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There are a lot of headphones out there — wired, wireless, earbuds, open-ear, and beyond — which means you have a lot of choices ahead of you if you’re looking for a new pair. Luckily, more qualified audio experts have taken the time to review some of the best headphones on Amazon and have come up with a certified list of bangers. At the top of that list, according to RTings, are the Sony WH-1000XM6 noise cancelling wireless headphones, which retail at $448 to $460 on Amazon depending on the style you choose. The previous generation made it on the list of BGR’s best headphones in 2024, based on expert testing, and the older Sony WH-1000XM4 are still some of the best ANC headphones you can get, so it’s no surprise to see the newest model getting such high praise.
Powered by what Sony calls advanced processors and an adaptive microphone system, the WH-1000XM6 headphones deliver pristine active noise cancellation (or ANC), which is excellent when you’re out and about. You don’t have to worry about your tunes, audiobooks, or podcasts being drowned out by the ambient noise of urban environments, a loud household, or anything else happening around you. That’s thanks to the QN3 HD noise cancelling processor, which optimizes the headphones’ 12 built-in microphones.
The WH-1000XM6 comes with a compact carrying case and has a folding headphones design, battery life of up to 30 hours on a single charge, and options to use both Bluetooth wireless and wired connections for high-fidelity. You can also use the Sony 360 Reality Audio feature with compatible streaming services for more immersive surround audio.
Why are the Sony WH-1000XM6 the best headphones to buy?
While the Sony WM-1000XM6 headphones are recommended by audio experts with lots of experience testing out gadgets, they were also actually developed by mastering audio engineers. They include Michael Romanowski of Coast Mastering, Mike Piacentini of Battery Studios, and Randy Merrill and Chris Gehringer of Sterling Sound, some of the top experts in the field. They’ve managed to optimize the ANC technology to a dizzying degree, utilizing many microphones to drown out more grating background noises.
Another interesting point is that Sony quotes about 30 hours of use on a single charge, but RTings notes that you’ll actually get about 32 with ANC on. That’s quite impressive considering ANC technology can reduce battery life when active. Couple that with the option to go wired or wireless, via Bluetooth, and you’re basically getting the best of both worlds on the headphones front. You can choose which works best for your current listening experience, like when you’re home and wired play would offer much better audio quality in the moment.
Plus, alongside the recommendations of audio experts, the Sony WH-1000XM6 have over 1,000 customer reviews from everyday audiophiles, with a total rating of 4.5 stars. That’s pretty darn good, considering how picky the headphones community can be. So grab these to listen to some of the best Android apps for audiophiles, or to just kick back on your couch and jam out to new albums.
