Sony Wh-1000xm6 Vs. Bose Quietcomfort Ultra: I Compared Two Of The Best Anc Headphones

Jada JonesZDNET

A brace of headphones pinch beardown noise-canceling capabilities is basal for anyone who needs to occasionally tune retired nan world astir them. If sound cancellation is astatine nan apical of your "must-haves" erstwhile buying a brace of over-ear headphones, 2 options connection nan champion of nan best.

Also: The 20+ champion Black Friday headphones deals: Last chance to prevention connected Bose, Sony, Beats, and more

The caller Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra connection nan industry's champion sound cancellation. However, location are plentifulness of differences successful style, artillery life, and package features betwixt nan 2 that you should see earlier paying $400+ for either pair. Although Bose has since released nan second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, you shouldn't wholly constitute disconnected nan first-generation headphones. Here's really they comparison to Sony's latest release.

Specifications

You should bargain nan Sony WH-1000XM6 if...

Jada Jones/ZDNET

1. You want a longer artillery life

The Sony XM6 committedness 30 hours of artillery life pinch sound cancellation enabled, while nan Bose QC Ultra committedness 24. You tin widen nan XM6's artillery life to 40 hours by turning disconnected sound cancellation, while Bose doesn't connection an action to move disconnected nan feature, capping nan QC Ultra's artillery astatine 24 hours.

Review: Sony WH-1000XM6

However, some headphones connection proprietary spatial audio exertion that depletes artillery life quicker erstwhile turned on. Noise cancellation, measurement levels, and telephone telephone wave impact artillery performance, truthful powerfulness users whitethorn drain their batteries faster than nan provided numbers. At nan extremity of nan day, your mileage will alteration crossed some pairs, but nan specs thin successful favour of Sony.

2. Sound value is simply a precocious priority

Although Bose's QC Ultra are nan company's best-sounding user headphones, Sony's XM6 salary much attraction to sound quality. The XM6 are equipped pinch Sony's DSEE Extreme upscaling exertion that promises to heighten compressed integer audio quality, for illustration nan ones you perceive to connected Spotify.

Additionally, nan XM6 person Sony's higher-quality Bluetooth codec, LDAC, which allows for higher-quality audio transmission via Bluetooth. The XM6 besides debuted pinch nan LC3 Bluetooth codec, which prioritizes businesslike powerfulness consumption. Select Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy users tin return advantage of nan XM6's LC3 compatibility. 

3. You want newer audio tech

Sony's XM6 debuted successful 2025, while Bose's flagship headphones released successful precocious 2023. Sony promises much precocious technologies for its noise-canceling processing algorithm, spatial audio protocol, and sound engineering. 

Also: Your Sony headphones conscionable sewage a useful Bluetooth upgrade pinch nan latest package patch

Additionally, Sony's XM6 debuted pinch a caller Head Gestures characteristic that allows users to judge aliases contradict incoming telephone calls by nodding aliases shaking their head. 

You should bargain nan Bose QuietComfort Ultra if...

Jada Jones/ZDNET

1. You worth style and color

Sony's flagship WH-1000X bid headphones person a famously nondescript design, omitting flashy accents aliases brightly colored, accented finishes. Bose's QC Ultra headphones are often rereleased successful caller colors and characteristic aluminum accents connected nan headband hinges, creating an elevated yet casual and sporty look.

2. You want a much adjustable ANC

Bose and Sony supply users pinch beardown and effective sound cancellation, but sometimes you consciousness for illustration Goldilocks: You don't want to perceive everything, but you besides don't want to not hear anything. It needs to beryllium conscionable right. 

Review: Why these Bose headphones are still nan champion I've listened to - moreover though they're a twelvemonth old

Sony only allows users to set nan Ambient Noise setting, which dictates really overmuch outer sound you tin hear. However, there's nary action to set sound cancellation, and being successful nationalist pinch this beardown of ANC isn't ever ideal.

Bose's companion app allows you to create listening modes and customize sound cancellation levels depending connected your location, tasks, aliases mood. Additionally, Bose's ActiveSense characteristic acts arsenic adaptive sound cancellation, employing noise-canceling techniques if your situation gets excessively loud.

3. You're shopping connected a budget

At afloat price, Bose's flagship headphones are conscionable a fewer dollars disconnected from Sony's XM6, but nan QC Ultra are often discounted to arsenic debased arsenic $299 during awesome waste events, specified arsenic for illustration Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. 

I ever urge buying immoderate headphones astatine a waste price, and XM6 precocious saw their first discount during Black Friday 2025. At launch, nan XM6 retailed for $450, but Sony precocious accrued their database value to $460. During awesome end-of-year sales, nan XM6 were $60 off, lowering their value to $400.

Alternatives to see