Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: Which Is Best?

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Need-To-Knows

• XM6 has significantly better noise cancelling
• Px7 S3 has noticeably better sound quality, but XM6 still great
• Both cost the same
• Choice is down to what you value most; audio or noise cancelling

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This is the big one.

When I reviewed the Sony WH-1000XM6 recently, I asked a key question: which pair of headphones do you want me to compare them with? The answer came back loud and clear, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3. And it wasn’t even close.

So here we are, pitting two of the most talked-about noise-cancelling headphones against each other. On one side, we have Sony, renowned for industry-leading ANC. On the other, Bowers & Wilkins, the British brand known for uber-premium design that prides itself on sound quality above all.

What makes this a particularly interesting comparison is that they are the exact same price: $499 in the US, £399 in the UK. Let battle commence!

Spec Comparison

They’re neck and neck price-wise, but here’s where the differences emerge:

Feature	Sony WH-1000XM6	Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3
Release Date	May 2025	April 2025
Price	£399.00 [Sony WH-1000XM6 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones]()	£399.00 [Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 Over-Ear Headphones]()
Noise Cancellation	Advanced ANC with QN3 HD processor and 12 microphones for real-time noise suppression	Adaptive ANC with 6 microphones for environmental noise adjustment
Audio Drivers	30mm dynamic drivers tuned by Grammy-winning engineers	40mm bio-cellulose dynamic drivers designed for wide frequency response
Frequency Response	Not specified	10Hz – 30kHz
Audio Codecs	LDAC, AAC, SBC	aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX Classic, AAC, SBC
Battery Life	Up to 30 hours with ANC; 3 minutes quick charge provides 3 hours playback	Up to 30 hours with ANC; 15 minutes quick charge provides 7 hours playback
Weight	Approximately 250g	307g
Build & Materials	Foldable design with vegan leather and metal hinges for durability	Carbon fiber composite arms inspired by race car engineering
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.2, USB-C, 3.5mm audio jack	Bluetooth 5.2, USB-C audio, 3.5mm stereo jack
Smart Features	360 Reality Audio, DSEE Extreme upscaling, LE Audio support, multipoint connectivity, customizable EQ via app	Wear-detection sensor, ambient pass-through mode, customizable settings via Bowers & Wilkins app
Voice Assistant	Supports voice assistants with dedicated button	Supports voice assistants via multi-function button (no dedicated button)
Call Quality	Enhanced call clarity with improved microphone system	Good call quality with 2 telephony microphones, though may struggle in very noisy environments
Design Aesthetics	Sleek, modern design with foldable structure for portability	Stylish design with premium materials; available in various finishes including Carbon Edition

• Weight: The Sony XM6 are lighter (254g vs the Px7 S3’s 300g).
• Drivers: Px7 S3 sport 40mm bio-cellulose drivers; Sony use 30mm neodymium drivers.
• Codecs: Sony supports LDAC and LC3; Px7 S3 supports aptX, aptX HD, Adaptive and Lossless—plus true 24-bit audio and EQ customisation.
• Battery Life: 30 hours with ANC on for both. Sony claims 40 hours with ANC off.
• Charging: Px7 S3 gives you 7 hours playback from a 15-minute charge. Sony? Around 3 hours from a 3-minute charge.
• Noise cancelling: Px7 S3 uses 8 mics to dampen noise; Sony deploys 12 and a new QN3 processor

Design and Build

The design you prefer is, obviously, subjective, but here are my thoughts.

The Px7 S3 look slightly more premium in photos and do have a bolder visual style with its partially exposed arms. In hand, though? Both rely on plastic quite a bit, like pretty much all headphones apart from AirPods Max where you pay for the privilege of Aluminium. If you prefer understated minimalism, the Sony XM6 will appeal more. Personally, I lean towards the look of the Px7 S3, they’re just a bit more striking, but both of these really do look great.

Related: Sony WH-1000XM6 review

One fun fact if you’re folically challenged (like myself), the shallower ear cup profile of the Px7 S3 makes them look slightly less bulky on your head. A very niche point, but worth noting! Importantly, both pairs feel robust and well-made, which is what you want at this price point.

Controls and Case

Much like the design, whether you prefer touch controls or physical buttons is entirely personal. But most people I speak to overwhelmingly prefer actual, mechanical buttons. And I am also firmly in that camp.

The Px7 S3 gives you proper, tactile button controls. There are buttons for volume adjustments, play/pause, power and Bluetooth. The XM6 mixes physical buttons with touch gestures. The physical buttons control switching between noise-cancelling and ambient mode as well as the power. Touch controls are used for things like adjusting the volume and skipping songs. Credit where it’s due:

Sony’s touch controls work well, they’re some of the best I’ve used, but I’ll always prefer buttons. It’s a small point and shouldn’t be one that decides which headphones to buy, but definitely something worth keeping in mind.

Related: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review

As for the cases, the XM6 win hands down. Their case is smaller, easier to open thanks to an ingenious magnetic clasp (no zip!), and folds down better because the XM6 headphones, unlike the Px7 S3, can fold properly. That said, the Px7 S3 case has a lovely magnetic cable pouch, which I do miss on the XM6.

I am a massive headphone case nerd, so ignore me if none of this matters to you, but I love the XM6 case.

Comfort

Honestly, both of these headphones are very comfortable. It’s very hard to pick a winner, but the Sony XM6 just about sneak it.

Related: Sony WH-1000XM5 review

They’re lighter than the Px7 S3 by nearly 50g which is noticeable when you try them on side-by-side. The Px7 S3 have a slightly higher clamping force too and chunkier ear cups. The cushioning on both is superb, although the memory foam in the XM6 ear pads feels especially luxurious. Wearability over long periods isn’t an issue either way, but the XM6 do have replaceable earcups, so if they get worn down, you can put new ones on easily.

Just know that if you’ve got large ears or you’re picky about pressure, the Sony may be more forgiving.

Sound Quality

Right, alongside noise cancelling, this is one of the big factors. Let’s not beat around the bush, the Px7 S3 sound better. And you would expect that to be the case.

Out of the box, they’re fuller, richer, and a touch more expertly balanced than the XM6. IT’s hard to describe without trying them, but there is just a more exciting and full-bodied nature to the audio that you get out of the Px7 S3.

Now, that’s not to say that the XM6 are significantly worse at all; in fact, they sound excellent on their own, but when you A/B test them, they sound slightly more compressed and in need of minor EQ tweaking.

Most people won’t bother with the EQ app. They’ll just slap the headphones on and go. And in that case, the Bowers & Wilkins deliver more enjoyable audio. Sparkly top-end? Check. Controlled bass? Absolutely. Vocal clarity? Stunning on both, but the Px7 S3 add something extra.

Earbuds: Sony WF-C710N review

Yes, Sony has spatial audio and 360 Reality Audio, but unless you’re deep into that world, it probably won’t matter to you. They are the best sounding headphones Sony has ever made though, it’s just a tough ask to match B&W here when they have openly stated that they put most of their efforts into sound quality at the expense of noise cancelling.

Noise Cancelling and Call Quality

And now we switch roles entirely. The Sony XM6 are the undisputed kings of noise cancelling. No manufacturer comes close and, as I just mentioned, Bowers & Wilkins do not optimise for noise cancelling. That makes it a runaway for the XM6.

I tested both in a noisy gym with a drill going in the background from some renovation works. The XM6 didn’t eliminate the sound entirely (no headphones can, yet), but they made it incredibly quiet. You couldn’t hear it at all when playing music. On trains and other public transport, the XM6 are impeccable. If you were going on a flight and wanted to block the crying babies out, I’d go XM6 every time.

The Px7 S3, while the best Bowers has ever made in the noise-cancelling department, let more of that noise through. Not to any awful degree, they are still very good but come a quite distant second in this department. If ANC is your top priority, this one’s simple—get the Sonys.

More B&W: Bowers & WIlkins Pi8 review

As for call quality, the XM6 emerge as clear winners again. They produce far sharper representations of your voice and isolate your voice much more effectively. The Px7 S3 mic quality was quite distorted and patchy in places. I did side-by-side street tests with wind, traffic and chatter so you can hear for yourself in the video version of this article.

It’s another case where Bowers & Wilkins really do excel at audio, but have less prowess in areas that modern headphone consumers expect such as noise cancelling.

Value For Money

These headphones cost the same amount of money, making a value judgement almost impossible. That’s because they both excel in different areas, but also because I genuinely love both. What I can say is that the XM6 are now significantly more expensive than the XM4 were on release, and $50 more expensive than the XM5.

Compare: Sony XM6 vs XM4

That is an indication of the wider headphone market more than anything. Both of these headphones are $100 cheaper than the AirPods Max. I’d buy either of them before Apple’s offering.

Verdict

This really comes down to priorities:

• Want the absolute best noise cancelling and top-tier comfort? Go for the Sony WH-1000XM6.
• Want richer, more enjoyable sound that is generally better than the XM6? Grab the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3.

Both are exceptional. But forced to choose?

Right now, based on my needs regarding concentration and work, I’d pick the Sony XM6.

However, if audio quality is your absolute top concern, then it’s the Px7 S3 all day long. Let me know what you think in the comments. Have you bought one of these already?