Audio-Technica ATH-ADX3000 vs Sony WH-1000XM6 | TechTalkTown
Audio-Technica ATH-ADX3000 vs Sony WH-1000XM6
Audio-Technica ATH-ADX3000
Audio-Technica
8
A featherweight, hyper-detailed open-back — for treble lovers
Sony WH-1000XM6
Sony
8.8
The all-rounder ANC king — back to folding
Audio-Technica ATH-ADX3000
What Reviewers Agree On
Exceptionally light at roughly 257g, with a 3D wing-support headband that makes the headphones effectively disappear during long listening sessions
Class-leading detail retrieval, resolution and clarity for a $999 dynamic-driver open-back — reviewers say it goes toe-to-toe with pricier planar headphones
Premium build quality despite the low weight, with a refined open-air design and replaceable plush velour ear pads
A genuinely open, airy presentation with good instrument separation and a coherent, holographic soundstage
Strong value at the $999 price for buyers who want technical, audiophile-grade performance from an easy-to-style headphone
Deal Breakers
Pros & Cons
Audio-Technica ATH-ADX3000
Pros
Exceptionally light at roughly 257g, with a 3D wing-support headband that makes the headphones effectively disappear during long listening sessions
Class-leading detail retrieval, resolution and clarity for a $999 dynamic-driver open-back — reviewers say it goes toe-to-toe with pricier planar headphones
Premium build quality despite the low weight, with a refined open-air design and replaceable plush velour ear pads
A genuinely open, airy presentation with good instrument separation and a coherent, holographic soundstage
Detailed Comparison
Sound Quality
Audio-Technica ATH-ADX3000
The ADX3000 is built around a 58mm dynamic driver and tuned bright and detail-forward. Reviewers consistently praise its resolution, clarity and dynamic punch, but the lively treble — with a sharp peak near 4 kHz — divides opinion, and sub-bass rolls off for those who want low-end slam.
Delivers resolution, clarity and technical performance that reviewers say is incredible for the price — the only dynamic-driver headphone in this range that can go toe-to-toe with pricier planars like the HiFiMan Arya Organic.
Tuned bright and hyper-focused with an emphasis on the upper mids and lower treble — human voices, violins, pianos and acoustic guitars sound more lifelike, though the treble peak makes the overall tonal balance a little wonky.
There is a sharp peak right around 4 kHz; on a 10-band EQ you can pick the 4 kHz band and drop it by 4-5 dB to tame the brightness as a starting point.
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Bright, treble-forward tuning with a sharp peak near 4 kHz that can sound harsh or fatiguing, especially for treble-sensitive listeners
Sub-bass rolls off below roughly 50-60 Hz — bass-focused listeners will find it lacks visceral low-end slam without EQ
Purely passive and wired — no Bluetooth, no ANC, no microphone and no battery, so it is unsuitable for commuting, calls or travel
Uses a proprietary A2DC connector and ships with a mediocre stock cable, so cable upgrades mean buying into a less-common termination
Sony WH-1000XM6
What Reviewers Agree On
Class-leading, natural-sounding active noise cancellation — a faster QN3 processor and 12 microphones widen the lead over the XM5 and most rivals
The foldable design is back — earcups fold and swivel into a smaller, zipper-free case, undoing the XM5's biggest travel regret
Genuinely comfortable for long sessions with a light, ~252g build and low-fatigue clamping force
Warmer, more controlled sound than the XM5 with a deep 10-band EQ and LDAC/LC3 hi-res support
Excellent everyday feature set — reliable multipoint, wear detection, Speak-to-Chat, Auracast/LE Audio and a fast 3-minutes-for-3-hours quick charge
USB-C audio and listening-while-charging are finally supported, alongside a retained 3.5mm jack for passive wired use
Deal Breakers
Build feels plasticky and prone to scuffs/stains for a $450 flagship, echoing long-running Sony build-quality complaints
Battery is only competitive at 30 hours ANC-on (40 off) — well behind the 50-60 hours of Sennheiser and JBL rivals
Touch controls remain for playback and volume, which several reviewers find imprecise or unwanted
Not the best-sounding can in its class — a sharp ~10 kHz treble peak the 10-band EQ can't fully tame draws audiophile criticism
Strong value at the $999 price for buyers who want technical, audiophile-grade performance from an easy-to-style headphone
Cons
Bright, treble-forward tuning with a sharp peak near 4 kHz that can sound harsh or fatiguing, especially for treble-sensitive listeners
Sub-bass rolls off below roughly 50-60 Hz — bass-focused listeners will find it lacks visceral low-end slam without EQ
Purely passive and wired — no Bluetooth, no ANC, no microphone and no battery, so it is unsuitable for commuting, calls or travel
Uses a proprietary A2DC connector and ships with a mediocre stock cable, so cable upgrades mean buying into a less-common termination
Sony WH-1000XM6
Pros
Class-leading, natural-sounding active noise cancellation — a faster QN3 processor and 12 microphones widen the lead over the XM5 and most rivals
The foldable design is back — earcups fold and swivel into a smaller, zipper-free case, undoing the XM5's biggest travel regret
Genuinely comfortable for long sessions with a light, ~252g build and low-fatigue clamping force
Warmer, more controlled sound than the XM5 with a deep 10-band EQ and LDAC/LC3 hi-res support
Excellent everyday feature set — reliable multipoint, wear detection, Speak-to-Chat, Auracast/LE Audio and a fast 3-minutes-for-3-hours quick charge
USB-C audio and listening-while-charging are finally supported, alongside a retained 3.5mm jack for passive wired use
Cons
Build feels plasticky and prone to scuffs/stains for a $450 flagship, echoing long-running Sony build-quality complaints
Battery is only competitive at 30 hours ANC-on (40 off) — well behind the 50-60 hours of Sennheiser and JBL rivals
Touch controls remain for playback and volume, which several reviewers find imprecise or unwanted
Not the best-sounding can in its class — a sharp ~10 kHz treble peak the 10-band EQ can't fully tame draws audiophile criticism
Bass extends down with a W-shaped lift around 100 Hz and the sub-bass is described as quite nice, but it is not as visceral or punchy as the pricier ADX7000 or Caldera Open.
Bass distortion was not something this reviewer could provoke even as a bass-heavy listener — the driver stays clean under pressure.
Soundstage is open and airy with good left-to-right separation, but it does not feel huge — instruments revolve around you rather than spreading out wide, and it does not match the Focal Utopia.
The relaxed mid-range followed by a more forward treble makes the presentation clinical and superb for detail retrieval, but that treble energy can become fatiguing over long sessions depending on how you listen.
Treble-sensitive listeners report the top end is spicy and present, with clarity and extension — noticeable but not enough to cause ear discomfort the way some bright headphones do.
Reviewers report the drivers benefit from roughly 100 hours of mechanical break-in, after which the treble peak and midrange prominence chill out and more sub-bass impact comes through.
Sony WH-1000XM6
New 30mm drivers deliver a warmer, more controlled, slightly bass-forward Sony tuning that most reviewers call the best the XM line has produced — though it takes EQ to shine, and audiophile-leaning critics flag a sharp ~10 kHz treble peak the deep 10-band EQ still can't fully fix.
All-new drivers versus the last generation deliver excellent, wide-range sound — the low end is much stronger, especially sub-bass, addressing the XM5's spiky midrange and weaker bass.
Out of all the XM models tested (XM2 through XM4), the XM6 is the best-sounding out of the box, takes EQ very well, and stays crisp and detailed rather than muddy.
Sony's new 30mm driver with a more rigid dome and perforated voice-coil bobbin, tuned by mastering engineers, gives richer detail and clearer vocals — though shrinking from 40mm trims some warmth and bass presence for a more refined balance.
You still get the familiar Sony tuning — slightly warm and slightly bass-forward — but it's more controlled this time round.
Despite what most reviewers say, this isn't the best-sounding headphone in its price category — the sound is fundamentally midbass plus a mountain of 10 kHz, and even after EQ that sharp 10 kHz peak can't be fixed without a band right at 10 kHz.
The XM line has long been among the worst-sounding ANC headphones to audiophile ears; the XM6 improves but the 10,000 Hz region still runs high and can sound sharp and grating, so it isn't the best-sounding can in its class.
Sony went deep on EQ — a 10-band equalizer (octaves from 32 Hz to 16 kHz) replaces the old 5-band, and it makes a big practical difference for dialling the sound to taste.
Reddit owners are split on the tuning — some find the bass prominent and the soundstage underwhelming, while others say it clearly beats the XM5, making it the best XM yet.
It's still not flat or neutral and shouldn't be — these are tuned for fun listening rather than studio use, with sound described by one owner as 'like being at a live event'.
Comfort & Design
Audio-Technica ATH-ADX3000
The ADX3000's headline trait is its weight — around 257g makes it one of the lightest premium open-backs available. A 3D wing-support headband, plush velour pads and a low-but-firm initial clamp combine into a fit reviewers say quickly disappears.
Crazy light at 257g — a paperweight compared with most headphones in its class — and that lightness is a major comfort advantage for long sessions.
Audio-Technica navigated the usual lightweight trade-off well — it stays very lightweight and comfortable yet still feels and looks extremely premium.
The 3D wing-support system plus plush velour pads mean the padding mostly touches the skull rather than clamping, which helps avoid headphone fatigue and makes it easy to forget the headphones are on.
Measured clamp force is around 600-750g — it can feel a little firm the moment you put it on, but the combination of weight, soft pads and clamp means it very quickly becomes one of the least intrusive headphones this reviewer has worn.
One reviewer found this the least comfortable of the headphones in a comparison group, a reminder that fit is head-shape dependent despite the low weight.
Build quality is high-end — reviewers describe super high-end quality and build, with a simple black open-back-with-mesh-grille aesthetic rather than flashy luxury materials.
Left/right channel markings on the cups are small and easy to miss, and the stock cable carries no side marking — a minor everyday annoyance.
Sony WH-1000XM6
The big design news is the return of the folding hinge — earcups fold and swivel into a smaller, zipper-free case. At ~252g the XM6 is among the lightest flagships and most reviewers find it comfortable for long days, but the plasticky, scuff-prone build draws repeated criticism at $450 and a minority report lingering clamp pressure.
The earcups fold up again, with a new significantly smaller case that fits cables and no longer uses a zipper — putting the XM6 back near the top of travel-ready noise-cancelling headphones.
Sony heard the complaints and made the XM6 fold and swivel so it rests neatly on your head and packs down for travel — the case shaves roughly 30% off the previous model's bulk.
Among flagship headphones the XM6 is one of the lightest tested at 252.8g, versus 262.2g for the Bose QC Ultra 2 and far lighter than the AirPods Max.
The clamp force is light enough not to be fatiguing yet firm enough to keep the ANC seal intact — Bose still edges it slightly on comfort, but Sony is not far behind.
For a flagship $450 headphone the materials and build quality feel on the cheaper side, with a lot of high-frequency creak from handling the plastic.
Value vs Competition
Audio-Technica ATH-ADX3000
At $999, the ADX3000 is positioned against planar open-backs and Audio-Technica's own pricier ADX5000 and ADX7000. Reviewers broadly call it strong value for a buyer who wants technical performance, with the ADX3000-vs-ADX5000 question coming down to tuning preference.
Retails for $999 as an open-back single-driver headphone — reviewers call it a very good entryway into high-end headphones and could not find much wrong at the price.
Offers HiFiMan-style clarity and resolution combined with good dynamic punch, incredible build quality and very low weight — a combination reviewers say is hard to beat in this price bracket.
Versus the pricier ADX5000: some reviewers say the significantly cheaper ADX3000 actually has the better tuning, while others give the ADX5000 a higher-end feel and a slightly wider horizontal sound field.
For the price point it is a solid, near-the-top performer for accurate, lifelike balance between fundamentals and harmonics — though one reviewer stops short of calling it class-leading.
Buyers on a tighter budget who still want the Audio-Technica house sound can consider the much cheaper ATH-R50x or ATH-R70x, which are easier to drive and a fraction of the price.
Reddit owners frame the ADX3000 as a fun, clear, open headphone with a nice treble pop and consider it a worthwhile plunge for listeners coming from mid-tier sets like the Beyerdynamic DT1990.
Sony WH-1000XM6
At a $450 launch price the XM6 is expensive, and the still-available XM5 (now ~$350) and discounted XM4 undercut it. But against the AirPods Max 2, Bose QC Ultra 2 and Sennheiser Momentum 4, most reviewers conclude the XM6's all-round polish — ANC, comfort, features, folding design — justifies the price, and Amazon discounts have already pulled it below the XM5's launch price.
At $450 the XM6 is really expensive, but the whole premium ANC category is full of rivals that try to beat it and don't — which makes it still feel like the one to get if you want the flat-out best travel and work headphones.
The WH-1000XM6 is an improvement over the XM5, but the older model is still sold and arguably offers more value for buyers who don't want to pay the higher price.
Factoring in best-in-class ANC, the XM6 is priced fairly — the only headphone that clearly beats its noise cancelling, the AirPods Max 2, costs more.
Against the Bose QC Ultra 2 the call is close, but for travellers, open-office workers and long commutes the XM6 wins on stronger ANC and longer battery, while Bose keeps the comfort edge.
The scratch-prone finish and easily-dirtied earcups are legitimate concerns on a $450 product — marks and a little staining build up after just a bit of use.
Headphonesty reports that, based on user feedback, Sony's newest $450 headphones are being criticised for the same build-quality issues that plagued the fragile-hinged XM5.
The faux-leather earpad and headband material isn't very breathable, so ears can feel hot after about an hour compared with mesh-padded rivals.
A dissenting comfort take: the clamping force is real and these become painful to wear after more than about 15 minutes for some heads.
iFixit found the XM6 a real step forward for repairability — screws replace glue for the battery, and the drivers and ports are modular and accessible.
Sony WH-1000XM6 prices have already dropped on Amazon to below the previous generation's launch price, easing the value concern at full MSRP.
Sony's $649 1000X The ColleXion is a luxury, design-led variant priced well above the standard flagship — and isn't necessarily better than the WH-1000XM6 in every way.
TechRadar's verdict: excellent headphones that meld the best parts of Sony's previous cans — among the best you can buy.
