Three years! That's how long it took Sony to find a successor to its active noise-cancelling headphones, the famous 1000X M5. This successful series, which began in 2016, is now at a turning point with the long-awaited announcement of the Sony WH-1000XM6. A benchmark in its category for some, equivalent to the AirPods Max and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra for others, Sony's ANC headphones have taken their time to evolve carefully, and even if they don't radically change their recipe, they are presented in a new version that doesn't revolutionize its design, but which modifies some of its characteristics, and not the least.
Moreover, without further ado, if you want to know immediately what the headphones are worth, we have been torturing them for several days in order to deliver our complete test of the Sony WH-1000XM6 as soon as it is official.
Are Sony's designers technically unemployed? The 1000XM6's lack of stylistic evolution compared to the 1000XM5 might suggest so. The reality is somewhat more nuanced, but not exactly more glorious. With the latest version of its headphones, Sony has reintroduced the folding headband, which makes them easier to store. A welcome and appreciable evolution, but a step backwards when you remember that one of the changes of the M5 was precisely the end of the folding headband... No matter, Sony has reversed its decision and that is the main thing. Above all, the brand took the opportunity to add a metal structure (like on the ULT Wear) to improve its robustness.
In passing, the designers took the opportunity to slightly widen the headband on its upper part and reduce the weight that it could apply to the top of the head, another recurring criticism of previous versions.
Sony WH-1000XM6: a new headset with subtle changes
Finally, the most attentive observers will undoubtedly notice thinner earpieces (1 mm less) and slightly redesigned (they are a little inclined), so as to no longer get confused or have to look for which way to wear the headset. Finally, on the controls side, we find the usual buttons, but this time Sony has taken the trouble to distinguish the On/Off buttons from the one allowing the activation of the ANC. No more reason to be confused.
We will also appreciate the presence of the 3.5 mm jack port (even if it means the absence of USB Audio for Sony) as well as the retention of the touch zones. On this point, Sony has modified some gesture controls and added others. For example, covering the right earpiece allows you to interrupt the broadcast and hear the person speaking to you. Finally, in terms of colors, this new M6 will be available in black and white, the usual colors, but also in midnight blue introduced with the previous generation. The final aesthetic change concerns the storage case, which has switched to a very effective magnetic closure instead of the good old zipper, which cannot be used with one hand.
Better noise cancellation and improved audio quality
Of course, the bulk of the new features are found inside the headphones, not only in the hardware, but also in the software. These changes are enough for Sony to officially claim to be marketing "the best noise-canceling headphones on the market," quite simply. But what exactly are they?
The two major changes concern the processor and the driver. The first is simply seven times more powerful than that of the 1000XM1. As for the second, the QN3 Driver, it replaces the QN1 in a rather subtle way. While it still measures 30 mm, and uses, a priori, the same materials, its composition has changed. Still as light, but more rigid, it would further reduce distortion.
As for the 12 microphones (four more than before) precisely arranged in and on the headset, they would be used to better cancel active noise, but also to improve audio quality in calls. More precisely, six of the 12 microphones would be responsible for improving the main weak point of the 1000X series until now, audio calls. According to our initial tests, this point is clearly improved, which our full test also confirms.
Finally, the software side is not left out and is also developing. The WH-1000XM6 features technologies such as the Adaptive NC Optimizer, which adjusts noise reduction based on the environment, but also the shape of the owner's ears. The Adaptive Ambient Sound Mode focuses on the type of sounds to be isolated as a priority. Finally, the 360 Upmix and the Gaming EQ adapt the sound of the headset for watching movies or playing video games.
A cinema mode, another for the kid, and Auracast as a bonus
For the rest of the optimizations, including the 10-band EQ, you will need to use Sony's Sound Connect app, which has undergone a facelift and now concentrates all the features. Finally, it should also be noted that Sony's new noise-canceling headphones are compatible with Hi-Res Audio, DSEE, and Auracast. And while, for the first time, Sony is allowing you to listen while the headphones are charging, it hasn't seen fit to include USB Audio.
Last but not least, the price. Three years of development and a significant amount of improvements come at a cost... For the occasion, the new WH-1000XM6 has increased by €50, coming in at €449.
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