These headphones are built for commuters, frequent travellers and anyone trying to create quiet in a busy home or office. Their strongest skill is adapting to changing noise without making the owner constantly adjust settings. Sound is detailed and lively, calls are clear and the folding design is easier to pack than the previous generation. Battery life is good rather than exceptional, and the price is difficult to ignore when Sennheiser and older Sony models are discounted.
Buy it if…
- Noise cancellation is your first priority
- You commute or fly regularly
- You want one pair for music, calls and travel
Skip it if…
- You already own WH-1000XM5 headphones
- Maximum battery life matters most
- You rarely listen outside a quiet home
Not the right fit? See other audio or browse buying guides by budget →
What's good
- Excellent adaptive noise cancellation
- Detailed, energetic sound that works across many genres
- Clear call quality and useful automatic controls
- Folding design is practical for travel
Worth knowing
- Battery life trails several cheaper rivals
- Touch controls can react to accidental brushes
- The full price is difficult to justify for owners of the XM5
A closer look, category by category
Noise cancellation
Low engine rumble, train noise and office hum are reduced extremely effectively, while the automatic mode changes behaviour as the environment changes. Sudden voices are harder for any headphone to erase completely, but Sony remains one of the most convincing options for creating useful quiet.
Sound and calls
Music has strong detail and a sense of energy without forcing every owner into manual equaliser settings. The companion app still allows adjustment for people who want it. Multiple microphones keep calls intelligible in ordinary street and office conditions, a real practical improvement over buying only for music.
Comfort and battery
The lighter folding design is comfortable for long journeys, although fit always varies by head shape. Roughly a working week's commuting is realistic between charges, but Sennheiser's Momentum 5 lasts much longer and has a replaceable battery.
Price
The WH-1000XM6 launched at £399 and becomes far easier to recommend around £349. At full price, compare the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen for comfort and the Sennheiser Momentum 5 for battery life and value.
Price last checked: 30 July 2026Real-world use cases
Flights and rail travel
Class-leading noise reduction and a folding case make this the strongest use case.
Hybrid work
Clear calls, multipoint connection and good comfort suit switching between phone and laptop.
Week-long battery without charging
Sennheiser's Momentum 5 is the better endurance choice.
Where it sits in the market
Bose competes most directly on noise cancellation and comfort. Sennheiser offers dramatically longer battery life and a replaceable battery for less money. Sony's advantage is having the fewest weak areas across sound, quiet, calls and travel.
How we reached this verdict
This research-based verdict uses Sony's feature and battery claims alongside independent listening and noise-cancellation testing. The score includes current discounting and directly compares battery longevity with the existing Sennheiser Momentum 5 review.