Sony WH-1000XM6 vs AirPods Max: which premium wireless headphones should you buy?

Sony's latest flagships are making waves in the world of noise-cancelling headphones. They've already picked up five stars from us in our Sony WH-1000XM6 review, and have fared very well indeed against top competitors like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3.

But how do they compare to the Apple AirPods Max? Apple's first over-ears are nearly five years old now, which is an age in terms of wireless headphones. And the 2024 refresh did little to bring them up to date.

Let's see which pair deserves your hard-earned.

• Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: which are better?
• Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: which five-star wireless headphones are better?

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs AirPods Max: price

When the AirPods Max launched back in December 2020, they created an entirely new type of wireless headphone – one priced above flagship pairs from the likes of Sony and Bose. Their £549 / $549 / AU$899 price has since come down a little, but they're still pretty pricey – £499 / $479 / AU$899 puts them in the top tier of wireless headphones.

The Sony WH-1000XM6 did have a slight price bump over their predecessors, the XM5, but their £400 / $450 / AU$699 price tag is significantly easier on the wallet than that of the AirPods Max. They're also more likely to see a discount come sales time.

**Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6**

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs AirPods Max: design

The AirPods Max might be the grandaddy of premium noise cancellers, but they're very much the OG in the build quality stakes. They pioneered the use of high-end materials and, five years on, they still stand up as a very handsome pair indeed.

With pristinely machined, single-piece anodised aluminium earcups connected by a stainless-steel headband, memory foam cushions and a volume and control dial inspired by the Apple Watch's digital crown, they feel every penny of their high price, and robust enough to last a long time.

These premium materials do make the headphones quite heavy though. At 385g, they're noticeably weightier than their 254g Sony rivals. But thanks to some excellent weight distribution, they never feel too heavy on your head.

It's just a shame about the case. Its one useful feature is that it puts the Max into an ultra-low-power mode that helps them hold their charge for months. But as for protecting them while travelling? Pah.

The XM6 may not be as well-engineered as the AirPods Max, but they do fold into a ball. That makes them more portable than the AirPods Max, though they have to be stored flat in order to fit inside the more useful carry case.

There are some other neat design touches. The headband's asymmetrical design makes it more obvious which way round it goes (so no more wearing the left earcup on the right ear by accident).

They fit a bit more snugly than their predecessors, as the clamping force has been increased to improve noise isolation. But they're never anything but comfortable, and in all our extensive hours of testing our ears didn't once get too hot.

You get more colour options with the AirPods Max (five, to the XM6's three), but the Sonys' finish varies depending on which hue you choose. The XM6 also have a supposedly fingerprint-proof coating to keep them looking new. Let's see how that holds up a few months down the line.

**Winner: Apple AirPods Max**

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs AirPods Max: features

These are both premium pairs of wireless headphones, and as such, they're suitably feature packed.

The XM6 are powered by Sony's new HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN3 (two generations on from the XM5's QN1 chip). Sony claims the QN3 is seven times faster than the QN1, and reduces distortion while improving dynamics.

They have the same DSEE Extreme engine as the XM5 to upscale poor quality audio files to near hi-res, and they borrow some tech from Sony's premium Walkman range of portable music players to improve the sound quality.

Sony's 360 Reality Audio Upmix for Cinema brings spatial audio to visual content, there's a 10-band equaliser as well as a dedicated gaming EQ. And they support all the usual features seen in the five-star WH-1000XM5, such as Speak to Chat, Bluetooth Multipoint, LDAC higher-quality codec and more.

The XM6's 30-hour battery life remains unchanged from the XM5's, which is a little disappointing. But not as disappointing as the AirPods Max's 20 hours total.

The Max contain a pair of Apple's H1 chips, and 40mm drivers with dual neodymium ring magnet motors.

You are restricted to using the standard SBC and AAC codecs here, but the AirPods Max (2024) version with USB-C just recently gained the ability to listen in wired audio mode. This can be done with the included USB-C to USB-C charging cable, or you can buy a 3.5mm audio cable separately.

On the Sony XM6, you get a 3.5mm audio cable included in the box for wired listening, but USB-C wired listening isn't available.

Apple's Spatial Audio comes as part of the AirPods package, but as with many of the AirPods Max's features (Audio Sharing, Siri voice control etc) you'll need to be paired with an iOS device in order to use it. Switching between paired devices is done seamlessly, provided you are logged into the same Apple account across all iOS devices.

The AirPods Max also haven't gained many of the new features that the AirPods Pro 2 wirelesss earbuds have – there's no handy Conversation Awareness mode, gesture control for Siri or any health features.

For a better spread of useful and up-to-date features and a more agnostic approach, this round goes to Sony.

**Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6**

• What is Apple Spatial Audio? What devices support it?

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs AirPods Max: noise cancellation

The AirPods Max are excellent noise cancellers. They allow through very little background noise, and their Transparency mode works very well as well, for when you do want to let in some of the real world.

But they're outdone by the XM6, which feature more mics than their predecessors (12 compared to eight). Their adaptive NC optimiser constantly adapts to your environment, so it's always optimised to what's going on around you.

Low-end and midrange noise are contained exceptionally well, especially as we try to navigate London's underground system. It's a natural, sophisticated and subtle ANC performance, and very consistent throughout.

Call quality is also superior on the XM6. They silence more background noise than the AirPods Max, leaving the voices centre stage to be heard loud and clear. A great round for Sony.

**Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6**

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs AirPods Max: sound

When we first tested the AirPods Max, we were bowled over by their sound quality. "Very special indeed," was our verdict, thanks to their super-crisp and spacious delivery. They sounded like a significant step up from the Sony WH-1000XM5 in terms of sonic sophistication, being lighter on their feet, more precise and even more exciting.

But that was five years ago. And the XM6 are a real step up again on the XM5, and, yes, on the AirPods Max as well.

Theirs is "the most detailed, dynamic, precise and open sound we’ve heard from a wireless Sony flagship," we wrote in our review.

A track's elements all come together into one cohesive whole, while they have power and solidity when required, along with a fantastic sense of rhythmic drive.

Overall, they're more clear, open, detailed and expressive than the AirPods Max. Though Apple's finest remain a very fun and likeable listen.

**Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6**

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs AirPods Max: verdict

The Sony WH-1000XM6 are cheaper, offer an abundance of features regardless of which mobile operating system you use, they are truly portable, and they sound fantastic. But the AirPods Max are built to a higher standard, and for Apple users they offer a ton of features. They're also very fine sounding in their own right.

Apple users will undoubtedly have a great time with the AirPods Max, but in our opinion, the new XM6 offer better value, with a clearer and more dynamic sound and better ANC that pushes the wireless headphones experience even further.

MORE:

Read our Sony WH-1000XM6 review

And our Apple AirPods Max review

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs WH-1000XM5: which wireless headphones are better?