Sony WH-1000XM6 Review 2026: Best Wireless Headphones of the Year?

Sony has owned the premium wireless headphone space for years. With the WH-1000XM5, they set a standard that competitors have been chasing ever since. Now, with the WH-1000XM6, Gizmodo has awarded them Best Headphones of 2025/2026 — and it's easy to understand why. The XM6 improve on the XM5 in virtually every way that matters, while keeping the things that already worked.

Design and Comfort: Finally Fixed

The XM5 were criticised for their rigid headband that made them uncomfortable during long listening sessions. Sony listened. The XM6 feature a redesigned headband with a dual-arc structure that distributes pressure more evenly across the top of the head, and softer, thicker ear cushions with improved breathability. Extended listening sessions of 4–6 hours — which were uncomfortable on the XM5 for some users — are now genuinely pleasant.

The fold-flat design returns — a feature that was controversially removed on the XM5 — making the XM6 far more packable and travel-friendly. The overall aesthetic is refined but familiar, available in Midnight Black, Platinum Silver, and a new Deep Ocean Blue colourway.

Noise Cancellation: The New Gold Standard

The XM6 use Sony's next-generation QN3 chip with an upgraded Auto NC Optimiser that adapts noise cancellation in real time based on your environment — commuter train, aircraft cabin, busy office, windy outdoors. In practice, the improvement over the XM5 is noticeable and meaningful. Low-frequency rumble from aircraft engines and train motors is almost entirely eliminated. Mid-frequency noise like voices and office chatter is reduced to a whisper.

In direct comparisons against the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, reviewers have found the XM6 marginally behind Bose for high-frequency noise but ahead for low-frequency rumble — making Sony the better choice for frequent flyers and commuters, while Bose retains a slight edge in open-plan offices.

Sound Quality: Rich, Detailed, and Now More Accurate

Sony has retuned the XM6's audio signature to be more balanced than the XM5, which some audiophiles criticised for being overly bass-heavy. The XM6 retain the warmth and richness that makes Sony headphones so enjoyable to listen to, while pulling back slightly on the bass and pushing up the midrange detail. Vocals on the XM6 are noticeably more present and defined. The 30mm driver has been replaced with a new 40mm carbon fibre composite driver that delivers a wider soundstage.

Battery Life and Connectivity

The XM6 deliver 40 hours of battery life with ANC on and 50 hours with it off — both improvements over the XM5. A 3-minute quick charge provides 3 hours of playback, making low battery a non-emergency. Connectivity has been upgraded to Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint support for three devices simultaneously (up from two on the XM5). Switching between a laptop, phone, and tablet is instantaneous and reliable.

Sony XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra: Which Should You Buy?

• Buy Sony XM6 if: you commute daily, travel frequently, want the best battery life, and prefer a warmer sound signature

• Buy Bose QuietComfort Ultra if: you work in noisy open-plan offices, prioritise spatial audio, or prefer a more neutral sound signature

Verdict: The Best Wireless Headphones You Can Buy in 2026

The Sony WH-1000XM6 represent the most complete over-ear headphone package available in 2026. Fixed comfort, improved ANC, better sound, longer battery, and more versatile connectivity — there is no meaningful regression from the XM5, only improvements. At around $349, they are premium but not extravagant for what is unquestionably the best all-round wireless headphone on the market.

⭐ Rating: 9.5/10 — The benchmark for wireless headphones. If you buy one pair of headphones this year, make it these.