Sony WF-1000XM6 Review – Sweet Sound meets Superior Noise Cancellation

When the WF-1000XM5 was launched in late 2023, it quickly became one of the most sought-after earbuds in Malaysia thanks to its strong audio performance and solid noise cancellation capabilities though it came at a daunting price tag.

Building on its success, the new WF-1000XM6 that we have in for testing aims to improve on its predecessor including its core strengths of detailed audio performance and superior noise cancellation capabilities. However, it also gets a substantial price bump too, retailing for RM1,599 though it’s still available at an early bird promotion while stocks last for RM1,249 in Malaysia.

Ahead of its official debut, Sony managed to issue us a sample for testing. After we’ve taken it around for a whirl, here’s our Sony WF-1000XM6 review where we share if it’s worth its increased price tag.

Sony WF-1000XM6 Review – Build and Design

At a glance, our Sony WF-1000XM6 review sample visually differs from its predecessor with a squarer, boxier charging case that has a flat top and bottom with rounded corners versus the curvier, lozenge-shaped case of the older model. There’s a reason for this of course as it makes wireless charging less of a chore when you plonk the charging case on a wireless charger puck.

The earbuds also have several cosmetic differences but still broadly stick to the familiar bulbous earbud form factor. This time around, the earbuds have been further refined for better comfort and ergonomics while being 11% slimmer than the prior model. 

While the Sony WF-1000XM6 retains the same 8.4mm drivers as the prior model, the driver unit has been further refined with several different materials to offer more detailed sound and deeper bass. Controlling music and playback is via the customary combination of taps on the broad, flat control surface of each earbud.

The earbuds also host upgrades in other areas that include a new generation of HD noise cancelling processors that they’ve dubbed as the QN3e HD noise cancelling chip. In addition, the earbuds also get an additional microphone for a total of four per earbud to offer better noise cancellation performance and call quality. Additional upgrades include a bone conduction sensor and an AI beamforming noise reduction algorithm for clearer audio calls.

Other improvements include the Integrated Processor V2 that’s been beefed up with an Adaptive Noise Cancelling Optimiser for better noise cancellation performance along with 32-bit audio support; the older model only supported 24-bit processing. The earbuds also feature Sony’s DSEE Extreme sound engine to improve audio quality especially from lower quality audio files while retaining support for SBC, AAC and LDAC.

On paper, the earbuds support IPX4 splash resistance which makes it splash and sweat proof for workouts and the odd April shower or two but the charging case lacks such resistance.

Of more practical use is its inclusion of multipoint pairing that allows you to pair with two devices simultaneously. During testing, our Sony WF-1000XM6 review sample was paired with our work Windows laptop and an Android phone and swapped between both for calls and media automatically.

Overall build quality for our Sony WF-1000XM6 review sample feels solid with the matte black colourway helpfully resisting fingerprints while offering a measure of grippiness thanks to the textured finish. If black isn’t what your desired aesthetic is, the Sony WF-1000XM6 is also available in an off-white finish.

Bundled with the earbuds are a comprehensive array of extra kit that include a short charging cable, a set of extra small, small and large ear tips with a medium pair preinstalled on the earbuds. 

Sony WF-1000XM6 Review – Setup and Performance

Getting our Sony WF-1000XM6 review sample paired up and running was a relatively simple task and it paired up without issue to our Android phone.

The default medium pair of eartips also proved to be just right in terms of fit and comfort to allow for the best possible passive noise insulation for its form factor. Much like other earbuds of similar design, you can’t just shove it into your ears and you’ll have to give it a bit of a slight twist as you go in to ensure a proper seal

Like other wireless earbuds, it works straight out of the box though gaining access to its equaliser modes requires you to install the Sony Sound Connect app.

The app itself shows battery status for both the earbuds and charging case and also lets you swap between noise cancelling and ambient sound modes as you so desire. Unfortunately, there’s no means to dial the intensity of the active noise cancellation effect. Hopefully they introduce it in future updates.

You can also swap between the default Standard listening mode or activate a new Background Music mode that adjusts music you play to sound like the muted background music of a cafe. 

Deeper within the Sony Sound Connect app, you’re able to select from a pre-defined Hard, Soft and Game mode or tweak your own custom settings with a ten-band equaliser bar to taste. The app also allows for what Sony refers to as Scene-based listening that tweaks audio settings depending on if you’re at home or outdoors though this is optional. 

When tweaked to taste in the Sound Connect app,  our Sony WF-1000XM6 review unit shined for mainstream music listening across a variety of popular genres.

Pink Floyd’s classic track ‘Time’ offered excellent sound staging while the live version of ‘Hotel California’ from the Eagles felt immersive, with every guitar string strumming as if on a live stage. In the late Avicii’s timeless ‘Levels’, the earbuds were able to tackle the layered synth and intense energy of the track. 

In subtler tracks like the ‘The Lark Ascending’ by Vaughan Williams, the earbuds were able to handle subtle aspects of the tracks including its flutes and subtle violins. 

When it comes to active noise cancellation performance, the Sony WF-1000XM6 is effectively one of the best we’ve experienced with noticeable improvement over its predecessor the WF-1000XM5. The combination of the snug fit thanks to its silicone ear tips, revamped ergonomic design, the beefed up ANC algorithms and additional microphone mean that it’s better at managing constant background noise. 

When working in a busy coffeeshop in downtown Bukit Bintang, the earbuds were able to blissfully mute out the majority of background noise including conversations, the clatter of cutlery and one overenthusiastic tourist who was dead set on masticating a chicken with his dentures at obscene volumes that verged on performance art. In a plane on a trip to Hong Kong, it was able to nullify the background sound of the engines and noticeably reduce the background noise of a pair of extremely chatty passengers. 

If you still need a measure of external sound leaking in, like say when you’re jogging outdoors or trying to cross a busy road, the earbud’s ambient sound mode delivers good spatial awareness. Call quality was also excellent on both sides with clear audio and minimal background noise.

Best of all, the earbuds proved to be exceptionally comfortable for extended wear. Even after a full five hours of use, it still remained comfortable.

Unfortunately, what hasn’t improved this time around is battery life. The earlier model averaged about 8 hours of battery life with ANC on and 24 hours with the case. Our Sony WF-1000XM6 review sample also offered similar endurance on paper and in actual scenarios.

Should you buy the Sony WF-1000XM6 review?

The Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds don’t come cheap but offer one of, if not the best, sound-sounding earbuds currently in the market. Noise cancellation is fantastic, muting out everyday annoyances into blissful silence while call quality is top notch. 

Battery life hasn’t been radically improved from the prior model but that’s not a deal breaker as its enhanced sound quality and ANC more than make up for it. If price is no object and you’re looking for wireless earbuds with superior sound and noise cancellation performance that aren’t fully tied into a particular brand ecosystem, the Sony WF-1000XM6 comes highly recommended.

Specifications
Price RM1,599
Driver Unit 8.4mm
Frequency response 20Hz- 20,000Hz (44.1kHz sampling), 20Hz – 40,000Hz (LDAC 96kHz sampling 990 kbps)
Connectivity Bluetooth 5.3 w/ A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP, TMAP, CSIP, MCP, VCP, CCP
Supported codecs SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3
Battery 8 hours (ANC on) / 24 hours (ANC on) charging case
Size/Weight 6.5g [earbuds] | 61.6 x 41.1 x 26.5g / 47g [charging case]

Sony WF-1000XM6 review sample courtesy of Sony Malaysia. For more details and to purchase online please visit https://www.sony.com.my/headphones/products/wf-1000xm6