We’re closing in on the second birthday of the Sony WF-1000XM5, which means it’s time we started looking forward to their successors: the WF-1000XM6. These would be the new entries in Sony’s line of premium earbuds, which has typically seen biannual releases, and rumors have said that Sony is looking to update both the WF-1000XM6 earbuds and Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones at the same time this summer.
The Sony WF-1000XM6 would therefore be the brand’s latest attempt at a hostile takeover of our guide to the best earbuds, and it’s about time – the XM5 only exist on that list in our ‘honorable mentions’ category, which is a sad surprise given Sony’s heritage in audio (and the fact that its cheaper earbuds like the WF-C510 are on there), but they just weren’t the slam dunk we expected.
So Sony is going to have to head under the hood and do some tinkering to the WF-1000XM6 to make them shine, and take on the Technics EAH-AZ100, which currently top our list.
Based on our experience with the WF-1000XM5, other Sony earbuds, and many more of the best noise-cancelling earbuds out there, here are six upgrades I’d love to see in the Sony WF-1000XM6.
1. Better noise cancellation
This one may seem a little obvious, but it’s not without reason: a key issue with the Sony WF-1000XM5 in our review was that the active noise cancellation (or ANC, for short) wasn’t as powerful as its contemporary rivals.
That doesn’t mean they’re bad at cutting out background noise, but ANC technology has gotten really good in the last few years, and you’d be surprised at just how much audio the best noise-cancelling earbuds can stop you from hearing. ANC has become a really important feature that many buyers look for, especially at the premium end of the market that the Sonys sit at, and you’ve simply been able to do better for your money elsewhere.
So if the Sony WF-1000XM6 don’t up the game on ANC, it might encourage prospective customers to buy other earbuds instead, and that’s no good. As Viper said in Top Gun: “there are no points for second place”.
2. Improved connectivity
Another quibble we had during our Sony WF-1000XM5 testing period was that the buds had some connectivity issues with our phone, while alternatives we tested didn’t. There were some audio dropouts as well as odd pauses or plays which we wouldn’t trigger, and multiple members of our testing team faced these problems.
Anyone who’s used poor-connectivity audio products will know just how annoying these issues can be, and it’s wildly infuriating to have your songs keep pausing, playing or totally stopping at random. The Sonys weren’t the worst buds we’ve tested with these issues by any means, and it’s the kind of thing that can usually be fixed with updates, but it’s still not what you’d hope for in expensive earbuds.
So the XM6 buds really need to fix this issue pronto, or we might stop re-connecting with them in favor of some other buds…
3. Battery life improvements
Most people would consider that a battery life of around six hours average for wireless earbuds with noise cancellation (or eight hours with ANC off) and the WF-1000XM6 hits that mark. But if Sony wants these to be the best earbuds out there, is ‘average’ really what it should be aiming for?
I recently tested the WF-C510, which boast an 11-hour battery life, and I got very comfortable enjoying 11 hours of music streaming – I’m aware that this figure is likely as high as it is because the buds don’t have ANC, but other rival earbuds now get more than eight hours while also offering ANC.
So I’d love to see a market-beating battery life on the Sony WF-1000XM6, instead of earbuds that simply match everyone else’s options. 10-plus hours without ANC (maybe eight with it?) makes them a great pick for long journeys like flights or long work days, and it’s a figure that not all of Sony’s competitors reach.
4. Better rating than IPX4
The Sony WF-1000XM5 came with an IPX4 rating, which means that they’re safe against splashes of water.
Now, the Sonys were far from the only earbuds to have an IPX4 rating, and it’s generally seen as fit for everyday life – they’ll survive a quick rainstorm and normal amounts of sweat. However anyone who’s lost earbuds to water damage will know that it’s not ‘everyday life’ that gets to them, but freak accidents and mishaps.
I’m talking about those times you accidentally get hit by strong water than a splash (IPX5 and IPX6 would protect against a ‘jet’) or accidentally drop them in liquid (IPX7 and IPX8 protect against submersion). A stronger protection than IPX4 would keep the XM6 protected against these little accidents, or allow a bit more use for running or fitness without worrying about the sweat effects.
5. More color options
This is an ‘upgrade’ I’d like to see in most types of gadget, but especially the WF-1000XM6 because Sony’s already shown us what could be.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 come in black, silver and burnt pink, which is admittedly one more option than the standard ‘black or white’ options we see many gadgets come in. But Sony has shown itself to be no stranger to colorful earbuds, so I want to see the XM6 have a few more options.
For example the WF-C510 came in a fun yellow option while the WF-C700N offer a violet pick and the LinkBuds Fit have green and violet options. So come on Sony, let’s see some more interesting and fashionable picks for the XM6 than the monochromatic ones.
6. A cheaper price
This is a pie-in-the-sky idea, but I’d love to see a Sony WF-1000XM6 that undercuts its predecessors, whether it’s by a lot or a little.
That’s unlikely to happen – these are premium earbuds and the XM5 were slightly more expensive than the XM4, which were in turn slightly more expensive than the XM3. So precedent suggests the XM6 could be pricier still, especially now that the WH-1000XM5 have dropped in price.
But as we note in the value section of the XM5 review, very competent rivals are muscling in on Sony’s turf, and the brand is going to need to find some ways to keep its premium earbuds tempting. A price cut, or at least a lack of a price increase, would go a long way in doing that.
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tom.bedford@futurenet.com (Tom Bedford)
