Sony WH-1000XM6 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra: Which Is Best?

Every mates of years, Bose and Sony waste and acquisition blows successful an effort to declare nan title of nan best noise-canceling headphones you tin buy. Until recently, Bose's QuietComfort Ultra (9/10, WIRED Recommends) had nan edge, offering world-crushing cancellation that bested Sony's still-great WH-1000XM5 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) and different apical models from nan likes of JBL, Sonos, and Apple.

Now, Sony's backmost pinch its latest WH-1000 model, nan predictably titled WH-1000XM6 (9/10, WIRED Recommends). The caller brace offers an almost startling armament of microphones and noise-cancellation tech, on pinch improved sound, style, and features. So tin it declare nan title? Let's dive into nan details.

Look and Feel

Starting pinch aesthetics, neither of these plastic-clad models stands retired for illustration Apple’s iconic (and heavy) AirPods Max, but some negociate to blaze their ain way to lucifer premium pricing pinch a posh design.

Sony’s XM6 gets a refreshed integrative matte exterior that feels some grittier and much robust than its predecessor. Along pinch other style points, nan caller creation rectifies 1 of nan XM5's biggest detractions pinch a caller hinge constituent on nan arms that erstwhile again makes Sony's best wireless headphones foldable for travel. This leads to a much travel-friendly case, including a creation refresh that swaps nan zipper apical for a convenient magnetic flap.

As for nan all-important fit, nan XM6 trust connected heavy padding and clamping unit on nan earcups to support them secure, but nan headband pad is amazingly thin. The headphones are still comfortable for hours of wear, particularly erstwhile you break them in, but nan set tends to deterioration connected my caput much complete clip than nan much lavishly appointed QC Ultra and different favorites for illustration nan JBL Tour Pro M3.

Bose’s brace applies much glitz than nan understated XM6, highlighted by sleek curves, a much sumptuous macromolecule leather coating on nan pads, and speckled metallic armpieces that grip smaller earcups. Like nan XM6, nan Ultra fold easy for travel, and their smaller size translates to a somewhat much compact case. Though you’ll miss retired connected nan zipperless lid, erstwhile it comes to a much premium look and fit, Bose’s brace takes this category.

WIRED: Bose QuietComfort Ultra

Features and Controls

Both pairs are loaded pinch flagship features, including conveniences for illustration multipoint pairing, auto-pause sensors, and replaceable earpads. Each exemplary includes a loaded app for tinkering and customizing features for illustration adaptive sound canceling and transparency modes, among aggregate different parameters, and some opt for analog audio input alternatively than USB-C playback from their charging ports.

Bose has its specialties, including a much accessible and intuitive app layout. Sony's app is much analyzable but besides provides much ways to research and adapt, for illustration a multiband EQ that goes good beyond Bose's three-band version. You'll besides get Sony stalwarts for illustration nan expertise to clasp nan correct earcup to temporarily activate exterior sounds.

You mightiness moreover opportunity Sony goes a small overboard connected nan characteristic front, but arsenic we've travel to expect, nan XM6 support nan astir important worldly up front, embodied by nan champion power strategy connected nan market. Simply double pat nan correct earcup for play/pause, swipe up aliases down to raise aliases little volume, and guardant aliases backward for opus skip. Dedicated powerfulness and ambient audio keys connected nan near earcup complete nan layout for a remarkably intuitive and responsive experience.

Bose's QC Ultra battalion their ain power innovations, including a useful caller measurement slider pad that's meticulous capable to dial successful your levels without blasting your ears. The different controls are little convenient owed to their reliance connected a two-button solution that puts a batch of weight connected nan multi-key. The main drawback is nan request to clasp nan cardinal down to laboriously rhythm done ambient sound modes, compared to Sony's dedicated cardinal that cycles pinch a speedy tap.

It's not a monolithic difference, but Sony's operation of simpler controls and deeper, much granular features gives its brace a limb up successful usability.

WIRED: Sony WH-1000XM6

Noise Canceling and Transparency Mode

Before digging successful here, it's important to statement that some of these pairs connection sound canceling that bests everything we've ever tested. If you request to termination nan noise, either brace will do truthful to an almost disorienting level.

With a full of 12 microphones and an precocious caller chipset, Sony claims its latest headphones person nan champion sound canceling connected nan market. When A/B testing without music, this was difficult to prove. Both are awesome astatine removing low-end sounds for illustration my go-to Airplane drone video, while efficaciously quelling high-register sounds for illustration keystrokes, vacuums, and vocal chatter.

What's instantly evident is really overmuch faster nan XM6 useful to termination sound, giving them an separator successful immoderate cardinal areas. Sony claims its caller QN3 processor is “7X faster” than nan erstwhile pair's QN1 chip, which translates to crazy-quick consequence to your environment. Where Bose's brace slow squashes noises arsenic it analyzes them complete time, nan XM6 respond almost instantly to everything from passing cars to my electrical leafage blower.

As Wired editor Parker Hall pointed out, nan XM6’s faster consequence clip besides immunodeficiency their sound canceling successful nan measurement astir group listen, pinch euphony playing, by adjusting nan output successful existent clip pinch your tunes. In testing pinch ray euphony playing, Sony's brace did look to connection a flimsy advantage complete nan Ultra, particularly pinch sharper annoyances for illustration my ever-vigilant barking dog. Even so, some pairs are truthful powerful that a small euphony puts you successful nan void from virtually each sounds anyway.

Transparency mode, nan diametric other of sound canceling, is likewise close, but again, Sony's faster consequence clip enhances performance. Both pairs sound rather natural, but Sony's exemplary reacted much efficaciously successful existent clip to punchy sounds for illustration nan slamming of my backmost doorway aliases a large clap, while Bose's brace takes longer to adapt. Sony's blazingly accelerated silicon seems to beryllium nan existent concealed to nan XM6's unthinkable ambient audio skills.

WIRED: Sony WH-1000XM6

Sound Quality

This is nan different cardinal area successful which Sony holds an advantage, offering immoderate of nan champion sound successful nan genre. To their credit, nan QC Ultra are nan champion sounding Bose headphones I've tested, serving up awesome balance, clarity, and vibrancy. You'll find marked sensitivity and precision successful nan midrange and treble that evoke keen instrumental timbres and tight separation crossed nan stereo image. Bass is mildly boomy by default but is easy tamed successful nan EQ.

For those who bask it, Bose's brace holds a flimsy advantage for spatial audio. Both models connection 3D upmixing for much immersive listening pinch disposable head-tracking, which keeps your euphony centered arsenic though listening to a brace of speakers, but Sony's head-tracking is constricted to Android devices only, while Bose's brace useful for either instrumentality type.

For stereo playback, Sony's XM6 provides a warmer wide sound signature that still takes attraction pinch nan higher frequencies, allowing for much intimacy, breadth, and instrumental textures that burst done nan mix. Horns, woodwinds, and percussion are peculiarly gorgeous, pinch a lyrical, sometimes flinty brilliance that ever steers clear of sharpness.

The XM6's bass consequence is conscionable arsenic impressive. It's taut and poised while still letting loose pinch immoderate other listen that blends studio-style precision pinch immoderate playful buzz and grit. Rolling done nan latest Andy Shauf project, Foxwarren 2, I was wholly enamored pinch nan array of synth and percussion sounds, from nan bouncy groove successful “Deadhead” to nan sawtoothed grind of “Havana.”

Both models connection sound value worthy of their value tags, but Sony's deeper dive into nan specifications hooked maine successful nan first fewer minutes and ne'er fto go.

WIRED: Sony WH-1000XM6

Call Quality

Both pairs fared good crossed a number of calls betwixt friends and colleagues. It's ever difficult to judge calling accurately fixed factors for illustration crappy Zoom calls aliases dodgy compartment connections, but I had nary problem pinch either brace connected my end, and everyone I talked to said they could perceive maine clearly, moreover successful crowded areas.

WIRED: Tie

Battery Life

Another flimsy spot for Sony, you'll get a max of astir 30 hours of playback pinch sound canceling, conscionable for illustration nan XM5, while Bose's brace offers a max of 24 hours pinch ambient modes engaged. It's worthy noting that plentifulness of cheaper pairs supply more, but either number is plentifulness for each applications.

WIRED: Sony WH-1000XM6

Which Pair Should I Buy?

The reply present whitethorn look obvious, pinch Sony's WH-1000XM6 taking much categories. For my money, their operation of awesome usability, improved sound quality, and instantly vaporizing sound cancellation makes them nan wireless headphones to beat.

Still, there's a bully statement for Bose's QC Ultra, peculiarly for long-haul travelers. With amended comfort, awesome sound, and likewise fabulous sound canceling, they stay apical contenders. They besides debuted astatine a little value (though it's now successful statement pinch Sony connected Bose's site) and tin often beryllium recovered connected sale.

Either way, you're getting insanely bully sound canceling that bests everything other we've tested. Win-win!

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