Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Sony's New WH-1000XM6 Headphones vs. AirPods Max

raylo32 said:
Nothing wrong with Bose QC. They invented the category and I just read a test where the Ultras eked out a slim win over the XM6 and AirPod Pros. B&W looks interesting these days, too. But I like the Sony touch controls. My XM3s were reserved for plane rides and such but then a couple years ago I started using them for mowing. So, they are no longer in showroom condition and am looking to get another pair... but will wait until the XM6 early adopters paying the high price get done, then maybe.
Click to expand...
Bose are comfortable but they just didn’t click with me when I tried them out. B&W has my interest but now that they are owned by Samsung I’m not too sure. I have a soft spot for B&O but not at the current prices.

Comically I’m reminded of that Thanos meme and I always end up back with my APM. I honestly thought something would wipe the floor with them considering they are 4 year old tech but they are still very competitive if not superior in some aspects to the current competition.
 
  • Like
Reactions: H_D
I still love my Sony MX5's. If Apple's Airpod Maxes didn't drench my ears in sweat, I would have not returned them.

The humidity having no room to escape the earmuffs is an Apple Care claim waiting to happen,IMO.
 
platinumaqua said:
I'm reading this as the Sony headphones are actually better designed, as it's more comfortable, while Apple's only look better
Click to expand...
Absolutely and no question the XM6 are better designed. I have just bought a pair to replace my XM4.

I also have the AirPods Max that I have had since launch, and have the Sony XM4 that I had to pick up for travel. I regularly travel long international flights for work, and the AirPods Max are just not good for travel in my experience. After a similar period of use, but a lot more use of the XM4, the Sonys are still comfortable and excellent to use. The AirPods Max headband has sagged to the point where it’s almost unusable now. There is no cushioning, just a hard band on my head. That, combined with the lack of a case, and the weight etc mean the AirPods are just not as usable or durable or comfortable. That is bad design (extra bad design points for the case).

While I have not had the XM6 for long enough, save for any design flaw like the hinges on the XM5, my expectation is that the XM6 will be similar (albeit improved in many ways) to the XM4.

I absolutely give the design win to the Sonys.
 
  • Like
Reactions: svepo, SantaFeNM, raylo32 and 3 others
russell_314 said:
Why do you feel they sound so-so? Are you comparing them to wired headphones or Bluetooth? What do you feel is a not so-so pair of over the ear headphones?
Click to expand...

I swear by my Beyerdynamic DT990’s and DT770’s. 40-year old designs by now, but still a reference for me. They have newer models (also bluetooth ones) that are supposedly better, but I haven’t tried those.

I had high expectations for the Airpods Max based on the strength of the earbuds. Those are really good.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ProbablyDylan
>The ‌AirPods Max‌ have always had excellent sound quality, but the XM6 also sound great. Sony's headphones have an advantage because there is an option to adjust the EQ and fine tune sound through the Sound Connect app.

Given these are headphones with the sole purpose of playing sounds, could we have a bit more on sound quality than one sounds excellent while the other sounds great?
 
  • Like
Reactions: jdavid_rp, flawless11 and Leon Nash
I have the XM1000 (the OG) still running strong from 2017. I am tempted to upgrade now. Never had an attraction to the APM's. Even in the Apple ecosystem, and its fanbase, does everything need to be Apple. Those that only tow the Apple line miss out on some nice products. But it is individual choice after all.
 
  • Like
Reactions: platinumaqua
Out of the AirPods Max, MX5, and Bose QuietComfort Ultra, I like the Ultras best.

The AirPods Max are far too heavy, My XM5s broke, and no issues whatsoever with the Bose Ultra's.

The Bose Ultras easily and quickly connect to my other Apple devices, and replacement cushions are easily available from a lot of sources on Amazon and are very inexpensive and easy to replace. Highly reccomed.
 
I think the trend I see in these comments so far is comfort is where the APM fall down over time.and the weight is more directly on your head. I tend to agree they get less comfy as the headband sags. The Sony just outclasses them in terms of comfort. I thought Bose also had comfy headphones too. I think this is a classic case of form over function. I'm not sure how they goofed this so bad and didn't change it at all with the "new" model yet the vision pro is a beast and I find it comfy for long sessions. Apple is just not firing on all cylinders.
 
Hard disagree about active noise cancelation from the article. My major test for ANC is airplanes. The noise is generally not variable, but it's loud. My Sony XM2 headphones made it blissfully quiet - the type of silence where I could listen to piano music and not need to blast the volume. When those headphones began to break apart, I went for the Airpods Max. For general noise around the house the ANC is fine, but I was shocked at how bad they were for an airplane. If I turned my head a certain way then the performance was about what I remembered with the Sony XM2, but moving in any other orientation made it seem like there was practically no ANC at all.

So after flying for about 20 hours with the APM, I promptly bought the XM4 (6 wasn't available at the time, and I wanted the folding ability so I didn't consider the 5). I still use the APM around the house - they're more convenient with Apple devices, and the ear padding material is a lot cooler, temperature-wise - but the XM4 completely blows it away when it comes to noise cancelation. I'd give a slight edge to the Sony for audio quality, as well.

I'm open to seeing what Apple does with a version 2, but as of now, I have no plans to replace my APM with another, but I'll replace my XM4 with whatever the latest Sony is when the time comes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gweedo, Artemis70 and raylo32
I recently went from the XM5s to the APM (USB-C) and like the APMs a lot. The biggest downside is inability to just turn them off, and the fact that the low power modes seem way wonkier than on APPs. But the “just work” aspect of the Apple ecosystem is hard to ignore. I also have no issues with the heavier weight.

Maybe the biggest feature, though, is Spatial Audio. I use the APM watching ATV fairly regularly, and that aspect is something that non-Apple headphones can never replicate.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CyberDavis
willdude said:
Maybe the biggest feature, though, is Spatial Audio. I use the APM watching ATV fairly regularly, and that aspect is something that non-Apple headphones can never replicate.
Click to expand...
I'm wondering how Apple's Spatial Audio compares to Bose's Immersive Audio, and Dolby Atmos for Headphones.
 
Only thing I don’t like about the XM5 is the headband digs into my head after a while. Had to buy a cushion for it. Wonder which of these two are better on that regard.
 
AF_APPLETALK said:
As someone who has owned the APM and XM4's both, the main benefit of the APM really is the quick connect integration. It makes taking phone calls a really nice experience. Otherwise, the lightweight and better reliability of the XM4 wins out.

My APM failed TWICE. The first time Apple replaced them. The second time, they told me to pound sand. DO NOT buy APM without AppleCare.
Click to expand...
What failed? User error? Misuse? When someone essentially says company x screwed me in a public forum, having the facts helps whether who screwed who or who attempted to screw who. You don't really offer any facts to understand your issue with Apple.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CyberDavis and iBluetooth
Had the XM003 - good headphones, but the AirPod Max were a significant upgrade, more than you would think by just looking at the specs.
 
zephonic said:
I suppose this is subjective, but as a music and audio professional I'm gonna have to disagree. The Airpods Max sound just so-so, and for their price they underperform.

Now the buds like the AirPods and AirPods Pro, those sound very good. The Max, not so much.
Click to expand...
What would recommend for someone looking for a pair that can be used both to record music (guitar, voice, etc… no latency) as well as listening to music (Pink Floyd, Tool, Brazilian guitar…) ? Thanks.
 
This is probably just me…but I find the Max’es quite ugly aesthetically. And I wouldn’t wear them if I got the for free for this reason mostly. But that's completely in the eye of the beholder.

And yes, they sound absolutely fine, but are also way way too heavy. Any they don’t fold and that hideous case. It’s like a luxury item that’s purposefully designed to be difficult to have in your life such that you notice it’s in your life. And all those cheap knockoffs proves my point a bit. It’s made to be noticed, it doesn’t blend in. It’s like a fake MK bag. Nobody wears fake Sony headphones.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: jeffreyg, System603, Wizec and 1 other person
Chazak said:
What failed? User error? Misuse? When someone essentially says company x screwed me in a public forum, having the facts helps whether who screwed who or who attempted to screw who. You don't really offer any facts to understand your issue with Apple.
Click to expand...
The first time, the AirPods stopped turning on. This was confirmed by the tech at a physical Apple Store.

About two years went by without problems, and then suddenly the replacement pair would turn on, but refused to connect to known devices. Doing a power cycle, holding down the dial and the ANC/passthrough button, would temporarily fix the issue, but it kept getting worse and worse, requiring additional power cycles. This would happen any time I pulled the APM out of their case.

These never left the home, except for when traveling on airline flights (not often).

The point of my post was to tell anyone interested in these to be sure to buy the AppleCare, not to suggest that I was "screwed" by Apple. I didn't buy the AppleCare and regretted it.
 
SBlue1 said:
This was the killer feature for me. Fortunately I found our Sony and Sennheiser Momentum 4 have something similar and I bought the Sennheisers for half the price and I am very happy. 😊
Click to expand...
Same I have the momentum 4's my self and I live em. Only issue is the touchpad as my dog lives to hop up and luck it when I'm in meetings 😂
 
If Apple does produce a new generation of AirPods Max are they likely to be redesigned and made lighter and/or have a different appearance?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back