Sony
Sony WH-1000XM6
—
Released 2025-05
Best Over Ear Headphones · head-to-head
Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones is cheaper at $199. Every spec and price links to its source.
Bose
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
$199
Released 2023-10
Which is better: the Sony WH-1000XM6 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones?
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones wins 1 of the 1 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 0.
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec |  Sony WH-1000XM6 |  Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones |
|---|---|---|
| US price | — | $199 |
| Brand | Sony | Bose |
| Released | 2025-05 | 2023-10 |
| ANC | Yes | Yes |
| Driver (mm) | 30 | — |
| Battery (hr) | 30 | 24 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive |
| Wired option | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (g) | 254 | 250 |
| Release | 2025-05 | 2023-10 |
Sources — Sony WH-1000XM6: headphonecheck.com (verified 2026-06-15). Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: target.com (verified 2026-09-28).
What's the difference between the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (3 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- Battery (hr): Sony WH-1000XM6 30 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 24
- Codecs: Sony WH-1000XM6 SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive
- Weight (g): Sony WH-1000XM6 254 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 250
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Sony WH-1000XM6
Three whitelisted testers (SoundGuys, What Hi-Fi, Tom's Guide) rate the WH-1000XM6 a strong flagship. SoundGuys (5-day test) logged 37 hours 14 minutes of battery with ANC and a 4.8/5 MDAQS score, praising excellent ANC, sound and microphone but flagging thin pads and no USB-C audio. What Hi-Fi (Awards 2025 winner, five stars) calls it the best-sounding Sony flagship with class-leading calls and rates comfort a full 5/5. Tom's Guide's 3-months-later follow-up is the outlier, judging the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 better-sounding and the Bose QC Ultra better at blocking noise, and calling the build cheap-feeling for $449. Reviewers split on comfort, value and how much the XM6 improves on the XM5. (3 sourced reviews, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Excellent, refined active noise cancellation; Best-sounding Sony WH-1000X flagship to date; Class-leading call/microphone quality.
Flagged: Comfort compromises: thin pads, ANC mic can rub the ear, headband pressure point; No USB-C audio / lack of cutting-edge connectivity; ANC gains over the XM5 feel marginal; Bose still blocks more noise (Tom's Guide).
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Three whitelisted testers (SoundGuys, Tom's Guide, What Hi-Fi) reviewed the original 2023 QC Ultra Headphones. All three rate the ANC best-in-class, comfort excellent and sound entertaining, while flagging the $429 price. SoundGuys measured 27h37m runtime and ~87% real-world noise reduction and praised battery; Tom's Guide and What Hi-Fi call the 24h battery only decent, not class-leading. Immersive Audio splits opinion. (3 sourced reviews, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Class-leading active noise cancelling; Comfortable, lightweight foldable design; Rich, entertaining sound quality.
Flagged: High $429 price versus rivals; Only-decent 24h battery, not class-leading; No USB-C wired audio listening.