Is the Sony WH-1000XM6 worth the upgrade from the HiFiMAN Edition X V2?
Verdict
Meaningful upgrade
The Sony WH-1000XM6 scores 6.0 points above the HiFiMAN Edition X V2. That's a real improvement, though not the kind you'd notice on every track. The gains are concentrated in value (6.5 to 7.5). You do give up ground on sound (8.5 to 8.0). On paper: active noise cancelling and weight 399 g to 254 g. Worth checking: driver size goes 80 mm to 30 mm. It's also $899 cheaper, which makes this an easy call. Worth doing if you're replacing anyway; harder to justify as a pure upgrade if what you have still works.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound8.58.0
- Value6.57.5
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Edition X V2 | WH-1000XM6 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active noise cancelling | No | Yes | |
| Weight | 399 g | 254 g | |
| Driver size | 80 mm | 30 mm | |
| Driver | 80 mm planar magnetic | 30 mm dynamic | |
| Frequency response | 8 Hz - 50 kHz | 4 Hz - 40 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Edition X V2 to WH-1000XM6". The other direction is a separate question with a different answer. Scores blend published review verdicts across over-ear and shift as new reviews land, so a marginal call today may not be one next quarter.