Sony 1000X THE COLLEXION Black

I have been using the Sony 1000x The Collexion every day for quite some time now. I regularly wear them for as much as 6 hours a day, and for several hours at a time. Wearing comfort is therefore very important, and this headphone really fits well in that regard, even after I have been wearing it for a while.

I am very pleased with the sound. Music sounds full and clear, without becoming too loud or sharp. I particularly like the latter; the sound is never irritating. The bass is clearly present and easy to adjust if necessary. And therefore not overly prominent if you don't want it to be. That is quite handy during a conversation if someone has a low voice. Sometimes someone becomes unintelligible then, but not with these headphones. As a result, they sound pleasant with various types of music, but also during phone calls.

I consider the Noise Cancelling a major plus. I use it often when I want to work quietly for a moment or when there is noise around me. Making calls is also very smooth. Even in a busy room with a lot of noise, the other person hardly hears a thing. I find that very pleasant, because I don't constantly have to look for a quieter spot to have a good conversation.

The headphones present themselves as the best Sony has to offer. But if this is indeed the best from Sony, I think they still have some work to do.

I have been a fan of the WH-1000X series since before it was actually called that, and I have owned all models up to and including the XM4. After that, I dropped out, mainly because the fit of the newer models was no longer comfortable for me. That is why I was excited when I saw The Collexion: thanks to the changed design of the earcups, this finally seemed like a Sony headphone to me again.

And fortunately, in terms of fit, it does not disappoint. It sits comfortably, although it is a bit loose for my taste. Not ideal, but certainly not bothersome either.

However, the problems started when pairing with my phone. After a long search, I eventually even delved into the log files of my phone's Bluetooth module. From that, I could deduce that the headphones attempt to connect via LE Audio by default. In principle, that shouldn't be a problem at all, but in my case, it turned pairing into a nightmare. Nowhere on my phone or in the Sony app is it indicated that anything is going wrong; the connection simply remains stuck on "connecting" endlessly.

After the usual resets and other standard solutions, I created a support ticket with Sony. That, too, was a disappointing experience for a product in this price range. The chatbot didn't even recognize the model. Apparently, The Collexion is registered in the support system as the WH-1000XX. Eventually, I was able to create a ticket specifically for that model.

From a premium flagship product, I expect premium support. However, at the time of writing, I still have not received a substantive response from Sony. I find that difficult to accept for a product that positions itself at the absolute top of Sony's range.

Ultimately, I managed to solve the problem myself, but this required steps that I would absolutely not expect from an average user. Subsequently, I discovered that, in my experience, even the ANC is not clearly better than that of my now quite old XM4. And that’s not even mentioning the "AI Enhanced Audio," for which Sony has even reserved a specific button on the headphones. That feature, too, failed to convince me that this device justifies its premium positioning or price.

Now that everything finally works, I can honestly say that it is not a bad pair of headphones. On the contrary: they fit comfortably and ultimately function as you would expect from a good Sony headphone. But that is precisely the problem. For a product that presents itself as the best Sony can make, "good" is simply not enough.

The combination of connection issues, mediocre support, ANC that doesn't convince me compared to my XM4, and features that don't justify the high price, means I am returning it.

I was looking for ANC headphones for home use, mainly because I want to be less distracted by ambient noise. As a hi-fi enthusiast, they naturally need to sound good and have LDAC so I can play hi-res music via my Samsung phone without a dongle. After reading several reviews, I settled on these, and I am very pleasantly surprised. Of course, Sony's ANC is top-notch, but equally important is the fantastic comfort. A small profile, yet with enough depth for larger ears and not too tight. Those are the main reasons I chose these over the B&W Px8 S2. But what about the sound? With the improved drivers and tuning, I think this is quite special. Not as good as my Focal Clear MG, of course, but I notice that I can really enjoy it. Apparently, I like Sony tuning, because I immediately ordered the WF1000XM6 along with it for on the go. What I didn't expect is the quality of the 360 cinema upmix, which is great for watching TV. Pro tip: Just listen with the EQ off; these headphones are already fantastic with standard tuning. Ultimately, I think the fairly high price is really worth it for the total package that is offered.