Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): which flagship wireless over-ears are best?

The Sony WH-1000XM6 are the Japanese audio manufacturer’s current flagship pair of wireless over-ears. With their incredibly detailed sound, excellent noise cancellation and wide range of features, they took home a 2025 What Hi-Fi? Award for the Best wireless headphones £250-£500.

We have compared them in the past with the first generation of Bose QC Ultra Headphones, but Bose now has a new pair of flagship over-ears to compete with the XM6.

The Bose headphones certainly have their work cut out to knock the Sonys off their perch. So how do the new Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) stack up? We've tested both to find out.

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Price

• Both launched at similar premium prices
• The QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are more expensive, being newer
• The XM6 are currently discounted at several retailers

At the time of writing, the Award-winning Sony WH-1000XM6 are currently priced at £349 in the UK, $429 in the US and AU$579 in Australia. When they were launched back in May 2025, their price was £400 / $449 / AU$699.

The second generation of Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Headphones came out in September, with a similar launch price of £450 / $429 / AU$699. They are currently retailing for the same price in the UK, while in the US and Australia, they have been reduced to $399 and AU$649 respectively.

The Bose are a few months newer than the Sony WH-1000XM6, which perhaps justifies the slightly higher launch price. We have seen a few discounts on the Sonys already this year, however, which seals the deal on price.

**Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6**

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Build & Design

• The Bose Ultra 2 have a slimmer, more compact folding design
• Both are very comfortable, but the Sony feel more secure on our heads
• The XM6 have a more premium build quality

Bose and Sony both offer minimalist designs with their premium flagship wireless headphones, although the use of shinier metal in the Ultra Headphones 2 does give them a more distinctive look than the WH-1000XM6’s relatively blocky design.

Both are built using a fair amount of plastic. This may seem a little counterintuitive when you are paying such a premium, but the lightweight plastic means the headphones aren’t too heavy on the head and can be worn for long hours without fatigue. Overall, though, we feel that the Sony XM6’s build quality and the materials used feel more premium than the Bose.

Sony has made the XM6’s headband wider and flatter than the predecessor to improve comfort. Combined with their noiseless, stepless sliders and the angle of the earcups, we find them a very comfortable fit. While we have some concerns that they could twist out of position when trying to get the earcups in place (and we have occasionally caught our fingers in the hinges), the XM6 offer a secure fit with ample cushioning for our ears.

The Bose are some of the comfiest wireless over-ears we have used over long periods, too. They have less clamping force than the Sony XM6 and so might not feel quite as secure on the head, but the earpads and headband are well-cushioned, ensuring a comfortable fit and good seal.

The Ultra Headphones 2 are the more streamlined storage option. They feature inward-folding earcups, which allow them to be folded up into a ball to fit into a large coat pocket, say, or their compact hard-shell carry case.

Sony’s XM6 headphones have stainless steel hinges at the end of each sliding arm – a feature which allows the XM6 to be folded up for the first time, too. This makes it easier to carry them around or throw into a bag; they do, however, need to be stored flat in order to fit into their hard carry case.

In terms of controls, the slightly recessed, circular power button on the Sony XM6 makes turning them on and off pretty straightforward. Both sets of headphones feature responsive touch controls on the right earcup, while the QC Ultra Headphones 2 also have a multifunctional power/Bluetooth pairing button for controlling playback and calls, and switching between listening modes.

This will come down to personal preference, so we recommend trying on both pairs before buying. For us, though, for their more premium build and greater security on our heads, our preference is the Sony.

**Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6**

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Features

• Both headphones have a 30-hour battery life with ANC on
• Bose supports aptX Adaptive codec while Sony supports LDAC
• Both have a USB-C connection, but only Bose supports wired listening through it

Both the XM6 and QC Ultra Headphones 2 feature a USB-C connection for charging. But it’s the Bose that offers wired listening – up to ‘lossless’ CD-quality audio – through this port. However, Bose and Sony also support listening through an analogue connection, with both models offering a 3.5mm audio cable included in the box.

In terms of battery life, both pairs of headphones offer about 30 hours with ANC activated, so there is plenty of juice available for long listening periods.

For anyone who owns a USB-PD charger, one of the Sony’s niftiest features is that a three-minute charge with one of these will get you three hours of playback. You can also listen to them while they charge.

Thanks to Sony’s Speak-To-Chat feature, the volume drops automatically when you start talking, making it easier to hear any conversations you enter into. Standard Ambient Sound mode actively lets outside noise in, while Quick Attention Mode allows you to hear ambient sounds, which is useful if you’re expecting announcements at an airport terminal, for example.

The Bose have an ‘Aware’ mode that allows external noise in and comes with a feature called ActiveSense, which automatically adjusts the level of transparency based on your surroundings. ActiveSense can be toggled on or off via the Bose Music app, where transparency levels can be manually adjusted too.

Both the Bose and XM6 have Bluetooth multipoint functionality, so you can connect to multiple audio sources at once, but the Bose comes with the newer Bluetooth 5.4 standard as opposed to Sony’s Bluetooth 5.3.

Both pairs of headphones support the standard SBC and AAC codecs, but for high-resolution playback up to 24-bit/96kHz, Bose headphones support the aptX Adaptive codec, while Sony supports its proprietary LDAC codec for the XM6. If this feature is important to you, check which codec your smartphone or hi-res music player is compatible with before deciding which set of headphones is the right option for you.

Spatial audio technology is available on both models, but in very different forms. Sony supports its own 360 Reality Audio tracks specifically, although the availability of these streams is limited to Amazon Music and Deezer. Additionally, the 360 Reality Audio Upmix for Cinema feature can add Sony’s spatial audio processing to any content you’re watching in stereo, too.

Bose calls its version Immersive Audio, with ‘Still’ and ‘Motion’ modes available for any music played through the headphones. We remain unconvinced about the overall effect, however, with the opening up of the soundstage and greater dimension countered with the usual pitfalls of less focus and dynamism. A new ‘Cinema’ mode is available in the 2nd Gen Ultra Headphones, which boosts dialogue and is more suited to video content than it is for music.

While the features are fairly neck and neck here, we’ll give it to the Bose for its additional wired listening ability.

**Winner: Bose QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)**

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Noise Cancelling

• Bose are superior in terms of purely blocking out noise intensity
• Their ANC can also be customised
• Many will prefer the more natural, subtle effect of XM6’s ANC quality

The WH-1000XM6 have excellent noise-cancellation capabilities, thanks to four microphones spaced around the outside edge of each earcup and two placed inside, beneath the removable ear pads. A mesh covers the outer microphones to further reduce wind noise, while an NC optimiser constantly adapts to changes in the environment as you move around, to optimise ANC.

During our review, we tested them out on London’s underground network and found that low-end and midrange noise were exceptionally contained, and they gave us a rumble-free background when standing in the garden and listening for passing traffic.

But unlike the Bose, the WH-1000XM6’s ANC levels can’t be manually customised, which will be an issue for those who like to fine-tune their listening.

The QC Ultra 2 Headphones’ ‘Immersion’ mode allows you to reduce ANC intensity, while the ‘Aware’ mode lets external noise in. Bose has also updated the proprietary algorithm so ANC automatically kicks in to prevent sharp spikes of noise from drowning out your music. During our review period, we tested them out using a hoover and every time we increased its intensity, the Ultra 2 reacted quickly to prevent it from interfering with music playback.

In terms of purely blocking out the most sound, the Ultra Headphone 2’s ‘Quiet’ mode makes them superior to the WH-1000XM6. When on an aircraft, we found that the high-frequency cry of a baby was the only thing that could penetrate their formidable sound shield.

It’s worth noting that Bose’s strong ANC effect comes with a rather heavy-handed ‘vacuum’ effect that not everyone finds comfortable, while the Sony offer a more natural, sophisticated and subtle effect that will make the XM6 a better option for many. This one comes down to personal preference.

**Winner: Draw**

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Sound

• Bose’s sound quality has improved from the previous generation
• Bose’s bass-rich character has also been retained
• Sony XM6 pull ahead in every sonic area, with greater dynamics, subtlety, precision and clarity overall

Inside each earcup, the Sony XM6 feature a 30mm ‘soft edge’ dome driver made from a carbon-fibre composite. When combined with the headphones’ QN3 processor, this is designed to improve audio quality and ANC performance, according to the Japanese audio manufacturer.

During our review, we found the WH-1000XM6 “deliver the most detailed, dynamic, precise and open sound we’ve heard from a wireless Sony flagship”. They simply seem capable of diving into any track and extracting an unbelievable amount of information.

We played Billie Eilish’s No Time To Die through them and her vocal “oozes texture and emotion and you can picture just how close she is to the microphone when recording the track.”

You also “get to enjoy every element individually, but it all gels together cohesively. The undercurrent of piano, the rumble of the drums, the strings and the texture of the subtly bellowing bass notes in the sound field all combine to draw you in.”

Bose doesn’t give specific driver information. However, the US manufacturer said it has made adjustments to the overall sound quality from the first generation of QC Ultra Headphones, which we found punchy, entertaining and defined.

And indeed, the latest iteration make meaningful gains in all these areas. Clarity and detail have improved, while they sound more solid and musically tighter. They also have slightly less excess richness. The result is a highly enjoyable listen, characterised by the smooth, bass-rich character that Bose favours, but with more insight and precision.

When playing Charli xcx’s Von dutch, for instance, the Bose “rev their engines, launching themselves into the upbeat track with their best foot forward. The synths surge with low-end texture and impetus, the beat pulsates with snap and crispness.”

Despite the improvements from the first-gen Ultra, however, they aren’t able to surpass the WH-1000XM6, which offer simply class-leading sound at this price point.

In a direct comparison, we find the Sony’s deliver “not only more natural, even-handed tonality than the Ultra 2 but also greater clarity, texture, drive and dynamic subtlety. Musically, they are what we can confidently call ‘next level’.”

The Bose are an entertaining listen, but seeing as the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 and Sennheiser HDB 630 can match the quality of the XM6, the Ultra 2 feel a little left behind in this increasingly competitive and progressive market.

**Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6**

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Verdict

• The XM6 are the better-sounding option, with great comfort and ANC quality
• Bose remains a solid option for frequent flyers with superb noise-blocking
• Both have a great, yet slightly different, range of features

Sony and Bose continue to refine their flagship wireless headphones, but while the Bose QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) hold their own in terms of feature and design, the Sony WH-1000XM6 are clear winners when it comes to sound quality.

The Bose are an enjoyable listen, but the XM6 sound more natural and clear, while offering greater texture, drive and dynamic subtlety – so the Ultra 2 have some catching up to do here.

Both models are comfortable and offer the same battery life, but there are small differences (hi-res codec support, spatial audio tech, and wired listening) that might make a difference depending on your listening priorities. Bose remains excellent when it comes to ANC; Sony has caught up now, however, and we find it just as effective at damping down noise as Bose’s.

If you’re in the market for a pair of premium wireless over-ear headphones, you can’t go wrong with either pair. There is plenty to like about them both, but in a straight head-to-head, the Sony WH-1000XM6’s overall talents and superb sound quality make them the preferred option.

**Overall winner: Sony WH-1000XM6**