Latest news with #BluetoothHeadphones
The Guardian
09-07-2025
- The Guardian
Sony WH-1000XM6 review: raising the bar for noise-cancelling headphones
Sony's latest top-of-the-range Bluetooth headphones seek to reclaim the throne for the best noise cancellers money can buy with changes inside and out. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. The Sony 1000X series has long featured some of the best noise cancelling you can buy and has been locked in a battle with rival Bose for the top spot. The WH-1000XM6 replace the outgoing XM5 model and cost £399 (€449/$449/A$699) – far from cheap but not the most expensive among peers either. The outside design looks very similar to their predecessors, with smooth, soft-touch plastic bodies, plush earpads and headband, and a subtle Sony logo on the arms. The earcups now swivel and fold to allow the headphones to be more compact for travel in a redesigned hard fabric case with a magnetic clasp. The new headphones are light but feel solid and ready for the rigours of travel or a commute. They fit well, with enough pressure to keep them in place without any discomfort, though the Bose QC Ultra are more comfortable. The earcups of the XM6 are slightly shallow compared with the Bose, which made getting a proper fit with glasses a little trickier. The right earcup has a responsive touch panel to handle playback and volume controls with swipes and taps, which works well unless you're wearing gloves. The left earcup has a power button, a 3.5mm headphones socket and a button for toggling noise-cancelling modes. The XM6 can connect with two devices simultaneously through Bluetooth 5.3 and support the SBC, AAC and LDAC audio formats. They also support Bluetooth LE (LC3), the next generation of Bluetooth audio connectivity, which has yet to see widespread adoption but is good for future-proofing. Call quality is very good, sounding natural and full in either quiet or noisy environments, with the option of side tone, where you can hear yourself through the headphones. Weight: 254g Drivers: 30mm Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint, 3.5mm, USB-C charging Bluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 Rated battery life: 30 hours ANC on The headphones lasted slightly longer than their rated 30 hours in testing, managing more than 32 hours between charges using noise cancelling, which is very competitive and certainly long enough for a couple of weeks of commuting. They charge via USB-C in about 3.5 hours and can be used via Bluetooth or the headphones jack while being charged. Inside the XM6 is the first chip upgrade in quite a few years. The new QN3 processor is seven times as fast as the previous model and supports 12 microphones for detecting unwanted noise, delivering some of the most impressive noise cancelling I've experienced in a long time. Most good noise-cancelling headphones handle the low rumbles of engines and other roar-type sounds well, but even the best struggle with higher pitch tones such as keyboard taps and background chatter. Here is where the XM6 have raised the bar, doing a better job than others of neutralising those annoying higher tones, so much so that train and bus announcements were almost inaudible, particularly when listening to music. They also have a very good, natural-sounding ambient mode allowing you to clearly hear the outside world. There are 20 different levels to choose from or a system to automatically adjust it depending on the background noise. It can also allow voices through while blocking other sounds. The headphones produce the sort of rounded, well-controlled and detailed sound you should expect from a market leader. They deliver power and solid bass when needed, while preserving detail across the range with excellent separation of tones. They can be a little clinical in some tracks that require a more raw sound, such as Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit. They have a warm and slightly bass-accentuated profile out of the box that is a great listen, but a full equaliser allows you to adjust the sound to taste. The XM6 also support various sound modes, including a novel background music feature that makes it sound as if you're in a cafe or living room, plus a cinema audio mode for movies. They can also be used with Sony's 360 Reality Audio system or Android's built-in spatial audio system including head tracking with supported phones. The headphones are generally repairable and were praised for a more repairable design by the specialists iFixit. The earcups can easily be removed. The headphones are made with recycled plastic. The Sony WH-1000XM6 cost £399 (€449/$449.99/A$699.95). For comparison, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra cost £350, the Sonos Ace cost £449, the Beats Studio Pro cost £349.99, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless cost £199 and the Fairbuds XL cost £219. Sony has set a new bar for noise cancelling with its sixth-generation 1000X series headphones. The WH-1000XM6 cut out more of the difficult higher-tone noise such as background chatter better than any other rivals. The rest is a refinement on previous models. Quality sound makes them a delight to listen to. They are light and comfortable to wear with good controls. Solid 32-plus-hour battery life, a folding design and an excellent case make them easy to live with. Bose still holds the comfort crown with the QC Ultra, Sony's design is a bit boring and they certainly aren't cheap at £400, even if some rivals cost a lot more. But if you want the best noise cancelling money can buy, the WH-1000XM6 are it. Pros: new best-in-class noise cancelling, great sound, spatial audio, light and comfortable, fold up for travel with great case, Bluetooth multipoint, Bluetooth LE/LC3 support, 32-hour battery life, good controls, good cross-platform control app, more repairable design. Cons: expensive, dull-looking, no water resistance, spatial audio limited with an iPhone.
The Guardian
09-07-2025
- The Guardian
Sony WH-1000XM6 review: raising the bar for noise-cancelling headphones
Sony's latest top-of-the-range Bluetooth headphones seek to reclaim the throne for the best noise cancellers money can buy with changes inside and out. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. The Sony 1000X series has long featured some of the best noise cancelling you can buy and has been locked in a battle with rival Bose for the top spot. The WH-1000XM6 replace the outgoing XM5 model and cost £399 (€449/$449/A$699) – far from cheap but not the most expensive among peers either. The outside design looks very similar to their predecessors, with smooth, soft-touch plastic bodies, plush earpads and headband, and a subtle Sony logo on the arms. The earcups now swivel and fold to allow the headphones to be more compact for travel in a redesigned hard fabric case with a magnetic clasp. The new headphones are light but feel solid and ready for the rigours of travel or a commute. They fit well, with enough pressure to keep them in place without any discomfort, though the Bose QC Ultra are more comfortable. The earcups of the XM6 are slightly shallow compared with the Bose, which made getting a proper fit with glasses a little trickier. The right earcup has a responsive touch panel to handle playback and volume controls with swipes and taps, which works well unless you're wearing gloves. The left earcup has a power button, a 3.5mm headphones socket and a button for toggling noise-cancelling modes. The XM6 can connect with two devices simultaneously through Bluetooth 5.3 and support the SBC, AAC and LDAC audio formats. They also support Bluetooth LE (LC3), the next generation of Bluetooth audio connectivity, which has yet to see widespread adoption but is good for future-proofing. Call quality is very good, sounding natural and full in either quiet or noisy environments, with the option of side tone, where you can hear yourself through the headphones. Weight: 254g Drivers: 30mm Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint, 3.5mm, USB-C charging Bluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 Rated battery life: 30 hours ANC on The headphones lasted slightly longer than their rated 30 hours in testing, managing more than 32 hours between charges using noise cancelling, which is very competitive and certainly long enough for a couple of weeks of commuting. They charge via USB-C in about 3.5 hours and can be used via Bluetooth or the headphones jack while being charged. Inside the XM6 is the first chip upgrade in quite a few years. The new QN3 processor is seven times as fast as the previous model and supports 12 microphones for detecting unwanted noise, delivering some of the most impressive noise cancelling I've experienced in a long time. Most good noise-cancelling headphones handle the low rumbles of engines and other roar-type sounds well, but even the best struggle with higher pitch tones such as keyboard taps and background chatter. Here is where the XM6 have raised the bar, doing a better job than others of neutralising those annoying higher tones, so much so that train and bus announcements were almost inaudible, particularly when listening to music. They also have a very good, natural-sounding ambient mode allowing you to clearly hear the outside world. There are 20 different levels to choose from or a system to automatically adjust it depending on the background noise. It can also allow voices through while blocking other sounds. The headphones produce the sort of rounded, well-controlled and detailed sound you should expect from a market leader. They deliver power and solid bass when needed, while preserving detail across the range with excellent separation of tones. They can be a little clinical in some tracks that require a more raw sound, such as Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit. They have a warm and slightly bass-accentuated profile out of the box that is a great listen, but a full equaliser allows you to adjust the sound to taste. The XM6 also support various sound modes, including a novel background music feature that makes it sound as if you're in a cafe or living room, plus a cinema audio mode for movies. They can also be used with Sony's 360 Reality Audio system or Android's built-in spatial audio system including head tracking with supported phones. The headphones are generally repairable and were praised for a more repairable design by the specialists iFixit. The earcups can easily be removed. The headphones are made with recycled plastic. The Sony WH-1000XM6 cost £399 (€449/$449.99/A$699.95). For comparison, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra cost £350, the Sonos Ace cost £449, the Beats Studio Pro cost £349.99, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless cost £199 and the Fairbuds XL cost £219. Sony has set a new bar for noise cancelling with its sixth-generation 1000X series headphones. The WH-1000XM6 cut out more of the difficult higher-tone noise such as background chatter better than any other rivals. The rest is a refinement on previous models. Quality sound makes them a delight to listen to. They are light and comfortable to wear with good controls. Solid 32-plus-hour battery life, a folding design and an excellent case make them easy to live with. Bose still holds the comfort crown with the QC Ultra, Sony's design is a bit boring and they certainly aren't cheap at £400, even if some rivals cost a lot more. But if you want the best noise cancelling money can buy, the WH-1000XM6 are it. Pros: new best-in-class noise cancelling, great sound, spatial audio, light and comfortable, fold up for travel with great case, Bluetooth multipoint, Bluetooth LE/LC3 support, 32-hour battery life, good controls, good cross-platform control app, more repairable design. Cons: expensive, dull-looking, no water resistance, spatial audio limited with an iPhone.
The Sun
17-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Shoppers scramble for bargain 75p AirPods dupes that are perfect for holidays and have ‘battery that lasts for ages'
SHOPPERS are snapping up a pair of AirPods dupes on sale for only 75p. The Bluetooth headphones have been described as perfect for holidays as they're so cheap you don't need to worry about losing them. 1 Lenovo GM2 Pro headphones - buy now from 75p at AliExpress Existing owners have also said the battery "lasts for ages" despite their low price. And unlike most dupes, these are made by a pretty well-known tech brand, Lenovo. The Lenovo GM2 Pro True Wireless Bluetooth Earphones are available in black and white - the latter giving it a similar look to Apple 's expensive AirPods. Of course, for 75p the quality isn't going to be nearly as good but many shoppers who have already bought them say they're impressed. "Could do with a little more bass, but for the £1.80 I paid for them, they're a bargain," one person wrote on HotUKDeals. "Got 2 pairs. I like them. I particularly like them because they are loud," another wrote. "Brilliant headphones," a third added. "Not fancy quality but for the price who cares. Great for podcasts. "I use them as holiday headphones because if you lose a £1 pair whilst away or leave them behind it's not as bad as leaving your posh ones!" According to Lenovo's own specs, you should get about five hours of battery out of them and they take one hour to fully charge. The headphones are currently on sale from AliExpress. To get them for 75p you need to be a new customer - you also won't have to pay delivery on your first order. Otherwise, the headphones cost £5.46 excluding delivery.
Phone Arena
15-06-2025
- Business
- Phone Arena
Amazon is already selling the brand-new Sony WH-1000XM6 alongside a nice little gift
Are the Sony WH-1000XM6 the absolute best high-end Bluetooth wireless headphones money can buy in 2025? If you ask their manufacturers, most definitely. If you ask owners of the older and exceptionally well-reviewed WH-1000XM5 and even WH-1000XM4, there's clearly a good chance you'll assume the same thing. If you ask me, they're probably your safest bet if you're interested in high-quality audio and world-class active noise cancellation and don't care how much money you need to spend in order to get that. Normally priced at an unquestionably extravagant $449.99 and released just a few weeks ago, the WH-1000XM6 are available at the time of this writing for a couple of bucks less than that... with a $30 Amazon gift card included. Over-Ear Wireless Headphones with Active Noise Cancellation, QN3 Processor with 12 Microphones for Superior Sound Quality, Auto Ambient Sound Mode, Spatial Audio Upmix, 30mm Neodymium Driver Unit, Six-Microphone AI-Based Beamforming System with Intelligent Noise Reduction Technology for Crystal Clear Calls, Foldable Design, Up to 30 Hours of Battery Life, Bluetooth 5.3, Three Color Options, Compact Carrying Case Included, With $30 Amazon Gift Card Buy at Amazon That means that you're looking at saving $31.99 if you hurry, which is obviously not a lot of dough, but still pretty nice for what was already a very enticing product. This cool Amazon deal has apparently flown under our radar since its June 6 launch, being scheduled to run until June 23. That essentially gives you another full week to decide if it's smarter to purchase Sony's latest wireless audio crown jewel or something like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones at a slightly lower price... with no freebie bundled in. The WH-1000XM6 promise to deliver better battery life (30 hours between charges compared to just 24 for the newest Bose flagship), as well as a virtually unrivaled 12-microphone system that handles noise cancellation in conjunction with a cutting-edge new Sony QN3 processor. Another six mics with AI-based beamforming technology are in charge of keeping your calls crisp and clear in any and all conditions, while the "unparalleled sound clarity and precision" are aided by super-advanced capabilities and features like LDAC and Auto Ambient Sound Mode. In short, these bad boys seem to do everything better than the competition (at least based on Sony's marketing claims), and if history is any indication, that's almost certainly true.
