Sony’s 1000X range has been my travel headphone of choice for years. As a tech journalist, I’m fortunate enough to get to choose from a wide range of headphones, but I keep coming back to the 1000X series. I used the M2, M3 and M4 in their time, and the Sony WH-1000XM6 is what I reach for today when I head to the airport.
So, when Sony offered me the chance to test the 1000X THE COLLEXION, arriving on the tenth anniversary of the original MDR-1000X, I was genuinely curious about what it had to offer and took it on a long-haul trip from Sydney to London to find out how well it travels.
Table of contents
- Specifications and price
- Key features
- What is the 1000X THE COLLEXION?
- Design, build and materials
- Active noise cancellation
- Sound quality
- 360 Reality Audio and Spatial Sound
- Smart features and the app
- Making calls
- Battery life
- Real-world testing: Sydney to London
- Which is best: the 1000X vs WH-1000XM6?
- Frequently asked questions
Sony 1000X THE COLLEXION specifications and price
| Price (RRP) | $999.95 |
| Official website | Sony Australia |
| Colours | Platinum Silver, Black |
| Warranty | 12 months |
| Type | Over-ear, closed-back, wireless noise-cancelling |
| Driver unit | 30 mm (unidirectional carbon composite dome with soft edge) |
| Frequency response (wired) | 4 Hz – 40,000 Hz (IEC) |
| Frequency response (Bluetooth) | 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz (44.1 kHz); 20 Hz – 40,000 Hz (LDAC 96 kHz / 990 kbps) |
| Impedance | 48 ohm (1 kHz) |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB/mW |
| Bluetooth version | Bluetooth 6.0 |
| Codecs supported | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
| Microphones | 12 (Multi-Noise Sensor technology) |
| ANC features | Adaptive NC Optimiser, Auto Ambient Sound, Atmospheric Pressure Optimising, Quick Attention |
| Battery life (ANC on) | Max. 24 hours |
| Battery life (ANC off) | Max. 32 hours |
| Quick charge | 5 minutes = approx. 3 hours playback (USB-C PD required) |
| Full charge time | Approx. 3.5 hours (USB-C) |
| Weight | Approx. 320 g |
| Companion app | Sony Sound Connect |
| Multipoint connection | Yes |
| In the box | Carrying case, connection cable (1.2 m, 3.5 mm), USB-C cable, reference guide |
| Sustainability | ~25% recycled plastic; plastic-free packaging; user-replaceable ear pads |
Sony 1000X THE COLLEXION key features
- Bespoke 30mm unidirectional carbon composite driver, tuned with Grammy-winning mastering engineers
- DSEE Ultimate with Edge AI (first Sony headphone to include this feature)
- 360 Reality Audio Upmix in three modes: Music, Cinema and Game (dedicated Listening Mode button)
- 12-microphone Multi-Noise Sensor ANC with Adaptive NC Optimiser and atmospheric pressure optimising
- Hand-finished matte sandblasted metal headband with hand-polished gloss edges
- Bespoke faux leather ear cushions and headband padding (two years in development)
- Larger earcups and wider headband cushion for extended wear comfort
- Controls and mic openings integrated flush into metalwork
- Bluetooth 6.0 with SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3 codec support
- 24-hour battery with ANC on; 5-minute quick charge = 3 hours playback (USB-C PD)
- Charge while listening
- User-replaceable ear pads
- Magnetic carry case closure; plastic-free packaging (sugarcane-bamboo paper)
- Approx. 25% recycled plastic content
- Available in Platinum Silver and Black
What is the 1000X THE COLLEXION?
At the press launch, Sony was clear that the 1000X is not a successor to the M6. It is a parallel option for those who want their listening experience to feel more like a special occasion. Where the XM6 is a refined, practical, do-everything pair of noise cancellers, the 1000X is built around the idea that premium audio should feel premium to use, too. Sony put a lot of effort into updating the design and materials, and elevated the listening experience with a bespoke driver unit.
At $999.95 in Australia, it costs $300 more than the XM6 and is available in two colourways: Platinum Silver and Black.
Design, build and materials
Look and feel
While the overall ‘look’ of the 1000X resembles the last couple of models, there are subtle changes. Sony has gone with hand-finished metal for the headband: a matte, sandblasted body offset by gloss edges, with each piece hand-polished by a craftsperson. It is the sort of detail you’d expect on a watch, not a pair of headphones. Buttons and microphone openings are integrated cleanly into the metalwork, removing the visual clutter that can make premium headphones look overdone.
What I like about the result is that it doesn’t announce itself. It’s not obtrusive, garish or overdone; it doesn’t scream ‘look at me, I’ve spent a bomb on my headphones.’ The shape is familiar, not unlike the M6, which I already appreciate. In hand, the 1000X has a genuinely luxurious feel, and the all-metal controls are easy to locate by feel in the dark. They provide a nice visual contrast too, particularly striking against the black colourway, and still smart against the silver.
Materials and comfort
The earcups and headband padding are wrapped in a bespoke faux leather that Sony says took two years to develop. It is described as more pliable and more sustainable than genuine leather, and it feels the part: supple and warm, adapting to the shape of your head gradually until it becomes unnoticeable.
The 1000X weighs 320g, compared to the M6’s 254g, a meaningful difference on paper. In practice, the combination of the wider headband cushion and generously sized earcups does a lot to offset it. I wore them for stretches of six to eight hours during my flights without significant discomfort.
The earcup size is the real win for extended wear. On the M6, my ear pushes up against the inside of the cup and catches on the edges over long sessions. The 1000X cups are noticeably more generous.
One fitting note: the adjustment arms sit lower by default than I expected. My head is fairly average in size, and I barely needed to extend them, so those with smaller heads should try these on before buying. The mechanism slides smoothly and holds firmly once set.
The carry case
The carry case is made from a woven material that feels considered and organic. The magnetic clasp is a revelation: you don’t need to zip anything up; it just snaps shut and holds.
Case compactness matters a lot when you’re travelling with a full carry-on, and my M6’s case is a little more stow-friendly in tight spots. But the 1000X case has something I love: a hole in the centre of the lid that forms a natural handle, making it easy to tote around the terminal or hotel. Inside, the moulded recesses for the earcups are easy to figure out, far less of a spatial puzzle than the M6 case, which in a jet-lagged state I’ve often failed to solve correctly. There’s also a pocket for the USB-C and 3.5mm cables, which is a handy touch.
Active noise cancellation
Active noise cancellation on the 1000X uses the same setup as the WH-1000XM6: 12 microphones feeding Sony’s Multi-Noise Sensor technology, with the Adaptive NC Optimiser adjusting in real time to whatever environment you step into. Atmospheric pressure optimising is also built in, designed to fine-tune ANC performance at altitude.
In practice, I didn’t notice any dramatic improvement over the M6. The 1000X does the job, cutting out the drone of aircraft engines and pushing chatter and the occasional crying child into the background. There are more aggressive noise-cancelling options out there, and Apple’s AirPods Max edges ahead (but are way too heavy for me to travel with). Transparency mode works well too, and is useful when moving around town or at the airport and wanting to stay aware of your surroundings without taking the headphones off.
Sound quality
The 1000X gets a bespoke driver unit: a high-rigidity dome made from unidirectional carbon fibre composite with a soft edge. Sony’s stated aim is improved instrument separation, more detail at the top end, and a wider soundstage. Tuning was handled in collaboration with Grammy-winning and nominated mastering engineers from the US, with a deliberate brief to stay faithful to what the artist intended rather than impose a house sound.
All audio testing was done via Apple Music on an iPhone 17 Pro set to Hi-Res Lossless, streamed wirelessly over Bluetooth. EQ was left at default, Listening Mode set to Standard, and ANC off during listening sessions. Where DSEE Ultimate is noted, I ran the track twice: once with it off and once with it on.
Track by track
Michael Jackson – Billie Jean (Apple Music, Lossless 24-bit/48 kHz ALAC)
A useful early test for driver precision. The stereo spread from the maracas across to MJ’s vocal expressions is immediately apparent, and the bassline is smooth and tight, not muddied at all, which shows the precision and quality of the driver. With DSEE Ultimate switched on, there was a noticeable increase in sharpness and detail, which makes sense given the vintage recording source.
Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pools (Apple Music, Lossless 24-bit/44.1 kHz ALAC)
Similar bassline precision here, though with a heavier beat competing for space. The 1000X holds it together cleanly throughout.
Billie Eilish – Ocean Eyes (Apple Music, Lossless 24-bit/44.1 kHz ALAC)
Loads of detail in Billie’s voice, smooth and rich, with the breathy, close-mic character of the recording fully intact. DSEE made only the very slightest difference here, a trace more presence in the high frequencies, which reflects the quality of the original recording rather than any shortcoming in the headphone.
Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah (Apple Music, Hi-Res Lossless 24-bit/96 kHz ALAC)
This is where the 1000X really shines. The detail in Buckley’s voice is extraordinary; you can hear the breath from pursed lips pushing into those breathy Hallelujah notes, and the scintillating high notes carry genuine light and energy. The dynamic range is something else, too: the power of his rising voice against the reverb-soaked guitar passages is rendered with real contrast and depth. Remarkable.
Miles Davis – Kind of Blue (Apple Music, Hi-Res Lossless 24-bit/96 kHz ALAC)
A great instrument separation test, and the 1000X delivers. The placement is clear and distinct: saxophone mid-left, piano centre, cymbals far right. Dynamic range is also on show, from subtle piano chords to piercing sax high notes, all rendered with composure.
Daft Punk – Lose Yourself to Dance (Apple Music, Lossless 24-bit/44.1 kHz ALAC)
Wide frequency coverage, nothing muddy, crisp and detailed. The punch from the low end is balanced rather than dominant.
DSEE Ultimate
The 1000X is the first Sony headphone to ship with DSEE Ultimate, which uses Edge AI to upscale compressed music in real time, restoring lost detail and dynamic range that the source material is missing.
Tested track by track, the results varied by source quality. On a well-mastered modern recording like “Ocean Eyes”, the difference was barely perceptible, a faint lift in high-frequency presence. On an older recording like “Billie Jean”, the effect was more noticeable, with greater sharpness and detail. It’s not a night-and-day transformation, but it’s a thoughtful addition and worth leaving on.
How does it compare?
I compared most tracks with my handy M6s, as well as Apple’s AirPods Max (2nd gen). Here are some general conclusions:
- AirPods Max: more neutral to bright, occasionally a touch clinical, with emphasis on mids and treble
- 1000X THE COLLEXION: warm, rounded and smooth, tight and punchy bass, noticeable instrument separation
- WH-1000XM6: similar character to the 1000X, though occasionally a touch muddier and without quite the same richness
The difference between the 1000X and M6 is not dramatic, but it is audible on close listening. The 1000X has a fuller, more refined sound that rewards the attention you bring to it. The AirPods Max are more expensive ($899 in Australia) and do have elevated audio fidelity over the M6 (and probably the best ANC overall), although not as sweet-sounding as the 1000X by my ear.
360 Reality Audio and Spatial Sound
The 1000X introduces 360 Reality Audio Upmix in three dedicated modes: Music, Cinema and Game, accessed via a dedicated Listening Mode button on the earcup. I tested the Music and Cinema modes.
I engaged Music mode with MJ’s “Billie Jean”. It broadens out the soundstage noticeably, though not to a fixed point in space; it’s more of an expansion than a precise spatial placement. Enjoyable for casual listening, but for critical listening, I preferred the standard mode.
For cinema, I watched Interstellar, specifically the sequences approaching Gargantua. The spatial sound adds genuine depth to the experience and feels more enveloping, well-suited to the scale of that film. The benefit depends on what you’re watching, though; a dialogue-heavy drama is unlikely to benefit as much as a film with full environmental sound design.
As a comparison, Apple’s spatial audio on the AirPods Max pins sound to fixed positions in space for a more precise and refined spatial experience. Sony’s approach is broader and warmer, but perhaps less exact.
One thing worth knowing: Game mode is not assigned to the Listening Mode button by default and needs to be added manually via the Sony Sound Connect app. It was not tested in this review.
Smart features and the app
Sony’s Sound Connect app, which handles setup and customisation for the 1000X, has improved over the years, though it’s still not the most intuitive experience. Getting around it takes a little patience, but once you know your way around there’s a solid amount of customisation on offer: EQ adjustments, Listening Mode settings, DSEE Ultimate control, Adaptive Sound Control, Speak-to-Chat, wearing detection and more. The app does the job, with room for improvement in how it presents those options. Thankfully, there’s plenty to dial into for those who like to tinker.
Making calls
In my experience, over-ear noise-cancelling headphones are rarely at their best for phone calls, and I wasn’t expecting the 1000X to change that. I made calls in noisy and windy environments on the trip, and the results were about what I’d expect: usable, but not exceptional
Without the close-mic precision of earbuds or a dedicated headset, the headphone picks up ambient noise when it can’t effectively cancel it, and attempts to suppress that can detract from voice clarity. These will be fine for the majority of calls; just don’t make them your primary reason to buy.
Battery life
Battery life on the 1000X is up to 24 hours with ANC on, or 32 hours without, which is slightly less than the M6’s 30 hours with ANC on. For most long-haul travellers, that’s unlikely to be a problem, but it’s worth being slightly more mindful on very long journeys.
The good news is that you can charge while listening, which I did in-flight, and even a quick top-up in the lounge is worth doing. A five-minute charge with a USB-C Power Delivery charger is good for around three more hours, which is useful when you’re scrambling before boarding.
Real-world testing: Sydney to London
The 1000X is easy to travel with, though not quite as compact as the M6. Because the earcups don’t fold, the case is a little wider, and there have been moments on the road where I could have squeezed the M6 into a spot that the 1000X case simply wouldn’t fit. I wouldn’t travel without the case either; these are too nice to risk damaging loose in a bag.
That said, the elevated finish of the 1000X made me a little more proud to wear them around my neck in the lounge, and they genuinely do sound wonderful with ANC or without. There’s something about reaching into that woven case, pulling out a pair of premium headphones, and settling into your seat that adds a small but real sense of occasion to the experience, even if you’re at the back of the plane.
Which is best: the 1000X vs WH-1000XM6?
| 1000X THE COLLEXION | WH-1000XM6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (AUD) | $999.95 | $699.95 |
| Driver | 30mm bespoke carbon composite | 30mm carbon fibre |
| DSEE | DSEE Ultimate | DSEE Extreme |
| 360 Audio Upmix modes | Music, Cinema, Game | Cinema only |
| Battery (ANC on) | 24 hours | 30 hours |
| Weight | 320 g | 254 g |
| Foldable | No | Yes |
| Headband | Hand-polished metal + faux leather | Soft-fit vegan leather |
| Listening Mode button | Yes (dedicated) | No |
Sony is positioning the 1000X as a companion to the WH-1000XM6, not a replacement. The M6 remains the smarter buy for most people: it costs $300 less, sounds excellent, folds flat, is lighter, and lasts longer on a charge. (Sony has also just added a new Sandstone colourway to the XM6 range, giving it yet another style option at the same price.) If you travel frequently and want the most practical headphone, the M6 is probably the better choice.
Sony’s 1000X THE COLLEXION is for those who want the same proven noise-cancelling platform in a demonstrably more luxurious package, with the bespoke driver, DSEE Ultimate and three-mode 360 Reality Audio Upmix as a bonus. They are a perfect travel companion, but with a touch of luxury that just elevates the experience. For those who put music fidelity first and love Sony’s legendary 1000X range, the 1000X is just the ticket.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on what you value. The WH-1000XM6 ($699.95) delivers excellent sound and noise cancellation, is lighter, folds flat, and lasts longer on a charge, making it the stronger all-round travel headphone. The 1000X ($999.95) offers noticeably richer audio through its bespoke carbon composite driver, adds DSEE Ultimate upscaling and three-mode 360 Reality Audio Upmix, and is built from hand-polished metal and premium faux leather. If premium materials and audio fidelity are your priority, the extra outlay is justified.
The 1000X and WH-1000XM6 share the same 12-microphone ANC platform, but differ in driver, materials, and features. The 1000X uses a bespoke unidirectional carbon composite driver, adds DSEE Ultimate (Edge AI audio upscaling), and offers 360 Reality Audio Upmix in Music, Cinema and Game modes versus the XM6’s Cinema-only mode. The headband is hand-polished metal with premium faux leather; the XM6 uses soft-fit vegan leather. The 1000X does not fold flat and weighs 320g versus the XM6’s 254g. Battery life with ANC on is 24 hours (the 1000X) versus 30 hours (XM6).
The Sony 1000X THE COLLEXION delivers up to 24 hours of playback with Active Noise Cancellation on, or up to 32 hours with ANC off. A five-minute quick charge using a USB-C Power Delivery charger provides approximately three hours of additional playback. The headphones can also be used while charging via the USB-C cable.
Yes, with some caveats. The 1000X’s ANC performs well on flights, cutting aircraft engine noise effectively, and the generously padded earcups and wide headband cushion make them comfortable over extended periods. They were tested on flights of up to 16.5 hours. The carry case is practical, with a magnetic clasp and a handle for easy portability. The main trade-off is that they do not fold flat, making the case slightly bulkier than the WH-1000XM6’s, which can be a consideration in tight overhead lockers.
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