Sony is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its 1000X headphone lineup with a special edition model.
The new WH-1000X The ColleXion sits above the WH-1000XM6 in the company's lineup.
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This version focuses on luxury materials, nostalgia, and refined audio tuning. It does not chase dramatic new features.
Design and Materials
The headphones borrow design ideas from the original MDR-1000X from 2016. That model started Sony's now-dominant noise-canceling headphone lineup.
The new version uses synthetic leather around the ear cup housing. It also features larger ear pads, a wider headband, and stainless steel accents.
Sony appears to prioritize comfort more aggressively this time. The ear cushions are deeper and slightly wider than those on the XM6.
The foldable hinge design from older XM models is still gone. The headphones fold inward similarly to the XM5 and XM6.
Audio and Hardware
Sony is still using 30mm drivers. The company says a new soft-edge driver design improves bass response and overall sound depth.
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Internal hardware tweaks include a thicker copper substrate on the circuit board. Sony claims this helps improve detail and soundstage performance.
New 360 Upmix modes are designed for movies, gaming, and music. DSEE Ultimate AI upscaling returns for compressed audio enhancement.
Sony says the headphones were tuned alongside engineers from Battery Studios, Sterling Sound, and Coast Mastering.
Noise Cancellation and Battery
Noise cancellation remains a main selling point.
The ColleXion uses Sony's QN3 processor alongside a newer V3 chip and a 12-microphone setup for adaptive ANC.
Battery life reaches up to 24 hours with ANC enabled and 32 hours without it. That is slightly below the XM6 but still within flagship territory.
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Pricing and Positioning
The biggest difference is the price. Sony is charging $649 for the ColleXion, roughly $200 above the XM6.
This makes it less of a mainstream upgrade and more of a niche luxury version.
It targets buyers who want the most premium version of Sony's headphone design philosophy.
Most people will probably still gravitate toward the XM6.
For longtime Sony headphone fans, the ColleXion feels like a commemorative flagship built around materials, comfort, and presentation rather than pure specs alone.
Realistically, most people will probably still gravitate toward the XM6.
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But for longtime Sony headphone fans, the ColleXion feels more like a commemorative flagship built around materials, comfort, and presentation rather than pure specs alone.
