To say I was happy to see the new redesign of Sony’s XM flagship noise-cancelling headphones is an understatement. The line has always been one of the pinnacles of ANC headphones, but they really missed the mark by not allowing the XM5 (a traveling headphone) to fold. In fact, it was the first headphone in the line that I skipped. But im back and fully in with the release of the WH-1000XM6, which just feels like a very complete and mature design. And yes, they fold.

There are a lot of reasons the XM6 is so popular, but from my perspective, 3 stand out.

First, the features: the XM6 are packed with all of Sony’s bleeding-edge tech, excellent battery life, great spatial awareness, touch controls, fantastic call quality, and an amazing companion headphone app for both Android and IOS.

Second is the sound, it’s very typical Sony but displays a lot of refinements that you just don’t see in its direct competitors like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra. It’s smooth and detailed, slightly warm yet true to life in a way that makes the sound natural and unprocessed. The amazing thing is that Sony has found a way to let that happen even when the ANC is turned on.

Finally, of course, there is the noise cancelling. With a new chip inside, the XM6 really flexes its muscles and shows why it’s a go-to headphone with commuters and frequent flyers around the world. Engine noise just fades as does background chatter, yet there is no sucked out hollow feeling to the headphone at all.

Now, if I have to pull a negative, it’s that with this generation, it’s more expensive than the previous by some margin, but it is the best, so I guess if anyone can charge for it, they can.