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Sony’s 1000X headphone series has been around since 2016—the WH-1000XM6s are the latest model, released in 2025, and they’re the best over-ear headphones I tested that year (and ever, really). Right now, you can get the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones for $398 (originally $459.99), their lowest price ever, according to price-tracking tools.
This newest model improves upon what were already excellent headphones. Sony upped the microphone count from eight to 12 when compared to the XM5, which improves more than just how well you sound to someone on a phone call. The microphones are used in almost all of its features, like ANC, Adaptive Sound Control, and the headphones’ Ambient Sound mode. They hear your surroundings to adapt their features accordingly. If you switch from a noisy room to a quiet one, the XM6 can switch from ANC to aware mode.
These headphones have a lot more features that you can nerd out on in the companion app, too. The sound is second to none, with LE Bluetooth Audio compatibility, which makes Bluetooth more efficient and improves audio quality. Spatial Audio upmixes the audio you’re listening to and processes it to create a more immersive experience. There’s also a fully customizable EQ giving you plenty of options to get the sound how you like it. I really like being able to see what codec you’re listening to in the app’s main menu. That way, there’s no guessing if you’re getting the best audio quality or not.
These headphones will give you 30 hours of battery life with ANC on and 40 hours with ANC off. There’s an AUX (3.5mm) jack for wired listening, which is a nice touch for audiophiles who still rock iPod Classics (or is that just me?).
The XM6s are not just the best headphones of 2025, but are likely to be the best ones for years to come. For $398, you’ll be securing the best for a record low price we likely won’t see again for a while.
