Sony is celebrating 10 years of its 1000X headphone line with something a bit more atas: the Sony 1000X The Collexion, a luxury-focused pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones priced at $650 — roughly around RM3,000 before local pricing, tax, or import markups.
And yes, the spelling is intentional. The “X” in “Collexion” is meant to mark the 10-year anniversary of Sony’s 1000X series, which began with the MDR-1000X back in 2016. That original model helped push wireless noise-cancelling headphones into the premium mainstream, before the WH-1000XM series became the default comparison point for travel, work, study, and cafe grinding.
This is not replacing the WH-1000XM6
Important bit first: the 1000X The Collexion is not the successor to the WH-1000XM6. Sony’s positioning is different. The XM6 is still the practical flagship, while this new 1000X is more of a design and comfort statement.
Think of it like the difference between a high-performance gaming laptop and a limited-edition collector’s chassis. Both can be powerful, but one is built to be useful every day, while the other wants you to notice the finish, materials, and vibe.
The Collexion keeps a familiar Sony silhouette but adds more premium touches. The ear cups and padding use vegan leather, the headband has visible metal, and Sony has swapped some plastic parts for stainless steel. Buttons and ports also get metal finishing, giving the whole thing a cleaner, more expensive look.
Comfort seems to be the biggest upgrade here. According to Sony, the headband cushion is about 40% thicker and 10% wider than the XM6’s padding. The ear cushions also have slightly more interior space, which should help if your ears usually feel squeezed after long listening sessions.
The trade-off: heavier, less portable, weaker isolation
Of course, premium materials come with compromises. The 1000X The Collexion weighs 320g, heavier than the WH-1000XM6 at 253g, though still lighter than Apple’s AirPods Max 2 at 386g.
The joints can swivel flat, but they do not fold like the XM6. That means the headphones may take up more bag space — something Malaysian commuters, students, and frequent flyers will actually care about. If you’re stuffing your headphones into a backpack with a laptop, charger, power bank, and maybe a Nintendo Switch, foldability matters lah.
Noise cancelling is also not quite as strong overall. The Collexion uses the same QN3 noise-cancelling processor and 12-mic setup as the XM6, so its active noise cancellation hardware is on par. But because the ear cups are slimmer, passive isolation is weaker, especially around midrange and higher frequencies. In real-world SEA use — MRT rides, KL traffic, mamak background noise, airport boarding areas — that could make the XM6 the better practical pick.
Battery life is another downgrade. Sony claims up to 24 hours with ANC on, compared with up to 30 hours on the XM6. Fast charging is slower too: five minutes gives about 1.5 hours of playback, while the XM6 can get around three hours from a three-minute charge.
Sound quality still sounds strong
Sony has fitted the Collexion with newly designed 30mm carbon fibre drivers, a new V3 integrated processor, and its latest DSEE processing. The Verge’s review notes clearer lower mids and more sparkle in the highs compared with the XM6, though the difference is described as small rather than game-changing.
Sony also added new 360 upmix modes for music and games, alongside the cinema mode already found on the XM6. These modes try to turn stereo audio into a more spatial soundstage. That might be fun for casual use, though it still won’t replace proper spatial mixes or a real gaming headset setup for competitive play.
Should Malaysians care?
If Sony brings this here officially, expect it to land in serious premium territory. For most buyers in Malaysia, the WH-1000XM6 will probably remain the smarter buy: better noise isolation, longer battery, foldable design, and likely lower price.
But if you’re the kind of Sony audio fan who already owns the XM4 or XM5, loves limited-edition gear, and wants something that feels more luxurious, the 1000X The Collexion is basically Sony saying: “This one is for the collectors.”
Cool? Definitely. Practical? Less so. For everyday commuting, flights, office work, and gaming on the go, the XM6 still sounds like the better all-rounder.
Source: The Verge