Versus Engine
AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WF-1000XM6
Specs, price and the one trade-off that actually decides it — AirPods Max 2 against Sony WF-1000XM6, side by side.
Cheaper to start
Tie
Both start at a similar price.
Rated higher
Sony WF-1000XM6
9.3 vs 0.0 on our design scale.
Standout
AirPods Max 2
Apple-designed dynamic driver and high dynamic range amplifier.
AirPods Max 2
Wireless over-ear headphones with Apple H2 chip and 20 hours of battery life.
Where it wins, where it doesn't
Pros
- Advanced audio technology with Personalized Spatial Audio and Adaptive EQ.
- Up to 20 hours of battery life with Active Noise Cancellation.
- Comprehensive accessibility features including Live Listen and Live Translation.
Cons
- Expensive compared to other wireless headphones.
- Large size and weight make it less portable.
- Limited portability due to the need for a specific power supply.
Specifications
- AccessibilityLive Listen audio
- Audio TechnologyApple-designed dynamic driver, Custom high dynamic range amplifier, Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio 1, Transparency mode, Conversation Awareness 1, Voice Isolation 2, Personalized Volume 3, Loud Sound Reduction, Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking 4, Adaptive EQ, Studio-quality audio recording, Lossless Audio and ultra-low latency audio via USB-C 5, Live Translation 6
- audio_processing—
- BatteryAirPods Max 2 (full charge): Up to 20 hours of listening time on a single charge with Active Noise Cancellation enabled 12, 5 minutes of charge time provides around 1.5 hours of listening time 13
- battery_buds_anc—
- battery_with_case—
- bodyCopy—
- catchCopy—
- ChipApple H2 headphone chip (each ear cup)
- ColorMidnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, Orange
- ConnectivityBluetooth 5.3 wireless technology
- ControlsDigital Crown (Turn for volume control, Press once to play or pause media, Press once to answer a call or mute or unmute 7, Press once for camera remote 8, Press twice to end a call, Press twice to skip forward, Press three times to skip back, Press and hold for Siri), Listening mode button
- driver—
- equalizer_bands—
- In the BoxAirPods Max 2, Smart Case, USB-C Charge Cable, Documentation
- microphones—
- processor—
- SensorsOptical sensor (each ear cup), Position sensor (each ear cup), Case-detect sensor (each ear cup), Accelerometer (each ear cup), Gyroscope (left ear cup)
- SiriSay just “Siri” 9 or ”Hey Siri” to do things like play a song, make a call, or get directions, Siri Interactions 10
Sony WF-1000XM6
Sony's flagship earbuds at $329.99, with a redesigned driver and eight-microphone cancellation.
Where it wins, where it doesn't
Pros
- Bone-conduction voice sensing gives unusually clean call audio in noise
- Strong cancellation for the form factor
- Gemini Live integrated rather than bolted on
Cons
- Assistant features assume Google's ecosystem
- Isolation still trails over-ear models
- Fit is tip-dependent and fatiguing over long sessions
Specifications
- Accessibility—
- Audio Technology—
- audio_processing32-bit
- Battery—
- battery_buds_anc8 hours
- battery_with_case24 hours
- bodyCopyCrafted with mastering-engineer insight and advanced noise-cancelling technology, the WF-1000XM6 delivers faithful, detailed sound. The refined ergonomic design keeps the fit natural for listening that lasts.
- catchCopySound mastered. Noise cancelled.
- Chip—
- Color—
- Connectivity—
- Controls—
- driver8.4mm
- equalizer_bands10
- In the Box—
- microphones8
- processorQN3e
- Sensors—
- Siri—