Sony 1000XX COLLEXION Review: An Upgrade To Your Collexion

Sony Bluetooth headphones have long held the title of some of the best in the market. The 1000X line has some of the most popular headphones, including the WH-1000XM6 as its latest addition. Now, as a 10th anniversary special, Sony has released the 1000XX: The Collexion. This wireless, noise-cancelling headphone celebrates the sound and style Sony is known for, and enters as a flagship Bluetooth headphone for the company. Retailing for $649.99, the 1000XX competes with higher-end models like the Focal Bathys and the Bowers & Wilkins Px8. How does this headphone compare? Has Sony created another masterpiece? In this review, we'll take a look at all the features, both new and old, and see how Sony celebrates 10 years of sound. 

Operating the 1000XX will be essentially identical to how other Sony wireless headphones operate. Battery life takes a hit as it decreases from 30 hours to only 24m even less when noise cancelling is turned on. You can navigate most controls on the right earcup, with a touch control sensor to adjust volume, playback, and phone calls. The swiping motions are the same as those in the previous 1000X series models. Like the other models, the 1000XX has a physical button for powering the headphone on and off, and another one to switch between noise-cancelling and ambient modes. These buttons are found on the left-hand side, and there is another button added to access more features without having to reach for the phone. This button allows you to cycle through some of the listening modes, including the 360 Music Upmix and Cinema Upmix modes. These are just two of the spatial audio modes, and you can access more in the app.

That then begs the question: what features does the Sony 1000XX have? For the most part, you'll find that you are already familiar with most of them. Active noise-cancelling, ambient mode, crystal-clear phone call quality, Speak-to-Chat, and compatibility with the Sony Sound Connect app for EQ tuning. There are some preset EQ filters you can use, or you can make your own adjustments and save them for later use. Sony is known for the strong noise cancellation, and the 12 microphones on the 1000XX don't disappoint in blocking out the world around you. This makes phone calls and ambient mode very effective as well. 

Introduced in the XM6, the 1000XX has different Listening Modes to enhance your listening experience. In the XM6, we saw this with the Cinema Mode and Background Music Mode. These two modes are also on the 1000XX, but you also have the addition of the 360 Upmix for Music and Gaming. This spatial audio advancement allows you to really immerse yourself in your listening, using the space of the soundstage to maximize listening potential. Some tracks did sound odd at first because most of them were not originally mixed for a spatial audio setup, but I liked some genres in the different modes. The Gaming Mode filter was effective for scores and dialogue-heavy recordings, while the Cinema Mode made orchestral and classical compositions more dramatic and powerful. 

The 360 Upmix feature would benefit some mixing or mastering engineers who work with Dolby or another spatial audio software. When I used the Upmix feature on standard stereo-mixed tracks, it was a little weird to listen to the mix being put in this big, ultra-expansive environment. If you are someone who regularly has spatial tracks that can't be listened to at their full potential in a standard Bluetooth or wired headphone, this feature  will definitely be useful and a perfect upgrade to you. 

SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING

So, how does this new 1000XX sound? Upon an initial listen, I was immediately hit with that familiar Sony bass sound. It is large and in charge, and definitely becomes the most notable thing in the signature. The powerful bass laid a great foundation for everything else to build up from, and it established how large the sound field would be in every genre. I made sure to keep the 1000XX tuned at 'Standard,' so I could keep the out-of-the-box sound. The soundstage was fairly wide and wrapped around my head effectively, creating an immersive environment for all my tracks. The space in the sound field was very expansive, stretching backwards to create a lot of depth. I could place things pretty accurately in the sound field, and all the frequency ranges were separate enough to appreciate individually.

As a whole, the 1000XX sound profile was very bass-heavy. The low end was the most prominent part of the sound signature, but it didn't drown everything else out. If you're not a fan of bass, the 1000XX probably won't be for you; however, the Sony Sound Connect app does allow for some sonic adjustment. The balance between the treble and bass isn't quite even, but the treble does come through very strongly to give the profile plenty of detail and color. The 1000XX isn't a reference headphone to my ears, but I did like how instruments sounded honest and realistic in any genre you listened to. The midrange is a highlight because of its natural and detail-forward presentation, coming in to support the treble against the bass. For people looking for entertaining and engaging sound for their everyday listening, the 1000XX is a great choice. 

BASS FREQUENCIES

As mentioned before, the Sony 1000XX has a really strong bass. This isn't really a surprise, since Sony headphones have famously had a strong bass response in all 10 years of wireless headsets. The 1000XX joins that trend easily, with punchiness in fast-paced genres that keep plenty of detail throughout. The sub-bass extension makes the 1000XX carry more weight in its sound, and even though everything gets brought down more towards the lower frequencies, you don't get a muddy or washed out feeling. The strength of the bass builds upwards and lays a decent foundation for everything else to build up from. The bass frequencies were highlighted in pop and indie tracks, where the 808 hits or kick drums get ample power and drive. Classic rock tracks gave bass guitars an extra twang, so their tonality was heard just as much as the body from that range. 

MIDRANGE FREQUENCIES

The midrange comes forward in the 1000XX's sound signature to create a slight V-shape. It isn't a large push to the front, but you can hear how the instruments that fall in the midrange are easily identifiable and come forward with ease. Against the strong bass, the midrange in the 1000XX comes across with plenty of power to not get lost in the low end. It pushes forward and makes the timbres of instruments stand out for a more textured profile. Vocals come to the very front above everything, something that is more noticeable when you use the 360 Upmix feature. The midrange isn't veiled to hide any details, and the layers become more noticeable in the depth of the soundstage. Large ensembles have decent separation in this range, and you can still hear how the 1000XX signature flows together from sub-lows to ultra-highs. 

TREBLE FREQUENCIES

To round out the signature, the 1000XX's treble is bright and airy. With the bass being so dark and heavy, the brightness of the treble lightens up the entire profile, offering equivalent power and drive. Ikt makes details and texture more noticeable in tracks, so the bass doesn't wash everything out. That detail is essential to getting the sharpness and precision in the entire signature. The ultra-high frequencies do cut off a little sharply, and they have a more obvious shelf than the sub-bass frequencies do. Still, the top-end space is open and light to allow the spatial scenes to live naturally and more realistically. The 1000XX becomes much lighter in sound and is then easy to listen to for hours. 

If you're someone who owns the Sony WH-1000XM6, maybe you're wondering if it's worth upgrading to the 1000XX. I listened to the two side by side, and the difference between them was most starkly made in their build quality. The previous flagship is more lightweight since it doesn't have the addition of metal components in the physical design. Some features vary, and the 360 Upmix is definitely new to make listening more personalized and immersive. The extra button on the side allows you to access these features more readily, which is a great way to get around using the app all the time. 

Sonically, the 1000XX is fuller than the XM6. The XM6 has strong bass, but it is noticeably thinner when compared to the 1000XX. It feels a bit more transparent and separate from the XM6, where everything is a bit more cohesive. The 1000XX is a slightly louder headphone that reaches higher volumes more quickly. When you add EQ and some of the 360 upmixing (particularly the one for music), you can appreciate the space in the sound signature a lot more in the 1000XX than you can in the thinner XM6. Another good comparison to make with the 1000XX would be the Focal Bathys. The Bathys are a more neutral and flatter headphone in comparison, but the 1000XX keeps the strong bass Sony is known for. 

After all is said and done, is the Sony 1000XX COLLEXION headphone a home run? The build quality alone would entice anyone to at least consider it, and a listening test will reveal if it fits your style. Make no mistake, the sound on the 1000XX is very good and caters to bass fans. If you're someone looking for more high-end detail and width in soundstage, perhaps the Sony 1000XX isn't the right headphone for you. People who like to customize their sound will find comfort in the extensive features in the Sony Sound Connect app, and I am sure everyone will be impressed with Sony's elevated physical design. 

You can get the Sony 1000XX COLLEXION Headphones at Audio46.