A serial Sony fan tries their latest noise-cancelling headphones

I've owned a pair of Sony noise-cancelling headphones for seven years. I dragged that first pair around the world with me, on buses, planes, and trains. They were thrown into every backpack and handbag I owned, dropped, stepped on, lost and found once more. After six years, they were effectively trashed on the outside, but the sound quality strangely remained untouched.

I upgraded a year ago when I was offered the opportunity to trial the WH-1000XM5s, which were the latest Sony pair at the time. Now, I've trialled the newest release, the WH-1000XM6s (referred to hereafter as WH-1000XM6s for convenience), which became available in June.

These are my honest thoughts on how they compare as someone who can't live without her Sonys.

NOTE: Prices are accurate at time of publishing.

Sony WH-1000XM6 Noise Cancelling Headphones

$697 | Amazon

First thoughts

My central point of intrigue when I picked up the XM6s was their foldability, which exposes how non-technical I am when it comes to my headphones. The Sony XM2s, which were the first pair I owned, folded neatly into a case that I'd slip into my backpack. One gripe I had with the XM5s was the lack of this feature; they had to remain rounded in their case, which made them quite bulky to transport.

The XM6s have seen a return to the foldable feature, meaning they're slightly less bulky to transport. However, the protective case (which has a sleek magnetic closure) still seemed to take up quite a bit of room in my handbag.

The headphones were comfortable, as I had expected. These are the headphones I've always worn while working, exercising, and commuting – without any discomfort. During my first few uses, I also noticed a clamping feeling, as if they were gently squeezing my head. I assume this is something that eases up the more you wear them, and it was definitely my only negative when it came to the feel of the headphones.

New features

Noise cancellation

The noise-cancelling technology on the XM6s has been upgraded, utilising a HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN3 that fine-tunes the 12 microphones on the headset in real time. This means greater adaptability in your environment.

The noise cancellation is so powerful that it may take some getting used to. Before I'd adjusted the settings, I accidentally ignored my manager for a full minute or two before realising she was speaking to me.

Despite this embarrassing moment, the noise cancellation makes for ultimate deep focus. I listen to classical music when I'm concentrating, and using the XM6s felt like disappearing inside my own world while I worked away.

Sound quality

I'm not an audiophile, but even I can recognise sound quality in a pair of headphones. A lot of this comes down to the build and design of the XM6s, which are structured to 'bring out the subtleties in every frequency'.

"The WH-1000XM6 headphones blow me away. These headphones really reproduce bass, and it's not just something in your ears; you start to feel it in your body, and nobody's really ever gotten close to that," said Chris Gehringer, who was one of the collaborating sound engineers who helped co-create the headphones.

Good sound quality really does make you appreciate the listening experience even more, which feels rare in an age when we can text, email, scroll, or read while we listen to music. With the XM6s, I got into the habit of just listening to music while I sat on the bus, because it sounded captivating. This made me feel almost nostalgic for a time when 'listening to music' was more of an experience than a pastime.

Call quality

I never actually took calls with my XM2s, preferring instead to pull out my trusty corded Apple earbuds for hands-free chatting. While it was supposed to be a feature of the old Sony pair, it just never worked on mine.

So, I was thrilled when the XM5s not only offered clear call quality but also multi-point connection. It meant I could seamlessly take calls, even if I were tuned into something on my laptop. The XM6s offer much the same, but their call quality is enhanced.

The XM6s feature a six-microphone AI-based beamforming system, which can focus in on your voice and simultaneously filter out background noise. This makes for the clearest calls I've experienced on headphones.

Additionally, the setup in the Sound Connect app allows for muting with a single tap of your headphones, so you can mute your call immediately if necessary.

Sound Connect features

The Sound Connect app enables you to customise some of the controls on the headphones as you like. This has been a feature of Sony's headphones for quite some time, and involves swiping or pressing the right earcup to control your music.

However, some newer features have made the headphones even more intuitive, if you want them to be. I enabled a feature that meant if I double-pressed one of the buttons on the headphones, my Spotify would instantly begin playing songs I'd been listening to recently.

The headphones can also detect when you're walking and running, and play music accordingly. The 'Speak to Chat' feature also takes you into ambient mode when you're talking, or being spoken to (I had failed to enable this feature when my manager was waving for my attention in the office!).

How do they compare to the older models?

This is a difficult question to answer, because the XM6s are definitely the best headphones I've tried. The noise cancellation is unrivalled, and the sound quality is fantastic.

They leave my old, tattered XM2s for dead.

So, are the WH-1000XM6 Headphones worth it?

If you're a hardcore audiophile ready to upgrade or invest in a new pair, the Sony WH-1000XM6s are definitely my recommendation.

However, for anyone else, they are pretty expensive. They retail for $697 on Amazon, which is likely eye-watering for anyone looking to buy their first noise-cancelling headphones.

While the WH-1000XM5s don't have the same precise features, they offer a comparable listening experience, and WH-1000XM5s. You can also get the WH-1000XM4s for just $344.

So, unless the sound quality is paramount to you, the slightly older models will still serve you well.

Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise-Cancelling Headphones

$477 on Amazon

Sony WH-1000XM4 Noise-Cancelling Headphones

$334 on Kogan

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