Sony LinkBuds Open vs Sony WF-1000XM6

Sony LinkBuds Open

Sony

7.4

Solid

Sony WF-1000XM6

Sony

8.4

Best-in-class ANC, stagnant battery

Sony LinkBuds Open

What Reviewers Agree On

Innovative open-ear design keeps you aware of surroundings
Comfortable for all-day wear
Good companion app with lots of customization

Deal Breakers

No noise cancellation — by design, but limits use cases

Sony WF-1000XM6

What Reviewers Agree On

Class-leading active noise cancellation — Sony's QN3e processor and added mics give ~88% measured loudness reduction, modestly ahead of the XM5 and only just behind the AirPods Pro 3

Pros & Cons

Sony LinkBuds Open

Pros

Innovative open-ear design keeps you aware of surroundings
Comfortable for all-day wear
Good companion app with lots of customization

Cons

No noise cancellation — by design, but limits use cases

Sony WF-1000XM6

Pros

Detailed Comparison

Sound Quality

Sony LinkBuds Open

Surprisingly good for open-ear, but cannot match sealed earbuds.

Sound is clear and pleasant for podcasts, calls, and light music listening
Bass is noticeably thin — open design means no seal for low-end impact

Sony WF-1000XM6

All-new drivers plus Sony's LDAC/DSEE Extreme and a deep EQ app draw strong praise, though a vocal minority argues the tuning still trails the best-sounding rivals in the price class.

All-new drivers (a soft-edge diaphragm for deep bass, a lightweight dome for crisp highs) deliver excellent, wide-range sound.
The driver grew from 6mm to 8.4mm; sound is good though not immediately 'blown away' impressive out of the box.

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Excellent, customisable sound with LDAC, DSEE Extreme and one of the deepest EQ apps in the category

Much-improved comfort: the body is ~11% smaller and reshaped, with an in-app fit test, so it can be worn for hours

Significantly better call/microphone quality than previous Sony earbuds

A smaller, sleeker charging case with Qi wireless charging and ~3-5 min quick-charge for ~60 min playback

Stable multipoint Bluetooth to any two devices regardless of ecosystem

Deal Breakers

Battery life is unchanged for three generations — still 8h ANC-on / 24h with case, with real-world figures often 6-7h
Price rose to $329/$330, a $30 hike over the XM5 for incremental gains
Top ANC and sound depend heavily on getting a good ear-tip seal — a poor fit noticeably degrades both
Sony's track record of battery degradation and update-bricked older models (XM4) is a real trust concern for long-term buyers

Class-leading active noise cancellation — Sony's QN3e processor and added mics give ~88% measured loudness reduction, modestly ahead of the XM5 and only just behind the AirPods Pro 3
Excellent, customisable sound with LDAC, DSEE Extreme and one of the deepest EQ apps in the category
Much-improved comfort: the body is ~11% smaller and reshaped, with an in-app fit test, so it can be worn for hours
Significantly better call/microphone quality than previous Sony earbuds
A smaller, sleeker charging case with Qi wireless charging and ~3-5 min quick-charge for ~60 min playback
Stable multipoint Bluetooth to any two devices regardless of ecosystem

Cons

Battery life is unchanged for three generations — still 8h ANC-on / 24h with case, with real-world figures often 6-7h
Price rose to $329/$330, a $30 hike over the XM5 for incremental gains
Top ANC and sound depend heavily on getting a good ear-tip seal — a poor fit noticeably degrades both
Sony's track record of battery degradation and update-bricked older models (XM4) is a real trust concern for long-term buyers

Sony retains one of the best EQ/customisation suites in the category, letting you dial in a personal sound profile.

Among the best Bluetooth earbuds this reviewer has heard, on par with the latest AirPods Pro for sound and ANC.

Dissent: despite the consensus, these are not the best-sounding ANC earbuds in their price category — historically Sony's XM line has been among the weaker-sounding flagship ANC sets.

iPhone users are limited to AAC — Sony's LDAC hi-res codec only works on Android, capping the sound ceiling on iOS.

Owner view: the WF-1000XM5 already sounded excellent, so the sonic gains are subtle generation-to-generation.