Headphones comparison · 2 products
Apple AirPods Max vs Sony WH‑1000XM6
Key differences
- WeightWH‑1000XM6: 130.8 g lighter (51%)AirPods Max 384.8 g · WH‑1000XM6 254 g
- Folds flatOnly WH‑1000XM6.AirPods Max No · WH‑1000XM6 Yes
- Driver sizeAirPods Max: 10 mm larger (33%)AirPods Max 40 mm · WH‑1000XM6 30 mm
- Battery life (ANC on)WH‑1000XM6: 10 h longer (50%)AirPods Max 20 h · WH‑1000XM6 30 h
- LDACOnly WH‑1000XM6.AirPods Max No · WH‑1000XM6 Yes
- BluetoothAirPods Max 5.0 · WH‑1000XM6 5.3
What’s the same
- Fit Over‑ear
- Active noise cancelling Yes
- Spatial audio Yes
- aptX Adaptive No
Identical specs don’t help you choose, so “Differences only” hides them.
| Spec | AirPods Max | WH‑1000XM6 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fit | Over‑ear | Over‑ear | Same |
| Weight | 384.8 g | 254 gLighter | WH‑1000XM6 · 130.8 g lighter (51%) |
| Folds flat | No | Yes | Only WH‑1000XM6 |
1 identical spec hidden in this section
| Spec | AirPods Max | WH‑1000XM6 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active noise cancelling | Yes | Yes | Same |
| Driver size | 40 mm | 30 mm | AirPods Max · 10 mm larger (33%) |
Why this matters. Driver size alone doesn’t predict sound quality; tuning and design matter more. | |||
| Frequency range | 48 Hz – 20 kHz | 4 Hz – 40 kHz | Different |
Why this matters. Most people hear roughly 20 Hz–20 kHz. Wider listed ranges mostly matter on paper. | |||
| Spatial audio | Yes | Yes | Same |
2 identical specs hidden in this section
| Spec | AirPods Max | WH‑1000XM6 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life (ANC on) | 20 h | 30 hLonger | WH‑1000XM6 · 10 h longer (50%) |
| Battery life (max) | 20 h | 30 hLonger | WH‑1000XM6 · 10 h longer (50%) |
| Full charge time | 2 hShorter | 3.5 h | AirPods Max · 1.5 h shorter (75%) |
| Spec | AirPods Max | WH‑1000XM6 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.3 | Different |
| LDAC | No | Yes | Only WH‑1000XM6 |
Why this matters. LDAC is a higher‑bitrate Bluetooth codec supported by many Android phones, not by iPhone. | |||
| aptX Adaptive | No | No | Same |
| Bluetooth LE Audio | No | Yes | Only WH‑1000XM6 |
| Wired listening | No | Yes | Only WH‑1000XM6 |
1 identical spec hidden in this section
How this comparison works
Every product in a category uses the same fields and units. Rows highlight a difference. A direction label such as “Lighter” or “More” appears only on fields where DuelVS’s methodology defines which way is generally preferable. Nothing here declares an overall winner.
Questions, answered from the data
- How many specs are different between AirPods Max and WH‑1000XM6?
- Of 15 specs DuelVS lists for this comparison, 11 differ, 4 are identical.
- Which is lighter?
- WH‑1000XM6: 254 g vs 384.8 g for AirPods Max, 130.8 g lighter.
- Which lasts longer with noise cancelling on?
- WH‑1000XM6: 30 h vs 20 h for AirPods Max, 10 h longer.
- Which supports LDAC?
- WH‑1000XM6 does; AirPods Max doesn't.
- What do they have in common?
- Fit: Over‑ear; Active noise cancelling: Yes; Spatial audio: Yes; aptX Adaptive: No.