I'll get this in early: if the discussion is purely about sound-per-pound audio quality, the newer Sony WF-1000XM6 new flagship earbuds win things, and that's not easy since the XM5 were also sonically special. They're cheaper than other contemporaneous audiophile-adjacent wireless options and fan-favorite features (Quick Attention, I'm looking at you) remain, which makes them worthy of the Sony branding. But for noise-cancelling efficacy, super clear calls, a truly secure fit and device agnostic spatial audio support, Sony's being somewhat outdone these days. That said, the sound is good…
Pros
- Sonically expansive and neutral
- Much more secure to grab from the case
- Relatively humbly priced compared to other audiophile buds
Cons
- Noise cancelling is better, but still not elite
- Fit can be an issue, and no hearing tests
- 360 Reality Audio support is waning
Sony threw everything it could into these bijou earbuds in July 2023, and gave us an extra set of foam tips to make 'em fit – and on this, I prefer the shape of the XM5 to the XM6. LDAC support and the firm's top-tier DSEE upscaler are both here (as they are in the newer set) and the sound is 100% bona fide Sony quality. That said, we experienced a few connectivity drop-outs, average ANC performance, and an app that looks a little busy at this flagship level. And sadly it's those last two elements that haven't really been addressed in the newer set – so a deal on these? Might be the ones.
Pros
- Agile, meaty and fun listen
- Very comfortable and secure earpieces – when they're in
- Battery life is the same in XM6
Cons
- ANC can be beaten
- Occasional connectivity issues
- On-ear volume control is a tad hit and miss
