When you think about buying a new pair of premium headphones, Sony almost certainly comes to mind. The company has dominated the audio market for over a decade, and in May it launched the 1000X Collexion to celebrate that milestone. Priced at AU$999, they were a statement piece, but now the first discount has arrived, bringing them down to AU$849. That is still a significant investment, yet when you compare it with the rival Apple AirPods Max 2, which cost a similar amount and remain extremely popular, the value proposition becomes clearer.
The first price cut on Sony's most luxurious headphones
The 1000X Collexion are not a simple redesign of the WH-1000XM6. Sony has built a separate product with premium materials, combining faux leather with real metal accents. The soundstage is wonderfully wide and spacious, particularly impressive with high-resolution audio. Active noise cancellation uses the same 12-microphone system found in the XM6 and performs exceptionally well in noisy environments. The DSEE Ultimate technology, previously exclusive to high-end portable music players, makes its way into headphones for the first time, upscaling compressed files to 96kHz and 32-bit for an impressive level of detail.
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Touch controls are impeccable, with precise gestures, and a 10-band custom equaliser lets you fine-tune the sound. Unlike the AirPods Max 2, these headphones are device-agnostic, working flawlessly with Android, iOS, and everything in between. That neutrality is a major selling point for users who do not want to lock themselves into a single ecosystem.
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Battery life and the 360 Upmix shortfall
Our tester noted some downsides in the full review, including lower battery life compared to the XM6. The Collexion offer 24 hours on a single charge, which is down from 30 hours on the XM6 but still above the AirPods Max 2's 20 hours. The 360 Upmix mode, designed for spatial audio, had a negative effect on sound quality during our testing, so it is best left off. These are relatively minor issues in the context of an otherwise outstanding product.
Listening experiences are subjective, and the Collexion deliver a warm, enveloping sound with deep bass and clear highs. If you are hunting for high-end over-ear headphones without vendor lock-in, these are a more rational choice than the Apple alternative. The limited-time nature of this discount means indecision could cost you AU$150. For recommendations on what to watch while enjoying your new audio gear, check out our guide to the streaming week of Aug 3, and if you want to dig into the technical background of the series, the Wikipedia page for the Sony WH-1000XM series offers a comprehensive comparison of specifications. With this price cut, the Sony 1000X Collexion become an even stronger contender in the premium headphone market.
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