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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
If you prioritize sound quality for music listening, the Sennheiser IE600 offers the best audio performance, with a dynamic driver that excels in soundstage and imaging. However, they come at a premium price and lack features such as wireless connectivity and a microphone for calls, making them less versatile for everyday use. On the other hand, the Sony WF1000XM3 is more affordable, with good sound quality, great comfort, and additional features like active noise cancelling, app controls, and a very good microphone for calls and meetings, making them more suited for varied activities including travel and exercise. They also support virtual surround sound which enhances the movie-watching experience, though they're not optimized for gaming due to their wireless nature. The tradeoff here is between top-tier audio quality and a versatile, feature-rich set of earbuds. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Sennheiser IE600
- Very good for music
- Excellent for TV and video
Advantages of the Sony WF1000XM3
- Very good for phone calls
- Very good for air travel
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.3
7.5
The Sennheiser IE600 is very good for music, while the Sony WF1000XM3 is good.
Gaming
6.7
5.6
The Sennheiser IE600 is only fair for gaming, while the Sony WF1000XM3 is poor.
Phone Calls
3.5
8.2
The Sony WF1000XM3 is very good for phone calls, while the Sennheiser IE600 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
8.7
The Sony WF1000XM3 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sennheiser IE600 is poor.
TV and Video
9.3
5.7
The Sennheiser IE600 is excellent for TV and video, while the Sony WF1000XM3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
7.0
8.3
The Sony WF1000XM3 is very good for noise reduction, while the Sennheiser IE600 is good.
Battery
N/A
6.0 Hours
The Sennheiser IE600 does not have a battery. The Sony WF1000XM3 has 6 hours of battery life.
Cost
$600
$180
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Sennheiser IE600 has a price of $600 and the Sony WF1000XM3 costs $180.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Sennheiser IE600 and Sony WF1000XM3 both have excellent build quality.
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How the Sennheiser IE600 and the Sony WF1000XM3 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sennheiser IE600 | Sony WF1000XM3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$600 | $180 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sennheiser | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | August 1, 2019 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.3/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 3.5/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 6.8/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.3/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.6/10 | 6/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 6 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 3.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 24 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 2.5/10 | 8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 6 Grams | 9 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Shopping
Sennheiser IE600
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Dig into reviews and images
Soundguys
Jasper Lastoria | August 2023
"If you've got the bucks, the Sennheiser IE 600 is a nice, upscale set of in-ear monitors made of a lightweight metal with an unusual texture. It comes with a suite of extras, and performs well at virtually every task."
Sony WF1000XM3
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | November 2022
"Wireless earbuds are a dime a dozen, and the Sony WF-1000XM3 makes it easy to justify the cost. The design and comfort are good, and the connection strength is consistent. While the lack of aptX or LDAC support is a big drawback, DSEE HX processing improves low-quality audio files. If you want stylish active noise canceling (ANC) earbuds, the WF-1000XM3 needs to be at the top of your list."
Get a great deal on the Sennheiser IE600 or the Sony WF1000XM3
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
About Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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