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Sony WH-1000XM6 officially launches: Here’s what’s new
May 15, 2025
Sony has officially launched the WH-1000XM6, the long-awaited successor to its top-tier noise canceling headphones. Following a swirl of FCC leaks, patent filings, and community speculation—including over 2,600 SoundGuys reader votes—the XM6 delivers many of the upgrades fans hoped for… and skips a few others.
The WH-1000XM6 is available now for $449.99 USD, marking a $50 increase over the WH-1000XM5. Deliveries begin shortly after May 15 through Sony’s website and other major retailers.
What’s new with the XM6?
Foldability is back
After ditching the folding hinge in the XM5, Sony brings it back for the XM6—along with a redesigned headband featuring a new metal hinge component. This means the headphones are more compact in their travel case and easier to stash when not in use. Despite more possible points of failure, they should hopefully be sturdier than the fragile hinge that plagued the XM5.
Still no water resistance
By far, the most requested feature by our audience was an IP rating. Thirty percent of readers voted for better water and sweat resistance, hoping to safely wear the XM6 in the rain or at the gym. Unfortunately, Sony has once again opted to skip any form of ingress protection. As with previous models, the XM6 is best kept dry.
Better ambient mode, same codecs
Sony’s upgraded QN3 processor and a 12-mic array improve both ANC and ambient sound. According to Sony, the XM6 uses AI-trained models to create more natural-sounding ambient passthrough and real-time upmixing for 360 Reality Audio. Voice commands like “Hey headphones, noise canceling on” now toggle listening modes hands-free.
Codec support includes SBC, AAC, LDAC, and LC3, but there’s no aptX or Snapdragon Sound—something 12% of poll respondents had on their wishlist. And no, there’s still no USB-C audio either, which 17% of you had hoped to see.
Auracast arrives
The XM6 supports Bluetooth 5.3 with Auracast compatibility, the emerging standard for shared Bluetooth audio in public spaces, which puts it ahead of most consumer headphones. They also offer low-latency LE Audio-compatible devices (pretty much anything but Apple).
Detachable earpads and new design tweaks
Like the rumors suggested, the earpads are now detachable for easier replacement. The overall design is still sleek and minimal, but now comes in black, platinum silver, or a new midnight blue. At 254g, the weight is nearly identical to the XM5.
Battery life, charging, and accessories
Battery life has improved by about 5 and a half hours compared to the XM5’s, but fast charging times remain the same via USB-C (though playback over USB-C is not supported). In the box, you’ll find a 1.2m AUX cable and a USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
Pricing and competition
At $449, the XM6 lands just below the Apple AirPods Max and matches the price creep trend we’ve seen in other flagship ANC headphones. While some readers had hoped for a price drop, Sony is planting a flag firmly in that premium price territory.
Overall, Sony listened—at least on the big stuff. Foldability, Auracast, and improved sound quality checked the boxes users cared most about. But if you were hoping for future-proof features or USB-C audio, you’ll have to look elsewhere.