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Need-To-Knows
- XM6 have far superior call quality
- XM6 are much more comfortable, AirPods Max feel a bit dated and heavy
- Gap is smaller when it comes to sound quality, but XM6 are clearly better
- XM6 is the clear winner with noise-cancelling
Of all the Sony WH-1000XM6 comparisons I’ve carried out thus far (and there are more on the way), this feels like the most obvious, foregone conclusion.
Similarly, I’m not surprised that I’ve received a few comments on YouTube asking why I’m comparing a brand-new pair of headphones against what is essentially a five-year-old pair in the AirPods Max.
The answer is simple: I asked, people responded, and I delivered. That’s right – the comparison between the XM6 and AirPods Max was one of the most requested I’ve had since Sony launched their long-awaited new cans.
It’s also entirely relevant. Apple still sells its only pair of over-ear noise-cancelling headphones at full price, which very much places them in ‘current market’ contention.
I’ll be honest, though: It’s going to be a tough battle against the barnstorming XM6.
Shop the headphones below!
Sony WH-1000XM6
Apple AirPods Max
Pricing and specs
At $449/£399, the XM6 aren’t a cheap pair of headphones, but they’re £100/$100 cheaper than the AirPods Max. I also think we’ve reached a point where the XM6 price is what we must accept as de rigueur for big brand noise cancelling headphones.
Spec-wise, there are some key differences between the XM6 and the AirPods Max, as outlined below:
| Feature | Sony WH‑1000XM6 | Apple AirPods Max |
|---|---|---|
| Release Date | May 15, 2025 | Original (Lightning) Dec 15, 2020; USB‑C refresh Sep 20, 2024 |
| Price (MSRP) | $449/£399 | $549/£499 |
| Weight | 254 g (8.96 oz) | Transparency mode via nine-mic array |
| Foldable | Yes — earcups swivel and fold | No — earcups are fixed |
| Drivers | 30 mm dynamic drivers | 40 mm dynamic drivers |
| Noise Cancelling (ANC) | Yes — QN3 processor, 12 mics with adaptive NC | Yes — 8 ANC + 2 beam‑forming mics |
| Transparency Mode | “Auto Ambient” with adjustable levels | Transparency mode via nine mic array |
| Battery Life (ANC on) | Up to 30 h; 40 h with ANC off; quick charge → 3 h in 3 min | Up to 20 h; quick charge → 1.5 h in 5 min |
| Bluetooth Version & Codecs | BT 5.3, SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3; multipoint supported | BT 5.0, SBC, AAC; seamless switching in Apple ecosystem |
| Wired Connection | 3.5 mm analog input via included cable; USB‑C for charging only | USB‑C port for wired audio (lossless); Lightning variants deprecated |
| Controls | Personalised Spatial Audio with head tracking | Digital Crown + noise‑control button; auto play/pause sensors |
| App & Custom EQ | Sony Sound Connect: 10‑band EQ, presets, 360 Reality Audio | Adaptive EQ, but no manual EQ or tuning |
| Spatial Audio | Sony 360 Reality Audio support | Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking |
| Microphones/Call Quality | 6‑mic array with AI beam‑forming | Three mics |
| Colour Options | Black, Silver, Midnight Blue | Space Gray, Silver, Sky Blue, Green, Pink; and new USB‑C colors: Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, Orange |
- Weight: The AirPods Max are noticeably heavier (386.2g vs 254g).
- Bluetooth codecs: AirPods Max use AAC; XM6 have wider codec support (LDAC, AAC, SBC, LC3).
- Battery Life: Sony leads with up to 30 hours vs Apple’s 20 hours.
- Charging: Apple offers 1.5 hours playback from a five minute charge; while Sony provides around three hours from a three minute charge.
- Controls: AirPods Max feature a Digital Crown and noise cancelling button; the XM6 rely on touch gestures and buttons.
- Compatibility: AirPods Max are best with Apple devices, with limited support elsewhere (but great ecosystem support for Apple). The XM6 are broadly compatible but lack the Apple ecosystem features available to the AirPods Max.
So, from a pricing perspective, and in terms of what you actually get for your money, these are two very different pairs of headphones.
And the differences between them only intensify.
Design and case
Beauty is absolutely in the eye of the beholder when it comes to headphones. For me, the AirPods Max just swing it against the XM6 in the looks department, but mainly because I don’t have any hair.
Those of you who are also follically challenged may know that finding a pair of headphones that don’t look faintly silly on your head is quite a task. This is because we don’t have any hair to fill the gaps between the headband and our heads, which makes certain headphones appear as though they’re sticking out more. The XM6 are relatively chunky against the AirPods Max’s slim frame, which means the latter look a bit better on my head.
Related: Sony-WH1000XM6 review
But let’s not make this entire comparison about being bald.
The AirPods Max arguably look a touch more premium than the XM6 due to the copious use of aluminium (to which there’s a downside, which I’ll explain in a moment). But the XM6 demonstrate how much newer they are with a more modern design and finish. Let me know which one you prefer in the comments, please.
In terms of controls, the AirPods Max win due to the complete absence of touch controls and the inclusion of the beautifully tactile Digital Crown. Sony continues to mix physical buttons with touch controls on its WH-1000 range.
When it comes to the case, there’s no battle at all. The AirPods Max come with a slip cover which doesn’t fully protect your expensive headphones and which marks horribly. It remains really silly. The XM6 have the best case on the market thanks to the size and ingenious magnetic clasp (which rids the need for a fiddly zip).
Comfort
The AirPods Max aren’t an uncomfortable pair of headphones, but the aluminium construction does make them rather heavy. Lean your head forwards or backwards, and Apple’s headphones often feel like they’re going to lose their grasp of your ears.
Headbanging is a no-go.
By comparison, the XM6 are extremely comfortable. This is mainly because, as you might guess from their plastic construction, they’re incredibly light. While that makes them feel a little bit less premium than the AirPods Max, the trade-off is all-day comfort. And the ability to head-bang.
Related: AirPods Max review
Sound quality
I usually spend a fair bit of time testing the audio quality of headphones, but, well – that didn’t happen with this particular battle. Because I ran out of time.
Sorry.
Although, this did give me the opportunity to conduct a ‘live’ audio A/B test between the XM6 and AirPods Max on YouTube, and the results were rather fascinating.
They both sound great. No, really – for all the stick AirPods Max get, they’re a great-sounding pair of headphones. You can’t EQ them as much as most other cans on the market, but out of the box, and connected to an iPhone, they’re impressively detailed.
The XM6 just sound a bit better. It’s as simple as that. And, yes, my testing platform is an iPhone, which I’m fully aware only transmits the AAC codec to any pair of connected headphones. But that makes this a fair test, and for anyone who wants wider codec support, the XM6 should be the default choice, anyway.
When switching between both headphones, the XM6 produced a more rounded sound and made the AirPods Max sound as though they needed a touch of EQ. That’s simply the mark of a newer pair of headphones that have been through a couple of generations in recent years, while the AirPods Max haven’t changed sonically since 2020.
Related: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review
It’s quite a close-run contest in terms of audio quality, but the XM6 just edge it, for me.
I should note at this juncture that the AirPods Max offer a better experience for Apple users when it comes to watching movies in Dolby Atmos and head-tracked Spatial Audio. If that’s your thing.
Noise-cancelling and calls
This is simple. The AirPods Max have great noise cancelling – one of the best on the market, in fact. But the XM6 are the new market leaders – they cannot be bettered.
If noise cancelling is imperative, just get the XM6.
I appreciate that noise-cancelling is only one part of the puzzle here, though. The other element is passthrough mode, where you let the outside world in so that you can be aware of your surroundings and hear your own voice on calls. Both of these cans offer great passthrough modes, but the AirPods Max still edge it with Apple’s yet-to-be-bettered transparency setting.
Which one? Sony XM6 vs XM4
When it comes to calls, I ran a test between the XM6 and the AirPods Max on a relatively windy and busy street, and you can hear the results of that in my YouTube video. If you can’t be bothered to watch it, I can confirm that the XM6 won. By quite a margin.
Conclusion
Nearly five years on, and the AirPods Max are still a great pair of headphones. They’re just old, heavy, and have a stupid case.
More help: Sony XM6 vs XM5
Compared against the XM6, they also have inferior comfort, worse battery life, far reduced codec support, and both the sound and noise cancelling aren’t quite as good as Sony’s efforts. Oh, and there appears to be no competition at all when it comes to the calling quality in slightly challenging conditions. There’s a reason that they now top my best headphones list.
This leads me to an inevitable conclusion. The only reason you’d buy the AirPods Max in 2025 is if you’re an Apple person through-and-through, and you don’t want to miss out on the ecosystem benefits.
For everyone else, there’s the Sony WH-1000XM6.
