494.7
Best ANC on the market
Foldable design returns
Case is bulky

AI: Buy if noise cancellation is priority one, regardless of platform.

AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)
AppleGPI 90

AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)

The default earbuds for iPhone owners.

$2494.7
Best ANC in earbuds
H2 chip integration
Only H2 features work on Apple

AI: Buy if you own an iPhone; skip if you're on Android.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra
BoseGPI 88

Bose QuietComfort Ultra

Comfortable ANC classic.

$4294.6
Most comfortable overear
Excellent voice call quality
No LDAC

AI: Buy if you fly often and want the most comfortable ANC headphones.

Sennheiser Momentum 4
SennheiserGPI 86

Sennheiser Momentum 4

Audiophile-tilted overear.

$3794.5
Best pure sound quality in ANC class
60h battery
ANC good, not class-leading

AI: Buy if sound quality matters more than the absolute best ANC.

Sonos Ace
SonosGPI 82

Sonos Ace

Sonos jumps into headphones.

$4494.3
TrueCinema swaps audio from soundbar
Excellent build
App still frustrating

AI: Buy if you have a Sonos soundbar; otherwise Sony XM6 wins.

Anker Soundcore Space Q45
AnkerGPI 80

Anker Soundcore Space Q45

Budget ANC that punches up.

$994.4
Under $100
LDAC support
ANC beaten by $300+ rivals

AI: Buy if you want most of the ANC experience for a third of the price.