Sony WF-1000XM6 review: Nearly perfect, but not without its quirks

Sony introduced the WF-1000XM6 around six months ago as its latest flagship TWS. And finally, I got the chance to spend some proper time with them. These are the most expensive earbuds I’ve ever used, so taking them outside for the first time almost gave me a mini heart attack— especially considering I was already having trouble getting the fit right.

However, just putting the earbuds on and listening to them for the first time made me understand why Sony’s flagship TWS earbuds have such a strong reputation. The sound was excellent, and surprisingly, I could wear them for hours without my ears hurting—which is really rare for me. Of course, spending a load of money on earbuds also means I’m going to nitpick a few things. And there are definitely a few. So, let’s get into my full review of the Sony WF-1000XM6.

Sony WF-1000XM6 Specifications:

• Design, Build: IPX4 rating, matte plastic, 6.5 g per earbud, 47 g case, 61.6 x 41.1 x 26.5 mm case, metal hinge, Color: Black, Platinum Silver
• Drivers: 8.4 mm dynamic drivers
• Chipset: Integrated Processor V2 (32-bit), QN3e noise-canceling processor
• Software: Sony Sound Connect app, 10-band EQ, Adaptive Sound Control, Speak-to-Chat
• Audio Codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20,000 Hz (Bluetooth), 20 Hz - 40,000 Hz (LDAC 96 kHz)
• Noise Cancellation: 8 microphones (4 per earbud), Adaptive NC Optimizer, 25% better than XM5
• Microphones: 2 per earbud, bone conduction sensor, AI beamforming
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3, 10 m range, multipoint, LE Audio, Auracast, A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
• Battery: 8 hrs (ANC on), 12 hrs (ANC off), 24 hrs total, 5 hrs calls, USB-C, Qi wireless charging

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Sony WF-1000XM6 Price: Quick Comparison

Sony WF-1000XM6 review:

Design and Comfort

• In-ear design, foam ear tips (XS, S, M, L)
• 6.5 grams per earbud
• IPX4 water resistance (earbuds only)

Premium design, but not the most pocket-friendly

Alright, starting with the basics: the Sony WF-1000XM6 is totally different from its predecessor, the XM5, with a matte finish and boxy design. It looks pretty simple and understated, and I quite liked its clean aesthetic. However, the case is noticeably bigger and boxier than what I’m used to—and not particularly comfortable to hold. It's also not something that I liked to carry in my pocket, as the case creates a noticeable bulge, which is rather distracting. 

As for the earbuds, they have a stemless design, which I really prefer compared to the stem one, and aren’t particularly heavy or bulky in the way those seem. Now they do look a little more prominent, more noticeable in my ears since I have smaller ears, but I don’t really consider that a problem with the design itself.

Ahhh, the fit… really tricky, still surprisingly comfortable

Speaking of the fit, this made me realise how small my ears really are because of the time it took me to figure out the right match. The XM6 comes with four different sizes of eartips to accommodate different users, but I might just be the challenger Sony hasn’t faced yet. Well, jokes apart, just like every pair of earbuds, the medium-sized foam tips come pre-installed, and when I first used them, they felt like they were simply sitting at the entrance of my ear. That made me feel like the buds could fall out at any moment. 

So, I tried both XS and S options, and Sony’s Fit Check feature on the app was useful here—although the fit issue remained and my right ear kept failing the test. Eventually, I settled on the extra small (XS) tip on my left ear while my right one favored the small (S) size instead.

Another rather annoying thing I found was how the foam tips need to be compressed before putting the buds in. I mean, I am a little lazy gal. And since the foam also feels like it could tear fairly easily, I had to be extra careful while handling them. Moving past the hassle, what surprised me is how comfortable the earbuds are to wear without my ears hurting. I could wear the XM6 for nearly four hours continuously without my ears hurting. (FYI, with most earbuds, I usually start feeling uncomfortable before around two hours.)

As for the controls, they are intuitive, but I found them a little too sensitive. I accidentally paused my music or changed the listening mode a few times just while putting the earbuds in or fixing my hair. Oh, and before I forget, I am definitely disappointed with its IPX4 rating. Yes, I get it should be fine for sweat and minor splashes. If you live in Kathmandu, you already know how randomly it can start raining. So, I didn’t really dare to use them outside in wet weather. 

Sound

• 8.4mm dynamic drivers
• LDAC, AAC, SBC
• DSEE Extreme upscaling

Finally, the kind of sound I appreciated

Now, coming to the part I was most excited about—the sound. And I think I have mentioned before, I really, really, I mean really like how the XM6 sounds. That too, at the default setting… my only reaction was WOW. What stood out to me right away was how balanced everything felt, be it the vocals, the instruments, or other sharper sounds. I have used a fair share of earbuds, especially the budget ones—where my first complaint is always how they are bass-heavy. Sure, it is something most people prefer; however, the boomy feel is not my cup of tea. 

That said, there is still some warmth and a slight emphasis on the lower frequencies, so the sound doesn’t feel flat or boring. But the bass never really takes over. I mostly listened to my usual playlists on Spotify Lossless and noticed this quite a bit while listening to rock and acoustic tracks, such as “Friday Morning” by Khruangbin or “Simple Twist of Fate” by Bob Dylan. I enjoyed the low-end punch without losing vocals or other instruments in the mix.

These earbuds do a particularly good job of reproducing the details of all the instruments in the mix—that too with excellent separation. And of course, the XM6 also manages a wide soundstage for that sense of spaciousness in what I’m listening to. 

Plenty of room to tweak, yet I didn’t feel the need to

Here, the Sound Connect app features five presets and a custom 10-band EQ to adjust the sound according to your preference. Although for me, all those were pretty useless since the default tuning was already good enough. (haha… dodged another hassle.) And as expected, the XM6 also has LDAC for higher-resolution audio on compatible devices, along with Sony’s DSEE Extreme, which is automatically enabled and upscales compressed audio.

Noise Cancellation 

• QN3e processor
• Active Noise Cancellation
• Ambient Sound Mode / Transparency

Without a doubt, impressive Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)

Sony has done a great job with the ANC—well, I know they are known for that. But still, the XM6 has surely continued that trend. What I particularly liked was that with ANC enabled, it didn’t give me that uncomfortable pressure in my ears that I usually get with other earbuds.

This was a pretty big plus point for me, since I’m not very good at handling that feeling. Most of the time, I avoid using ANC, even if it means increasing the volume level. Moreover, the XM6 worked well across different types of sounds. Whether it was the usual background rumble or other low-frequency noise, it managed to cut them out quite effectively. Surprisingly, it also did a good job with mid-range sounds.

For instance, one time I was working with the earbuds on, and one of my colleagues sitting literally right next to me had to tap me on the shoulder because I simply couldn’t hear her. Some sharper, higher-frequency sounds were also reduced noticeably, even though these are naturally harder for ANC to completely get rid of. All in all, as someone who does not favor ANC much, I am starting to appreciate it. 

Hummm…humming transparency. Not that it bothered me

Likewise, the transparency mode is also pretty good. Voices come through clearly, and I could comfortably hear what was happening around me without having to take the earbuds out. Though my own voice does sound a little processed whenever I was talking with the earbuds on. 

Similarly, I noticed one other little quirk: when transparency mode is enabled, there’s a faint humming or hissing sound. At first I thought I was just hearing things, so I passed it around with some of my colleagues, and they assured me I wasn’t losing my mind. The humming becomes much harder to notice once I start listening to something, but still, I hope this is something Sony can patch with an update or two.

Interestingly, I also found a pretty obvious change in how the earbuds sound when both ANC and transparency are turned off. The sound suddenly feels a little hollow, almost as if it’s echoing from somewhere or coming from a distance. It’s difficult to explain, but the difference is noticeable once you get used to listening with ANC on. Take note, Sony. 

Call Quality

• 8 microphones
• AI-based beamforming
• Bone-conduction sensor

No repeating “Whhaat?”...

Let’s talk about calls now. I used the XM6 for calls both indoors and outdoors, and honestly, there wasn’t much to complain about here. My voice remained clear, without the surrounding noise interrupting the conversation. No “What? Huh? Repeat... Can you hear me?” additions. I also didn’t notice any muffled or robotic sound—a plus point.

Of course, in some loud situations, a little bit of the outside noise did make its way through. But as I mentioned earlier, the fit wasn’t exactly perfect for my ears, so I wouldn’t really blame the earbuds for that. I don’t think someone with the exact right fit would have much of a problem either—unless you’re on the call literally right beside a loudspeaker or the busiest city street, of course. Overall, the call quality was excellent, and I had no issues using them.

Battery and Charging

• Up to 8 hours with ANC on, up to 24 hours with the case
• USB Type-C, wireless charging

Decent battery, questionable for the price 

In terms of battery life, the XM6 is not excellent, but not disappointing either. Sony claims up to 8 hours of playback with ANC enabled, with the case taking the total battery life to 24 hours. And in actual use, it seems to stay fairly close to that claim, depending on how you use the earbuds.

Personally, I only had to charge the case once during my regular use, so I never really ran into a situation where I was scrambling for a charger. The charging speed is also good enough, taking roughly an hour and 15 minutes for a full charge. You also get wireless charging and quick charging, with a three-minute charge providing about an hour of playback.

That said, for a pair of earbuds this expensive, the battery life doesn't exactly blow me away. I mean, there are plenty of budget TWS earbuds offering longer playback times, so this is more of an “it gets the job done” situation than a wow factor. 

Sony WF-1000XM6 review: Conclusion

Honestly, the XM6 has left me in a slight dilemma. On one hand, I really loved using them. The sound is great, the ANC is excellent, and the fact that the earbuds are so comfortable was something I genuinely didn’t expect. On the other hand, I still have a few complaints, like:

• Its case is not so pocket-friendly
• Mediocre IPX4 rating
• Average battery life

And then there’s the price. The XM6 is a very expensive pair of earbuds no matter how you look at it. Whereas if you’re already in Apple's or Samsung’s walled garden, the AirPods Pro 3 and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are going to offer you a lot more as well.

But if you’re looking for a premium pair of wireless earbuds that doesn’t lock you into any ecosystem, I think these are worth considering. Just make sure your ears agree with Sony’s idea of a “universal” fit before you spend that much. 

Sony WF-1000XM6 review: Pros and Cons