Sony WH-1000XM6 Review: Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones for Music and Calls?

If you are looking for a premium wireless headphone for work, travel, or everyday listening, the Sony WH-1000XM6 sits comfortably within Sony’s well-established XM lineup. It builds on the familiar design and sound approach of earlier models, focusing on comfort, clean audio tuning, and reliable noise cancellation rather than dramatic changes.

The WH-1000XM6 is designed for people who spend long hours wearing headphones, whether for commuting, office calls, or relaxed listening at home. With adaptive noise cancellation, customizable sound settings, and dependable battery life, it aims to stay practical in real-world use without overpromising features beyond what most users actually need.

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Buy Sony WH-1000XM6 Headphones

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Sony WH-1000XM6

₹39,990

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Specifications

Who Should Buy and Who Should Not

Who Should Buy

• Need strong noise cancellation for work, travel, or daily use
• Want comfortable headphones for long listening sessions
• Take frequent calls and need clear microphone quality
• Prefer balanced sound with app-based customization
• Need reliable battery life for all-day use

Who Should Not Buy

• Want water-resistant headphones for workouts
• Are on a tight budget
• Prefer compact earbuds over over-ear headphones
• Expect major design changes from older XM models
• Need faster charging than standard USB-C quick charge

Build Quality and Design

The XM6 follows Sony’s familiar and practical design, with a focus on comfort and daily use. The lightweight plastic build keeps the headphones easy to wear for long hours while still feeling solid and well put together.

The oval earcups use soft cushioning that sits naturally around the ears and provides good passive isolation. The headband applies even pressure, helping reduce fatigue over extended sessions. A clean matte finish resists fingerprints, and the folding hinges feel smooth and sturdy, maintaining a premium feel with regular use.

Comfort and Fit

Comfort is a major strength of the Sony WH-1000XM6, especially for users who wear headphones for long periods. The oval earcups sit naturally around the ears and avoid pressure points, making them suitable for extended use at home, in the office, or during travel. The lightweight frame helps reduce strain, even during full workdays or long flights.

The headband applies balanced clamping pressure and adjusts smoothly to different head sizes, while the earcups rotate easily to match natural movement. This design keeps the headphones stable during walking or light activity, allowing them to remain comfortable and secure for hours of continuous listening.

Connectivity and Controls

The headphones uses Bluetooth 5.3 to deliver a stable and consistent wireless connection across smartphones, laptops, tablets, and desktops. The connection remains reliable within a typical room range, allowing you to move around without frequent dropouts or interruptions during music playback or calls.

Controls are handled through a mix of touch gestures, physical buttons, and app-based settings, giving users flexible ways to manage playback, calls, and pairing. The Sony Headphones Connect app allows fine-tuning through equalizer adjustments, adaptive sound control, and noise cancellation levels. Setup is quick, and switching between devices feels smooth in daily use.

Noise Cancellation

Noise cancellation on the WH-1000XM6 is designed to adapt to different environments rather than rely on a fixed setting. The system automatically adjusts based on surrounding noise, making it effective for commuting, flights, offices, and busy public spaces.

Low-frequency sounds such as engine noise and air conditioners are reduced efficiently, while everyday background sounds like conversations are softened enough to create a calmer listening experience. When awareness is needed, Ambient Sound Mode allows external noise to pass through without removing the headphones.

Sound Quality

Microphone and Call Quality

Call performance is well suited for work meetings, online classes, and everyday conversations. Voices sound clear and natural in indoor environments, with moderate background noise reduced enough to keep speech easy to understand. In outdoor use, strong wind can still affect clarity, but overall microphone performance remains reliable for regular calling needs.

Battery Life

Battery life is one of the WH-1000XM6’s strongest features, offering up to 30 hours of playback with noise cancellation enabled and around 40 hours with ANC turned off. This makes it well suited for long workdays, travel, and multi-day use without frequent charging. A full charge takes about 3.5 hours via USB-C, and the quick-charge feature can deliver a few hours of playback from a short charging session, which is helpful when time is limited.

Final Verdict

A strong option for work, travel, and long listening sessions, the WH-1000XM6 delivers a reliable mix of comfort, effective noise cancellation, and balanced sound quality. It handles work calls, commuting, and everyday listening with ease, while the lightweight design remains comfortable during extended use. Adaptive noise cancellation performs well in real-world environments, and the battery life is dependable enough to support full workdays and longer trips.

Rather than introducing dramatic design changes or features like water resistance, the focus here is on refinement and consistency. For users looking for a premium wireless headphone with strong ANC, clear call quality, and proven long-term reliability, it stands out as a practical and well-rounded choice.