Over-Ear
HiFiMAN Arya
88Outstanding
$769
Full review dataHiFiMAN Arya vs Sony WH-1000XM6: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the HiFiMAN Arya comes out ahead with an HearWiki score of 88. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: HiFiMAN Arya - Outstanding overall at around $769.
Over-Ear
Sony WH-1000XM6
78Great
$398
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
HiFiMAN Arya
Sound9.5
Value8.0
Sony WH-1000XM6
Sound8.0
Noise cancelling8.5
Battery7.5
Calls7.0
Value7.5
Specifications
| Spec | HiFiMAN Arya | Sony WH-1000XM6 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Over-Ear | Over-Ear |
| Price (USD) | $769 | $398 |
| HearWiki score | 88 / 100 · Outstanding | 78 / 100 · Great |
| Released | 2021 | 2025 |
| Audio | ||
| Driver | Planar | dynamic |
| Driver size | - | 30 mm |
| Drivers per side | 1 | 2 |
| Frequency response | 8Hz-65kHz | 4 Hz - 40,000 Hz |
| Sound signature | Bright neutral | - |
| Impedance | 35 Ω | 48 Ω |
| Sensitivity | 90 dB/mW | 103 dB/mW |
| Wireless | ||
| Bluetooth | - | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth version | - | 5.3 |
| Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
| Multipoint pairing | - | Yes |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | - | 28 h |
| Full charge time | - | 210 min |
| Quick charge | - | 3 min = 3 h |
| Wireless charging | - | No |
| Features | ||
| Active noise cancelling | - | Yes |
| ANC type | - | adaptive |
| Transparency mode | - | Yes |
| Companion app | - | Yes |
| Custom EQ | - | Yes |
| Wear detection | - | Yes |
| Controls | - | buttons |
| Voice assistant | - | supported |
| Design | ||
| Weight | 430 g | 254 g |
| Water resistance | - | none |
| USB-C | No | Yes |
| Balanced connection | Yes | - |
| Calls | ||
| Microphones | - | 12 |
| Microphone | - | Yes |
What reviewers said
HiFiMAN Arya
The HiFiMAN Arya is a premium planar magnetic headphone known for its exceptionally fast, detailed, and airy sound. Its bright-neutral tuning delivers a highly resolving, spacious presentation with excellent technical performance, making it a strong choice for critical listening, though it requires a good amplifier to shine. With a comfortable open-back design and a relatively affordable price for its class, it balances high-end performance with accessibility.
- Pro:Excellent detail retrieval and transparency
- Pro:Wide, open soundstage with precise imaging
- Pro:Fast and articulate planar driver response
- Con:Bright treble can be fatiguing for sensitive ears
- Con:Needs a powerful amp to reach full potential
- Con:Open-back leaks sound and offers little isolation
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.