Short answer: the Sony WH-1000XM6, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #435 of 481 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 2.3/5, at $458. The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 ranks #453, rated 1.7/5, at $429, $29 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 481 over-ear headphones, and the HIFIMAN Ananda Nano, ranked #6 at $319, is a better place to start if sound quality matters.
The Sony WH-1000XM6 is the better-sounding option. 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. It supports LDAC Bluetooth, which the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 lacks. 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.
Why pick the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: It brings active noise cancelling, a claimed 30 hours of battery life and Bluetooth 5.3 with an unusually wide codec list, including aptX Adaptive, aptX HD and aptX Lossless alongside AAC. The catch: In two hobbyist measurements on squig.link it scores only 30.7 for Harman preference with a 4.23 dB deviation, one of the least accurate responses in its class.
Buy the Sony WH-1000XM6. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $29 saving on the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 is not enough to make up the difference.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
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.
Amazon $458.00 Lowest Sony $459.99 eBay
It brings active noise cancelling, a claimed 30 hours of battery life and Bluetooth 5.3 with an unusually wide codec list, including aptX Adaptive, aptX HD and aptX Lossless alongside AAC.
Amazon $429.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Sony WH-1000XM6 | Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $458.00 | $429.00 |
| Ranked | #435 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones | #453 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 43 (median of 4 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 31 (median of 2 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.41 dB standard deviation | 4.23 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.83 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -2.01 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+7.1 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+5.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wireless and wired | Wireless and wired |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 30mm dynamic | 1 x 40mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 48 ohms | - |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB/mW | - |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (254 g) | 0.7 lbs (300 g) |
| Frequency Response | 4Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 10Hz - 30kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (40 with ANC off, Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | - | None |
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