Sony WH-1000XM6 vs WH-1000XM5: What’s the difference?
Sony’s new XM6 headphones offer a lot of upgrades over the XM5s, but since the XM5s are sticking around, the question is: which pair is right for you?
🎧 Sony has upgraded its flagship headphones with its WH-1000XM6
🔊 The new cans come with better sound quality, ANC, and smart features
💰 Meanwhile, the older XM5s are staying in the lineup at a cheaper price
👀 They share a lot of similarities with the newer version
🤷 If you’re deciding between the two, let us help you out with a quick breakdown
The Sony WH-1000XM6 are positioned to be some of the best headphones to come out in 2025. The headphones arrive nearly three years after the XM5s burst onto the scene, and they improve various areas of the listening experience with a nicer design, better sound quality, improved ANC, and a few conveniences.
But make no mistake, the WH-1000XM5 are still solid headphones. Sound quality and ANC are solid, and they have the same 30 hours of battery life as the new XM6s. Sony is keeping them in its lineup at a lower price than the XM6s, which makes them worth considering if you’re in the market for new premium headphones.
Here’s a breakdown of some of their key differences to help you decide which to buy.
⚙️ Sony WH-1000XM6 vs WH-1000XM5 specs
Buy the WH-1000XM6 if…
📐 You want a more compact design. One of the best features of the XM6s has nothing to do with sound quality. It’s the fact that Sony made them more compact than the XM5s were. The previous generation lies flat in their carrying case, which winds up crowding your backpack more than you’d think. The XM6s can fold down (similar to the WH-1000XM4), into a smaller carrying case, which makes them more convenient for travel. The carrying case is also much nicer; it lost the zipper and opted for a magnetic closure. It’s overall a much better experience.
🔊 You need the best ANC and sound quality. The WH-1000XM6 make some notable improvements in sound quality and noise cancellation. There’s a new HD Noise Canceling Processor QN3 that’s 7x faster than the chip in the XM5s for ANC, plus a new Adaptive NC Optimizer for better noise-cancelling precision. New drivers and updated materials inside the headphones help to bring out more clarity and definition in your music, while other features like Edge-AI, DESS Extreme, and LDAC support enhance your listening experience even more. Side by side, the XM6s sound a bit clearer and more life-like than the XM5s, and if that’s what you’re after, get the XM6s.
☎️ You want to make clearer calls. The XM6s come with 12 individual microphones, four more than the XM5s come with. Combined with a new AI-based beamforming system for deciphering between background noise and a user’s voice, the headphones can keep your voice much clearer during phone calls.
🍿 You want a “cinematic” experience. The XM6s also ship with new features that emulate surround sound for watching movies, TV shows, or listening to music. The new 360 Reality Audio Upmix for Cinema upscales your audio and makes it seem like you’re sitting in a room with multiple speakers set up around you. It’s a cool effect that works especially well with film, so if you want the take your movie-binging game to the next level, these are the headphoens to get.
⚡️ You want to jam out while charging. A small but mighty new feature on the WH-1000XM6 is the ability to charge your headphones while listening to music. For whatever reason, you can’t do this on the XM5s or XM4s from years past, but Sony was able to add it to the XM6s. Now, you can keep them turned on with ANC enabled and listen to your favorite music while the battery is being juiced back up. They’ll charge more slowly when playing music, sure, but at least you won’t have to stop using them to recharge any longer.
Buy the WH-1000XM5 if…
💰 You want the best value. The $399 WH-1000XM5 headphones share a lot of similarities with the $449 XM6s. They have very similar audio quality and noise cancellation, they support multiple devices, they come with a version of 360 Reality Audio for spatial sound, they have the same 30 hours of battery life, and they’re comfortable to wear. At $50 less than the XM6s, they can be a much better value for those who don’t need the latest and greatest but still want a premium experience.
🎧 You can live without a few things. There are few features on the XM6s that aren’t available on the XM5s. For example, you can’t charge the XM5s while listening to music, there isn’t a special Game EQ for better sound quality during first-person shooter gameplay, 360 Reality Audio Upmix for Cinema isn’t available, and smart features like Scene-based Listening are exclusive to the higher-end headphones. Are these dealbreakers? Maybe for some, but for most, I imagine the features won’t be missed if you decide on the XM5s.
Where to buy
Which would you buy?
Between the WH-1000XM6 and WH-1000XM5, which pair of Sony headphones are you eyeing up? Let us know in the comments. Be sure to join our chat if you have more questions about them.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.