You asked for cheaper Sony earbuds. The WF-1000XM6 cost $30 more instead.

When we asked over a thousand SoundGuys readers what they wanted to see in Sony’s next flagship earbuds, the answer was clear: make them cheaper. 42% of respondents in our WF-1000XM6 wishlist poll—the largest share by far—voted for “a cheaper price tag.”

Sony had other plans.

The WF-1000XM6 launched at $329.99, a $30 increase over the WF-1000XM5’s $299.99 launch price. That’s a puzzling move, especially when the competition didn’t budge.

What you wanted

Before we dive into what Sony delivered, let’s look at what you asked for. Our poll, which has been running since shortly after the WF-1000XM5 release, attracted 1,179 votes. Here’s the breakdown:

• 42% – A cheaper price tag
• 18% – The aptX Bluetooth codec
• 15% – An all-matte finish
• 14% – A more robust IP rating
• 11% – Quieter bass reproduction

The message was unmistakable: price matters. Nearly half of you wanted Sony to make flagship performance more accessible, not more expensive.

Moreover, the only thing Sony actually delivered from the above request was the all-matte finish. The bass emphasis is slightly stronger with ANC enabled, though it is quieter and tracks closer to our house curve with ANC disabled. The XM6 is still IPX4, same as the XM5, and still have the same codec lineup as before: SBC, AAC, LDAC, and LC3.

To their credit, Sony focused on performance improvements instead: better ANC (88% average attenuation), greatly improved microphone quality, a larger, redesigned fit, and arguably better sound quality with a custom EQ that has twice the bands as before. These are meaningful upgrades; they just weren’t what most readers wanted.

The competition held the line

What makes Sony’s price increase particularly frustrating is that competitors didn’t raise costs.

• The Apple AirPods Pro (3rd generation) launched at $249—the same price as the 2nd generation. Apple added clinical-grade hearing aid features, heart rate monitoring, and live translation, all while keeping the price $80 lower than Sony’s offering.
• The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) launched at $299.99—unchanged from the first generation. Bose refined the formula with minor improvements and kept the sticker price the same.
• The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 also sits at $299.95, offering aptX Lossless (something readers really wanted) and better dust/water protection (IP54 vs IPX4) for $30 less than Sony’s asking price.

As it stands, Sony is now the most expensive option in the flagship wireless earbud category, offering fewer features than others.

Readers aren’t happy about the price

The response from the SoundGuys community has been swift and unequivocal. Within hours of our review going live, readers made their feelings clear:

• @IvanScore4life summed up the sticker shock many are feeling: “Wait did you f***ing say 330 dollars???”
• @malekinception was more measured but equally frustrated: “The pricing is outrageous.”
• @101.red.pill21 offered the perspective of a former Sony customer: “I’m sure these are solid buds. Had the originals back in the day but there is no need to spend $350 when buds more than half the price are close enough these days.”

The WF-1000XM6 are excellent earbuds that deliver meaningful improvements over the XM5. But at $329.99, Sony is asking customers to pay a premium while competitors offer comparable performance for less. Whether that bet pays off depends on how much brand loyalty can stretch—and based on the reaction so far, Sony might be testing its limits.