Design & Build Quality
Nothing Headphone 1
Nothing has always been about aesthetic rebellion, rejecting bland corporate design in favour of raw transparency. The Headphone 1 carries this ethos flawlessly. Its transparent plastic cups showcase the driver architecture within, with exposed screws, magnets, and structural grids giving it an industrial sci-fi aesthetic that instantly turns heads in coffee shops or flights. The aluminium sliders add reassuring sturdiness to an otherwise lightweight build.

The oval earcups take clear inspiration from KEF’s headphones, both in driver arrangement and silhouette. They are slim and elegant but slightly shallow for users with larger ears, sometimes causing a mild pinch on extended sessions. The memory foam pads are breathable, reducing heat buildup—a huge plus in UAE summers where leather pads become mini-saunas. The tension on the headband is well balanced, with just enough clamping force to feel secure without inducing temple fatigue.

Nothing’s design team deserves credit for the uniformity of aesthetic across their product ecosystem. Place the Headphone 1 next to the Nothing Phone (2a) or the CMF Watch Pro, and it forms a visual symphony of industrial minimalism rarely seen outside of Apple’s design studio.
Sony WH-1000XM6
Sony’s approach is the polar opposite: stealth wealth. The XM6 retains the general shape of the XM5 but reintroduces the folding mechanism many XM5 users missed. The matte finish is refined and subtle, available in black or platinum silver with minimal branding—only a discreet Sony logo on each side. No exposed wires, no visual drama, just mature, understated elegance.

What truly elevates the XM6’s design is comfort engineering. The vegan leather earcups are plusher and deeper than previous generations, enveloping the ears fully without squashing. The headband foam is softer yet denser, distributing weight evenly. Combined with the lighter clamping force, wearing them for 4+ hour stretches induces no hotspots or fatigue. They fold flat and inward, making them ideal for travel compared to the Nothing’s fixed cups.

The yoke mechanism feels smoother and stronger than on the XM5, with firmer detents that hold adjustments securely. Every hinge and swivel feels engineered to last years. It’s design that doesn’t scream for attention but rewards prolonged ownership.
Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6
While the Nothing Headphone 1 is a visual masterpiece, Sony wins for ergonomic excellence, premium practicality, and foldable convenience. Design is subjective, but comfort is king in long headphone sessions.
Sound Quality
Nothing Headphone 1
Tuned in collaboration with KEF, the Nothing Headphone 1 aims directly at audiophiles craving clarity and balance over consumer-friendly bass bombs. The default tuning is warm-neutral:
- Bass: Tight, punchy, and controlled. Sub-bass has presence without drowning mids. On tracks like “Angel” by Massive Attack, bass notes remain disciplined, never muddying the midrange.
- Mids: The star of the show. Vocals, acoustic guitars, and strings are rendered with lifelike realism. On “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman, her voice carries an intimate warmth while guitar strums sparkle naturally.
- Treble: Detailed and airy without harshness. Cymbals have shimmer and decay, yet never pierce the ear at high volumes. Jazz and classical recordings benefit greatly from this treble behaviour, especially with well-recorded violins and brass.
- Soundstage & Imaging: Excellent width and depth for a closed-back design. Instrument separation is precise, recreating stage placement convincingly. KEF’s tuning fingerprints are evident here.

However, it lacks the visceral bass slam some EDM or hip-hop fans desire. It prioritises fidelity over fun, appealing to listeners who prefer accurate reproduction rather than boosted impact.
Sony WH-1000XM6
Sony’s sound signature remains largely faithful to its predecessors but with subtle refinements:
- Bass: Substantial and immersive. Tracks like “God Is A DJ” by Faithless get a club-like punch with deep, rolling basslines that you feel in your jaw. It’s powerful but not uncontrolled—Sony has improved damping to prevent mid-bass bloom.
- Mids: Rich and full-bodied, especially male vocals and lower piano notes. However, the tuning is slightly recessed here compared to Nothing’s forward mids, creating a V-shaped profile suited for pop, rock, and cinematic scores.
- Treble: Polished but slightly rolled-off at the extreme highs, preventing listener fatigue on long sessions. However, it doesn’t have the micro-detail retrieval of the Nothing, sometimes glossing over finer textures in orchestral tracks.
- Soundstage & Imaging: Improved over XM5, creating a spacious presentation with decent instrument placement, but still feels slightly narrower than the Nothing’s more open staging.

With custom EQ, the Sony can adapt from a club-banger profile to a more neutral one. LDAC support also unlocks higher resolution streaming with compatible devices, adding clarity and depth.
Winner: Tie
- Nothing Headphone 1 wins for audiophile-grade balance, pristine mids, and acoustic realism.
- Sony WH-1000XM6 wins for cinematic bass impact, genre versatility, and customisability.
Your choice depends on musical preferences: accuracy and fidelity vs impact and fun.
Noise Cancellation
Nothing Headphone 1
As Nothing’s first ANC headphone, performance is admirable:
- Low Frequency ANC: Handles HVAC hums, bus engines, and airplane rumbles decently, cutting around 60-70% of the noise.
- Mid/High Frequency ANC: Less effective with voices, keyboard clacks, or clinking cutlery. It softens them rather than removing them completely.
- Transparency Mode: Outstanding. Voices sound natural, almost as if no headphone is worn. Minimal digital hiss, making conversations seamless.

Overall, it matches older Bose QC35-level cancellation but is not at par with flagship ANC headphones.
Sony WH-1000XM6
Sony’s ANC is in its own league:
- Low Frequency ANC: Near-total silence. Airplane cabin noise, city buses, underground rumble—gone.
- Mid/High Frequency ANC: Superior attenuation of voices, sharp sounds, and background chatter thanks to new AI adaptive algorithms and dual processor noise cancelling units.
- Adaptive Sound Control: Seamlessly adjusts ANC levels based on location and movement, such as walking on a street vs sitting at a café.
- Transparency Mode: Extremely natural, with adjustable ambient levels for situational awareness.

In practical use, the XM6 makes the world feel eerily silent. It is simply the best ANC performance in the market today.
Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6
Sony retains its noise-cancelling throne, with Nothing performing respectably for a first attempt.
Battery Life
Nothing Headphone 1
- Rated Battery Life: ~40 hours (ANC off), ~25-30 hours (ANC on).
- Charging Speed: 10 hours playback from 10 minutes charge via USB-C PD.
- Real World: Users report hitting advertised figures reliably. Standby drain is minimal due to efficient power management.

Sony WH-1000XM6
- Rated Battery Life: ~40 hours (ANC off), ~30-35 hours (ANC on).
- Charging Speed: 3 hours playback from just 3 minutes charging—an insane convenience if your flight is boarding soon.
- Real World: Consistently delivers claimed battery life, with excellent standby efficiency and fast top-ups for heavy users.

Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6
Both headphones last more than a week of daily commutes, but Sony’s fast charging remains unbeatable.
Features & Software
Nothing Headphone 1
- App & Controls: Clean minimalist UI with KEF tuning modes, multipoint connectivity, touch controls, and wear detection.
- Codec Support: Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, and upcoming aptX Lossless for near-wired fidelity.
- OTA Updates: Seamless and fast.
- Limitations: No advanced ANC profiles, no spatial audio, and limited EQ flexibility compared to competitors.


Sony WH-1000XM6
- App & Controls: Extensive, if slightly cluttered. Full ANC customisation, adaptive sound control, 5-band EQ, spatial audio support (with Bravia XR TVs), speak-to-chat, and auto power off timers.
- Codec Support: Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC, and LDAC for hi-res streaming.
- Extra Features: Swift Pair, multipoint, and DSEE Extreme for upscaling compressed tracks.
- Limitations: The app can feel overwhelming for casual users, but power users love its depth.


Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6
Nothing’s simplicity is elegant, but Sony offers a feature set that is simply untouchable for power users and travellers.
Call Quality
Nothing Headphone 1
- Indoor Calls: Voices sound clean and natural with minimal compression artefacts.
- Outdoor Calls: Wind reduction is moderate; strong gusts can overpower mic isolation. Traffic noise is partially suppressed but not fully eliminated.

Sony WH-1000XM6
- Indoor Calls: Excellent clarity with deep, natural vocal tonality.
- Outdoor Calls: Beamforming mics with AI noise reduction suppress traffic, wind, and crowd noise efficiently. Call recipients reported clear audio even on windy beaches or busy streets.

Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6
For professionals on calls or content creators, Sony is the definitive choice.
Overall Experience & Brand Philosophy
Nothing Headphone 1
Nothing has delivered a headphone that blends art, technology, and sonic mastery. It’s not for everyone—bass heads may find it lacking impact, and ANC junkies will spot its limitations. But if you want a design icon with KEF-inspired tuning that respects the artist’s intent, this is a headphone that brings pride of ownership alongside excellent performance.
Sony WH-1000XM6
Sony continues to perfect its flagship formula. The XM6 is not radical, but an evolutionary refinement offering supreme comfort, feature depth, unbeatable noise cancellation, and cinematic bass that makes it the default recommendation for most people.

Winner: Tie
- Choose Nothing Headphone 1 if you value audiophile purity, transparent industrial design, and brand individuality.
- Choose Sony WH-1000XM6 if you want the best all-round headphone for travel, work, and daily life, with no compromise features and ANC.

Absolute Geeks Verdict
Both headphones are exceptional within their realms, but if forced to pick:
Sony WH-1000XM6 is the overall winner for unmatched ANC, supreme comfort, and software features.
Sony WH-1000XM6
Nothing Headphone 1 is the connoisseur’s choice, a wearable piece of art with reference-grade tuning and design charisma that no other brand can replicate.