Sony’s WF-1000XM6 in-ear buds are finally official, with a launch date for South Africa among the data points we didn’t have. If you want the really important info first, here it is. The XM6 buds launch in SA on 3 April this year, and you’ll pay R8,000 to stick a pair in your ears.
Also inbound is a new Sand Pink (so just… pink) model of the WH-1000XM6. Those’ll set you back R11,000 for a set. Whether you’ll choose the new shade over the existing models (now priced at R9,000) is up to you.
WF-1000XM6 inbound
It’s not like there were many secrets left about Sony’s newest premium in-ears before last night’s official announcement. We already knew… pretty much everything there was to know about them, down to the design, battery life, and software features. Let’s see if Sony has anything new to add.
Sony claims a 25% reduction in noise via more advanced cancelling. Unlike Apple, the Japanese company is comparing these buds’ performance to its direct ancestor, the WF-1000XM5. Extra microphones, plus the company’s HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN3e internals, should make this possible. The mics should also improve call quality.
Adaptive noise cancelling (ANC) has apparently improved, in part due to the Integrated Processor V the XM6 features. Since this is also in the XM5, it should be possible for these improvements to arrive on the older buds via a firmware update. Sony hasn’t made any noise in that direction yet, but we can hope.
Inside, a new design for the driver unit promises “a new dimension to sound quality”, with a custom multi-material diaphragm and “[s]pecial notches in the edge” supposedly unleashing better audio performance. We’ll have to jam a pair of WF-1000XM6s into our own skulls to see if Sony is telling the truth.
As for the pink-hued WH-1000XM6 overs… they’re… well, they’re pink. They’re probably for girls and/or women, but anyone who buys their headphones as “an accessory that will blend seamlessly with their outfits” will probably find a use for them. There’s no extra tech inside. It’s just… pink. Sand Pink.
