AirPods Pro 3 vs. Sony WF-1000XM6: Which Flagship Earbuds Should You Buy?

[MacRumors]

Sony refreshed its earbuds earlier this year, introducing the $330 WF-1000XM6 earbuds to compete with the $249 AirPods Pro 3 that came out last September. We compared Sony's new earbuds with Apple's latest model to see which is better.

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Sony's XM6 earbuds are smaller than the AirPods Pro 3 because there's no stem, but the in-ear fit is different. The AirPods Pro 3 have foam-infused silicone tips that are comfortable to wear for multiple hours at a time. Sony is using a polyurethane and silicone foam hybrid that feels secure in the ears, but you'll feel them more when using them for longer periods. The XM6 aren't as likely to fall out of your ears when moving around, so they're better for workouts. Earbud fit is going to vary from person to person, so some people might find the XM6 more comfortable. Both the AirPods Pro 3 and the XM6 come with tips in multiple sizes to fit ears in different shapes.

Though Sony's earbuds have a tighter fit that's ideal for fitness-related use, the AirPods Pro 3 have heart rate tracking and better waterproofing for sweat resistance. The XM6 have an IPX4 water resistance rating, compared to the IP57 dust and water resistance rating of the AirPods Pro 3.

The AirPods Pro 3 and the XM6 are both high-end flagship earbud options, and they produce excellent sound. Like fit, your opinion on sound quality will come down to individual preference.

Sony offers LDAC high-resolution codec support for improved sound quality on an Android device, along with an app that supports EQ adjustments with custom presets, adjustable bass, treble sliders, and more. Apple does not offer built-in EQ, but AirPods come with well-balanced tuning that sounds great to many people. If you want to tinker with sound adjustments, Sony's earbuds are the way to go, but if you want good sound with no tuning requirements, the AirPods Pro 3 are the better pick.

As with sound, both models have some of the best Active Noise Cancellation you can get from earbuds. The XM6 seem to do just a bit better at canceling out low-frequency sound like engines on an airplane and higher-frequency sound like office chatter, but it's close. How the ANC works for each person will come down to the ear seal with the tip and personal preference.

Apple's AirPods Pro 3 have the edge when it comes to Transparency because the sound passing through the microphones is more natural. Sony's version of transparency is fine, but it sounds more robotic. The difference is especially noticeable with voices. The XM6 seem to have better noise isolation on calls when outdoors, but indoors, the AirPods sound clearer.

The AirPods Pro 3 can be used as an over-the-counter hearing aid alternative, but the XM6 can't, plus there's spatial audio support, real-time Live Translation, and heart rate tracking for workouts. Sony's earbuds have better gesture control, 360 Reality Audio, and more software customization.

The XM6 offer eight hours of playback with ANC on, which is the same battery life as the AirPods Pro 3. For the AirPods, spatial audio with head tracking and heart rate sensing drop that total down slightly, but battery life is almost identical overall. The AirPods Pro 3 case has enough battery for 24 hours of listening time, as does the XM6 case.

If you're in the Apple ecosystem, you're going to have a better experience with the AirPods Pro 3 with iCloud-based features like one-tap pairing, automatic device switching anywhere you're signed in with your Apple ID, and support for Apple features like Live Translation. Sony can't implement the same close integration with Apple devices, which makes it harder to recommend Sony earbuds for Apple users.

The XM6 earbuds pair through the iPhone's Bluetooth menu or the Sony Sound Connect app. It's not a one-tap process, and while Sony can now support connecting to two devices at once, it's still not as good as Apple's process.

If you have Apple devices, the AirPods Pro 3 are probably the better choice, and they're $81 cheaper too. The XM6 are the best pick for Android users or those who really want to tinker with sound.

Article Link: AirPods Pro 3 vs. Sony WF-1000XM6: Which Flagship Earbuds Should You Buy?

 

[t0rqx]

Does the APP3 still make white crackling noise when ANC is activated?

 

[Jayht]

I wish apple would have released two version of the APP3s. One with the 2s design would have been great since the 3s don’t stay in my ears at all no matter what I do.

 

[HouseLannister]

I wish apple would have released two version of the APP3s. One with the 2s design would have been great since the 3s don’t stay in my ears at all no matter what I do.

My ears were like that for the 2s. Every time I looked even slightly downward, the left one would just pop out. I wish Apple would steal the swapable fin idea that Bose does. They have gotten a lot smaller and more comfortable over the years.

 

[SkyRom]

I've had AirPods Pro 3 since release day, and they are incredible. It sounds insane to say, but I've legitimately never managed to drain them to zero. This is even more remarkable considering I'm limiting the charging to 80% for battery longevity.

They never fail to charge like the original AirPods Pro, they're easier to clean, ear tips are comfortable, noise-cancelling is strong but not impossible to drive (sometimes I'll toss them in with nothing playing to quiet my noisy Jeep) and call quality is excellent. Powerbeats are great, Sony makes great stuff, as do Bang & Olufsen and Sennheiser, but there is something special about the pocketability and charm of the official AirPods Pro.

 

[B4U]

One of the drawbacks on the Sony is that their battery charge management needs some work.
My 1st gen AirPods Pro are still working fine from 2020.
Meanwhile, my Sony LinkBuds are dead after less then 3 years.
As much as I love my Sony headphones...this is not the first time I have dead Sony Bluetooth headphones over the same period. 🙁

 

[erikkfi]

AirPods Pro have really bad wind noise resistance.. like I’d almost say they amplify wind noise. I won’t be getting Apple buds again. I wonder if the Sonys are better for that.

 

[vegetassj4]

obviously the Airpods Ultra

 

[RumorConsumer]

One of these products belongs to a company with a stagnant ecosystem thats basically been reduced to a commodity like John Deere, the other is poised to become the most important wearables brand for all AI based products in the near future. And AirPods sound better. Happy choosing!

 

[axantas]

I own the M5 - aside with my AirPodsPro 3.
The Sonys sound great, the handling on an iPhone is - sorry - somehow unusable. Once it took me 20 Minutes to connect the to the iPhone. I cannot really recommend the combination...

The Sony App (German Version) is hilarious. Thei. languag. or transl. is simpl. unusab. beca. they do not know anyth. about Germ. lang. Full of unusabl. abbrev. - and furthermore much too complicated.

iPods is: Stick them in the ears and listen to the music. End of story.

 

[HouseLannister]

Thei. languag. or transl. is simpl. unusab. beca. they do not know anyth. about Germ. lang. Full of unusabl. abbrev.

A bad workman blames his tools or performance art?

 

[d686546s]

One of these products belongs to a company with a stagnant ecosystem thats basically been reduced to a commodity like John Deere, the other is poised to become the most important wearables brand for all AI based products in the near future. And AirPods sound better. Happy choosing!

Somewhat contradictory, I like how my APP2 work with my iPhone, while I'm also somewhat exhausted by everything having to be an 'ecosystem.'

Part of me really misses the days where the big connectivity feature of any headphone was a 3.5mm plug that worked exactly the same on any device that had it.

 

[a_politis]

For me the best is the b&o grace.

 

[barkingsheltie]

Thanks for the review, I found it comprehensive and helpful. I also wish Apple provided EQ for those of us who like to tinker, but Apple, of course!

My follow-up questions concern the hearing aid's performance and the extent to which they surpass the AirPods Pro 2.

 

[Ateam043]

I've tried the XM3 and XM4 and the fit was just odd, would not stay secure in my ears to save my life. Likely due to small ears.

 

[klasma]

obviously the Airpods Ultra

Haha, he bought two left ones, so stupid!! Literally L!

 

[Stella]

The comfort on the WFs are horrible. Wanted to like them, but can’t wear them for long.

 

[Agent007]

I've tried the XM3 and XM4 and the fit was just odd, would not stay secure in my ears to save my life. Likely due to small ears.

I had the same issue with the XM3's and I think the issue was the cantilevered mass - i.e. they were bulky to begin with but they stuck out too far which made them more prone to prying themselves out. Especially with silicone tips because of how slippery they get with that wax/sweat mixture we all love so much🤮. Ultimately, I bought some double-flange tips that worked pretty well.

FWIW, XM3 buds are 8.5g each compared to 6.5g for XM6 and 5.3g for APP2.

 

[blaizefm]

Both have terrible fit for me, which is such a shame. The APP3s just feel horrible, and the sound is the very definition of mediocre. The Sony's sound great, but have terrible 'road noise' when out running. Sadly both are useless to me.

Instead I've moved over to a pair of AirPods 4s with ANC and they are surprisingly excellent. I just wish Apple could have gone a bit further and added volume control.

 

[icwhatudidthere]

There’s not a single version of AirPods that fit my ears. The regular versions fall right out and the original Pros never get a successful fit in my right ear.

So I switched to Sony earbuds and have found the device switching to be very good with support for non-Apple devices to be just as seamless. I don’t have any problems with switching devices, it’s exactly like how I got used to with Apple earbuds.

 

[KnowsHowItWorks]

No brainer. Bose.

 

[dmccombs]

What a timely article. I have had the APP2 (with Comply ear tips) for a couple years now and like them overall. Like a lot of folks here, I have been hearing alot about how the APP3 are better than the APP2, and how great the Sony WF-1000xm6 sound. So yesterday, I picked up the APP3 and the Sony earbuds, and have spent the last 24 hours comparing them.

Of course the APP2/3 work great with the iphone. IMO, the Sony's sound noticeably better. I think the Sony bass is more clear, and the sounds stage is more open. I an ok with the comfort of all 3 earbuds. The Apple earbuds are a little easier to get in my ears with a sealed fit, but this could be because I've only used the Sony's for a day, versus the APP over several years.

The APP2 (with comply) have the best ANC. I think part of this is the comply tips blocking out more sound than the stock APP3 and stock Sony tips. I would rank the APP3 above the Sony's for ANC (both with their stock eartips). All 3 of these have great ANC so I wouldn't buy based on the ANC differences.

I think I will keep the Sony's and my old APP2, and return the APP3. I didn't feel there was a big enough difference between the APP2 and APP3 to keep both. I think the Sony sound quality was a decent step up from the APP2/3 so I will keep those. I also ordered some comply tips for the Sony's. This will provide better ANC than the stock Sony tips. Hopefully it doesn't negatively impact the sound quality.

Note1: Info regarding my use case (perspective)... I don't use many of the extra features of the APP (i.e. heat rate, hearing aid). And with all the earbuds, I tend to use minimal sound processing (auto loudness, auto anything, eq, etc.) I mainly use these for listening to music. I don't use any of the extra features of the Sony either. In fact when I ran their EQ Chooser, it came back with a flat EQ for my preference.

Note2: I didn't put "IMO" on all my statements, but everything here is my opinion, not absolute fact. Others can come to other conclusions which are just as valid.

 

[dandrewk]

The Sonys "have better gesture control? Really? How so? AP3 makes it easy and intuitive to pause/start, control volume, skip/previous, accept/reject phone calls. I'd love to know what else there is do, and how Sony is better at it.

 

[kcslc]

I wish apple would have released two version of the APP3s. One with the 2s design would have been great since the 3s don’t stay in my ears at all no matter what I do.

The 3’s hurt my ears. 🙁 I may return them.

 

[Baritone_Guy]

Dear Apple. Please make them in black. They are a nonstarter otherwise.