The Sony WF-1000XM6 are giving me a serious case of déjà vu, but it’s not all good.
I’ve been testing the Sony WF-1000X6 for a few weeks now, but from the moment I first took them out of the box and saw what was coming, I had a feeling this article might be the end result.
You see, I’ve been here before. After the launch of Sony’s previous wireless earbuds, the WF-1000XM5, I wrote an article explaining how there was one thing I would change, and it wasn’t the noise cancellation.
Although I had a good quality time with the ANC, I did not find the boys as comfortable as others who were close to them at the time.
Now, when I heard that Sony had tweaked the design of the new WF-1000XM6 during their launch event in early February, I was happy to see that this might improve the overall comfort levels. But my excitement was dampened when I saw that Sony was insisting on the same in-ears as before.
If you haven’t been following Sony’s ertip development over the past few years (and I’m sad to say I have), please give me a little background on the scene.
Sony introduced this tip with the WF-1000XM4 back in 2021. When we described it in our review of the WF-1000XM4, we said, “Made of polyurethane, which feels like a cross between silicone and foam, Sony says it helps secure a firm, stable fit. Thousands of bubbles that should reduce tips and disperse.”
Back then, you only had three tip sizes to choose from to help you get the mark (small, medium or large). In the WF-1000XM5, Sony introduced a very small tip, perhaps for people with small ear holes who found other sizes uncomfortable.
For the XM6, however, nothing has changed. A bigger eartip would help, but I’m not sure if it’s the actual size that’s the problem for me, more so the choice of materials.
You see, it’s not proper memory foam, or silicone. The mix that Sony settled on doesn’t sound responsive enough. I don’t think it has to do with the shape of the earbuds – they seem to fit perfectly in the curve of my inner ear – it’s more that I can feel the tips pushing into my ear, and that sometimes you have to move the tips around a bit to get the right seal.
I need look no further than the What Hi-Fi? stockroom for a pair of wireless earbuds that feel consistently comfortable.
Apple’s AirPods Pro 3, have new “foamed” earbuds with “a new layer of foamed microspheres” that feel a little thicker and bigger. I tried it and I love it.
I also swim with the slightly shallower, slightly molded silicone eartips, which don’t stick out from other competitors but give you the feeling that they cover the parts of your ear that need them.
Also, the tips of the Award-winning Technics EAH-AZ100 are brightly colored, but the dome of each tip is very small, which doesn’t seem to rub my ear the wrong way.
After asking for the opinions of other members of our review team, it seems I’m not the only one who is unsure about this issue. And the law of averages suggests there will be plenty of others out there who feel the same way.
Don’t get me wrong, if you get the Sony equivalent, the results are great; and you have to remember in all of this that no two ears are the same – fit is always about personal preference.
I just spend too much time adjusting and tweaking the fit before a listening session and asking myself, “is that right?”. It’s not a bad fit; it’s just that I can get the competitor’s earbuds to fit in my ears faster.
Not enough to put me off buying a pair or stopping me from recommending them. However, I think that, in its next flagships, Sony may want to revisit the materials it uses.
Ironically, I’ve never had all these problems with Sony’s wireless earbuds, none of which use this type of tip. Maybe that would be a start?
MORE:
Read our full Sony WF-1000XM6 review
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Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: which are the best wireless earbuds?
Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen): which should you buy?
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