Sony WH-1000XM6 review: Foldable form, refined sound, unmatched ANC

Sony WH-1000XM6 improves on its predecessor with better sound, foldable design, and refined controls while retaining best-in-class ANC performance

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I appreciated the Sony WH-1000XM5 for its industry-leading active noise cancellation (ANC), but its sound profile and design left room for improvement. With the new Sony WH-1000XM6, those shortcomings appear to have been addressed.

 

The most practical upgrade is the return of the foldable design. Unlike the XM5, which only allowed swivelling earcups, the XM6 folds neatly for better portability. The carrying case has also been redesigned with a magnetic latch instead of a zip. However, fitting the headphones inside requires a specific folding pattern that takes time to master.

 

In terms of aesthetics, the XM6 looks similar to its predecessor, featuring a soft-touch plastic build with golden Sony branding on the arms. The cushioning on both the headband and earpads has improved slightly, though comfort remains average for long sessions.

 

A small but useful change is the new power-cum-pairing button. On the XM5, both the power and ANC buttons were pill-shaped, often leading to mix-ups. On the XM6, the power button is now a concave circle while the ANC button remains pill-shaped, making them easier to distinguish by touch.

 

Controls and usability

 

Sony offers a mix of touch, gesture, voice, and button controls on the WH-1000XM6. The right earcup has tap and swipe-based touch controls for volume and track navigation. While convenient, these are prone to accidental triggers. To avoid this, Sony skips single-tap functions, assigning double-tap for play/pause or answering calls.

 

On the left earcup, the ANC/ambient sound button sits alongside the redesigned power button. The ANC button also serves as a quick-access shortcut: a double press plays recommended tracks from supported music services such as Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, or Amazon Music.

 

Head gestures, still in beta, add another control layer. Nodding accepts calls, while swiping your head left or right rejects them. In my use, these gestures worked accurately most of the time.

Native voice commands are another notable addition. Instead of relying solely on smartphone assistants, these commands let you control essentials like ANC, transparency mode, or volume directly from the headphones, even when connected to devices such as TVs or laptops.

 

Sony Headphones Connect app

 

The companion app, Sony Headphones Connect, unlocks the full feature set. Familiar functions include adaptive sound control, which switches between ANC and transparency modes based on location or movement; multipoint connectivity for pairing two devices simultaneously; and speak-to-chat, which pauses playback automatically when you start talking.

 

Exclusive to the XM6 are new listening modes:

• Standard – the default sound profile
• Background music – simulates environments like a living room or cafe, placing audio slightly away from the listener
• Cinema – uses Sony’s 360 Reality Audio Upmix technology to create a wide, immersive sound field

While these modes add versatility, the app feels less intuitive compared to competitors such as Sennheiser’s Smart Control. It takes time to navigate all options smoothly.

 

Performance and sound quality

 

Noise cancellation remains the XM6’s strongest feature. Whether in an office, a cafe, or outdoors, the ANC adjusts seamlessly to minimise distractions. What truly stands out in this generation, however, is the improved audio quality.

 

Where the XM5 occasionally sounded flat, the XM6 delivers fuller, clearer sound with better balance across frequencies. It performs consistently across platforms, including iOS and Android, with the latter benefiting from Sony’s LDAC codec for high-resolution wireless streaming.

Equaliser tuning has also improved. Pre-set profiles have been refined to match their descriptions more accurately, and users can now create custom profiles with adjustments across ten frequency levels—double what the XM5 offered. A test-based tuning option analyses your hearing profile and generates a tailored equaliser saved as a secondary preset.

 

Overall, the headphones sound more dynamic, immersive, and versatile than their predecessor, making them strong competitors against Bose and Sennheiser.

 

Verdict

 

The Sony WH-1000XM6 builds meaningfully on the XM5 by addressing its key weaknesses. The foldable design improves portability, the control layout is more practical, and the sound tuning has finally caught up with the excellent ANC.

 

Comfort over long sessions remains an area for improvement, and the app could be more intuitive. But these are minor issues compared to the overall upgrades.

 

For those seeking premium noise-cancelling headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM6 strikes a fine balance between portability, sound quality, and ANC.

 

Price: Rs 39,990

 

Sony WH-1000XM6: Unboxing