Sony WF-1000XM6 Brings Modest Upgrade Over WF-1000XM5

Sony’s new WF-1000XM6 earbuds arrive with the weight of expectation on their matte shoulders. They cost a bit more, promise tighter noise cancellation and newly tuned drivers, and tweak the industrial design. After side-by-side testing with the WF-1000XM5, the verdict is nuanced: the XM6 sounds a touch cleaner and cancels a little more noise, but the older XM5 still wins on comfort and pocketability. In short, this is an incremental update, not a revolution.

Design and comfort: larger matte XM6 versus lighter XM5

Both models stick to a stemless form factor with foam tips, but the XM6 is visibly larger and swaps the XM5’s glossy accents for an all-matte, more utilitarian look. Sony says the bigger shell follows the ear’s contours; in practice, the XM6 requires a tad more fiddling to get a perfect seal, especially during a commute or a light run. The XM5, being smaller and lighter, tends to “set and forget” more easily for long stretches.

Water resistance remains IPX4 on the buds for sweat and drizzle; the cases for both generations are unsealed. Four tip sizes ship in the box, and getting the seal right is essential to realize either model’s bass response and ANC benefits.

Case design and battery life remain familiar overall

The XM5’s case is a pebble-like oval that disappears in a jeans coin pocket. The XM6 moves to a blockier shape with crisper edges and a bit more volume. Despite the size bump, rated endurance is unchanged: up to 8 hours per charge with noise cancelling on and 24 hours total with the case, according to Sony’s spec sheet. Both support USB-C and Qi wireless charging. No advantage here for the XM6 beyond the fresh styling.

Connectivity and codecs reach parity across both models

Connectivity parity is complete: Bluetooth 5.3 with reliable multipoint on both models. Codec support matches, too—SBC, AAC, LDAC, and LC3—giving Android users the option to push LDAC up to its 990 kbps ceiling when conditions allow, while iPhone owners will primarily use AAC. LE Audio features continue to roll out as phones adopt them; neither model is held back here.

Noise cancellation and transparency see small XM6 gains

With a proper seal, the XM6 trims a bit more low-frequency rumble on trains and in airplane cabins than the XM5, and it slightly reduces HVAC whoosh in offices. It’s an audible step, but not a generational leap. The improvement seems to come from revised mic tuning and algorithm tweaks rather than a wholesale hardware overhaul.

Transparency (ambient) mode is serviceable on both, with the XM6 sounding a touch less hissy and a bit more natural than the XM5. Still, it doesn’t match the conversational clarity you get from leaders like Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds or Apple’s latest AirPods Pro, which remain reference points for a “window-like” passthrough effect.

Sound quality: cleaner treble and tighter bass on XM6

This is where the XM6 quietly earns its “new flagship” stripe. The retuned drivers yield cleaner treble and slightly better instrument separation, with sub-bass that feels round and controlled rather than boomy. Out of the box, the XM6 pushes a lively upper midrange that adds presence to vocals and guitars; a 1–2 dB dip around 3–5 kHz in Sony’s EQ often smooths sibilance without dulling detail. The XM5 still sounds excellent—warm, full, and forgiving—but the XM6 is a notch more refined and revealing.

Both support 360 Reality Audio and spatial head tracking on compatible services. With high-bitrate tracks (LDAC enabled on Android), the XM6’s advantages in layering and decay become more noticeable, especially in dense mixes and acoustic recordings.

Call performance improves slightly in tricky conditions

Microphone quality is broadly similar, with the XM6 offering marginally clearer pickup in quiet rooms and slightly better rejection of low droning noise outdoors. Plosives and wind can still trip up both models; neither replaces a dedicated boom mic, but they are perfectly adequate for everyday calls and video meetings.

Software and smart features remain robust and aligned

Both pairs integrate with the Sony Headphones Connect app, which remains one of the best companion apps in the category. You get a flexible 10-band EQ, adaptive sound control that shifts profiles by location and activity, speak-to-chat that auto-pauses when you start talking, and configurable touch controls. Firmware support tends to be long-lived on Sony’s flagships, and there’s no feature gap here that favors the XM6 over the XM5 at launch.

Price and value favor XM5 discounts over XM6 at launch

Sony lists the WF-1000XM6 at $329.99, up $30—roughly 10%—from the WF-1000XM5’s $299.99 MSRP. Street pricing complicates things: the XM5 is frequently discounted, while the XM6, being newer, will hold closer to retail. If you can find the XM5 around $250, it remains one of the strongest values in premium ANC earbuds.

Bottom line: XM6 refines the formula but isn’t a leap

If you prioritize the best sound and a small but real edge in noise cancellation, the WF-1000XM6 is the right pick—and the one to buy if you’re coming from older earbuds. If comfort, the tiniest case, and value top your list, the WF-1000XM5 still makes a compelling case and doesn’t feel outdated. The XM6 is better, just not dramatically so, and that’s the story: a careful refinement rather than a clean break, keeping Sony near the front of the pack without resetting the race.