Short answer: the Sony WH-1000XM6, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #211 of 231 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 2.3/5, at $378. The Sony ULT Wear ranks #227, rated 1.0/5, at $129.95, $248.05 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 231 over-ear headphones; for better sound, the HIFIMAN Ananda Nano ranks #4 at $319.
What the Sony ULT Wear does well: Active noise cancelling, up to 30 hours of battery with ANC on and 50 with it off, LDAC and AAC support, and a wired option make it a practical travel headphone. The catch: The preference score is just 8, with a very uneven response; a 12 dB dip near 9.7 kHz beside a 5.6 dB peak at 11.2 kHz, plus a presence region more than 4 dB low, buries vocals and detail under the bass.
The Sony WH-1000XM6 is the better-sounding choice. Active noise cancelling, up to 30 hours of battery with ANC on (40 with it off) and LDAC, AAC and LC3 support cover most wireless needs, and a cable can be used too. Watch for: An 11.5 dB dip near 8.1 kHz and treble about 3 dB under target leave cymbals and detail muted, so the sound is dark and heavy rather than balanced, with a preference score of only 43.
Buy the Sony WH-1000XM6. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $248.05 saving on the Sony ULT Wear is not enough to make up the difference.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony ULT Wear | Sony WH-1000XM6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $129.95 | $378.00 |
| Ranked | #227 of 231 in Over-Ear Headphones | #211 of 231 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 8 (median of 2 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 43 (median of 4 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 5.04 dB standard deviation | 3.41 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -2.89 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.83 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+6.8 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+7.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wireless and wired | Wireless and wired |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic | 1 x 30mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 32 ohms | 48 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB/mW | 103 dB/mW |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (255 g) | 0.6 lbs (254 g) |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 4Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (50 with ANC off, Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (40 with ANC off, Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
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More worthwhile head-to-heads for Sony WH-1000XM6:
- Bose QuietComfort 35 II vs Sony WH-1000XM6
- Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Sony WH-1000XM6
- Bowers & Wilkins Px8 vs Sony WH-1000XM6
- Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless vs Sony WH-1000XM6
- Sony ULT Wear vs Sony WH-1000XM5
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Sony ULT Wear: $129.95 Wireless Amazon $129.95 eBay
Pros: Active noise cancelling, up to 30 hours of battery with ANC on and 50 with it off, LDAC and AAC support, and a wired option make it a practical travel headphone. Listeners who want maximum bass get it: in squig.link measurements the 60 to 200 Hz range sits nearly 9 dB above target and sub-bass about 7.6 dB above.
Cons: The preference score is just 8, with a very uneven response; a 12 dB dip near 9.7 kHz beside a 5.6 dB peak at 11.2 kHz, plus a presence region more than 4 dB low, buries vocals and detail under the bass. The Sennheiser HD 569 rates higher at a similar price.
Full Sony ULT Wear review and specifications →
| Released | Apr 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes |
| Back | Closed |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (50 with ANC off, Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | Wireless and wired |
| Deviation From Target | 5.04 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 8 (median of 2 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+6.8 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -2.89 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (255 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sony WH-1000XM6: $378.00 Wireless Amazon $378.00 eBay
Pros: Active noise cancelling, up to 30 hours of battery with ANC on (40 with it off) and LDAC, AAC and LC3 support cover most wireless needs, and a cable can be used too. The tuning suits bass lovers: in hobbyist measurements on squig.link sub-bass sits about 7.5 dB and mid-bass about 6 dB above target, giving films and electronic music plenty of weight. At 48 ohms and 103 dB/mW it also runs easily from a phone in wired mode, and it rates above the Sony INZONE H9 II.
Cons: An 11.5 dB dip near 8.1 kHz and treble about 3 dB under target leave cymbals and detail muted, so the sound is dark and heavy rather than balanced, with a preference score of only 43. The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless rates higher and costs less.
Full Sony WH-1000XM6 review and specifications →
| Released | May 2025 (1 year ago) |
|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes |
| Back | Closed |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (40 with ANC off, Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | Wireless and wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.41 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 30mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 4Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 43 (median of 4 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 48 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+7.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.83 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (254 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons