TL;DR
- iFixit’s teardown of Sony’s newest flagship headphones reveals some welcome repairability enhancements.
- The WH-1000XM6’s battery is secured with screws as an alternative of adhesive, permitting for simpler replacements.
- The headphone’s drivers, USB-C port, audio jack, and button board are additionally a lot simpler to entry.
Sony not too long ago unveiled the WH-1000XM6, the extremely anticipated successor to one of many best flagship headphones available on the market. The brand new mannequin brings a number of enhancements over its predecessor, together with a considerably sooner QN3 processor, higher ANC, enhanced voice name high quality, longer battery life, and extra. The XM6 additionally brings some welcome design modifications. Sony has reintroduced the folding mechanism on the brand new mannequin, which was omitted on the XM5. The corporate has additionally added removable earpads for simpler alternative and designed a very new journey case. However that’s not all.
Sony has reportedly additionally redesigned the XM6’s insides, which may enhance repairability. iFixit has noticed a number of upgrades that ought to make the flagship headphones simpler to restore. Its teardown reveals that the lithium polymer battery powering the XM6 is secured in a plastic housing with two screws as an alternative of double-sided adhesive, making replacements simple.
The modular plate housing the XM6’s drivers can be held down by Phillips-head screws and a rubber plug, permitting for easy disassembly. Sony has additionally made the modular USB-C port, audio jack, and button board a lot simpler to entry than they have been on the XM5. You’ll be able to take a look at how simple it’s to tug the headphones aside in iFixit’s teardown beneath.
Though the corporate has but to share a restore handbook for the headphones, you may anticipate it to reach quickly. Sony has revealed one for the older mannequin, and we don’t see why it gained’t do the identical for its newest flagship headphones.
As for alternative components, Sony presently doesn’t supply any for the WH-1000XM6 or its predecessor. Nevertheless, provided that the corporate is actively making modifications to enhance the repairability of its headphones, there’s an opportunity it may begin promoting alternative components quickly.
What do you consider Sony’s resolution to make its headphones simpler to restore? Would these modifications persuade you to purchase the WH-1000XM6 as an alternative of a flagship headphone from a special model? Tell us within the feedback.
