Sony Debuts $650 1000X The Collexion as 10th-Anniversary Flagship Falls Short of XM6
Updated
Updated · Engadget · May 20
Sony Debuts $650 1000X The Collexion as 10th-Anniversary Flagship Falls Short of XM6
18 articles · Updated · Engadget · May 20
$650 1000X The Collexion marks the 10th anniversary of Sony’s headphone line with a leather-and-metal redesign, thicker padding and new carbon drivers aimed at a more luxurious flagship.
Testing found the upgrade is uneven: booming bass can bury midrange detail, the new Music spatial mode sounds tinny, and Sony’s DSEE Ultimate upscaling does more to improve playback than the stock tuning itself.
ANC and endurance also trail the cheaper WH-1000XM6. Sony says comfort-first ear pads reduce passive isolation, letting more steady background noise through, while battery life drops to 24 hours from 30.
At nearly $200 above the XM6, the anniversary model may appeal most to buyers prioritizing design and comfort, while listeners focused on sound balance and noise cancelling may still prefer Sony’s regular flagship.
Is Sony's new $650 headphone a stylish upgrade or a compromise on core features like battery life?
How did professional mastering studios influence the final sound profile of these new consumer headphones?