Sony WH-1000XM6

Can Sony's new flagship wireless headphones set a new standard?

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In the world of premium wireless headphones, Sony has established itself as the brand for whom the hype machine seems to kick into overdrive every time there's a rumbling of a new pair coming to market. And it's not hard to see why. Sony's track record in the field over recent years is second to none, with multiple five-star pairs setting new benchmarks for rival brands to try to beat. Sony's current wireless offerings are arguably its best ever, and that includes its budget options too.

This makes the Sony WH-1000XM6 a huge deal, not least because the last time we saw a new flagship pair of wireless headphones from the Japanese tech giant was back in 2022.

In those three years, Sony has been very busy behind the scenes. Design, features, sound quality, noise cancelling, call quality. You name it, Sony has revisited it for the WH-1000XM6 to try to keep one that step ahead of the competition.

It’s all well and good claiming positive changes, but the proof is in the testing. Are these really Sony's best wireless headphones to date?

The Sony WH-1000XM6 cost £399. This is an increase over the previous flagship, the WH-1000XM5, which we originally tested at £380.

Key rivals around this kind of money come in the shape of the five-star Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (£450), which currently boast some of the best active noise cancelling in the business, and the newer Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 (£399) which have seriously impressed us with their audio quality.

If you want to move up a level, you also have the Apple AirPods Max, which cost £549 when we first reviewed them. The Bose, Apple and Sony XM5 models have all been out for some time, which is why you can find discounts if you shop around online.

Although the WH-1000XM6 obviously share DNA with their predecessors, Sony has pretty much gone back to the drawing board, with multiple changes made to the design based on its own perceptions and customer feedback.