If you are shopping for noise-cancelling headphones this fall, the Sony WH-1000XM6 keep coming out on top. What Hi-Fi's testers gave them full marks and a What Hi-Fi Award, describing the sound as the most detailed, dynamic, precise and open they have heard from a wireless Sony flagship, and SoundGuys' lab-tested roundup calls them the best wireless headphones overall for most people in 2026.
What you get
- Sony's HD Noise Canceling Processor QN3, which the company says is seven times faster than the previous chip
- 12 onboard microphones for isolation and call clarity
- Up to 30 hours of battery, with a three-minute charge good for about three hours of playback
- A wider, asymmetrical headband with synthetic leather padding
Reviewers consistently single out the active noise cancellation as class-leading, rivaled only by Apple's AirPods Max 2 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).
The price is the reason to buy now
Sony lists the XM6 at $459.99, but Amazon has repeatedly dropped them to $398, which is below what the previous-generation XM5 cost at launch. Deal trackers have spotted them as low as $378 at times. That matters because the main competition is not cheaper: Bose's second-generation QuietComfort Ultra sells for $449 and earns praise for slightly stronger high-frequency noise cancelling and longer battery life, but the Sony's sound quality and frequent discounts make it the easier recommendation at today's prices.
If $400 is too much
Budget testers point to the Soundcore Q20i, an over-ear with hybrid ANC and a 40-hour battery that undercuts the flagships by hundreds of dollars, and the JBL Tune 770NC with its 70-hour battery. Neither matches the XM6 on sound or cancellation, but both are credible if you mostly need quiet on a commute.
Source: What Hi-Fi, Gizmodo
Photo: What Hi-Fi? (source)
