Sony's New WH-1000XM6 Headphones vs. AirPods Max

[lindros2]

Anyone know if you can attach a boom mic to the 3.5 jack of the XM6? All these over the ear options are great except I’d like a decent mic for Teams calls that doesn’t pick up everyone else in the office

My coworker uses a Yeti Blue with his XM5.
1) Either set as different sources (BT headphones; wired mic), OR 2) route all audio to Yeti, then plug the cans into that.
I often accidentally set my Blue to both mic and headphones which (without headphones connected to them) gives me no sound.

 

[nathansz]

Sound reproduction may be measured scientifically.
But perception of that sound is subjective.

Pretty much exactly what I said.
We have no disagreement here.

 

[nathansz]

How people perceive sounds is subjective.
Some have musical preference, some hear different frequencies less than others.

Yes, that's exactly what I said.

 

[JTK Awesome]

Accurate sound reproduction is not at all subjective

I was responding to @saturn88 who simply said APM had the "best" sound not "the most accurate."

 

[nathansz]

I was responding to @saturn88 who simply said APM had the "best" sound not "the most accurate."

indeed. my apologies for any misunderstanding

 

[nycgeo]

You cant listen to music via USB-C on the APM as this article suggests. Thats a massive and embarrassing omission. It kills me when I want to plug into latency free systems.

 

[Aquamite]

You cant listen to music via USB-C on the APM as this article suggests. Thats a massive and embarrassing omission. It kills me when I want to plug into latency free systems.

What?

 

[CyberDavis]

You cant listen to music via USB-C on the APM as this article suggests. Thats a massive and embarrassing omission. It kills me when I want to plug into latency free systems.

I’m confused, I thought this meant it was possible…

Lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio come to AirPods Max

Apple is bringing lossless audio with ultra-low latency to AirPods Max, delivering the ultimate listening experience and even greater performance.

www.apple.com

 

[Aquamite]

it is possible. I use USB Audio with my AirPods Max everyday.

 

[jonblatho]

I've got the MX5's and with the exception of not folding I love them. Incredible quality, great noise cancelling. And I actually consider not having fast device switching to be a benefit (Apple's rarely works properly, and you can't disable the darn thing).

I agree that Apple’s automatic device switching can be a nuisance, but you can disable it pretty easily in the AirPods settings. Change the “Connect to This [Device]” setting from “Automatically” to “When Last Connected to This [Device]”.

You do have to do it per-device, but this also enables you to exclude a device(s) from the mix if, for example, the usual problem child is just a specific app on your Mac or whatever without giving it up between your iPhone and iPad where it usually works fine.

 

[N47H]

It is an apple site to be fair.

It’s an Apple News site for people who have an interest in Apple products, it doesn’t mean you have to have blinkered perspective and only support Apple products regardless of objective feedback, you are allowed to like other products, accept flaws in Apple products and admit others can be better. I love my MacBook Pro, Watch and iPhone, in fact I wear my APM daily too, but that doesn’t mean I can’t accept that Apple have made some duds or others have out done them.

Honestly, loyalty to a mega corporation who’s only interest in you is how much money you’ll give them is so bizarre a mindset.

 

[lindros2]

Just to reiterate - APP APM APwhatever don’t require an app.
The Sony app was designed by incoherent illiterate Anime writers who are either complete imbeciles or want to trigger manic bipolar rage, which is what I have now with my XM5’s.
To that end, Apple and Beats products are far superior.

 

[MacBH928]

 

[Maxis]

Getting a new pair of XM6 tomorrow. Can't wait!

 

[robvalentine]

It’s an Apple News site for people who have an interest in Apple products, it doesn’t mean you have to have blinkered perspective and only support Apple products regardless of objective feedback, you are allowed to like other products, accept flaws in Apple products and admit others can be better. I love my MacBook Pro, Watch and iPhone, in fact I wear my APM daily too, but that doesn’t mean I can’t accept that Apple have made some duds or others have out done them.

Honestly, loyalty to a mega corporation who’s only interest in you is how much money you’ll give them is so bizarre a mindset.

Agreed, my comment was meant neutrally, the only apple product I use daily is my macbook pro. I was trying to explain the apple slant in the article.

Some posts on here are pretty amusing in their fanboyism.

 

[robvalentine]

Just to reiterate - APP APM APwhatever don’t require an app.
The Sony app was designed by incoherent illiterate Anime writers who are either complete imbeciles or want to trigger manic bipolar rage, which is what I have now with my XM5’s.
To that end, Apple and Beats products are far superior.

As amusing as this take is, the app is inbuilt, and if you were to ever switch to Android (unlikely it seems) then you have no app. This is why Sony's imperfect app wins. Although I'd argue, setup aside, it's easier to find and use than delving through settings. All I ever do with a headphone is switch between transparancy and noise cancelling modes which can be done with a button/action on the headphone/earbud, so it's not something I need to use daily.

 

[AF_APPLETALK]

condensation?

Very likely. I did notice that from time to time.

I tried to be aware/cognizant of it, cleaning them out and also pretty much only ever using them in indoor, AC'd environments.

 

[dandrewk]

Just to reiterate - APP APM APwhatever don’t require an app.
The Sony app was designed by incoherent illiterate Anime writers who are either complete imbeciles or want to trigger manic bipolar rage, which is what I have now with my XM5’s.
To that end, Apple and Beats products are far superior.

I have had zero issues with the app, nor have I read little whining about it. Like everything else, once you get it, you get it. And it's not at all esoteric.

And YES, Apple does require an app for APM if you want to make any adjustments. The only difference is Apple buries it in the listening device's settings.

Even then, there is the MASSIVE issue of no user adjustable EQ. I can't think of any other major headphone manufacturers that lack EQ adjustability. Even the cheapest receivers have tone control. Heck, I've I transistor AM radios that had tone controls.

 

[tanyet]

Main advantage I give to the Sony’s is low self noise. Both the APM and Bose units have a good bit of self noise when in either mode. The Bose is really bad IMHO. The Sony’s are absolutely dead quiet. I don’t see a lot of people complaining about this so it might just be me.

 

[lindros2]

As amusing as this take is, the app is inbuilt, and if you were to ever switch to Android (unlikely it seems) then you have no app. This is why Sony's imperfect app wins. Although I'd argue, setup aside, it's easier to find and use than delving through settings. All I ever do with a headphone is switch between transparancy and noise cancelling modes which can be done with a button/action on the headphone/earbud, so it's not something I need to use daily.

I can post 50 screenshots about how nonsense the Sony app is.
- the inability to automatically connect to my headphones
- the survey popup (yet AGAIN today)
- the grammar "please wait a while" "ver12.0" no space
- the places to tap/click often make no sense
- the updates
- the repeated alerts over and over and over again for news/notes
- the integration with / promotion of third-party services I've never used / will never use
- the auto-start of music and now news alerts I can't shut off - now "scene"

It's so overly complicated, and not in a "Tesla / Rivian / Lucid features buried deep in the menu system" sense.

Pro tip - we're discussing this on MACrumors.
Not ANDROIDrumors.

(I've had Android phones - great hardware, terrible software and redundant apps between Google + manufacturer and others... makes no sense)

 

[robvalentine]

I can post 50 screenshots about how nonsense the Sony app is.
- the inability to automatically connect to my headphones
- the survey popup (yet AGAIN today)
- the grammar "please wait a while" "ver12.0" no space
- the places to tap/click often make no sense
- the updates
- the repeated alerts over and over and over again for news/notes
- the integration with / promotion of third-party services I've never used / will never use
- the auto-start of music and now news alerts I can't shut off - now "scene"

It's so overly complicated, and not in a "Tesla / Rivian / Lucid features buried deep in the menu system" sense.

Pro tip - we're discussing this on MACrumors.
Not ANDROIDrumors.

(I've had Android phones - great hardware, terrible software and redundant apps between Google + manufacturer and others... makes no sense)

my experience differs to your's I guess, my WF-1000XM4's connect as needed and as they are multi point switching isn't really an issue for me.

your pro tip is irrelevant, as Macrumors also covers non Apple content such as major Android releases, headphones from other brands in comparisons (as shown in this story). I do apologise if I mentioned brands other than Apple.

"It's so overly complicated, and not in a "Tesla / Rivian / Lucid features buried deep in the menu system" sense." You know in Android you can access app settings from the app, or a long press of the icon? You don't need to scroll to the bottom of the settings list, then scroll some more in a different app (Settings)?

But I digress, the Sony app running on my Pixel 9 Pro XL, and iPhone 16 pro works fine for me, and it's easy to control the headphones, rather than clicking a tiny circled I in the bluetooth settings.

Sent from MacBook Pro M4 Pro (Admittedly typed on a Logitech keyboard, I hope that doesn't disqualify me).

 

[lindros2]

my experience differs to your's I guess, my WF-1000XM4's connect as needed and as they are multi point switching isn't really an issue for me.

your pro tip is irrelevant, as Macrumors also covers non Apple content such as major Android releases, headphones from other brands in comparisons (as shown in this story). I do apologise if I mentioned brands other than Apple.

"It's so overly complicated, and not in a "Tesla / Rivian / Lucid features buried deep in the menu system" sense." You know in Android you can access app settings from the app, or a long press of the icon? You don't need to scroll to the bottom of the settings list, then scroll some more in a different app (Settings)?

But I digress, the Sony app running on my Pixel 9 Pro XL, and iPhone 16 pro works fine for me, and it's easy to control the headphones, rather than clicking a tiny circled I in the bluetooth settings.

Sent from MacBook Pro M4 Pro (Admittedly typed on a Logitech keyboard, I hope that doesn't disqualify me).

whatever

 

[bobthekelpieau]

The original case for AirPod Max is a bit naff, let’s the product down.

But I got a decent third party case that has the same functionality, loads of options include the required elements to do the switch off etc.
Hopefully any future iteration will have a better case.

Just out of interest, what third party case did you go for?

 

[CyberDavis]

Just out of interest, what third party case did you go for?

I went for Waterfield at the time but there are many more options now. But I have been pleased with the quality.

 

[Maxis]

Getting a new pair of XM6 tomorrow. Can't wait!

It was actually a great purchase — I prefer the sound quality and noise-cancelling of the XM6s to that of the APMs.