WF-1000XM6 earbuds officially launch as Sony reveals price and features

Sony has finally made the WF-1000XM6 earbuds official, after months of leaks and early details floating around online. A lot of what was rumored turned out to be true, but now we have the full picture straight from Sony, including the specs, features, pricing, and colors.

The WF-1000XM6 comes in two color options: Black and Platinum Silver. Both are already available to order, and the price is set at $329.99. That’s a bit higher than the WF-1000XM5, which launched at $299.99, so there’s a 10% price increase this time around. 

As for what the earbuds offer, noise cancellation is still the main selling point, and this is where Sony spent most of its effort. The earbuds use a new QN3e noise-cancelling processor, which Sony says is three times faster than the processor used in the WF-1000XM5. On top of that, there are eight microphones on each earbud, all working together to block out noise more consistently. The Independent’s review of the WF-1000XM6 mentions that the noise cancellation is much better than the WF-1000XM5, with external sound almost completely washed away. 

Sound quality has also been improved. There’s a new driver, plus a better DAC and amplifier, which basically means cleaner sound with more detail. Mashable says the WF-1000XM6 earbuds offer the most impressive audio performance when compared with the WF-1000XM5 earbuds, WH-1000XM5 headphones, and the latest WH-1000XM6 headphones.

For improved call quality, Sony combines beamforming microphones, a bone conduction sensor, and AI noise reduction to focus on your voice and cut down background noise. In simple terms, people on the other end should hear you more clearly, even if you’re outside or in a noisy place.

Battery life appears to be the same as WF-1000XM5, as you’re looking at up to 24 hours in total. Sony claims you should be able to get up to eight hours from the earbuds themselves and another 16 from the case. Fast charging is also supported, and a quick five-minute charge gets you about an hour of listening.