Over-Ear
Sony WH-1000XM5
76Great
$250
Full review dataSony WH-1000XM5 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Sony WH-1000XM6 comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 88. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Sony WH-1000XM6 - Outstanding overall at around $398.
Over-Ear
Sony WH-1000XM6
88Outstanding
$400
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Sony WH-1000XM6 leads on 5 of 7 measures.
- Sony WH-1000XM5
- Sony WH-1000XM6
HearWiki score
76
88
Sound
8.5
9.0
Noise cancelling
8.9
9.6
Battery
8.0
8.1
Calls
8.5
9.6
Value
9.5
8.2
Price (USD)
$250
$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?
New platform
Sony WH-1000XM6 (2025) against Sony WH-1000XM5 (2022). The Sony WH-1000XM6 is the newer platform here: Bluetooth 5.3 against 5.2 and LE Audio (LC3).
- WH-1000XM52022
- WH-1000XM620253 yr newer
What differsWH-1000XM5WH-1000XM6
- Bluetooth
- 5.2
- 5.3
- LE Audio (LC3)
- No
- Yes
Platform
Level on: Top codec, ANC type, Multipoint pairing, USB-C, Wear detection, Transparency mode, Custom EQ, Companion app.
Specifications
WH-1000XM5WH-1000XM6
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $250
- $400
- HearWiki score
- 76
- 88
- Released
- 2022
- 2025
- Availability
- Discontinued
- Sold new
- Driver
- 30 mm dynamic
- 30 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- dynamic
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 30 mm
- 30 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- 4 Hz - 40 kHz
- 4 Hz - 40 kHz
- Impedance
- 48 Ω
- 48 Ω
- Sensitivity
- 102 dB/mW
- 103 dB/mW
- Bluetooth
- 5.2
- 5.3
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC, LDAC
- SBC, AAC, LC3, LDAC
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- Yes
- Wireless range
- 10 m
- 10 m
- Battery life
- 40 h
- 40 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- -
- 30 h
- Full charge time
- 210 min
- 210 min
- Quick charge
- 3 min → 1 h
- 3 min → 3 h
- Wireless charging
- No
- No
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- Yes
- ANC type
- adaptive
- adaptive
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- Yes
- Companion app
- Yes
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- Yes
- Wear detection
- Yes
- Yes
- Controls
- touch
- buttons
- Voice assistant
- Alexa, Google Assistant
- Yes
- Weight
- 250 g
- 254 g
- Water resistance
- none
- none
- Foldable
- No
- -
- Detachable cable
- Yes
- Yes
- USB-C
- Yes
- Yes
- Connector
- -
- 3.5 mm
- Microphones
- 8
- 12
- Microphone type
- -
- MEMS
What reviewers said
Sony WH-1000XM5
The Sony WH-1000XM5 is a premium over-ear wireless headphone built for immersive listening, featuring top-tier active noise cancellation and support for high-resolution audio via LDAC. With a lightweight frame and up to 40 hours of playback, it's designed for long, comfortable sessions, though it lacks water resistance and a foldable design.
- Pro:Excellent noise cancellation
- Pro:Long 40-hour battery life
- Pro:High-resolution LDAC support
- Con:No water resistance
- Con:Non-foldable design
- Con:Premium price point
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.
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