Sony officially released its flagship WF-1000XM6 earbuds with what appears to be a plethora of thoughtful touches, including 32-bit audio processing reserved for high-end earbuds.
The WF-1000XM6 earbuds have been touched on in leaks prior to launch, but nothing about the specs was well-known until now. The buds look good, departing from the bulkier design Sony has stuck to in the past. One reason for this, according to Sony, is to accommodate a more comfortable fit. Sony’s new buds are 11% slimmer to “minimize interference with the ear.”
To live up to the lineup’s name, the company needs to deliver good audio with this new model. Sony says the WF-1000XM6 earbuds bring a QN3e processor to power the buds’ internal DAC and amp. The buds also house Sony’s Integrated Processor V2, which now allows for 32-bit audio processing.
Sony also notes that the new design improves sound quality. The diaphragm has been redesigned with new material choices for the dome and edge with the goal of bringing more clarity to the highs and lows in audio. On paper, the WF-1000XM6s are certified Hi-Res, DSEE Extreme, and compatible with 360 Reality Audio.
There’s an added microphone, bringing the total to four on each bud. This should allow for better baseline call quality, aided by bone conduction sensors for noisy environments.
ANC is said to be improved by 25%, too. That same QN3e processor processes mic input to produce a noise cancellation signal that’s reportedly better equipped to handle high-frequency sounds. Sony even says that the newly designed air vents make internal artifacts like chewing noises and footsteps that reverberate through earbuds a non-issue with this model.
Google Gemini plays a big part in the Sony WF-1000XM6s, too. The experience appears to be pretty standard with notification alerts and AI access. Sony specifically mentions Gemini Live integration with the WF-100XM6 earbuds.
Battery life looks standard too, with Sony stating an 8-hour life on a single charge and 24 hours total with the case.
What others are saying
It has upgraded the experience in just about every way – noise cancellation, call quality, overall sound reproduction – as one would expect from the brand, and all without effectively raising the price. If you’re a fan of the XM series buds, there’s probably not a whole lot more you can realistically ask for here.
Sony continues its run of great earbuds with the WF-1000XM6, but this model isn’t the polished package that some of its predecessors were. The two most obvious places the company is lagging behind the competition is ANC performance and overall voice quality, not to mention my continued dissatisfaction with the fit that Sony’s foam tips provide. The M6 is also more expensive than the previous version was at launch, which makes it even harder to overlook any flaws. What you will get on the WF-1000XM6 is a ton of features, great sound quality and reliable touch controls in a smaller package. And for some, that might be enough to make you forget about the rest.
The Sony WF-1000XM6 earphones sound great, the app is packed with useful features, and their noise cancellation, while not the best in the category, is capable. They do well enough with battery life, support the best available codecs, and can stream high-quality audio… If you prioritize sound quality above all else, the WF-1000XM6 earphones are an excellent option.
Sony’s new WF-1000XM6 earbuds are available for $329 starting today.
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