When Sony announced the MDR-1000X in 2016, it had no idea of the brand that it was going to build around the 1000X name. The aim was to unseat Bose as the noise-cancelling headphones choice and through many generations, Sony has cemented itself as one of the top options of over-ear headphones – especially for those who travel.
While the first four versions of these headphones had the same design – dare I say iconic – it was the 1000XM5 that shifted the design to something new. When I reviewed the 1000XM5 I called out the change in design, because it made them slightly less practical for travellers.
That’s because the folding mechanism changed. With the cups folding flat, the space these headphones needed in a bag was larger, with the old hard case gone. Sony has obviously seen the error in its ways, because the new 1000XM6 shift back to a design that folds smaller.
With that comes a new case, moving away from the zip to a magnetic closing case instead, but importantly, I think this is better for those who travel. It’s not quite as small as it used to be and it’s hard to ignore the fact that the excellent 1000XM4 fold up better and only cost £190 on Amazon at the moment.
But with a shift in design to something smaller, the 1000XM6 represent a great alternative to the 1000XM5, while also being stacked with a host of new improvements. On the design front, the power button is now round so it’s easy to locate when on your head, while the other button remains lozenge shaped.
Better noise cancelling, enhanced sound quality
Sitting at the heart of the Sony 1000XM6 is the new HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN3. This replaces the QN1 that was in the 1000XM5 and it’s now 7x faster. The increased power, Sony says, is behind the increased performance that these headphones deliver, especially when it comes to noise cancelling.
There’s a new feature called Adaptive NC optimiser, which will detect the conditions and adjust the noise cancellation appropriately to make sure you get the best experience. This is partly what that increased power is doing, as it will adapt to the conditions really quickly.
IMAGE CREDIT: SONY
There are also now 12 microphones on these headphones, designed to help make sure that external noise is neutralised. Thanks to all those mics, you get adaptive ambient sound mode in this model for the first time too. If this sounds familiar, that’s because there’s been adaptive ambient modes in Sony’s wireless earbuds in the past.
There’s a new 30mm driver to boost the sound quality of these headphones as well, while the sound is now optimised with Walkman technology. That takes some of the learning not from Sony’s iconic tape players of the 1980s, but from its high-end audio players.
As previously, the Sony Sound Connect app is needed to get the best out of these headphones and really control them. But as I’ve said before, the app design feels a little prehistoric and doesn’t really deliver on the premium experience that you’ll get from these headphones.
I’m going to be reviewing the Sony WH-1000XM6 in the near future, but launching at £400, these headphones still arrive cheaper than some more recent rivals in this position, like the AirPods Max or the Sonos Ace.
