To paraphrase Ferris Bueller, tech moves pretty fast these days. Since Sony broke new ground just 12 months ago with their best-in-class WH-1000XM6 model, it takes some chutzpah–in a crowded global market–to launch a new design so soon in 2026.
But fortune favours the brave, so to Tokyo we travel for Sony’s 10 year anniversary celebration of the 1000x series back catalogue and an immersion into the ‘spatial soundscapes’ of their latest model: 1000x The Collexion. Proof, perhaps, that this new kid on the block–Sony’s paean to a decade of noise-cancelling ingenuity – may shift the dial again for audiophiles looking for the latest in enhanced listening experiences.
A fashion show. At a tech launch. Not quite what you’d expect but certainly a memorable introduction to the 1000x aesthetics.
Aimed squarely at a different kind of wearer–someone who wants the upgraded technology but prefers a more fashionable package–the show took its inspiration from classic Japanese Noh theatre; a highly stylised dramatic dance–brought bang up to date by renowned Tokyo-based stylist Shohei Kashima. Set in a traditional 1920s town house in central Tokyo, male and female models in kumadori-inspired make-up were dressed in modern sculptural monochrome garments to echo the 1000x’s sleek new shape and black or platinum colour options-headphones impressively steady during arrhythmic dance sequences.
Replacing the previous smudge-prone casing from earlier models are the reimagined fixtures and fittings; slick polished gloss and matt stainless steel finishes for the side adjusters and the 180 degree hinge points (with a pleasing ultra smooth pivot), a wider padded headband in a tactile faux leather and a slimmed down ear cup which not only looks better from the front but the extra padding within forms a decent seal between headphone and ear so no added temple pressure or ear fatigue. Plus the space inside the ear cups is bigger so no uncomfortable ear lobe compression either. The durable fabric carry-case with built-in handle and magnetic snap-shut buckle for ease of access while travelling is lightweight, stowable and adds a premium touch.
This is where the Sony acousticians really excel.
Enlisting the expertise of not one but four award-winning master engineers who have worked with the likes of Lady GaGa, Tom Petty and Alicia Keys and have a staggering 18 Grammys and 66 Grammy nominations between them, this extended team alongside the in-house designers has kept Sony way ahead of the field. According to Michael Romanowski of Coast Mastering and the OG of the grand master cohort, their aim is to ‘fill the gap between artist and listener by delivering sound as an artist intended’. Sure, Mike. But how?
Well, let’s get nerdy: a 30mm bespoke driver unit (the miniature loudspeakers in the ear cup that convert the sound waves) for a wider soundstage, a DSEE Ultimate feature ( Sony’s proprietary Digital Sound Enhancement Engine which restores lost detail in compressed music–especially very high or very low frequencies) and an expanded 360 Upmix listening mode for Music, Cinema and Gaming–the handy top left button–which elevates stereo content into an intense surround sound experience. A live jazz performance demonstrated this enhanced fine tuning by using the ultra high acoustic frequencies of Sanukite–a unique Japanese volcanic rock xylophone–alongside a deep resonant double bass and saxophone. Listening to the same piece of music again using the 36O UpMix mode–all powered via bluetooth by a new QN3 processor and 12 microphones–managed the difficult trick of drawing lessons from the successful M6 model while still feeling like an entirely updated immersive audio experience.
And all controllable via the Sound Connect app which gives a lot of flexibility on personalising your EQ (that’s equalisation, or bass and treble control for the non-nerds among you), adaptive sound control (the ANC) or the fancy new listening modes. The right ear cup still works, of course, as an intuitive touch pad; swipe up and down for volume, forward and back for track selection and the responsive hand over ear mode which momentarily turns the music down to speak to someone or to hear an announcement on a plane or train. The left ear buttons are for power, noise cancelling and Upmix modes which, all in all, takes a while to get used to, but are time savers in the long run. Plus it runs up to 24 hours on a single charge, even with the ANC switched on.
Tokyo’s infamous Shibuya crossing at rush hour: the ultimate test. One thousand people walking in all directions, every sound magnified. I press the noise-cancelling button as I cross. The city retreats. Then the UpMix button kicks in. High-quality surround sound on the street. Impressive. But is it worth the hefty £549 price tag? Well, if you’re a frequent flying, gym-going, hybrid-working, strap-hanging city dweller, 1000x The Collexion will, no doubt, enhance every facet of your life and it’s a modern day looker. Not exactly a sequel to the 1000x series–more of a glow-up–but it would be difficult to find such effective noise cancelling technology at a lower price.
