Sony‘s ability to deliver a five-star pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones is undeniable; just look at its legendary WH-1000XM series, each of which has scored five stars, stretching back to 2017’s WH-1000XM2.
Fast forward to the present day, and it has a handful of options from the range still on sale – one such model being the WH-1000XM4 from 2020.
Up until a couple of weeks ago, these wireless cans had been my ride or die travel companion, accompanying me on flights, coach rides and train journeys all around the world.
It might sound silly to become sentimental about a pair of headphones, but they quickly became my favourite piece of tech in my collection. The thought of replacing them became somewhat blasphemous; what could possibly compare?
Sony failed to tempt me away with the WH-1000XM5, in part due to their bulky carry case and fragile design, but it has worked some magic with the newly launched WH-1000XM6.
I was living in blissful ignorance until audio aficionado and fellow Senior Staff Writer, Harry McKerrell, waltzed into the office with the swanky new XM6 headphones.
Naturally, I was eager to have a quick demo to see if they could tempt me away from my beloved XM4 headphones. Unsurprisingly, they turned out to be really quite good; good enough that I started to question if it was time to take the leap and upgrade.
To help me decide, I borrowed them for the perfect longer-term test: not one but two, five-hour train journeys.
What I liked…
The biggest and most obvious upgrade that comes with the XM6 headphones is the improved sound quality. Naturally, two generations of upgrades result in a more refined performance.
I played a few of my favourite albums in full on Apple Music – Taylor Swift’s Evermore, The 1975’s Being Funny in a Foreign Language and Bon Iver’s SABLE, fABLE – all of which sounded exceptional on these headphones.
These are albums I’ve listened to countless times on my XM4 cans, and I could instantly tell the difference with the new model.
The XM6 headphones sounded richer and more dynamic, and deliver greater detail – no surprise as they earned the full five stars in our review.
Voices sounded textured and natural, while lower frequencies were presented with ample punch. It’s practically impossible to pick holes in how these headphones sound and to deliver such a clear upgrade on the XM4 was no mean feat.
The next crucial step is comfort, and the XM6 scored even more points here. The headband felt plush enough that I didn’t feel it dig into my head for any of the 10 hours I spent travelling to and from Cornwall.
Furthermore, I didn’t find the clamping force to be too aggressive; I have quite a wide head, so this can be a make-or-break for some headphones.
I tend to wear these headphones with the headband fully extended, and in that position they feel perfectly comfortable.
Next up is battery life. I had these headphones powered up with noise-cancelling activated for the entirety of my first train from Reading to Penzance; that’s five hours and ten minutes.
Despite the lengthy listening session, the headphones had only dropped to 90 per cent, and I’m fairly sure they weren’t at 100 per cent capacity when I started my journey. Impressive.
And I needed to have noise-cancelling turned on, as a shrieking child was sitting a few rows behind me for the majority of my return journey; thankfully, the XM6 blocked this out with ease, which I greatly appreciated.
Finally, the portability factor is back to the same level as the XM4. The XM5’s lack of a folding mechanism was a dealbreaker for me, so I was thrilled to see Sony create a workaround that meant the slick new design was also functional.
Sony also gets bonus points here for including a fantastic case. The magnetic clasp is satisfyingly snappy, and it allows for quick access to the headphones – nice.
What I didn’t like…
While I think that these headphones are an overall slam dunk from Sony, there are a couple of minor gripes I have with these latest-generation headphones.
Going back to comfort, I did find that the earpads got quite warm during use, and consequently a bit sweaty; sorry, it has to be said.
Sure, we are at the height of summer in the UK, but I’ve worn my XM4 on various crowded trains in the summer months and haven’t really noticed this before.
My second and only other gripe is more of a personal preference, and it’s to do with touch controls.
These touch controls, which involve swiping and jabbing the right earcup, are well-implemented on the XM6, but I’d still prefer physical volume controls. For me, the physical power button here still feels preferable to the touch controls.
So, should you upgrade?
The Sony WH-1000XM6 aren’t a vital upgrade if you’re currently using the WH-1000XM4; the older pair still provides excellent sound in a comfortable and stylish package.
However, practically every aspect is enhanced on the newer model, which makes them clearly superior and a satisfying upgrade should you want the latest and greatest experience.
I love how the XM6 headphones sound, and the new design has won me over thanks to its excellent portability and rather lovely case. This is why I’ll be sticking with the newer pair and bidding my XM4 cans a tearful goodbye.
Understandably, this approach won’t work for everyone; it’s no secret that there is a pretty major price disparity between the headphones right now. The WH-1000XM6 are a hair under £400, whereas the WH-1000XM4 are quite literally half the price at £199.
The bottom line is that both of these pairs of headphones will satisfy any music lover or avid traveller. If you’re happy with your XM4, then there’s no need to rush out and buy the new model. But if you’ve caught the upgrade bug like I have, then I’m certain you’ll be a satisfied customer with the newer model.
MORE:
Read our full Sony WH-1000XM6 review
Sony WH-1000XM6 vs WH-1000XM4: which noise-cancelling headphones should you buy?
And check out our picks for the best noise-cancelling headphones
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