Sony 1000X The Collexion review | Infinium-tech

10 years ago, Sony announced its MDR-1000X noise-canceling headphones to challenge Bose and its QuietComfort lineup. And they did and the 1000X series became synonymous with class-leading noise cancellation and audio quality.

With ten years of experience, Sony decided to launch a special edition of its flagship ANC headphones called the Sony 1000X The Collexion. With a more premium build, custom drivers and sound tuning from mastering experts, these cans are clearly meant to stand out from the regular WH-1000XM6.

But they come with a $200/€200 price premium over the aforementioned XM6s, which is a pretty big deal. So, are these leather-wrapped, stainless steel-hinged luxury headphones the true pinnacle in Sony’s over-ear ANC lineup, or are you better off picking up the “regular” XM6 instead?

Table of Contents:

design

The “Collection” (pronounced as collection) represents a modified version of the WH-1000XM6 with a throwback design that pays homage to the MDR-1000X and its synthetic leather earcups.

Most of the exterior of the headphones is made of the same synthetic material, which feels soft to the touch. However, we have concerns about scratches and how the leather will hold up after a few years of daily use.

Compared to the XM6s, you get slightly wider ear pads as well as a more spacious headband for added comfort. Sony went for a more premium look at the sides by including a stainless-steel hinge, with the same material extending around the headband. It feels significantly more solid than the plastic frame of the XM6s.

Sony really nailed the Collexion. The extra padding makes them easy to wear for long periods of time. The most obvious area where the new pair edges out the XM6s is the wider interior of the earpads.

There’s more space inside, and this helps prevent the pads from putting pressure on your ears. The earcup profile on the Collexion is about 5mm thinner than the XM6s, which gives it a sleeker look, but it also leaves less room for internal parts like the battery. More on that later.

The Collexion are over 60 grams heavier than the XM6s, which is certainly noticeable but not a dealbreaker in any case, as the new pair is more comfortable.

The hinges rotate inward when you want to carry the headphones, like the WH-1000XM5. We actually prefer the folding mechanism on the XM6s which is able to assume a smaller footprint

Speaking of carrying, there’s an included case that also brings a neat integrated handle. It’s massive, but it feels solidly built. There’s a magnetic flap at the bottom of the case, while inside there’s a compartment for the bundled audio cable.

Sony 1000X The Collection Carry Case

The 1000X has familiar controls, including a power button and an ANC/ambient mode toggle, but Sony has also added a third button, which toggles between different listening modes. You also get a 3.5mm port and a USB-C port for charging when you want an analog connection.

features

For the most part, the Collexion is almost identical to the XM6s in terms of features. You can check out our WH-1000XM6 review for details.

There are some new bits like the V3 chip, which enables better sound processing and adds support for native DSEE Ultimate audio upscaling. It basically uses AI to reproduce lost frequencies in bit depth and sample rate.

Sony also brought its 360 Upmix feature, which turns standard stereo audio into spatial audio. There are three dedicated profiles for music, movies and games that you toggle through via the dedicated Upmix button on the headphones.

Another change is the addition of Bluetooth 6.0 connectivity, which replaces the older 5.3 version found on the XM6s. You still get dual device pairing as well as SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 codec support.

Display

audio quality

On the inside, the Collexion has the same 30mm drivers as the XM6s, but this time Sony has used a soft-edged dome with a carbon composite material. It is claimed to offer enhanced bass reproduction and better noise-cancellation. Sony also optimized the circuit board layout, which allowed it to fit a thicker copper substrate with 1.5 times more copper foil for greater detail and a wider soundstage.

Sound tuning is another key area where Sony has collaborated with leading mastering engineers to improve the drivers. Marketing material talks about “smooth vocals, clear instrumental balance and natural dynamics” and we found some subtle differences compared to the XM6.

One area where the Collexion outperforms the XM6s is the mid-range. Device separation is better on the new pair and details are slightly clearer and sharper. It’s a small adjustment but it definitely makes a difference once you settle into your regular playlist. Compared to the generally warmer tuning on the XM6, the Collexion offers a more mature presence with a dialed-down focus on bass.

The highs also benefit from increased clarity, and you also get a wider-feeling soundstage, making tracks sound more alive than on the XM6. The additional Music and Games 360 Upmix profiles succeed in providing a pleasant surround sound experience for regular stereo content but we wouldn’t consider this feature a game-changer.

noise canceling

The Collexion has the same Q3 ANC chip as the XM6s and is equipped with 12 microphones split on both sides. To our ears, you’re getting slightly less powerful noise canceling, which we suspect is due to the wider internal diameter of the ear cups.

While the XM6s hold your ears tightly, the Collexion leaves a little more space, which in turn makes the passive seal weaker and lets in more outside noise. It’s a subtle difference but you can easily notice it when switching between the two pairs. Despite less-than-stellar passive isolation, the Collexion still suppresses most outside noise, just not as well as the XM6s.

The Collexion does a great job at eliminating low and mid-range frequency sounds, where you’ll encounter the most common irritants. Think about HVAC, engine vibration, and airplane cabin noise. Still, the XM6s have objectively stronger ANC when compared side by side.

Call quality and connectivity

The Collexion is great at capturing your voice and filtering out background noise even in windy environments. Still, the microphone quality on the Sony headphones isn’t at the level of competitors like Apple’s AirPods Max 2 or even Sennheiser’s HDB 630.

We tested the Collexion by pairing it with an iPhone 17 Pro and MacBook Pro 14, and connectivity remained seamless during the review process.

battery life

With a slightly thinner ear cup profile, Sony had to sacrifice internal space, and the battery department suffered. With ANC on and streaming on AAC, we could barely get over it 25 hours Before the headphones wear out completely.

This is a significant drop compared to the XM6s, which can last for over 30 hours. The discrepancy is definitely something to look at when choosing between the two.

decision

The Sony 1000X The Collexion is a better-dressed cousin of the WH-1000XM6, wrapped in a suit of leather and featuring a sturdy stainless steel hinge. They definitely feel more premium than the all-plastic XM6s, and the Collexion are also the more comfortable pair of headphones between the two.

You’re getting similar core features between the two, with top-notch noise-canceling and pleasant sound tuning. The Collexion sounds better than the box in some ways and also has a wider soundstage.

The 360 ​​upmix support and its associated spatial audio profiles are nice additions, but not game changers, and the same can be said about the native DSEE Ultimate audio upscaling. Keep in mind that the battery endurance of the Collexion is less than that of the XM6, which is a very important factor when you take into account the substantial price difference between the two.

At the end of the day, using these $650/€630 headphones to stream your Spotify playlist on your daily commute is probably overkill. But if you’re the type of user who has a penchant for premium Sony products and wants the latest and greatest audio experience, the Collexion offers exactly that.

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