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I tested Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones for a month — here’s the winner
Sony’s latest ANC headphones are a good pair of headphones, with some key improvements over the previous model under the hood. But how do they square up against their noise-canceling nemesis?
Pros
- Incredible comfort
- Improved vocal clarity
- 30-hour battery life
- Great codec support
Cons
- Fragile-feeling articulating hinges
- Limited soundstage
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are the best way to block out noise, period. But how do they fare when you stack them up against Sony’s newest set of cans? Let’s find out.
Pros
- Modernized design
- Effective Immersive Audio experience
- Intuitive controls
- Best-ever ANC
Cons
- Higher cost
- Middling battery life
The Sony WH-1000XM6 launched with a bang in 2025 and we reviewed them favorably, highlighting their new sound signature and improved noise canceling. They have a new, if un-innovative, look, and a brand-new hard case to protect them in your bag.
Yet, they still have to fend off their long-standing Bose rivals: The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones come with a super comfortable fit and better noise canceling, and are ready for the fight. But is that enough to sink Sony’s flagship?
To find out, I’ve organized a sunset duel. I’ve been using both headphones for the last month to work out which ones you should spend your hard-earned dollars on. The fight this time around is tricky for both of our entrants, so let’s put them out of their misery.
Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: Specs compared
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Sony WH-1000XM6 | Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones |
|---|---|---|
Price | $449 / £399 / AU$699 | $429 / £449 / AU$645 |
Colors | Black; Silver; Midnight Blue | Lunar Blue; Deep Plum; White Smoke; Black |
Size | Not specified | Not specified |
Weight | 8.9 ounces | 8.8 ounces |
Battery life (rated) | Up to 40 hours | Up to 24 hours |
Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC and LDAC support | Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC and LDAC, aptX HD support support |
Special features | Adaptive ANC, Ambient Sound Mode, DSEE Extreme Audio, Bluetooth multipoint, customizable sound, quick charge, passive mode, 360 Reality Audio | ANC, Immersive Audio, Bluetooth multipoint, customizable EQ, quick charge |
Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: Price and availability
We don’t need to spend much time on this point. Both headphones will set you back between $428 and $449, depending on which sales you’re looking at. That’s not a small price for a pair of headphones, and marks what looks to be the new launch price point of flagship headphones from now.
At $449, both models $150 cheaper than the Apple AirPods Max, and the same price as our pick for the best wireless headphones, the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3.
Although the 1000XM6 are currently cheaper, the Bose headphones have a lower price floor. They’ve been on the market for a longer time, and we’ve seen their price drop significantly during deal events. You can save $20 on the Sony by buying them today, or you can wait for Black Friday or Prime Day and pick up the Bose headphones at two-thirds the price.
- Winner: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: Design
The XM6 are a well-built pair of headphones, with compact earcups and a folding hinge so that they can fold up and fit into a case. The headband has also been widened for comfort reasons (we’ll get to that), rounding out the key physical differences between the old and new models.
The case is vastly improved, however. I really like the magnetic clasp, and I’ve only come to like it more during my comparison period. I’m not sure about the longevity of the mechanism as of yet, but for now it’s a winner.
Comfort is also better, but still not perfect. I’ve found that the headband, while wider, still presses on pressure points across the top of my head. There are also bits inside the earcups that interfere with my piercings.
The Sony WH-1000XM6 are not wholly uncomfortable — far from it — but they’re less comfortable than their Bose rivals.
Bose’s headphones are not only more padded in all the right places, but also uses better foam inside to make sure that they remain comfortable for long periods of time. They’re light, which can make them feel slightly cheap, but that does add to their overall comfort in the end.
The Sony WH-1000XM6 are not wholly uncomfortable — far from it — but they’re less comfortable than their Bose rivals.
The case is much the same as the XM6 in terms of sturdiness, but it’s slightly more compact. That makes it easier to pack into a bag when you’re going on a trip or getting ready to go to work.
The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are a more handsome pair of headphones as well. There’s more variety to the kinds of materials used here, with metal in the folding armatures making them feel better built than the flimsy feeling XM6. Overall, thanks to a more comfortable fit, better case and more interesting style, the QuietComfort Ultra take home the points for design.
- Winner: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: Controls
After a strong start for Bose in the design and price sections, the controls section is the place where Sony is going to start clawing back some crucial points. The controls you’ll find in the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones aren’t really all that good. I don’t like the inaccurate touch volume slider, and the multifunction button that does almost everything else is a pain to use.
The two buttons on headphones are the same shape, only differentiated with a little bump on the Bluetooth pairing button. I’ve found skipping accidentally and initiating pairing mode unintentionally is far too easy.
I don’t like touch controls, but the gesture based controls on the XM6 are better than those found on the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. The touch pads on either earcup can be swiped for volume and skip, and then tapped for play/pause. I still don’t like how moving my hair can be mistaken for a command, or how I can accidentally pause when I want to turn the volume up, but there are some redeeming factors.
For example, the power button and ANC button are very easy to tell apart — the power button is round, and the ANC button is long. Simple and easy to use. The Sony WH-1000XM6 take the round when it comes to controls.
Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: Sound quality
The Sony WH-1000XM6 have an updated sound profile, and while it’s not my favorite, I do prefer to the way that to the Bose sound. Sony has focused more on the vocals of your music this time around, and we’ve ended up with a pair of headphones with some top-notch vocal clarity.
Unfortunately, I’ve found that means that soundstage has taken a hit. The XM5 had a very wide soundstage, and that’s taken a back seat with the XM6. The new model is slightly more restricted, and spatial imaging (where everything is on the soundstage) isn’t as well defined.
Sony’s bass-heavy sound isn’t horrible, but I wish it were a little bit less in-your-face. I’ve found dialing it back in Sony’s very solid EQ helps a bunch, but it’s a shame that I have to.
To be clear: The Sony WH-1000XM6 sound very good, but the likes of the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 have shown what wireless over-ears are really capable of.
The Bose straight-up sound worse than the Sony WH-1000XM6. They’re bassier and warmer, and you lose some top-end detail and presence. There are going to be some people who are fans of their looser attention to detail and sloppier low-end, but the Sony sound noticeably better.
You can EQ the Bose slightly with a three-band adjuster, but they never quite manage to sound as good as Sony’s headphones — let alone other headphones you can pick up for the price.
Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: Features
Both sets of headphones have good apps and well-rounded feature sets that have their fans and detractors.
Both sets of headphones have good apps and well-rounded feature sets that have their fans and detractors.
We’ll start with the XM6. The Sony Sound app has been recently re-done, and it works very well. It can be slightly confusing for first-time users with some of the features hidden away in separate sub-menus, but once you know where everything is you’ll be navigating the headphones’ multiple features with aplomb.
It’s in the app that you’ll find the noise-canceling modes. I don’t really get these — I just leave my ANC on max level when I want it. Transparency is the one mode I do use frequently, however, as well as the ‘off’ setting, so that I can save a little battery.
Inside the app there’s also the EQ, and it’s very good. Plenty of bands for adjustment make it very easy to dial the sound in exactly as you want it. Spatial audio is here as well, and it’s much better than Bose’s option. It’s similar to Apple’s headtracked Dolby Atmos, only it’s built for Amazon Music Unlimited as opposed to Apple Music.
Bose’s app is also very easy to use, I find. Everything is better laid out than Sony’s app, but there are fewer options for customizing your headphones. I don’t miss the multi-step ANC adjustment, and I like how you can turn the ANC to transparency and back. Not off, however, for Bose does not believe in turning ANC off.
To each their own, but it would be nice to have the option to save some battery life.
EQ is good, although not as in-depth as Sony. It gives you ample opportunity to change the sound of your headphones in the long run, however. Giving you ample opportunity to make use of the ‘off’ slider is Bose’s version of spatial audio. It’s an in-house ‘enhancement’ of whatever music the headphones are playing, but I find it just makes music sound anemic. It’s the best of these in-house systems, also found in the likes of the Marshall Monitor III and the Nothing Headphone (1), but it’s still better left in the ‘off’ position.
Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: ANC
Perhaps the most important part of the whole competition here — has Sony finally caught up to the might of the Bose noise-canceling machine? Short answer: No.
The longer answer is that Sony’s noise canceling is better than that found on the older XM5. Thanks to a new chip and some more clever algorithm changes, the ANC handles some annoying noises better than before. But Sony where promising the best ANC, and the best ANC we have not received.
They still struggle slightly with really loud noises that the Bose manage to block out, and they’re less of a step up over their predecessor than I was hoping for. Perhaps that’s unfair, but the Bose headphones prove that better noise canceling is possible.
The Bose headphones prove that better noise canceling is possible.
The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have sat at the top of the list of the best noise-canceling headphones for a long time for a reason. They’re really, really good at it. They block out more noise than just about anything else, making your commute and office time more comfortable.
Transparency modes across both are good and sound natural. However, the Bose win thanks to superior ANC overall. If only it could be turned off for some extra battery life.
- Winner: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: Battery life
Another quick and easy one to decide here: The Bose lose out on battery life thanks to their limited 24 hours of staying power. That’s not great, and the Sony handily beat them out with 35 hours of battery. During my testing, I found that the battery life claims of both pretty much matched the expected life on the specs sheet.
Remember that you can extend the XM6 to 40 hours when you turn off the ANC as well, something you can’t do with the Bose headphones.
Fast charging is a helpful bonus for both headphones: 3 minutes of charging the XM6 gets you 3 hours, while the Bose get 2.5 hours after a 15-minute charge.
Both aren’t the best around, but there is a clear winner overall.
Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: Verdict
I put these two headphones head-to-head when the XM6 launched, but I didn’t have both in hand at that point. Now that I’ve had ample testing time with both sets of headphones, I can find a clear winner — and it’s Sony with the XM6.
They might not look quite as pretty as the Bose or have better ANC performance, but their sound, features, and battery life ultimately win them the competition.
If you’re looking for the best ANC you can buy, I’ve found you’re still better off with the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. For just about everything else, the Sony are the headphones of choice.
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Ratings scorecard
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Sony WH-1000XM6 | Bose QuietComfort Ultra |
|---|---|---|
Price and value (5) | 3 | 3 |
Design (15) | 13 | 14 |
Controls (10) | 7 | 5 |
Sound quality (25) | 22 | 20 |
Active noise cancelation (20) | 15 | 20 |
Call quality (10) | 9 | 9 |
Connectivity (5) | 5 | 5 |
Battery life (10) | 8 | 5 |
Total Score (100) | 84 | 80 |
