Sony WH-1000XM6 vs AirPods Max: Is there a noise canceling champion?

Sony and Apple have long dueled it out for the title of best noise canceling headphone. While the AirPods Max have been around since 2020, they have received numerous updates since then, including support for USB-C and wired listening. On the other hand, the Sony WH-1000XM6 are the new challenger, an update to the popular Sony WH-1000XM5. So, which headphone reigns supreme? We put both through our SoundGuys testing lab to find.

What’s it like to use the Sony WH-1000XM6 compared to the Apple AirPods Max?

With the design of the XM6, Sony clearly listened to feedback from previous generations, addressing issues like flimsy hinges, foldability, and poor button placement. You get instant usability without needing the app, with intuitive controls and minimal setup friction.

Neither the Sony WH-1000XM6 or the AirPods Max have an IP water resistance rating. If you’re going to spend this much on headphones, make sure you are careful not to wear them out in the rain or during a particularly sweaty workout. That said, when it comes to durability, the Sony WH-1000XM6 are the clear winner thanks to the charging case. The case for the XM6 will keep the headphones dry and scratch-free, whereas the AirPods Max case is simply awful. The “smart case” for the AirPods Max doesn’t protect the headband at all, and the case functions as a power on/off button, which can get annoying fast. On the plus side, you can easily replace the ear pads of both the AirPods Max and Sony WH-1000XM6.

I find both the Sony WH-1000XM6 and AirPods Max comfortable to wear for hours on end. That said, the AirPods Max are a hefty 385g, which causes pressure points on the top of the head for some people. On the other hand, the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones are a lightweight 254g. Note that the XM6 have a protruding ANC mic that can touch your ear if the fit isn’t right, which can cause comfort issues for those with large ears. The AirPods Max have much deeper ear cups.

Do the Sony WH-1000XM6 or Apple AirPods Max have more features?

To access all the features of the Sony WH-1000XM6, you’ll need to download the Sony Sound Connect app, available on both iOS and Android. Within the app, you’ll find a 10-band equalizer, EQ presets, advanced Bluetooth settings, toggling passthrough features like speak-to-chat and head gestures, and spatial audio via the 360 Reality Audio platform. Additionally, you can also now upmix audio through the app to emulate what it may sound like with Sony’s proprietary spatial audio solution. When it comes to customization and flexibility, the XM6 take the win, even though there is a glaring omission in the lack of USB-C passthrough for audio.

On the other hand, as we all know by now, the AirPods Max have features exclusively for Apple devices. If you have an Android phone, you shouldn’t be considering buying these headphones. Once connected to an Apple device, you’ll find a ton of great features, including Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, automatic switching between Apple devices, and Adaptive EQ. A recent firmware update also means the AirPods Max now support lossless wired playback over USB-C. While the AirPods Max offer a more seamless experience, there is little flexibility, such as a custom equalizer.

How do the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Apple AirPods Max connect?

The Sony WH-1000XM6 offer broad connectivity support via Bluetooth 5.3, including LDAC, AAC, SBC, and LC3. It also supports analog playback via the included 3.5mm TRRS cable. We found Bluetooth Multipoint works well, but you have to settle for a lower-bitrate codec.

Apple sticks with Bluetooth 5.0 and supports only AAC and SBC, with a heavy preference for AAC. If you’re deep into the Apple ecosystem, that’s fine—but Android users miss out on high-quality codec options. Wired listening is supported over USB-C, but no traditional 3.5mm aux input.

Is battery life better on the Sony WH-1000XM6 or Apple AirPods Max?

In our battery testing, the Sony WH-1000XM6 lasted 37 hours and 14 minutes. This far exceeds the 21 hours of battery life we got out of the AirPods Max. Since the AirPods Max don’t have a power off button and rely on the case or a sleep mode, you might find the battery drains faster throughout the week. That said, both are clearly capable of lasting a full day of normal use. The Sony WH-1000XM6 charge up over USB-C, as does the most recent version of the AirPods Max.

Do the Sony WH-1000XM6 or Apple AirPods Max block noise better?

The ear cup design of the Sony WH-1000XM6 lends itself to excellent passive isolation. Our testing shows that even without ANC enabled, the XM6 passively block out up to 50dB of high-frequency noise. The AirPods Max can only block up to 40dB of high-frequency noise.

On the other hand, the AirPods Max have a better active noise cancellation system. Our testing shows that the ANC can block out up to 40dB of low-frequency noise, such as the rumble of an airplane engine, whereas the XM6 only reduce low-frequency noise by up to 35dB. In total, the Sony WH-1000XM6 reduce the loudness of external noise by 87%. The AirPods Max have a slight edge, reducing the loudness of external noise by 88%.

Do the Sony WH-1000XM6 sound better than the Apple AirPods Max?

The Sony WH-1000XM6 and AirPods Max both have great sound quality that most people will enjoy. If you like tweaking the sound of your headphones, you’ll appreciate the custom equalizer in the Sony Sound Connect app. On the other hand, the AirPods Max with Adaptive EQ provide a default sound that most won’t have major gripes with. Both offer spatial audio features as well, if that’s something that interests you.

Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores (MDAQS)

The Sony WH-1000XM6 and AirPods Max both score very high according to MDAQS sound quality testing. The Sony WH-1000XM6 attain a 4.8 in Timbre, which means most people won’t even feel the need to mess with the equalizer. They also attain a 4.3 in Distortion and a 4.4 in Immersiveness for an Overall score of 4.8. With the AirPods Max, we’ve seen some variation in scoring depending on firmware version and whether the leakage compensation feature is enabled, with the highest score attained at a 4.5 Overall.

Objective Measurements

In our frequency response measurements, we can see that the Sony WH-1000XM6 and AirPods Max both match up closely with our SoundGuys Preference Curve. The XM6 have slightly more bass out of the box. In the treble, the AirPods Max have a slight dip around 5 kHz, whereas the Sony WH-1000XM6 have a slight dip around 8 kHz. The XM6 have slightly more upper-treble extension above 10kHz.

Do the Sony WH-1000XM6 or Apple AirPods Max have a better microphone?

Sony touts AI-assisted beamforming with a six-mic array on the WH-1000XM6. In testing, it handled noise well—even wind and ambient chatter didn’t disrupt voice calls much. It consistently produced clear, intelligible audio across a variety of real-world environments.

Apple’s AirPods Max mirophones perform well, but only if the headphones are connected to an Apple device. Switch to Android or a PC, and performance can drop significantly depending on your device. That unpredictability hurts its standing for those not embedded in the Apple ecosystem.

Sony WH-1000XM6 microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Apple AirPods Max microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Sony WH-1000XM6 microphone demo (Windy conditions):

Apple AirPods Max microphone demo (Windy conditions):

Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Apple AirPods Max: Price and availability

The Sony WH-1000XM6 have a starting price of $449, whereas the AirPods Max have a more expensive starting price of $549. That said, since the AirPods Max are a few years older, you are more likely to find them on sale. Both headphones are widely available at retailers.

Should you get the Sony WH-1000XM6 or Apple AirPods Max?

You honestly can’t go wrong with either the Sony WH-1000XM6 or AirPods Max. Both are fantastic headphones, and the majority of people will be very happy no matter which they choose. As someone with an iPhone and Mac, I still give the slight edge to the AirPods Max thanks to its seamless integration into the Apple ecosystem, best-in-class ANC, and support for wired USB-C audio. On the other hand, the Sony WH-1000XM6 are a great choice for those with Android phones, thanks to the plethora of features and customization options in the Sony Sound Connect app. If you aren’t sold on either of these options, make sure to check out our breakdown of the best headphones on the market.