The Sony WH-1000XM6 are, without question, among the best headphones to have blessed my ears in 2025. I’ve been testing them for well over a month now, and I’ve been totally wowed by their top-drawer noise cancelling, stellar sound quality and gorgeous foldable design.
However, the WH-1000XM6 have to outdo a ton of excellent rivals from competing brands, and even Sony itself. So, as TechRadar’s audio-focused Reviews Writer, I’ve taken it upon myself to see just how well the XM6 can cope with the competition in direct comparison testing. I’ve tried headphones from Bose, Sonos, and Bowers & Wilkins here, as well as the Sony WH-1000XM6’s two most recent ancestors.
