Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 | Sony - WH-1000XM6 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 50 h | 30 h |
| Weight | 307 g | 254 g |
| Driver size | 45 mm | 30 mm |
| Active noise cancellation | false | true |
| Spatial audio | false | true |
Between the ATH-M50xBT2 and WH-1000XM6, the ATH-M50xBT2 comes out ahead in battery life / driver size, while the WH-1000XM6 wins on weight / active noise cancellation. Overall, the ATH-M50xBT2 scores 59.8 and the WH-1000XM6 scores 69.4 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The WH-1000XM6 is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 9.6 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the ATH-M50xBT2 if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. The biggest gaps in its favor are battery life, driver size. The single most decisive one: Battery life — 66.67% more. 50 h vs 30 h.
Pick the WH-1000XM6 if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. Its strongest claims are weight, active noise cancellation, spatial audio. The single most decisive one: Weight — 53.00 g less. 254 vs 307.
Both ship with comparable multipoint, ldac, water resistance, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the WH-1000XM6 is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 or Sony - WH-1000XM6?
Sony - WH-1000XM6 leads the current Mars Score by 9.6 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare driver size, battery life, weight against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 if…
Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 has the measurable edge on battery life h, driver size mm.
Choose Sony - WH-1000XM6 if…
Sony - WH-1000XM6 has the measurable edge on weight g, has anc, has spatial audio.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 wins
- ▲Battery life — 66.67% more. 50 h vs 30 h.
- ▲Driver size — 50.00% more. 45 mm vs 30 mm.
Why Sony - WH-1000XM6 wins
- ▲Weight — 53.00 g less. 254 vs 307.
- ▲Has Active noise cancellation.
- ▲Has Spatial audio.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 | Sony - WH-1000XM6 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | over-ear | over-ear |
| Weight | 307 g | 254 glead |
| Water resistance | none | none |
Audio
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 | Sony - WH-1000XM6 |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 45 mmlead | 30 mm |
| Impedanceⓘ | 38 Ωlead | 16 Ω |
| Sensitivityⓘ | 99 dB | 101 dBlead |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | false | truelead |
| Transparency mode | false | truelead |
| Spatial audioⓘ | false | truelead |
Battery
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 | Sony - WH-1000XM6 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery lifeⓘ | 50 hlead | 30 h |
| Fast chargeⓘ | true | true |
Connectivity
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 | Sony - WH-1000XM6 |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 5.0 | 5.3lead |
| Multipointⓘ | true | true |
| 3.5mm jack | true | true |
| LDACⓘ | true | true |
| aptX HDⓘ | truelead | false |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery life, ATH-M50xBT2 or WH-1000XM6?+
ATH-M50xBT2 lasts 50 hours vs 30 hours.
Do ATH-M50xBT2 or WH-1000XM6 have active noise cancellation?+
WH-1000XM6 has active noise cancellation; ATH-M50xBT2 does not.
Which supports LDAC, ATH-M50xBT2 or WH-1000XM6?+
Both support LDAC.