Sony unveils it’s most expensive wireless headphones yet

Sony is expanding the 1000X lineup with something it hasn’t quite done before: a luxury tier. The 1000X The Collexion headphones are both a spec bump over the WH-1000XM6 and a pivot toward premium materials. The ‘X’ in the name is intended to denote Sony’s 10th anniversary of the 1000X line, with their most ambitious consumer headphones yet. As Sony describes it, the focus here is “luxury and elegance” rather than pure function, and the $650 asking price reflects that.

So what does the extra $200 get you over and above Sony’s already-excellent WH-1000XM6 headphones? For starters, the Collexion is built with sturdier, more comfortable materials, with stainless steel used even on the buttons and cable jack. Notably, the hinges and stem are entirely stainless steel, meaning they shouldn’t snap and break as so many of the WH-1000XM5’s did. However, because of that, they only swivel to lie flat and don’t fold up as compactly as the XM6, and they weigh a little more at 320g.

The headphones lie flat, but a metal swivel joint is more robust than a folding hinge.

The metal headband now sits at the top, rather than inside the cushioning, which is about 10% wider and 40% thicker than the WH-1000XM6. The earcups are also about 5mm thinner but are roomier inside to accommodate larger ears, so the ANC mic won’t poke you like it could on the XM6. The earpads are again replaceable with a similar snap design (no magnets, unfortunately), and the carrying case now features a built-in handle and a magnetic closure instead of a zipper.

Soundwise, Sony is introducing a new 30mm unidirectional carbon-composite driver, which they say improves high-frequency response and spatial width compared to the standard carbon driver in the XM6. The headphones also get a new Integrated Processor V3, enabling DSEE ULTIMATE — Sony’s highest-grade AI audio upscaling — and three spatial upmix modes: Cinema, Music, and a new Game mode. The XM6, by comparison, only offers Cinema mode and DSEE EXTREME.

The earcups are deeper and more plush than the WH-1000XM6.

Noise canceling hardware is the same story as the XM6: QN3 processor, 12 microphones, and an adaptive NC optimizer. However, Sony said that because they prioritized comfort here, the Collexion has less clamping force, resulting in weaker passive isolation. So, if you do want the best ANC from Sony, it seems that the WH-1000XM6 are still the best. The same calling tech carriers over too, with AI noise reduction and AI beamforming mics.

The only trade-off, aside from price, is battery life. The Collexion headphones are rated for up to 24 hours with ANC on, which is curiously lower than the XM6’s 30 hours. Quick charge also only gives you 1.5 hours of playback from a 5-minute charge, versus 3 hours on the XM6. If I had to guess, the new Integrated Processor V3 is the likely culprit, as it runs more AI processing. The Collexion also uses Bluetooth 6.0 and supports SBC/AAC/LDAC/LC3 and LC3, as well as Auracast.

The WH-1000XM6 is now available in Sandstone.

The Sony 1000X The Collexion (boy, that’s a mouthful) comes in two colorways, Platinum White and Black, and goes on sale today for $649.99 USD. Alongside the WH-1000XX, Sony is also releasing a new colorway for its WH-1000XM6 headphones, Sandstone. For those who like sandy hues, it may be just the thing for this summer.