EVERY COUPLE OF years, Bose and Sony trade blows in an effort to claim the title of the best noise-canceling headphones you can buy. Until recently, Bose's QuietComfort Ultra (9/10, WIRED Recommends) had the edge, offering world-crushing cancellation that bested Sony's still-great WH-1000XM5 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) and other top models from the likes of JBL, Sonos, and Apple.
Now, Sony's back with its latest WH-1000 model, the predictably titled WH-1000XM6 (9/10, WIRED Recommends). The new pair offers an almost startling armament of microphones and noise-cancellation tech, along with improved sound, style, and features. So can it claim the title? Let's dive into the details.
Sony
Bose
Starting with aesthetics, neither of these plastic-clad models stands out like Apple’s iconic (and heavy) AirPods Max, but both manage to blaze their own trail to match premium pricing with a posh design.
