WHAT HI⭑FI? AWARDS 2025

Here they are: our hi-fi and AV gold-medal winners, complete with our verdicts on why each one is so good

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WIRELESS HEADPHONES

With ever-better noise-cancelling and Bluetooth transmission, this category is a fascinating one

Sony WH-1000XM6

£399

Design, features, sound quality, noise cancelling, call quality. You name it, Sony has revisited it for the WH-1000XM6.

Powering the XM6 is Sony's new HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN3, which Sony claims is a whopping seven times faster than the XM5's QN1. Inside each earcup is a newly developed 30mm ‘soft edge’ dome driver which, along with the QN3 processor, is claimed to up not only audio quality, but also ANC performance.

Sony has borrowed some of the tech found in its premium Walkman range, including its low phase noise crystal oscillator, to help improve timing, and it uses gold-infused solder in parts of the circuit. The new 360 Reality Audio Upmix for Cinema feature adds Sony's spatial-audio processing to any content you're watching in stereo. There's also a new ten-band equaliser for anyone who wants to tweak the sound of the XM6 more specifically. There's SBC, AAC and LDAC support, plus Bluetooth LE Audio, Auracast support and Bluetooth Multipoint.

For noise-cancelling and call quality, the total mic count has gone up to 12. There are six on each earcup, four spaced around the outside edge and two inside, beneath the removable ear pads. The outer mics are now covered by a mesh which has been redesigned to reduce wind noise further. An adaptive NC optimiser constantly adapts to environmental changes as you move around. We find the Sonys isolate us extremely well, and call quality is superb.

The XM6 deliver the most detailed, dynamic, precise and open sound we have heard from a wireless Sony flagship. The headphones just seem capable of diving into any track you play and extracting an unbelievable amount of information.

We start with Billie Eilish's