Longest battery
Sony WF-C710N
- Up to 8.5 hours a charge
- Same Sony app and EQ
What buyers love: how it sounds.
Catch: Voices get through more
About a third of the price
Cheaper alternatives to the Sony WF-1000XM6
Three pairs for about a third of the price, each for a different listener.
Updated 5 November 2026
More codecs
EarFun Air Pro 4
- LDAC plus aptX Adaptive
- Charges on a wireless pad
Lighter
Nothing Ear (a)
- Light stem design
- Punchy, wide sound
The original
Sony WF-1000XM6
Worth it if: Your commute is loud and long
- Top-tier quiet, even on the Tube
- Fuller, more detailed sound than rivals
What buyers love: how it sounds.
Not worth it if: Foam tips never fit you
Fairly priced
What are you actually paying extra for with the WF-1000XM6?
What the extra money buys
- Top-tier quiet, even on the Tube
- Fuller, more detailed sound than rivals
- Clear calls on noisy streets
- Auto modes for walking, sitting, travelling
Worth it if
- Your commute is loud and long
- Sound quality matters more than price
- You're on calls all day
Not worth it if
- Foam tips never fit you
- You'd mainly wear them running
Good to know
Why each one made the list, and our final recommendation.
Sony WF-C710N
Staying with Sony keeps the app, the EQ and two-phone pairing for far less money. What Hi-Fi called the sound musical and detailed for the price, and Tom's Guide wore them happily through an eight-hour day. The quiet is a clear step down in the mid and high range, where chatter sits.
EarFun Air Pro 4
For Android owners, the Air Pro 4 matches the XM6's LDAC and adds aptX Adaptive. Android Central liked the comfort and the lively, balanced sound. PC Gamer found it calm against fans and wind but not sudden noises, and said the EQ needs a tweak before vocals sound clear.
Nothing Ear (a)
If the XM6's chunky round buds don't sit right, the stemmed Ear (a) is a much lighter alternative. Expert Reviews found its noise cancelling among the best for the money, and TechRadar praised the wide, energetic sound. You lose hours of battery, wireless charging and Sony's smart modes.
Final recommendation: The Sony WF-C710N is the sensible swap for most: familiar app, longer battery and a much smaller bill. If you stream hi-res on Android, go for the EarFun Air Pro 4. If round buds hurt your ears, try the Nothing Ear (a). Keep the WF-1000XM6 for loud daily commutes, frequent calls and the best sound in this group.
Side by side
Specs from each maker. Price levels come from shop prices we checked recently; tap through for today's price.
| Model | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price level | Affordable | Budget | Budget | Budget |
| Battery per charge, noise cancelling on (claimed) | Up to 8 hours | Up to 8.5 hours | Up to 7.5 hours | Up to 5.5 hours |
| With the case, noise cancelling on (claimed) | Up to 24 hours | Up to 30 hours | Up to 35 hours | Up to 24.5 hours |
| Weight per bud | 6.5 g | 5.2 g | – | 4.8 g |
| Fit | Sealed, foam tips | Sealed, silicone tips | Sealed, silicone tips | Sealed, silicone tips |
| Water resistance | IPX4 | IPX4 | IPX5 | IP54 (buds), IPX2 (case) |
| Bluetooth codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, LDAC, LC3 | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Shop | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ |
Questions people ask
Do the Sony WF-1000XM6 block the Underground?
Very well. Expert Reviews took them on one of the loudest Central line stretches and found the screech dropped to a level where podcasts were easy to follow, at least as quiet as Bose's flagship buds.
Do the WF-1000XM6 work well with an iPhone?
Yes, though you lose LDAC, which iPhones don't support. Sony's upscaling still helps compressed streams, and one reviewer used them mostly with an iPhone and still preferred their sound to the AirPods Pro 3.
Is the Nothing Ear (a) good for calls?
Better than the Ear (2) before it, Expert Reviews found, but the XM6 is clearer in noisy streets thanks to its eight mics.
Related guides
How we reached this
We compared the Sony WF-1000XM6 with the alternatives most often recommended by independent reviewers, then checked each against the makers' own specs and current prices.
We haven't tested these products ourselves. Our picks weigh independent expert reviews against each maker's published specs and the prices we checked. Opinions are ours; facts link to where they come from. How we choose.
Sources: Sony UK: WF-1000XM6, TechRadar: Sony WF-1000XM6 review, Expert Reviews: Sony WF-1000XM6 review, What Hi-Fi?: Sony WF-1000XM6 review, Sony UK: WF-C710N specifications, What Hi-Fi?: Sony WF-C710N review, Tom's Guide: Sony WF-C710N review, EarFun: Air Pro 4, Android Central: EarFun Air Pro 4 review, PC Gamer: EarFun Air Pro 4 review, Nothing: Ear (a), TechRadar: Nothing Ear (a) review, Expert Reviews: Nothing Ear (a) review.