I love Sonys new XM6 headphones — and they just got their first price cut for Prime Day
FIRST PRICE DROP: Grab the newly released Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones at Amazon for $428 on Prime Day 2025. It's the flagship headphones' first price drop since hitting the market in May.
As Mashable's resident headphones tester, I've tried my fair share of headphones, and few touch the full-package status of the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones. And in my personal experience, none touch the sound quality.
The new Sony XM6 headphones were just released on May 15, but they're already on sale for around $20 off, putting them at $428 at Amazon and Sony's website. Now, I'll be the first to admit that a $20 price drop doesn't exactly put these flagship cans in the bargain price range. But since this Prime Day deal is the first-ever discount on XM6 headphones, I had to share the news.
Don't forget, headphones prices have risen across the board in recent years. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones hit the scene in 2023 at $429 — and in May they quietly jumped to $449. The 2024 USB-C AirPods Max cost $549, and the latest Bowers & Wilkins headphones debuted this spring at $449. All this to say — premium headphones cost a pretty penny these days. So, if you've been on the fence about getting Sony's new noise cancellers, then maybe this Prime Day deal on XM6 headphones will make the difference.
At the risk of sounding like I'm contradicting myself, when I compared these headphones to the older-gen XM5s, I did say that the XM5s are a better value, especially if on sale for $300. However, I also said these are undeniably the better-designed, more comfortable, and better-sounding headphones. The richness and warmth of the sound are unbeatable, and the companion app makes it easy to modify the audio exactly to your tastes.
As for active noise cancellation, in my testing I found it to be roughly the same as the older model — which was already really good — but Mashable's Timothy Werth found that these headphones had some of the best ANC he's encountered. I slightly prefer the QC Ultra, but would happily use these in an office or on a plane.
Both Werth and I also appreciated the return of the folding ear cups on the XM6s, which allow for a much more compact carrying case, and a better travel experience overall.
All this to say, these headphones are an investment, but they're also incredibly well-rounded. Are they a must-upgrade if you already own the XM5s? As an XM5 owner myself, I'd say no. However, if I was still rocking with my old Bose QC 35 IIs, or traveling more frequently, I'd be strongly tempted by XM6s first deal.