Skip to content
HearWiki

Austrian Audio HI-X20 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: which should you buy?

Specs, scores and condensed review verdicts for the Austrian Audio HI-X20 vs Sony WH-1000XM6, side by side. Where a product has no HearWiki score yet, not enough reviews have been aggregated to rate it.

Score breakdown

Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.

Sony WH-1000XM6 leads on 6 of 7 measures.

  • Austrian Audio HI-X20
  • Sony WH-1000XM6
HearWiki score
-
88
Sound
-
8.0
Noise cancelling
-
8.5
Battery
-
7.5
Calls
-
7.0
Value
-
7.5
Price (USD)
$200
$400

Generation & platform

The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?

Half a step newer

Both shipped in 2025. The Sony WH-1000XM6 edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Adaptive against None.

  • HI-X202025
  • WH-1000XM62025
What differsHI-X20WH-1000XM6

Platform

ANC type
None
Adaptive

Specifications

HI-X20WH-1000XM6
Type
Over-Ear
Over-Ear
Price (USD)
$200
$400
HearWiki score
Not scored
88
Released
2025
2025
Driver
44 mm dynamic
30 mm dynamic
Driver type
dynamic
dynamic
Driver size
44 mm
30 mm
Drivers per side
1
1
Frequency response
-
4 Hz - 40 kHz
Sound signature
bright
-
Impedance
-
48 Ω
Sensitivity
-
103 dB/mW
Bluetooth
-
5.3
Codecs
-
SBC, AAC, LC3, LDAC
Multipoint pairing
-
Yes
Wireless range
-
10 m
Battery life
-
40 h
Battery life (ANC on)
-
30 h
Full charge time
-
210 min
Quick charge
-
3 min → 3 h
Wireless charging
-
No
Active noise cancelling
-
Yes
ANC type
-
adaptive
Transparency mode
-
Yes
Companion app
-
Yes
Custom EQ
-
Yes
Wear detection
-
Yes
Controls
-
buttons
Voice assistant
-
Yes
Weight
300 g
254 g
Water resistance
-
none
Foldable
Yes
-
Detachable cable
Yes
Yes
USB-C
-
Yes
Pad material
protein-leather
-
Clamp force
300 g
-
Connector
2.5 mm balanced
3.5 mm
Microphones
-
12
Microphone type
-
MEMS

What reviewers said

Austrian Audio HI-X20

No summary yet - we haven't aggregated enough reviews.

Sony WH-1000XM6

This premium over-ear headphone delivers class-leading adaptive noise cancellation and a well-balanced sound profile, with support for high-resolution LDAC streaming. Its 30-hour battery life, multipoint Bluetooth 5.3, and intuitive button controls make it a versatile choice for both travel and daily listening. The lightweight build and 12-microphone array also ensure clear calls and effective transparency mode.

  • Pro:Excellent adaptive noise cancellation
  • Pro:Supports LDAC for high-quality wireless audio
  • Pro:Comfortable and light at 254g
  • Con:No water resistance rating
  • Con:Battery drops to 24 hours with ANC on
  • Con:No touch controls—buttons only

Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.

Compare something else

Swap either side out, or start again from the picker.