Sony WF-1000XM6 Review

Our Sony WF-1000XM6 Experience

We love immersive sound and blocking out all distractions to focus solely on what we want to hear, and the Sony XM6 delivers in that regard. With some of the best active noise cancellation in the biz, it is hard not to hold a soft spot in our hearts for earbuds that go the extra mile to make music soar. While they deliver top-tier performance in some ways, they flounder in others, making them a perfect choice for some but not all.

We didn't think the XM6 were all that comfortable. While it took time to get used to the foam tip on the XM5, these Sonys just don't seem to fit anyone all that well. It's hard to say if it is the oval design of the bud itself, the extra weight, or the silicone tips, but we didn't universally love these earbuds' comfort. After just a few hours, we became overly aware of the tip in our ears, and our longest wear time was only about 6 hours. We had to size down to a smaller tip than we normally wear, and this helped significantly, though we still think it is harder to find a comfortable fit with the XM6 than elsewhere.

While many earbuds come in a square case, these have a slim rectangular case. We kind of appreciate the departure and think they fit better in smaller pockets. The case has a matte finish and is somewhat larger than the previous generation's, probably due to the squared bottom, which was more rounded before.

The call quality for these buds is only okay. We didn't enjoy making longer calls with them, but we can see someone getting by with them for making appointments or attending online meetings in calm places. We like to make daily calls with family and found ourselves reaching for other options over the Sony just to avoid the dreaded, “Can you hear me now?”

Our Analysis and Test Results

Sound Quality

Sony didn't skimp on creating swoon-worthy sound with their newest generation of buds. Anyone who liked the XM5 will be positively giddy upon hearing the XM6.

The XM6 has a wide, immersive soundstage and impeccable instrument placement. We could pinpoint the exact placement of each voice and instrument in space around us. There is a clear separation between layers, creating an almost explorable sonic world for music lovers. If a track had panning or movement, we experienced it.

Expert Panel Sound Quality Ratings

Product	Bass	Mid-Range	Treble
Best	8.7	9.0	8.9
Sony WF-1000XM6	8.5	8.8	8.1
Average	6.9	7	6.5
Worst	2.8	4.1	2.5

The lows sound more developed and warm than the prior generation, and are slightly more forward and warm. The newer generation buds add a hint of excitement to the mix while maintaining their dedication to a clean, neutral sound, making them sound more impactful. Bass drops pack more heat, dynamic shifts sound more 3D when the lows kick in. The slight emphasis and power boost added to the lows really elevated the mix for us. While the sound was always smooth and decent, it wasn't exciting enough, and bass-heavy moments didn't feel as impactful as they should have, but they are still developed and explored.

The XM6 have very solid mids that support clean and clear lead vocals and instruments that don't sound recessed or like they are fighting the other frequency ranges. There is a great balance within the mix paired with realistic, natural timbres. Voices sound very life-like, and sparse tracks are incredibly intimate; a shaky breath, a touch of vocal fry from a raspy-voiced singer sounds like they are in the room with us. They make the intimacy of a natural, true sound reproduction more obvious.

The highs for the XM6 sound more defined than the previous generation, with a noticeable improvement that creates more sparkle and shimmer. The highs are brighter and tighter without being fatiguing, offering a vivid range of color and texture without becoming shrill or sharp. They maintain great accuracy to the natural sound of each instrument, even ones that can be considered pitchy or harsh in real life, and they balance it in a way that makes for pleasant listening.

Comfort and Fit

These Sony earbuds come with four ear tip sizes to choose from, but somehow we still struggled to find that Goldilocks fit we long for. The tips are easy to swap, and we recommend trying them all before settling on one, because we had to size down from our usual size.

These buds are on the hefty side, which seems to work against them in terms of fit and stability. They extend pretty far beyond the ear, unlike most buds, and we caught them on our clothing and arms fairly regularly. They continue to feel unstable with activity, and while we didn't have them dislodge when working out (the IPX4 rating means they aren't the best for that anyway), we can see how these would fall out if activity gets too strenuous.

As comfort and fit vary and depend on your ear shape and ear canal size, it is hard to say they won't work well for some people. As a team, we were divided, but no one really loved them.

Noise Cancellation

If your main goal in life is the best active noise cancellation you can find in a wireless earbud, then look further. Just stop, and buy the Sony, they are hands down the best, blocking more decibels and background noise than any other earbud we tested.

ANC Performance by Frequency Range

Product	Low	Mid	High
Best	32.6	27.3	36.7
Sony WF-1000XM6	32.6	27.3	36.7
Average	17.9	21.7	27.4
Worst	0.0	0.0	1.0

These buds block an average of 32 decibels, with the closest competitor coming in at about 31. They do their best work in the treble range with bass following closely behind. All of the earbuds, for the most part, struggle with midrange frequencies. It is where Sony shows a lower performance, but it is still better than most competitors.

In the office, it helped remove sounds like keyboards clacking and microwave beeps, while the coffee grinder whirring became a whisper. The only weird thing we experienced was a paper-tearing sound when using active noise cancellation in windy conditions.

App Features

The Sony app isn't required, but it offers a lot of customization. It has loads of bells and whistles that both Android and IOS users can access, making it good for dual purpose. The user experience isn't as good as some competitors, as it can feel cluttered, and there are pages that seem useless.

It features a 10-band customizable equalization (EQ) map, with additional presets to help create the best sound for everyone. There is a slider for the active noise cancellation and transparency modes to dial in how much you want to hear and how much you want to drown out. Within the app, you can manage all connected devices, passthrough mode, and “scene-based” listening based on your location.

It also features DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine), a Sony-centric audio technology that upscales low-quality, compressed audio files to sound more like higher-resolution audio.

Battery Life

The Sony XM 6 has a claimed battery life of 12 hours, according to Sony. In our tests, with active noise cancellation off, they lasted 12 hours and 33 minutes, which is pretty impressive and in the upper echelons of the group.

If 12 and a half hours isn't long enough for you, the case holds 3 additional full charges for when you are away from an outlet, and they can provide an additional hour with just a 5-minute charge.

Call Quality

The call quality for the XM6 is nothing to sing about, and we suspect it will cause more frustration than regular callers will want, but it could be more than adequate for those who shun using their phone as an actual phone. How important this is depends on your plans, so if you never call anyone or only take the occasional call under duress, no need to fear; they work fine for that.

The baseline call quality is okay, but there's some grittiness or choppy speech, even in quieter spaces. The software for these buds struggles to decide what to put front and center, sometimes the caller and sometimes not. Some background sounds fade behind the voice, while others don't, but a strange, hard-to-describe voice tone sometimes sneaks in. Well, our traditional tests struggled with this pair (in part because there may be some bone conduction at play?). Even when chatting with family and friends in everyday life, we weren't impressed. Voices sound muted and less clear, and there is more wind noise for the person we called than with other buds. Overall, if you use them for a quick dip into an online meeting or a call with a doctor, it won't be terrible, but if you love a long chat breaking down your day with a friend, we'd look elsewhere.