Sony WH-1000XM6 review: Excellent noise cancelling and sound — but missing one key feature£399, sony.co.uk
Sony’s flagship wireless WH-1000X series has consistently topped review charts since its release, and it’s now been three years since the critically-acclaimed WH-1000XM5 came out. So it’s fair to say the WH-1000XM6 has been keenly anticipated, and Sony has done much more than tinker around the edges.
There’s faster processing, hardware changes and more software options than you can shake a stick at. But in a relatively crowded marketplace, do they still have what it takes to beat the competition?

READ MORE: Sony’s MDR-M1 headphones give ​​a true picture of your mixes and masters

The design of the M6 is similar to its predecessor but with a few differences. For starters, the cups now fold down, making them much easier to transport in the hard case they come supplied with. The headband is a little wider than before, and the pressure is slightly greater to ensure a more secure fit and also to assist with noise isolation. At 255g, they are comfortable to wear for long periods and, despite the over-ear design, don’t become overly warm. The band is stepless, meaning you can adjust it precisely to suit your head.
The headphones charge over USB. A USB-A to C cable is supplied, an odd decision in 2025 when most people have a USB-C charger. Battery life is 30 hours with noise cancelling turned on, and 40 with it off, which is the same as the previous model, but also powers a much more advanced processor. A full recharge takes 3.5 hours, and a three-minute charge with a PD-compatible charger will get you an impressive three hours of playback. For the first time, you can now use the headphones during charging (although with a longer cable than the extremely short one supplied), which is likely to be of use given the prevalence of battery packs now, letting you play back and recharge on the move.
WH-1000XM6 in Midnight Blue. Image: Press
Sadly, you can’t listen to audio over USB-C. This feels like a bizarre omission — it’s a feature found on competing headphones like the Master & Dynamic MW75 and Bowers and Wilkins’ Px8, both of which offer uncompressed digital audio at the highest sample and bit rates.
There is a regular 3.5mm connection, however, with a cable in the box for connecting to hi-fi or other hardware. The headphones use Bluetooth 5.3 and support LE for low-latency gaming or movie modes, SBC, AAC and LC3, plus higher quality LDAC codecs. Two-device multipoint is available too; a must in today’s world.
There are well-placed onboard controls for power, pairing and ANC, but you’ll need to download the free Sony Sound Connect app to manage headphone settings from your mobile device. There’s the usual stuff: configuring how the touch-sensitive surface reacts for playback and invoking commands, choosing a preset or manual EQ and general power management.
Then, other more unique features include the useful Quick Access, where you set up your preferred music streamer like Apple Music or Spotify to trigger directly from the headphones, to the arguably more niche ‘scene-based listening’, which uses sensors to try to guess your surroundings and make audio settings accordingly. This works as advertised, though many people may prefer having a little more manual control.
WH-1000XM6 in Midnight Blue. Image: Press
Speaking of sensors, the M6 has twelve — count’em — microphones as well as some gyroscopes, the latter used to optionally accept and end calls with head movements and for head tracking. Mostly, though, the mics power the exceptional noise cancellation, something for which these models have long been lauded. The modes are mostly familiar; full cancelling, ambient and ambient with auto adjustment, with some fun extras too, including speak-to silence, which will stop playback and switch on ambient mode when you speak, then revert after you have finished.
You can also place a hand over the right cup to do the same, which is invaluable when needing to hear announcements. The cancelling really is first rate and right up there with the best I’ve ever experienced. Across a range of scenarios, it does a tremendous job of isolating sound without adversely changing its character, which ANC headphones often can’t manage.
That’s a ton of tech, so we do need to talk about the sound. The 30mm drivers are made of carbon fibre and the headphones have a frequency response of 20Hz – 20kHz, standard for most headphones of this type. Sony states they are capable of 4Hz – 40kHz, but this seems to be in wired mode only, or 20Hz – 40kHz when using LDAC streaming. Both 4Hz and 40kHz are well outside the range of human hearing, so while these are nice to have for sure, you’re not going to miss any detail. It’s arguably not a deal-breaker.
User wearing the WH-1000XM6 in Black. Image: Press
Taking the somewhat more common scenario of streaming over Bluetooth from an iPhone, the M6 headphones still blow me away. Leaving the EQ off (I don’t find it necessary), they produce an incredibly detailed and powerful soundstage. Tonally exceptionally well balanced, the M6 picks out instruments with expert skill, making mixes feel totally alive, sparkling and rich.
Nils Frahm’s Spells from takes on new life, pulsing with life, and every stereo movement is a joy to hear. Mogwai’s 2021 album As The Love Continues fizzes with primal energy. Calmer material works just as well — everything I throw at them sounds joyous.
There is competition around this price point. Apple’s AirPods Max have Apple-centric integration with your other products and USB-C listening, but cost £100 more and are quite dated now. Bose QuietComfort Ultra can be found on sale for around £349 and has solid specs, though slightly worse battery life. Ultimately, the M6 can take advantage of the latest tech, which does give it an edge.
While the app could be less cluttered (Sony software is often less elegant than its hardware) there are loads of cool features, like real-time spatial upmixing from stereo, for movie-style listening, head tracking and more. And while they’re not gimmicks — some people will find them invaluable — it’s the basics that really set these headphones apart. The build is superb, the sound exceptional. The noise cancelling is among the best around and the battery life too. If you’re in the market for a premium pair of wireless headphones, they’re a pretty easy sell.

Key features

30mm carbon fibre drivers
USB-C charging with up to 40 hours of playback
4 Hz – 40 kHz response in analogue wired mode
20 Hz – 20 kHz response in Bluetooth mode
AAC, SBC, LC3 and LDAC codecs
12 microphones
Multi-mode active noise cancellation (ANC)
Head tracking
Virtual surround upmixing
Quick link to streaming services in app
Scene-based automatic adaptive audio

The post Sony WH-1000XM6 review: Excellent noise cancelling and sound — but missing one key feature appeared first on MusicTech.

Audio Modeling Announces Vision for AI EraILIO, the distributor of premier virtual instruments and audio processing software, announced its support for "partner Audio Modeling—a leader in physical modeling technology—as they unveil a forward-looking vision for music creation in the age of AI.""As generative AI tools become more prevalent, Audio Modeling reaffirms its belief in expressive, musician-led performance," they said. "To put that vision into action, they are launching a limited Public Beta Program for their newly updated SWAM Solo Strings and SWAM String Sections instruments. This limited release will give selected users early access to the next generation of expressive virtual instruments for composers and producers—featuring enhanced sonic realism, expressive nuance, and playability—while inviting feedback to help shape future development."Register for the Beta: https://forms.gle/7x1gkeDEPjVJ4MWY9To mark this moment and invite participation, Audio Modeling CEO and founder Stefano Lucato has issued the following letter to the music-making community:Dear Friends,We’re living through an extraordinary time.Technology is evolving at a breathtaking pace — thrilling, yes, but also disorienting. Every day brings breakthroughs that redefine what’s possible. And while it’s hard to predict exactly where we’re headed, one thing is becoming clear:Two very different futures are taking shape.In one, we sit back and watch as machines generate notes, phrases, even entire compositions for us — quickly, efficiently, and impersonally.In the other, we sit in the pilot’s seat. We play. We shape every phrase. We make mistakes, we discover, we connect. We catch the inspiration as it comes — and the instrument flows with us. It doesn’t just respond — it becomes part of the music’s conception. A partner, not a proxy.At Audio Modeling, we believe in this second future.We believe in expressive tools. We believe in you.And we believe that physical modeling is the technology best suited to support your creativity — because it puts nuance, control, and interaction at the center of everything.Over the past months, we’ve worked hard to make important improvements to the already impressive SWAM engine. While SWAM has always delivered unmatched expressive control, the latest versions promise a significant leap in sonic realism. The timbral quality is more organic, more nuanced, more believable — making every instrument feel even more alive, more playable, and simply more inspiring.We want to include you in our journey toward expressive excellence!Starting today, you can register for our Public Beta Program for SWAM Solo Strings and SWAM String Sections. The beta program will go live in July. We’re collecting registrations now and will begin sending out access as soon as the first beta builds are ready to test.We’re sharing these improvements early because we want your feedback. We want your ears, your ideas, your experience. But more than that — we want you to feel part of this journey. Because we truly believe this is the future of music performance and production.SWAM has always been about interaction. Now more than ever, it’s about expression. And the better the instrument responds, the more you come through.Playing is joyful. Playing is human. Playing is yours. And we’re committed to giving you instruments that feel as real, as personal, and as inspiring as the ones you fell in love with when you first started making music. They’re instruments that let you seize the moment — capturing the mood of the day, the impulse of the now, the energy of the room.Because every time you play, it’s an opportunity to say something true.The choice is yours.You can go along for the ride,Or take the driver’s seat.Register for the Beta: https://forms.gle/7x1gkeDEPjVJ4MWY9Warm regards,Stefano LucatoCEO & Founder – Audio ModelingThe post Audio Modeling Announces Vision for AI Era first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Native Instruments MR1 Valve Data The latest addition to Native Instruments' extensive collection of software instruments has arrived, offering a fun and easy-to-use drum machine that’s been designed using a collection of modular and valve gear.

$250M Ondo Catalyst fund signals ‘arms race’ for RWA tokenizationOndo Finance and Pantera Capital are launching a $250 million fund to fuel tokenized real-world asset projects.

TechCrunch All Stage brings back early launch prices for a limited timeTicket rates have officially rolled back with savings of up to $425, as TechCrunch All Stage becomes startup central July 15 in Boston.

A Miniature Ostwald Reactor to Make Nitric Acid
Modern fertilizer manufacturing uses the Haber-Bosch and Ostwald processes to fix aerial nitrogen as ammonia, then oxidize the ammonia to nitric acid. Having already created a Haber-Bosch reactor for ammonia production, [Markus Bindhammer] took the obvious next step and created an Ostwald reactor to make nitric acid.
[Markus]’s first step was to build a sturdy frame for his apparatus, since most inexpensive lab stands are light and tip over easily – not a good trait in the best of times, but particularly undesirable when working with nitrogen dioxide and nitric acid. Instead, [Markus] built a frame out of aluminium extrusion, T-nuts, threaded rods, pipe clamps, and a few cut pieces of aluminium.
Once the frame was built, [Markus] mounted a section of quartz glass tubing above a gas burner intended for camping, and connected the output of the quartz tube to a gas washing bottle. The high-temperature resistant quartz tube held a mixture of alumina and platinum wool (as we’ve seen him use before), which acted as a catalyst for the oxidation of ammonia. The input to the tube was connected to a container of ammonia solution, and the output of the gas washing bottle fed into a solution of universal pH indicator. A vacuum ejector pulled a mixture of air and ammonia vapors through the whole system, and a copper wool flashback arrestor kept that mixture from having explosive side reactions.
After [Markus] started up the ejector and lit the burner, it still took a few hours of experimentation to get the conditions right. The issue seems to be that even with catalysis, ammonia won’t oxidize to nitrogen oxides at too low a temperature, and nitrogen oxides break down to nitrogen and oxygen at too high a temperature. Eventually, though, he managed to get the flow rate right and was rewarded with the tell-tale brown fumes of nitrogen dioxide in the gas washing bottle. The universal indicator also turned red, further confirming that he had made nitric acid.
Thanks to the platinum catalyst, this reactor does have the advantage of not relying on high voltages to make nitric acid. Of course, you’ll still need get ammonia somehow.

Dystopian Waves Wah Pedal M4L DeviceUltimate Wah Pedal for M4L. Bring the iconic sound of classic and modern wah pedals into your DAW with a powerful, fully customizable Max for Live device. Designed for guitarists, producers, and sound designers, this wah effect gives you precise control and creative modulation like never before. Features: 10 Distinct Wah Types: From vintage to modern and experimental sweeps. Sweep Range Control: Set Sweep Min and Sweep Max frequencies anywhere from 50 Hz to 10 kHz for tailor-made filter motion. Adjustable Q Factor: Dial in subtle or extreme resonances for everything from smooth vowel-like sweeps to sharp, aggressive cuts. 4 Modulation Modes: Manual: classic foot-controlled wah, drag your mouse on the virtual pedal to sweep the filter. ADSR: shape wah movement with an envelope triggered by your audio. LFO: auto-wah with 4 selectable waveforms and adjustable rate. LFO Curve: draw your own modulation curve for complex, rhythmic sweeps. Pedal Visualization: Watch and control the wah sweep in real time with an interactive pedal graphic. 4 Pre Filter Distortion Types: From subtle analog warmth to aggressive fuzz, with Drive and Shape controls to sculpt your perfect tone. Intuitive UI: Zoomable sections for fine-tuning, interactive knob behaviors (hover to zoom, double-click to reset), and seamless workflow integration. Perfect for: • Guitars, synths, drums, or any audio source. • Adding movement, character, and expression to your tracks. • Sound design for cinematic, electronic, or experimental music. Whether you're after subtle tonal shifts or wild, expressive sweeps, this M4L wah pedal gives you the power, flexibility, and sonic quality you need to bring your music to life. Video demo coming soon... Read More

MBW’s Music Business UK Awards to return to London this November, supported by YouTubeAs with previous years, the MBUK Awards will recognize the brightest and best of the UK and international music business.
Source

AIR Channel Strip plug-in currently free Designed for producers seeking a clean, professional sound, the all-in-one plug-in is said to be a great general-purpose tool that excels on everything from individual instruments to buses and full mixes. 

Applied Acoustic Systems Lounge Lizard EP-5 Review
Applied Acoustic Systems recently released Lounge Lizard EP-5, the latest version of their flagship modeled electric piano collection. At BPB, we’ve covered many virtual electric pianos, including some lovely free options, such as Sonokinetic’s EMP Mark II for Kontakt Player. I’m fairly new to Lounge Lizard, but I approached it with some lofty expectations because [...]
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Tone2 has updated BiFilter to version 2.5, and it’s now freeware (Windows-only)
Developer Tone2 has updated its Windows-only plugin BiFilter to version 2.5, making it now freeware. BPB covered BiFilter way back in 2012, when Computer Music Magazine featured it as a giveaway for readers. Back then, if you didn’t pick up BiFilter through the giveaway, it would cost you around $39.99. Now, in version 2.5, BiFilter [...]
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MIDiA Global Music Forecast: Recorded Revenue RecalibratesThe global music industry is entering a new era of change and uncertainty. Explore an overview of the MIDiA Global Music Forecast, an in-depth 83-page report, built on detailed data and expert analysis that forecasts where the music business is headed next.
The post MIDiA Global Music Forecast: Recorded Revenue Recalibrates appeared first on Hypebot.

Beats+Bytes 2025 Halftime Report: Music & Culture In ChaosThe Nue Agency's mid-year culture report is out now. The Beats+Bytes 2025 Halftime Report looks at how everything from politics to culture is changing how smart marketers market including key recorded and live music takeaways.
The post Beats+Bytes 2025 Halftime Report: Music & Culture In Chaos appeared first on Hypebot.

M. Shadows: Spotify is run by “career people”: “I’m sure they love music, but they don’t give a damn about bringing up new artists” Unlike traditional record label structures, which see the scouting and development of talent as a long-term endeavour, today’s music executives are less concerned with bringing up new artists and more interested in those who already have “heat”, according to Avenged Sevenfold frontman M. Shadows.
He says an increasing number of music industry professionals are “career people” who “see music as a career” and as a numbers game.

READ MORE: “We’re taking power away from corporate networks, and saying, ‘No, we’re gonna reward our fans, not you’”: M. Shadows on Avenged Sevenfold’s new Fortnite-style Season Pass

In a new interview with Ryan J Downey of FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression), Shadows – real name Matt Sanders – explains that while once upon a time there were “old-school” record labels with A&R professionals interested in nurturing new artists, the industry has become “so numbers-driven”.
“As soon as you have these companies that go from private companies to public companies, and there’s shareholder meetings and things need to hit bottom lines and there’s money involved, you start getting ‘career’ people involved, because they see music as a career,” he explains.
“The same way you could go work at Facebook, Instagram or Warner Bros. – it doesn’t make a difference to you… You got out of college and you’re getting a career job. It doesn’t mean you’re a music lover.”
He goes on: “Same with Spotify… you go in there and these are career people. I’m sure they love music, but they don’t give a damn about bringing up a new artist or song structure, chords or all the things that artists love to do. They love to see if it’s got heat or not. And then they throw gasoline on the heat. Which is fine, but it really convolutes what the whole thing should be.
“It should be an expression, and you should be hoping for expressions from really creative people that make you think in a different way. And that’s what music and art [have] always done for me.”
But he says while music should chiefly be about making an impact on listeners through art, numeric figures for success remain at the forefront of many people’s minds.
“The longer you stay in this industry, the more you see that people are more concerned with the other thing: ‘What are my numbers? Is this gonna work?’ And then it’s all, like, well what’s working, let’s all do it.
“And you see that with the social media platforms, you see it with the labels, you see it with the way people write songs, songs are getting shorter. ‘Everyone’s songs are getting shorter, That’s a coincidence!’ No, it’s because people have shorter attention spans so they’re all trying to fit within a box. To me that’s not art. It’s chasing. It’s commerce.”

Last year, M. Shadows made clear his scepticism of modern-day record labels in a digital landscape where artists have more control than ever before.
“When Avenged Sevenfold were on Warner Bros., they were trying to figure out how to create a viral TikTok moment,” he recalled. “What? I’m a fucking 42-year-old man, I’m not trying to figure out how to do a viral TikTok moment. I’m sorry. You’re going to take 24 cents on our dollar and that’s all you can do, come up with a fucking fake viral TikTok moment?”
Avenged Sevenfold have a series of live dates planned in North and South America for the remainder of the year.
Visit avengedsevenfold.com/tour for more info.
The post M. Shadows: Spotify is run by “career people”: “I’m sure they love music, but they don’t give a damn about bringing up new artists”  appeared first on MusicTech.

Live Music News: UK Ticket Probe • Bonnaroo • Ticketplus • More
Get the latest Live Music News under the Live Industry News tab above.

The post Live Music News: UK Ticket Probe • Bonnaroo • Ticketplus • More appeared first on Hypebot.