Short answer: the Sony WH-1000XM5, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #195 of 231 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 2.6/5, at $186.12; the Sony WH-1000XM6 ranks #211, rated 2.3/5, and costs $378, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 231 over-ear headphones, so if sound quality matters, consider the HIFIMAN Ananda Nano instead, ranked #4 at $319.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 is the better-sounding option. It offers active noise cancelling, Bluetooth 5.2 with SBC, AAC and LDAC for high-resolution streaming, a built-in microphone, and about 30 hours of battery life. Watch for: Bass sits about 7 dB over target and sub-bass about 6 dB over, with the low mids another 3 dB over, so the sound is bloated and bass-heavy for anyone wanting a balanced presentation.
What the Sony WH-1000XM6 does well: 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 tradeoff: 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-1000XM5. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sony WH-1000XM6 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony WH-1000XM5 | Sony WH-1000XM6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $186.12 | $378.00 |
| Ranked | #195 of 231 in Over-Ear Headphones | #211 of 231 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Connection | Wireless and wired | Wireless and wired |
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes |
| Harman Preference Score | 50 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 43 (median of 4 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.33 dB standard deviation | 3.41 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.47 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.83 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+4.3 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+7.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 30mm dynamic | 1 x 30mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 48 ohms | 48 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 102 dB/mW | 103 dB/mW |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (250 g) | 0.6 lbs (254 g) |
| Frequency Response | 4Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 4Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (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 |
| IP Rating | None | - |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How Sony WH-1000XM5 compares with other leading options:
- Beats Studio3 Wireless vs Sony WH-1000XM5
- Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Audio-Technica ATH-AD900X
- Sony WH-1000XM5 vs AKG K271 MKII
- Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
- 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 WH-1000XM5: $186.12 Wireless Amazon $186.12 eBay
Pros: It offers active noise cancelling, Bluetooth 5.2 with SBC, AAC and LDAC for high-resolution streaming, a built-in microphone, and about 30 hours of battery life. At 250 g it is lighter than the other wireless over-ears at its level. Presence and treble are within about 3 dB of target, and the largest deviation in the upper range is a modest 4.6 dB peak near 6.2 kHz, so the top end is relatively smooth.
Cons: Bass sits about 7 dB over target and sub-bass about 6 dB over, with the low mids another 3 dB over, so the sound is bloated and bass-heavy for anyone wanting a balanced presentation. A 3.6 dB dip near 2.3 kHz pulls back vocals slightly, while air above 10 kHz is about 2 dB low. It has no IP rating for water or dust protection. The Beats Studio3 Wireless has a higher rating.
Full Sony WH-1000XM5 review and specifications →
| Released | May 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes |
| Back | Closed |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | Wireless and wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.33 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 30mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 4Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 50 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Impedance | 48 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 102 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+4.3 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.47 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (250 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.2 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -3.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 2,448 Hz | +6.9 dB | 2.46 |
| Peak | 173 Hz | -5.6 dB | 0.96 |
| Peak | 3,028 Hz | -5.4 dB | 2.03 |
| Peak | 1,327 Hz | +3.3 dB | 0.58 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +4.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 6,110 Hz | -2.3 dB | 5.81 |
| Peak | 875 Hz | -1.2 dB | 4.07 |
| Peak | 1,197 Hz | +1.0 dB | 3.28 |
| Peak | 63 Hz | +0.4 dB | 2.13 |
- 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