- The launch of Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones on May 15
- Almost all the details have already disclosed
- Expect that deliveries start in June
Sony’s next flagship earphone, the Sony Wh-1000XM6, will be launched on May 15. Sony Australia shared a teaser for the launch on its Instagram account without any detail than the date and time: for Australians, it is at 2 am on May 16.
Because Australia is many time zones in advance, it is a day later that everyone: for countries further west, it is 9 a.m. PDT / 12h he / 5 p.m. BST on Thursday, May 15. We expect the expedition to start in June 2025.
Almost all the details have already disclosed the bar a key detail: international prices. We know the price of the Spanish market graceful of an Amazon leak on its Spanish website, but the details of the American and British prices have not been shared in the same way – although we can make a fairly good assumption as to the prices.
Here is the teaser, followed by six things to expect from the WH-1000XM6 launch event next week.
6 things to expect from the Sony WH-1000XM6 (based on rumors)
1. A small price increase
Amazon’s leak included a price for Spanish buyers of € 470, including tax; Without tax, it works at € 439.
This represents around $ 499 / £ 439 / $ 770 at the almost correctly: rumors suggested that we would see an increase in prices for the Sony model in 2025. The current model was launched at $ 399 / £ 380 / $ 649 at.
2. The hinge is back! Back! BACK!
Newly disclosed images on the Walkman blog show the overhaul, which includes redesigned atria, a thick and foldable hinge and a wider headband.
This is good, because one of the key criticisms of the current model is that some users have found a fairly fragile construction.
3. Even better cancellation of noise
The specification disclosed on Amazon highlighted a new HD noise lens processor nicknamed Qn3. Qn3 would be seven times faster than the Q-1000xm5.
This is accompanied by 12 microphones, multiple noise sensor technology and an automatic noise cancellation optimizer; Together, this should mean an improvement in the already excellent noise of Sony.
4. Improvement of audio treatment
The integrated V1 processor in the XM5S included the QN1 processor, so an update version of this processor should also mean better sound.
Sony’s disclosed marketing material says that the WH-1000XM6 has a high resolution audio, DSEE Extreme, LDAC, an adaptive sound control, personalized space audio and a 360-headed reality audio with head tracking.
5. Small rigid drivers
One of the surprises of the XM5 was that Sony moved to drivers smaller than those of the XM4, lowering the size of 25% to 30 mm. The pilots this time are also 30 mm.
As we said in our review Sony Wh-1000xm5, smaller does not mean worse: the 30 mm driver “uses a high rigidity dome and a soft edge to remove part of the more acute sound bite”.
We found that the XM5 sounds better than the XM4 (although there is not much in it, so if you see the XM4 becoming really cheap, then go for it).
6. A better case
The Walkman blog reports that the case has been redesigned: the zipper has disappeared, replaced by a magnetic closure, and there is a small pocket for your 3.5 mm cables and USB.
Some XM5 owners have published on Reddit on the ZIP on their cases (above) failing, so this can be a reaction to that; Hopefully the magnet is as strong as that of the maximum airpods of Apple Aidpods.
We will of course follow the launch event and we will update you with all the confirmed details and the price of your region as well.
