Sony’s 1000X The Collexion is built to feel like a more luxurious take on the WH-1000XM6, but that extra polish comes with clear trade-offs. The biggest one is price: it lands at $650 on Amazon US, €630 on Amazon DE, and £549 on Amazon UK, or roughly $200/€200 above the XM6.
The premium positioning starts with the design. Sony drew inspiration from the older MDR-1000X, one of the models that helped establish the company’s challenge to Bose QuietComfort in noise-canceling headphones.
A more upscale build with a different feel
The outside uses a synthetic leather-like material that feels softer in hand. Sony also added stainless steel hinges and a long metal accent across the headband, giving the frame a sturdier impression than the plastic-heavy XM6.
Those changes are not just cosmetic. The earpads are slightly wider, and the headband feels roomier, which makes long listening sessions one of the clearest strengths of The Collexion.
The larger space inside the earpads reduces pressure on the ears. The downside is weight, since The Collexion comes in more than 60 grams heavier than the XM6.
Sound tuning moves in a more refined direction
Sony kept the same 30 mm driver size as in the XM6, but the hardware around it has been reworked. The Collexion uses a carbon-composite soft edge dome, along with an optimized circuit-board layout that includes a thicker copper substrate and 1.5 times more copper foil.
Its tuning was also handled with help from a mastering engineer. The result is a sound signature that feels more mature, with cleaner midrange presentation and better instrument separation.
Compared with the warmer XM6 tuning, The Collexion holds the bass back slightly more. Mid and high frequencies also come through with more clarity, and the soundstage feels wider.
Even so, the difference is subtle. It is the kind of improvement that becomes most obvious only in a direct comparison with the XM6.
Features stay close to familiar Sony territory
On the feature side, The Collexion does not break far from the XM6 formula. Sony adds the V3 chip for better sound processing and native DSEE Ultimate support for AI-based audio upscaling.
It also includes 360 Upmix, which can convert stereo audio into spatial audio. That feature offers three dedicated profiles for music, film, and games, all selectable through a button on the headphone.
Connectivity moves up to Bluetooth 6.0, replacing the XM6’s Bluetooth 5.3. Dual-device pairing remains available, along with SBC, AAC, LDAC, and LC3 codec support.
The physical controls stay familiar as well, with buttons for power and ANC/ambient modes. Sony adds another button for switching listening modes, plus a 3.5 mm port for analog use and USB-C for charging.
ANC remains strong, but not quite best-in-class
For noise cancellation, The Collexion uses the same Q3 chip as the XM6 and a total of 12 microphones. That setup still does an effective job with air-conditioner hum, engine rumble, and airplane cabin noise.
Performance is reported to sit just below the XM6, though. One likely reason is the wider inner diameter of the earpads, which may make the passive seal less tight than on the XM6.
In everyday use, the gap is small. The Collexion still blocks most outside noise well, but the XM6 remains slightly more effective when the two are compared directly.
Call quality is also described as good, including in windy conditions. Even so, the microphone performance still does not match some rivals such as Apple’s AirPods Max 2 or Sennheiser’s HDB 630.
Battery life is where the compromise becomes most obvious
The most noticeable sacrifice is battery life. Because the earcup profile is about 5 mm slimmer, internal space is reduced and battery capacity is affected.
With ANC on and AAC streaming, endurance is only a little above 25 hours. That trails the XM6, which can last more than 30 hours.
Sony still includes a large carrying case with an integrated handle. The bottom uses a magnetic flap, and the inside has a compartment for the included audio cable.
In the end, The Collexion makes the most sense for buyers who value a more exclusive finish, improved comfort, and a more polished sound profile. It raises the sense of luxury over the WH-1000XM6, but it does not fully surpass it in the areas that matter most.
Source: www.gsmarena.com
