It’s a testament to Sony’s success with its headphones that a pair released three years ago are still a more than viable option. That’s why I can understand thinking over choosing between the Sony WH-1000XM6 and the WH-1000XM5.
Each pair has helped define what noise-cancelling headphones should sound like. And while each successive generation isn’t a dramatic overhaul, Sony finds ways to refine the design and features to continue offering excellent sound quality, world-class active noise cancellation (ANC), and custom settings. Are the latest refinements in the XM6 enough to warrant an upgrade, or are the XM5 better value? Let’s find out as we look at a Sony XM5 vs XM6 comparison.
Similar styles with key differences
Sony will never win a beauty contest with its headphones. That’s never really been the point anyway. No flashy materials and minimal branding are by design because it’s more about subtle sophistication. Functional changes, however, can make a bigger difference over time.
A big one off the bat is that the XM6 have hinges that fold flat and inward to reduce the overall footprint. The XM5 only fold flat, which explains why their case is bigger—the kind of thing you definitely notice during a commute or travel. In fact, the XM5 stand out in that regard because Sony had made the previous XM4 fold flat and inward. Removing the feature was a divisive decision. In addition, the XM6 case uses a magnetic latch to close rather than the all-around zipper commonly used before.
Combined with a slightly wider headband and softer cushioning, the XM6 are more comfortable during long listening sessions, though you may still want thicker padding if you have larger ears or wear glasses. There is no real difference in the depth and firmness of the ear cushions, though I would argue the headband is better on the XM5 because of the extra cushioning. The XM6 also have reshaped, rounder ear cups that are better suited to the intuitive touch controls. With all that in mind, the XM6 are likely to be more comfortable over longer listening sessions.
You get the same power and ANC/Ambient buttons, plus a 3.5mm jack, on both pairs. One welcome change is that the XM6 have a more distinct rounded power button. That makes it much easier to know what you’re pressing while wearing them.
Noise Cancellation
The XM6 start to separate themselves further under the hood. The XM5 introduced eight microphones to bolster Sony’s already stellar active noise cancellation, but the XM6 have 12—eight on the outside and four on the inside. These work in tandem with Sony’s new QN3 processor to produce even better adaptive ANC performance across a wider range of environments. Both pairs are great at cancelling noise. This is, in many ways, a comparison between two outstanding performers.
But improvements at this level often matter, and when it comes to drowning out background noise, the extra mics enable the XM6 to capture more of those sounds. Plus, the QN3 chip can process the ANC response much faster. The result is serenity in the midst of engine rumbles, office chatter, and street noise. High-frequency sounds that might squeak through on the XM5 are less likely to do so on the XM6.
Sound quality
On the audio side, redesigned 30mm drivers create a slightly wider soundstage and improved clarity. You still get Sony’s balanced tuning of lively mids, crisp highs, and controlled bass on either pair. The difference is in the detail, which is that you get a little extra emphasis without bumping up the bass.
Both support Sony’s Find Your Equalizer tool through the Sound Connect app (iOS or Android), letting you personalize sound profiles based on taste. This is worth exploring in case it produces a tuning effect that’s more pleasing to your ears. It did for me in both cases, so I imagine it probably could for you as well. You can also do it yourself through the Equalizer by adjusting the sliders. The XM6 now work with 10 sliders for even more granular control, whereas the XM5 have five.
New listening modes like Background Music produces an audio effect like hearing your music playing in a café. Cinema Mode expands soundstage to make it more immersive, which you could consider using watching a movie or show.
The app is full of features and options. While it could definitely use a makeover to make it more intuitive to use, it’s worth taking time to assess the various features. Spatial audio via Sony’s 360 Reality Audio works equally well on both, though neither allows custom EQ settings to be active at the same time. DSEE Extreme upscaling remains an option for breathing new life into compressed streaming tracks.
LDAC remains the standout codec for Android users seeking high-resolution streaming, while iPhone users are still limited to AAC but enjoy the same tuning and EQ flexibility on both pairs.
One downside with the XM5 is you can’t charge them and listen to music at the same time. Sony fixes that in the XM6.
Call quality
The XM6 make a solid leap over the XM5 in call quality. Since there are more mics, the improved noise cancellation works to isolate your voice for clearer calls. You notice this effect in noisy and windy environments where both of you can still hear each other talking. The XM5 aren’t bad for calls, just not quite as efficient in dealing with varying situations.
Connections and controls
There’s no real difference in pairing either model with your devices. Android Fast Pair, Windows Swift Pair, and simple Bluetooth setup on iOS work fine. Multipoint connectivity is smooth and seamless across both, allowing you to stay paired with two devices simultaneously and instantly switch between them.
The XM6 are better prepared for new connection tech, Bluetooth LE Audio (LC3 codec) and Auracast support for shared audio streaming. It’s just unclear how effective they are on these headphones given it’s built into Android and not the Sound Connect app. You need Android 13 or higher to use them. You won’t have them in the XM5.
As for onboard touch controls, the rounded ear cups feel more intuitive on the XM6. Not only do they lead to fewer mistakes, but they’re also very responsive. Touch gestures remain only on the right ear cup, and are exactly the same on both. That includes Quick Attention Mode. Just hold your hand over the right cup and it will lower volume and turn off ANC to quickly hear an announcement or chat with someone. Wear sensors on the headphones automatically pause playback once you take them off, resuming when putting them back on.
You have very limited options to remap what the physical buttons on the left cup do on the Sound Connect app. Sony restricts that on both pairs.
Battery life
Battery life is an interesting one because Sony doesn’t say much about it on paper. Based on pure specs, you would see that both offer up to 30 hours of playback with ANC on. That’s based on default volume levels. However, you’re more likely to get more juice out of the XM6 because the battery inside is bigger. It’s not going to be a dramatic difference, mind you, but a few extra hours is still noticeable.
A quick three-minute fast charge can get you roughly three hours of listening. The fact you can charge and listen to music at the same time is a notable upgrade. Unfortunately, you can’t use the USB-C connection to listen to wired playback directly. Instead, you have to use a USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter (not included with either pair) to make that work on devices that don’t have headphone jacks.
Upgrade or stand pat?
For those of you who already own an XM5 pair, the XM6 are more refinement than revolution. Better noise cancellation, improved comfort, upgraded call quality, and smarter adaptive features all make the XM6 a more complete version of Sony’s flagship headphones. It might be hard to justify making the change unless your XM5 are wearing down or you spend a lot of time on calls and in noisy environments.
Apart from that, the XM6 are easy to recommend. There was no need for Sony to reinvent its flagship headphones because the XM5 are already excellent. The XM6 add polish to the experience in all the right places, securing their spot among the best all-around noise-cancelling headphones you can buy right now.
Check out the Sony WH-1000XM6 and the Sony WH-1000XM5 available now. Looking for more Sony headphones, check out the latest options.
