Compares the Sony WH-1000XM6 earphones with the Nothing Headphone 1, highlighting their features and potential differences.
The market for premium wireless headphones is heating up, with two standout contenders: Sony's WH-1000XM6 and the Nothing Headphone 1. Both offerings differ notably across design, sound quality, active noise cancellation (ANC), comfort, battery life, features, and pricing.
Design
The Nothing Headphone 1, with its bold, transparent "squircle" design, reveals internal components, using aluminum and plastic. It features tactile physical controls, including a roller, paddle, and button. Despite weighing about 329 grams, it does not fold compactly, and its design may not suit long wear comfort universally.
On the other hand, the Sony WH-1000XM6 opts for refined practicality with a sleek, minimalist look, soft synthetic leather ear pads, memory foam, and weighs roughly 250-254 grams. It folds compactly for portability, emphasizing premium feel and intuitive touch controls.
Sound Quality
Both headphones deliver excellent sound quality, considered a tie overall. The Nothing Headphone 1 has a unique tuning with strong bass and customizable parametric equalizer support via its app, while Sony offers a balanced sound signature with DSEE Extreme upscaling and 360 Reality Audio support.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
Sony is widely regarded as the ANC leader with multiple ANC modes and scene recognition effectively reducing ambient noise. While the Nothing Headphone 1 has ANC capabilities, it does not quite match Sony’s refinement and effectiveness, but still performs well.
Comfort
The Sony WH-1000XM6 is lighter and uses soft vegan leather and memory foam padding, making it more comfortable for extended use. The Nothing Headphone 1, although having soft ear cups and a flexible headband, is heavier and its unique earcup shape may cause comfort issues over long sessions.
Battery Life
Both offer strong battery life (around 30 hours per charge with ANC on), but exact comparisons vary slightly depending on use and ANC settings. The Nothing Headphone 1, when used with ANC on, offers up to 35 hours of playback, while the Sony WH-1000XM6 provides around 30 hours.
Extra Features
| Feature | Sony WH-1000XM6 | Nothing Headphone 1 | |-------------------------------|--------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------| | Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 (SBC, AAC, LDAC, LE Audio), 3.5mm wired | Bluetooth 5.3 (SBC, AAC, LDAC), 3.5mm wired, USB wired| | App Support | Sony Headphones Connect app (sound customization, ANC modes) | Nothing X app with granular parametric EQ, Find My, spatial audio | | IP Rating | None | IP52 (dust and splash resistant) | | ANC Modes | Multiple scene-based modes | ANC with low latency mode (unclear codec) | | Spatial Audio Features | 360 Reality Audio | Supported via app |
Sony offers richer codec support, including LE Audio features for lower latency and phone calls, whereas Nothing Headphone 1 offers USB wired connectivity and IP52 ingress protection, an edge for some use cases.
Pricing
The Sony WH-1000XM6 typically commands a higher price reflecting its flagship status, premium build, and ANC performance. The Nothing Headphone 1 is priced more competitively as a bold, design-forward alternative aiming to disrupt the market—exact prices vary but Nothing generally costs less.
In summary, the Sony WH-1000XM6 excels in comfort, refined ANC, and rich feature set for audiophiles prioritizing performance and portability. The Nothing Headphone 1 offers unique design, good sound with customization, and useful extras like IP52 and USB wired connection for users who want style and versatility at a lower price. The best choice depends on priority: classic premium comfort and ANC (Sony), or bold aesthetics and customization (Nothing).
The Sony WH-1000XM6 remains the top pick for those demanding the very best in quiet and intelligent audio, willing to invest the premium for it. The Nothing Headphone 1 was launched at $299 / €299 and offers Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint, Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair, low-latency mode, wear detection, a personal sound profile, Find My Device, and a 4-mic ENC system for clear calls. It also supports USB-C audio and a 3.5mm jack. The Nothing Headphone 1 delivers up to 80 hours of battery life (ANC off) and a solid 35 hours (ANC on, 30 hours with LDAC). A 5-minute charge can yield 2.4-5 hours of playback.
- Despite their differences in design, both the Sony WH-1000XM6 and the Nothing Headphone 1 offer exceptional sound quality, with the Sony headphones catering to a more balanced sound signature and DSEE Extreme upscaling, while the Nothing Headphone 1 provides a unique tuning with strong bass and customizable parametric equalizer support.
- In terms of active noise cancellation (ANC), the Sony WH-1000XM6 is widely recognized for its refined ANC performance and multiple ANC modes, contrasting the Nothing Headphone 1's ANC capabilities, which, while still effective, do not match Sony's level of refinement.
