Sony hasn’t said a word yet, but the internet already has pictures of it’s upcoming headphones. Actor Damson Idris was spotted wearing an unreleased pair of Sony over-ear headphones in New York City ahead of the Met Gala, giving the world its first real look at what’s reportedly called the WH-1000XX or ‘The ColleXion’.
Sony is expected to officially unveil them on May 19, but the leak has already set expectations sky-high (via NotebookCheck). If the specs hold up, this could be the pair that finally gives Apple’s AirPods Max 2 a serious competition.
What makes the Sony WH-1000XX different from what came before?
The design is the first thing you’ll notice. Unlike the Sony WH-1000XM6, the WH-1000XX features a metal headband and a metal casing around the 3.5mm jack, giving it a noticeably more premium look. The earcup arms also sink into the cups rather than resting on top of them.
Sony has also returned to a non-foldable design, something the company last used with the WH-1000XM5. All those changes come with a tradeoff, though. The headphones reportedly weigh around 312g, which is roughly 25% heavier than the WH-1000XM6.
What are the specs looking like?
The WH-1000XX will reportedly be the first Sony wireless headphones to feature DSEE Ultimate, the company’s top-tier AI music upscaling technology.
They’ll also offer studio-quality sound and 360-degree spatial audio with head tracking. For noise cancellation, leaks point to 12 dedicated microphones, four more than what Apple’s AirPods Max 2 offers.
Battery life is expected to be around 24 hours with active noise cancellation on, which still beats the AirPods Max 2 by four hours.
However, all of this comes with a bigger price tag. The WH-1000XX ColleXion is expected to launch at $649, making it $100 more expensive than the AirPods Max 2 and Sony’s most premium headphone offering yet.