I recently stopped by a Sony store and gave the new XM6 a try. Compared to its predecessor, the XM5, the wearing experience remains largely unchanged—no differences in the ear pads or headband. However, there’s a new addition: a folding design on the slider that offers just the right amount of resistance. The texture and feel of the headphones are excellent, though I suspect they might become slightly looser with extended use.
The noise-canceling performance is as impressive as ever. Once you put them on, even in the bustling environment of a mall, you’re instantly transported into your music. It reminded me of my first time using the XM5, which delivered the same level of noise-canceling magic.
In terms of sound quality, the XM6 takes a noticeable step forward from the XM5. The improvement is clear and impactful. According to the store clerk, there are some subtle structural changes under the hood, but the driver unit remains the same as in the XM5.
When it comes to pricing, there seems to be an in-store promotion for those who’ve previously purchased any model in the 1000XM series. You could potentially receive a discount of either 550 or 500 (I didn’t quite catch the exact figure while testing the noise-canceling feature). Online, deals vary: on Taobao, with subsidies, the price hovers around 2800 yuan, while on Pinduoduo, with coupons, you can find them for about 2500–2600 yuan.
Tyler Medina 
Henry Wells 
Timothy Burton