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Glad they brought back the foldable design! 👍

Currently on the WH-1000XM4 — and they're still going strong.

But these look so tempting.

Edit:

Oh and Apple, contrast and compare… This is a case.

71IrCqLwjVL._AC_SL1500_.jpg


Not this…

5fcf8c27eadd8400183dfb87
Don’t forget the headband. I also have XM4 and I have the AirPods Max. Although I have travelled extensively with the XM4 (I do two ex Japan international flights per month, and usually take the XM4) they are still perfectly comfortable. The AirPods Max headband has collapsed just from home use and now has a hard bar on my head which gives me a headache within 10 minutes. The max sound a bit better. But it’s totally not worth it for the compromises in design, weight, and that stupid case which I knew was stupid before I bought it, but I bought it anyway.
 
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I’m not OP but I can provide my perspective. The reviews you read for Sony’s top end active noise cancellation aren’t hyperbole. They really are that good. The only people I know who don’t like them fall into two main camps: those who have never tried them and those who can’t afford them. I own AirPods for convenience but when I really want to enjoy myself I put on the Sony.
I own both, and I would say the noise cancelling is about the same between the two, and apples pass through mode is clearly better. Apples sound quality is better. Sony design is far better and more comfortable and durable. Apple absolutely need to fix the design and the case, but sound quality wise, I don’t see anything to change. I think “lightyears” whatever it means, is an exaggeration.
 
As a side note: Am I the only one who sweats under over-ear-headphones? I had the Sonos Ace but I had to return them because the sweat was super uncomfortable, especially during a a long train ride and flight.
I prefer my AirPods Pro. They are also easier to carry around or pack in a carry-on bag or backpack.
 
Airpods Max continue to fall well behind on ANC. Even the most up to date Pro 2's I'm not fully satisfied with, never had the impression that it was cutting voices and table tapping like in the Linus review of this. Planes, lawnmowers etc are all still very loud with them, so wish they made up to date over ears.
 
Even the most up to date Pro 2's I'm not fully satisfied with, never had the impression that it was cutting voices and table tapping like in the Linus review of this. Planes, lawnmowers etc are all still very loud with them, so wish they made up to date over ears.
You're finding planes loud with them? Every flight I've taken and used mine has been very quiet with ANC on. I know loudness is subjective, but mine have been excellent at cutting out plane noise. I don't have other noise cancelling headphones to compare them to, but I'm not sure how the cancellation could get better than close to silent.
 
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Meanwhile the AirPods Max team is busy designing new colors

Was just about to say. Imagine if Apple actually gave a crap about their products what they could be.

Sony innovating with light, foldable headphones while Apple phone it in with zero R and D selling you some heavy, overpriced headphones in a bra.
 
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The only real downer seems to be the fact that Sony has priced these cans at $449.99 – $50 more than the previous model. Whether the improvements justify the price jump is the main question.

Thankfully these are only about 3,000 yen more than the XM5s in their home market, which, considering the price increases since they launched, is surprisingly good. The AirPods Max on the other hand are more than 25,000 yen more than the XM6 and are unashamedly bad design in terms of headband, case and weight.
 
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You're finding planes loud with them? Every flight I've taken and used mine has been very quiet with ANC on. I know loudness is subjective, but mine have been excellent at cutting out plane noise. I don't have other noise cancelling headphones to compare them to, but I'm not sure how the cancellation could get better than close to silent.
I'm talking about the Pro 2's in the second thought fyi, and yeah I've tried every eartip I could with triple flange, foam etc, they do cut the plane down by maybe 40%, but that's still quite loud. And in a weird way taking out the low tones the most makes some creaks and rattles more notable.

It's not quite the whisk you away to quiet planet I could have expected from some reviews.
 
“The only real downer seems to be the fact that Sony has priced these cans at $449.99 – $50 more than the previous model.”

Still a $100 less than the Apple AirPods Max.
And for a product that genuinely sounds better, has better noise cancelling and longer lasting battery it’s not a bad deal.
 
In terms of comfort and feel, the XM4 was better than the XM5s, in my opinion. Noise cancelling was roughly the same.

The XM5s not folding was an issue, but not the biggest issue. They just weren’t as comfy, and they don’t fit my big head as well as the XM4s, which I have extended to its limits.
 
I’m not OP but I can provide my perspective. The reviews you read for Sony’s top end active noise cancellation aren’t hyperbole. They really are that good. The only people I know who don’t like them fall into two main camps: those who have never tried them and those who can’t afford them. I own AirPods for convenience but when I really want to enjoy myself I put on the Sony.
Is the active noise cancellation performance of this device superior to that of the AirPods Pro 2? How and why is the overall sound performance better?
 
I sometimes wince at the apple product marketing names - are the AirPods Pro really pro ? - but Sony beats them hands down for appalling product names.

Get the people back who came up with the Walkman and PlayStation names please!
The Walkman might have been the product name, but the Walkman model numbers were just as confusing as WH-1000XM6 with model numbers like Sony ANK-L2, TPS-L2, WA-8000MK2, WM-609, WM-DX100, WM-EJ95, etc.
 
It’s called the iPhone 16, not

IP-1000XM16​

It might be called an iPhone 16, but the actual model number is A3212, A3408, A3084, A3293, A3287, etc. They also apparently go by MYAQ3LL/A, MYD23LL/A, etc.

These WH-1000XM6 Wireless Headphones don't have an easy to remember product name and are instead referred to by the model number. But it's not hard to figure out what the numbers mean.
 
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MacRumors should have a hands-on review of Sony's latest flagship headphones soon.
Can we trust MR to do an honest and fair review with a comment like this?

"The bad news is that it's stuck with the same naming convention, which sounds less like headphones and more like a dot-matrix printer from the 70s"

I could not care less what they're called as long as they sound good and are well made.
 
“These are unashamedly plastic headphones, after all”

Why would any company be ashamed of using plastic in a device designed to be worn on your head and therefore should be lightweight and comfortable? I would rather have plastic than aluminum, at least on headphones. Apple marketing’s greatest success is convincing people that the same material used to make beer cans is somehow a luxury and premium material.😂
 
Apple lock-in is a drag.

I love my B&W Pi8 and Px8. They’re well made, look good, sound great, come with PROPER extras like cables and cases, and can be found at good discounts.

—but—

They don’t play nice with iOS/iPadOS. BT connectivity is OK but not great, multi-point BT is clunky, the B&W app sucks, and I miss “Hey Siri” functionality.

How are Sonys in comparison?
 
Come on Tim. We can do without your editorial, opinion piece here. There’s nothing wrong with the naming. Sony are a Japanese company, and this kind of product naming is common here. It’s logical and has meaning in the broader product line. Not every product needs to use conventions that you are personally comfortable with and associate with being “modern”.
Just trying to give you a giggle - I'll get my coat! I am, sadly, that old to remember dot matrix printers :-/

I'm still holding onto a pair of XM2's, and they're still great. Looking forward to trying out the new model :)
 
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