Sony’s 1000X The Collexion are a luxurious and expensive celebration of its iconic headphones

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FollowSee All SonySony’s 1000X The Collexion are a luxurious and expensive celebration of its iconic headphonesThe latest headphones from Sony are a more plush take on its flagship series, with a price tag to match. If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

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by John Higgins John HigginsSenior Reviewer, TVs & AudioPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. FollowSee All by John HigginsMay 19, 2026, 4:00 PM UTC If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Photo: John Higgins / The Verge John Higgins John HigginsPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. FollowSee All by John Higgins is a senior reviewer covering TVs and audio. He has over 20 years experience in AV, and has previously been on staff at Digital Trends and Reviewed.

Ten years ago Sony introduced the MDR-1000X headphones. They combined noise canceling, good sound, design, and comfort in a way that we hadn’t quite seen before in a set of wireless headphones. (At the time, the Bose QC35 were the closest competitor, but I wasn’t a huge fan of their sound tuning.

Industry Implications

) The 1000X set off a line of consistently excellent wireless noise-canceling headphones that became the go-to for comparisons — I still have a pair of WH-1000XM4s that hang on the side of my desk. To celebrate the launch of the original, Sony is releasing the 1000X The Collexion. (The X in “collexion” refers to the headphones’ 10 years and is a part of the series name.

There’s no indication that any other products will be added to this Collexion. ) Sony told me they’re “the pinnacle of technology and design,” and boy does their price reflect that. The new 1000X cans don’t replace the WH-1000XM6 that Sony released a year ago.

According to Sony, the XM6 are designed for functionality while the 1000X are a luxury design focused on comfort. That’s at least $200 more than the WH-1000XM6 usually go for, and $100 more than the Apple AirPods Max 2. So are these headphones worth adding to your collexion?

This advance offers important signals about the future of the sector, and the tech world is watching closely.