The WH-1000XM6 is Sony’s latest ANC headphone (launched at $449) but the 1000XM5 is the previous generation and it is still widely considered the benchmark for over-ear active noise cancellation. Right now, Amazon has it at $248, down from its regular $399 which is the lowest price the XM5 has ever reached and roughly half what the new model costs.
Eight microphones, two processors, and ANC that two years of competitors still struggle to match
The WH-1000XM5 uses two dedicated noise cancellation processors controlling eight microphones to analyze and cancel environmental sound, which produces the kind of consistent, deep noise cancellation that made this headphone the reference point for the category when it launched and kept it there through multiple competitor releases. The Auto NC Optimizer adjusts the cancellation settings automatically based on atmospheric pressure and wearing state, which handles the transition between indoor environments, outdoor wind, and pressurized aircraft cabins without requiring manual mode switching. Speak-to-Chat detects when you start speaking and pauses playback automatically, which handles the brief conversations that earphone wearers constantly interrupt music to have.
Battery runs 30 hours on a single charge with a three-minute quick charge delivering three hours of playback for the moments when you forget to charge before a long flight. The lightweight design with soft-fit leather ear cushions is built for extended wear without the clamping pressure that over-ear headphones typically produce after two or three hours. Touch controls on the ear cup handle playback, volume, voice assistant, and call management with swipes and taps rather than physical buttons, which keeps the exterior surface clean and the interaction intuitive.
Four beamforming microphones on calls filter background noise and focus on your voice, which delivers clear call audio in environments that would make most wireless headphone calls unintelligible. Alexa is built in for hands-free voice assistant access, and multipoint Bluetooth connects to two devices simultaneously.
The Bose QuietComfort we covered at $229 delivers comparable ANC with better comfort for smaller heads. The Sony WH-1000XM5 at $248 leads on call quality, touch control precision, and the Auto NC Optimizer that handles changing environments automatically. The XM6 at $449 adds improvements that matter primarily to audiophiles and frequent flyers who want the absolute best available. For everyone else, the XM5 at a record low is the clearest ANC headphone value on Amazon right now, and it is not particularly close.