Real owners lean toward the Sennheiser HD 650: 75% of 316 owners recommend it, vs 35% of 571 for the Sony WH-1000XM6.
Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score
“What an incredible difference they make to everything I had before! You can listen to a track and hear subtle details that you did not even know they existed. Wow!”— @marco83 on YouTube
“HD650 with a bum driver, but I was able to solider the voice coil back on, so they work normally again. I had a pair 15 years ago and always regreted selling them.”— kindofbluetrains on Reddit
“I find the HiFiMan Sundara & the Fiio FT1 Pro both more useful for mixing - the Sennheisers have a much more condensed/flat sound with less bass extension than either of those”— @reallyoldcob on YouTube
“I then connected them to my android phone and everything was much crisper and detailed because it used LDAC. I then also played around with the equalizer and now they sound much better.”— Alanwake28 on Reddit
“Using XM3 daily since before covid, only headphone I own and do everything you say we shouldn't. Through pouring rain, snowstorms, at the gym, at my factory, stuffed into bags.”— electro_lytes on Reddit
“The issue I have with the Sony XM6 headphones is that they tend to cause my ears to become warm and sweaty, especially during extended use. This discomfort can be quite distracting”— No-Seaworthiness7880 on Reddit