Over-Ear
Sony WH-1000XM6
89Outstanding
$400
Full review dataSony WH-1000XM6 vs Yamaha YH-L500A: which should you buy?
Specs, scores and condensed review verdicts for the Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Yamaha YH-L500A, side by side. Where a product has no HearWiki score yet, not enough reviews have been aggregated to rate it.
Over-Ear
Yamaha YH-L500A
Not yet scored
$230
Full review dataScore 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.
- Sony WH-1000XM6
- Yamaha YH-L500A
HearWiki score
89
-
Sound
9.0
-
Noise cancelling
9.6
-
Battery
8.1
-
Calls
9.6
-
Value
8.2
-
Price (USD)
$400
$230
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
Both shipped in 2025. The Sony WH-1000XM6 is the newer platform here: Top codec LC3 against AAC and LE Audio (LC3).
- WH-1000XM62025
- YH-L500A2025
What differsWH-1000XM6YH-L500A
- Top codec
- LC3
- AAC
- LE Audio (LC3)
- Yes
- No
Platform
Level on: Multipoint pairing, Companion app.
Specifications
WH-1000XM6YH-L500A
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $400
- $230
- HearWiki score
- 89
- Not scored
- Released
- 2025
- 2025
- Availability
- Sold new
- Sold new
- Driver
- 30 mm dynamic
- 40 mm driver
- Driver type
- dynamic
- -
- Driver size
- 30 mm
- 40 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- -
- Frequency response
- 4 Hz - 40 kHz
- -
- Impedance
- 48 Ω
- -
- Sensitivity
- 103 dB/mW
- -
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- -
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC, LC3, LDAC
- SBC, AAC
- Multipoint pairing
- Yes
- Yes
- Wireless range
- 10 m
- -
- Battery life
- 40 h
- 20 h
- Battery life (ANC on)
- 30 h
- -
- Full charge time
- 210 min
- 120 min
- Quick charge
- 3 min → 3 h
- -
- Wireless charging
- No
- -
- Active noise cancelling
- Yes
- -
- ANC type
- adaptive
- -
- Transparency mode
- Yes
- -
- Companion app
- Yes
- Yes
- Custom EQ
- Yes
- -
- Wear detection
- Yes
- -
- Controls
- buttons
- -
- Voice assistant
- Yes
- Google Assistant, Siri
- Weight
- 254 g
- 265 g
- Water resistance
- none
- -
- Detachable cable
- Yes
- -
- USB-C
- Yes
- -
- Connector
- 3.5 mm
- -
- Microphones
- 12
- -
- Microphone type
- MEMS
- -
What reviewers said
Sony WH-1000XM6
The Sony WH-1000XM6 is a premium over-ear wireless headphone that combines adaptive active noise cancellation with a long-lasting battery and support for high-quality audio codecs. It features multipoint Bluetooth connectivity and a transparent mode, making it a versatile choice for both focused listening and everyday commutes. With a lightweight build and tactile controls, it balances comfort and functionality for extended use.
- Pro:Adaptive active noise cancellation for personalized silencing
- Pro:Multipoint Bluetooth 5.3 for seamless device switching
- Pro:Transparency mode for ambient awareness when needed
- Con:No water resistance rating for wet conditions
- Con:No wireless charging option
- Con:Relies on physical buttons rather than touch controls
Yamaha YH-L500A
The Yamaha YH-L500A is a wireless over-ear headphone designed for flexible listening, offering a 40mm driver and roughly 20 hours of battery life. It supports Bluetooth multipoint for seamless device switching and works with voice assistants like Google Assistant and Siri. With its lightweight 265g build and app support, it aims to deliver a comfortable and feature-rich experience.
- Pro:Supports Bluetooth multipoint for easy device switching
- Pro:Lightweight design at 265g for comfort
- Pro:20-hour battery life for extended listening
- Con:Only SBC and AAC codecs listed in specs, despite aptX Adaptive claim
- Con:2-hour charge time is relatively slow
- Con:No mention of active noise cancellation
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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