Sony WH-1000XM6 / Apple AirPods 4 (Active Noise Cancellation)

Sony WH-1000XM6: WH series · Over-ear

Apple AirPods 4 (Active Noise Cancellation): AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation; USB-C case with speaker and wireless charging. The AirPods 4 without ANC and the AirPods Pro models are separate.

SpecificationSony WH-1000XM6Apple AirPods 4 (Active Noise Cancellation)
Release year20252024
Driver30 mm Sony—
Bluetooth5.3 Sony—
Bluetooth profilesA2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP; TMAP, GMAP, PBP for LE Audio

About 10 m line-of-sight range; Power Class 1.

Sony		—
CodecSBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 Sony—
Frequency responseWired and on: 4–40,000 Hz; LDAC 96 kHz: 20–40,000 Hz

Over Bluetooth at 44.1 kHz sampling the range is 20–20,000 Hz.

Sony		—
Impedance / sensitivityWired, on: 48 Ω, 103 dB/mW; off: 16 Ω, 102 dB/mW Sony—
Rated battery lifeMusic: up to 30 hours with ANC, 40 hours without ANC Sony—
Rated talk timeUp to 24 hours with ANC, 28 hours without ANC Sony—
ChargingAbout 3.5 hours; 9 V / 2.3 A with a USB Power Delivery adapter

Charge between 5 and 35 °C; use between 0 and 40 °C.

Sony		—
ConnectionsBluetooth; 3.5 mm audio; USB-C charging Sony—
WeightApproximately 254 g Sony—
Gaming audioGMAP support · firmware 3.1.5

Added by the 30 June 2026 update; requires a compatible phone and game.

Sony		—
LE Audio requirementLC3; Low latency mode in Sound Connect

LE Audio is unavailable in the default Prioritize Sound Quality mode.

Sony		—
Water protectionNot waterproof

Not designed for rain or wet use.

Sony		—
Earlier software fix2.1.0: recording/playback in some iPhone apps and missing call audio

21 August 2025 release note; not a fix for every connection issue.

Sony		—
Chip—Apple H2 headphone chip Apple
Noise control—Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness

Without ear tips the ear canal is not sealed like with silicone-tip earbuds, so ANC mainly reduces low-frequency rumble. Adaptive Audio blends ANC and Transparency based on surrounding sound.

Apple
Audio—Custom high-excursion Apple driver; high dynamic range amplifier; Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking; Adaptive EQ; vent system for pressure equalisation Apple
Microphones and sensors—Dual beamforming microphones and inward-facing microphone; Voice Isolation; optical in-ear sensor; motion- and speech-detecting accelerometers; force sensor

The force sensor lets you press the stem to control playback, calls and listening modes.

Apple
Battery life—Earbuds: 4 hours with ANC on, 5 hours with noise control off; with case: 20 hours with ANC on, 30 hours off; 5 minutes in the case ≈ 1 hour of listening Apple
Charging case—Charges via USB-C, an Apple Watch charger or a Qi-certified charger; speaker for Find My

No USB-C cable is included. The speaker helps locate a lost case by sound.

Apple
Durability—IP54 dust, sweat and water resistance

Not intended for water sports; resistance can decrease over time.

Apple
Connectivity—Bluetooth 5.3

Works as standard Bluetooth earbuds with non-Apple devices; features such as automatic switching, Spatial Audio and Adaptive Audio need current Apple software.

Apple
Size and weight—Earbud 30.2 × 18.3 × 18.1 mm, 4.3 g; case 46.2 × 50.1 × 21.2 mm, 34.7 g Apple