10 years ago, Sony announced its MDR-1000X noise-canceling headphones in a bid to challenge Bose and its QuietComfort lineup. And they did just that with the 1000X series going on to become synonymous with class-leading noise canceling and audio quality.

With ten years under their belt, Sony decided to launch a special edition of its flagship ANC headphones dubbed Sony 1000X The Collexion. With a more premium build, custom drivers and sound tuning from mastering experts, these cans are clearly meant to stand out from the regular WH-1000XM6.

But they also come with a $200/€200 price premium over said XM6s, which is monumental. So, are these leather-wrapped, stainless steel-hinge flaunting luxury headphones the true pinnacle in Sony’s over-ear ANC lineup, or are you better off getting the “regular” XM6s instead?

Table of Contents:

Design

The “Collexion” (pronounced as Collection) represents a modified version of the WH-1000XM6 with a throwback design that pays homage to the MDR-1000X and its synthetic leather earcups.

Most of the outside part of the headphones is comprised of the same synthetic material, which feels soft to the touch. We do have our concerns about scratches and how the leather will hold up after a few years of daily use, though.

Compared to the XM6s, you get slightly wider ear pads as well as a more spacious headband for added comfort. Sony also went for a more premium look on the sides by incorporating a stainless-steel hinge, with the same material extending around the headband. It feels notably more solid than the plastic frame of the XM6s.

Sony really nailed the fit on the Collexion. The added padding makes them a breeze to wear for longer periods. The most apparent area where the new pair edges out the XM6s is the wider interior of the earpads.

There’s more room inside, and that helps prevent the pads from pressing on your ears. The earcup profile on the Collexion is about 5mm slimmer than the XM6s, which gives it a sleeker appearance, but it also leaves less space for internals like the battery. More on that later.

The Collexion are over 60 grams heavier than the XM6s, which is certainly noticeable but not a dealbreaker in any case, as the new pair is more comfortable.

The hinges swivel inward like the WH-1000XM5 when you want to carry the headphones. We’re actually more fond of the folding mechanism on the XM6s which manages to take up a smaller footprint

Speaking of carrying, there’s an included case that also brings a neat integrated handle. It’s on the larger side, but it feels solidly made. The case features a magnetic flap on the bottom, while the inside has a compartment for the bundled audio cable.

Sony 1000X The Collexion carrying case

The 1000X feature familiar controls, including a power button and ANC/ambient mode toggle, but Sony also added a third button, which toggles between the different listening modes. You also get a 3.5mm port when you want an analog connection and a USB-C port for charging.

Features

For the most part, the Collexion are nearly identical to the XM6s in terms of features. You can head over to our WH-1000XM6 review for the details.

There are some new bits like the V3 chip, which enables better sound processing and adds support for native DSEE Ultimate audio upscaling. This basically uses AI to reproduce lost frequencies across bit depth and sample rate.

Sony also brought its 360 Upmix feature, which transforms standard stereo audio into spatial audio. There are three dedicated profiles for music, movies, and games that you toggle between via the dedicated upmix button on the headphones.

Another change is the addition of Bluetooth 6.0 connectivity, which replaces the older 5.3 version found on the XM6s. You still get dual device pairing as well as SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 codec support.

Performance

Audio quality

On the inside, the Collexion feature 30mm drivers just like the XM6s, but this time Sony used a soft edge dome with carbon composite material. It is claimed to offer enhanced bass reproduction and better noise-cancellation. Sony also optimized the circuit board layout, which allowed it to fit a thicker copper substrate with 1.5x more copper foil for richer detail and a wider soundstage.

Sound tuning is another key area where Sony collaborated with leading mastering engineers to fine-tune the drivers. The marketing materials talk of “smooth vocals, clear instrument balance, and natural dynamics” and we did find some subtle differences compared to the XM6s.

One area where the Collexion outshines the XM6s is the mid-range. Instrument separation is better on the new pair with details coming in a tad crisper and snappier. It’s a minor adjustment but one that certainly makes a difference once you settle into your routine playlists. Compared to the generally warm tuning on the XM6, the Collexion offers a more mature presence with a dialed-down focus on bass.

Highs also benefit from enhanced clarity, and you also get a wider-feeling soundstage, which makes tracks sound livelier than they do on the XM6s. The additional music and game 360 Upmix profiles succeed in delivering a pleasant surround sound experience to regular stereo content but we would not consider this feature a game-changer.

Noise canceling

The Collexion feature the same Q3 ANC chip as the XM6s and are armed with 12 microphones split across the two sides. To our ears, you’re getting slightly less potent noise canceling, which we suspect is due to the wider internal diameter of the ear cups.

While the XM6s hug your ears tight, the Collexion leaves a bit more room, which in turn makes the passive seal weaker and lets in more outside noise. It’s a subtle difference but you can easily spot it when switching between the two pairs. Despite the less-than-stellar passive isolation, the Collexion still drowns out most outside noise, just not as well as the XM6s.

The Collexion does a great job at eliminating low and mid-range frequency sounds, which is where you’d encounter the most common irritants. Think HVACs, engine vibrations and airplane cabin noise. Still, the XM6s have objectively stronger ANC when comparing them side by side.

Call quality and connectivity

The Collexion are great at picking up your voice and filtering background noise, even in windy environments. Still, microphone quality on Sony headphones is not on the level of competitors like Apple’s AirPods Max 2 or even Sennheiser’s HDB 630.

We tested the Collexion paired to an iPhone 17 Pro and MacBook Pro 14, and connectivity remained uninterrupted throughout the review process.

Battery life

With a slightly thinner ear cup profile, Sony had to sacrifice internal space, and the battery department took a hit. With ANC on and streaming over AAC, we barely got over 25 hours before the headphones were completely drained.

That’s a significant drop compared to the XM6s, which can go on for well over 30 hours. The discrepancy is certainly a point to watch out for when choosing between the two.

Verdict

Sony 1000X The Collexion are the WH-1000XM6’s better-dressed cousin, draped in a leather suit and flexing a robust stainless steel hinge. They certainly feel more premium than the all-plastic XM6s, and the Collexion are also hands down the more comfortable pair of headphones between the two.

You’re getting the same core specs between the two, with top-notch noise-canceling and pleasant sound tuning. The Collexion do sound better out of the box in some regards and feature a wider soundstage too.

The 360 Upmix support and its accompanying spatial audio profiles are nice additions, but not game changers, and the same can be said about the native DSEE Ultimate audio upscaling. Keep in mind that the battery endurance on the Collexion is lower than the XM6, which is a pretty significant factor when you factor in the substantial price difference between the two.

At the end of the day, using these $650/€630 headphones to stream your Spotify playlist on your daily commute is probably overkill. But if you’re the type of user who has a soft spot for premium Sony products and wants the latest and greatest audio experience, then the Collexion delivers just that.

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