I’ve been reviewing Sony’s top-end wireless earphones over the years and the latest WF-1000XM6 are yet another clear step up from an already impressive lineup over the years. No, actually, they are quite exceptional.
From improved bass control out of the box to a matte finish that may appeal to folks who didn’t like the previous version’s shiny surface, the new earphones are a joy to use.
Surprisingly, the WF-1000XM6 earphones are actually a slight bit heavier – 6.5g per earbud versus the 5.9g on the WF-1000XM5. Not that you’d feel that in your hands or ears but clearly there are limitations to shrinking sizes while packing new features.
Even the charging case is slightly taller, now weighing 47g, instead of the previous 39g. You might feel a slight difference in your trouser pocket but being taller and flatter than, say, Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless, you could arguably stack the Sony box earlier on top of your other items.
Though they are a feather heavier, the new earphones do not feel uncomfortable to wear. Having them on for hours during my test in the past couple of weeks, the earphones didn’t feel like they compressed in my ears too much. Neither did they feel too “draggy”.
Size and fit aside, the biggest difference is what comes out of the new earphones. The first thing that impresses is their bass control, which is an improvement out of the box over earlier Sony earphones.
Yes, you still get the deep-reaching low notes that the Japanese electronics firm is known for in its audio products, but there seems a much better grip on the bass.
Playing Morcheeba’s Slow Down, for example, the bass hits true but doesn’t drag on in a messy fashion. It also doesn’t overwhelm, especially in bass-heavy tunes such as Jennifer Warnes’ Way Down Deep.
To take things up a notch, I play an intense drum piece, say, from Hok-man Yim, and I get the heavy hitting bass that is tight and precise without excessive boom. Other details in the piece are still clear in a dynamic presentation.
I’m a fan of Sennheiser’s slightly more transparent presentation but I have to say Sony has done a good job addressing one of the bugbears for potential buyers like me here.
Listen to a good recording and the detail extraction that the WF-1000XM6 are capable of is pretty stunning. You hear the breathiness in female vocals while also the brightness of treble from instruments like a triangle. All this, without sounding strained, grainy or brittle.
The 8.4mm drivers used in the new earphones are the same size as earlier but Sony may have done some tuning and tweaking to ensure the earphones appeal to a broader audience.
I also like the very “3D” feel of the sound here. Firing up Nm Blues 08 by Larry Carlton and Robben Ford, I hear the engaging liveness of the unplugged guitar performance. Each plucking of the strings for both guitars shows off the high and low notes with good attack and dynamics.
When it comes to vocals, Tracy Chapman’s Behind the Wall is an excellent demonstration of how transparent they come across on the new Sony earphones. Her voice sounds like she’s singing in a room with you, instead of the sound being trapped in your head.
Across different musical content, the WF-1000XM6 earphones perform admirably with good extension and scale, creating an intimate performance in your mind without making it feel congested.
Carmen Cuesta-Loeb and Chuck Loeb’s rendition of While My Guitar Gently Weeps is a good example. Rightly, the guitar takes centrestage but the singer’s vocals are clear, open and a little forward (my preference). Details in the mid-range are highlighted well.
For something a little more complex, play the famous Mandarin track The Missing Times (or Bei Yi Wang De Shi Guang) sang by Zhao Peng.
The earphones reach low to showcase the singer’s baritone vocals, which blend well with the backing harmonica and string instruments. This is a track that showcases the WF-1000XM6’s various qualities – from its clear separation of instruments to bass control – so well.
Of course, if you don’t like what you hear, you can fiddle with Sony’s excellent Sound Connect app to adjust the treble, midrange and bass to your preference.
The app, as always, is one of the most detailed, with controls for not just sound quality but also adaptive sound control. This lets you automatically optimise the sound for when you’re on the move or sitting still at your desk.
As before, Sony supports a good number of audio formats, such as SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3. No Qualcomm AptX, as usual, from the Japanese company, but even when using the earphones with a Qualcomm-powered Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, I have no issues with the connectivity or sound quality.
What I also am impressed by is the noise cancelling. Sony has progressively improved this over the years and the WF-1000XM6 now block out most of the regular annoying background noise effortlessly, thanks to a new processor called the QN3e.
The earphones keep the keyboard tapping mostly out when I’m at my desk working. At a cafe, the voices of people talking loudly mostly get blocked so I enjoy my music. Oh, of course, that’s great for conference calls, too.
What about battery life? Here, Sony says the earphones are good for eight hours of music playback with active noise cancelling turned on. Without that, you get 12 hours on the go.
The charging case juices up the earphones fast, fortunately, so you won’t be interrupted from your music much during long flights. These earphones should be good for many a business trip.
If you’re planning to bring them outdoors, the IPX4 water resistance means they are good against water splashes. No dipping them in water in the pool, but no worries if you’re caught in the rain during a jog.
So, what’s the catch? What’s not to like about the WF-1000XM6? Well, the price is a little steep at S$479. In Singapore, there’s a trade-in offer from Sony now (until the end of this month), which could take S$60 off the sticker price, but even then, they are not cheap at over S$400.
That said, the WF-1000XM6 are a clear step up over Sony’s already impressive flagship earphones from three years ago. If you’re willing to spend for the some of best true wireless earphones out there, give them a listen.
