Sony WH-1000XM6
Noble FoKus Apollo
What Buyers Say
Sony WH-1000XM6
The Sony WH-1000XM6 earns praise for its exceptional noise cancellation, clear sound quality, and comfortable fit for many users, with several calling it the best headphones they've owned. However, a significant number of reviews highlight serious drawbacks: uncomfortable clamping force and shallow earcups causing pain, buggy multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, a fingerprint-prone finish, and disappointing customer service regarding warranty repairs and promised free gifts. While the ANC and audio are top-tier, comfort and reliability issues prevent it from being a universal recommendation.
Pros
- Exceptional noise cancellation
- Clear and detailed sound quality
- Comfortable for many users
- Long battery life
- Foldable design
Cons
- Uncomfortable clamping force
- Shallow earcups causing pain
- Buggy multipoint Bluetooth
- Fingerprint-prone finish
- Poor customer service
Noble FoKus Apollo
The Noble Audio headset receives mixed feedback: while many praise its excellent sound clarity, powerful bass, and effective noise cancellation, a significant number of users report hardware defects out of the box, poor build quality with earcups detaching, and uncomfortable fit for long sessions. Customer service responsiveness is also criticized. The sound quality is often described as superior to competitors like Sony XM6 and Sennheiser Momentum 4, but reliability issues and high price deter recommendations.
Pros
- Excellent sound clarity and detail
- Powerful bass without muddiness
- Effective noise cancellation
- Good microphone quality for calls
- Comfortable for long hauls with adjustments
Cons
- Hardware defects out of the box
- Poor build quality (earcups detaching)
- Uncomfortable for long sessions (head pressure)
- Insufficient volume and bass for some
- Poor customer service responsiveness
Scores
Specifications
| Sony WH-1000XM6 | Noble FoKus Apollo | |
|---|---|---|
| Design | ||
| Form Factor | over-ear | over-ear |
| Open/Closed | closed | closed |
| Foldable | ✓★ | — |
| Weight | 0.25 kg★ | 1.40 kg |
| Ear Cushion | synthetic leather | memory foam, premium protein leather |
| Headband | synthetic leather | Alcantara |
| Audio | ||
| Driver Type | dynamic | dynamic + planar magnetic |
| Driver Size | 30 mm | 40 mm★ |
| Drivers | 1 | 2★ |
| Freq Min | 4 Hz★ | — |
| Freq Max | 40 kHz★ | — |
| Impedance | 48 Ω | 32 Ω |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB★ | — |
| Hi-Res Audio | ✓ | ✓ |
| Codecs | LDAC | LDAC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, SBC |
| Surround | Sony WH-1000XM6 The Best Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones, HD NC Processor QN3, 12 Microphones, Studio-Quality, New Sandstone Color | Sony WH-1000XM6 The Best Noise Cancelling Wireless | Sony | Sa | — |
| Noise Control | ||
| ANC | ✓ | ✓ |
| ANC Type | adaptive | hybrid |
| Transparency | ✓ | ✓ |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Profiles | A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP, TMAP, PBP | — |
| Multipoint | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wired Connector | 3.5mm | 3.5mm |
| Detachable Cable | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cable Length | 1.2000000476837158 m | — |
| Range | 10 m★ | — |
| Battery | ||
| Battery Life | 30 hrs | 80 hrs★ |
| Charge Time | 3 hrs★ | — |
| Fast Charging | 3 minutes for 3 hours playback | — |
| Charging | USB-C | USB-C |
| Microphone | ||
| Microphone | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mic Count | 6 | 6 |
| NC Mic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boom Mic | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Detachable Mic | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Features | ||
| Voice Assistant | Siri, Google Assistant | — |
| Touch Controls | ✓★ | ✗ |
| App | Sony | Sound Connect | Noble FoKus app |
| Gaming Mode | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water Resistance | Waterproof | — |
Pros & Cons
Sony WH-1000XM6
- Strong connectivity (100th percentile)100th %ile
- Strong anc (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong sound (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong build (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Below average user sentiment (22nd percentile)
Noble FoKus Apollo
- Strong mic (100th percentile)100th %ile
- Strong sound (100th percentile)100th %ile
- Strong connectivity (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong battery (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (5th percentile)5th %ile
- Below average comfort (10th percentile)10th %ile
- Below average social proof (21st percentile)
Pricing
Sony WH-1000XM6 offers 3.0x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 96 overall, wins 7 of 7 usage categories and 8 of 41 specs.
