Sony 1000X: Pioneer vs. Collexion, Audio Surprise

Ten years. A decade in tech can feel like an eternity, especially when comparing the genesis of a product line to its latest, most luxurious iteration. We recently revisited Sony’s foundational wireless noise-cancelling headphones, the MDR-1000X, pitting them against the newly unveiled Sony 1000X THE COLLEXION Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones. The journey from pioneer to luxury edition reveals surprising shifts in priorities and performance.

Design and Build: A Tale of Two Eras

The MDR-1000X, launched in 2016, retailed for $350, which translates to approximately $490 in today’s money. It featured a premium synthetic leather texture and a robust, heavy-duty folding mechanism. However, build quality was not Sony’s strong suit in those early years, leading to creaking, cracking leather in the headband and earcups, and hairline cracks in the plastic headband joints over time. Its case, while compact, has also shown signs of “self-destruction,” emitting a strange liquid that stained other items.

Fast forward to the 1000X The Collexion, and the aesthetic is a clear win. These are arguably the best-looking premium headphones Sony has produced, with shiny metallic accents that, while prone to smudges and scratches, look genuinely nice. We don’t expect the same creaking issues as its predecessor. The design has also slimmed down, reducing the protrusion from the side of the head that was characteristic of earlier Sony models. The new case features a magnetic clasp, a cool innovation, though it’s less compact than the original and only includes an audio cable, not a USB cable.

Core Features and Innovation

The MDR-1000X was a true innovator for its time, introducing features that are now standard. It pioneered touch controls for playback and voice assistance, as well as the quick attention mode, allowing users to hear surroundings by placing a palm over the right earcup. Its noise-cancelling optimizer, with a built-in barometer, was groundbreaking, adapting noise cancellation for different pressure levels, such as on an aircraft. NFC for one-touch pairing was also a standout feature. Sound-wise, it was among the first headphones to feature Sony’s high-res LDAC codec and also supported aptX codecs. However, it lacked a companion app, multipoint connectivity, and quick charge capabilities, relying on Micro USB for charging.

The 1000X The Collexion, as expected, brings modern conveniences. It features USB-C charging, a companion app, multipoint connectivity, and quick charge. It also incorporates advanced audio features like upmixing, 360 spatial audio, and other smart functionalities.

Noise Cancellation and Transparency

When it comes to noise cancellation, the 1000X The Collexion performs at a Tier S level, indistinguishable from the flagship XM6 series. It offers excellent noise reduction, with only minimal voices seeping through, which is typical for this tier of headphones. The MDR-1000X, despite its age and wear, still delivers a respectable Tier C performance. It provides good low-end noise cancellation, marginally outperforming even newer models like Sony’s WH-CH720N Noise Canceling Wireless Headphones, though it struggles more with higher-frequency voices.

In transparency mode, the 1000X The Collexion again achieves Tier S, offering a natural-sounding ambient mode with no noticeable white noise or occlusion. The MDR-1000X, surprisingly, holds its own at Tier B. While there’s a noticeable amount of white noise and processing, it’s perfectly usable for conversations, even blocking a reasonable chunk of low-end sounds. We were genuinely impressed by its performance for a decade-old device.

Microphone Performance

Microphone quality has seen significant advancements over the years. The 1000X The Collexion is miles ahead, delivering excellent call quality in quiet, noisy, and windy conditions. It also includes on-headphone controls for muting the microphone. The MDR-1000X, while perfectly usable in quiet environments like a home office, struggles when background noise increases, allowing ambient sounds to seep through and cutting out voices when speaking softly. In windy conditions, the audio is largely drowned out by interference.

To hear the raw microphone samples, check out the video embedded at the top of this post!

Audio Fidelity: A Bittersweet Revelation

Perhaps the most surprising discovery was the audio quality of the MDR-1000X. After five years, putting them on was a revelation: they sound amazing. We found ourselves questioning the progression of audio quality over the past decade. The MDR-1000X delivered a beautiful, balanced sound straight out of the box, requiring no EQ or app adjustments. It felt like a return to a time before the “loudness wars” and the pervasive trend of excessive bass, which, in our opinion, has often led to muddy, drowned-out sound in many modern headphones, including some of Sony’s own XM3 and XM4 models. While the 1000X The Collexion offers advanced features like upmixing and spatial audio, the pure, unadulterated audio experience of the original was a powerful reminder of what we once had.

Tech Specs

Sony MDR-1000X

Launch Year: 2016
Original Price: $350
Drivers: 40mm
Codec Support: LDAC, aptX
Charging Port: Micro USB
Connectivity: NFC
Design: Foldable

Sony 1000X The Collexion

Charging Port: USB-C
Case: Magnetic clasp
Design: Foldable

Final Verdict

The comparison between the Sony MDR-1000X and the Sony 1000X The Collexion is a fascinating look at technological evolution. The Collexion undeniably excels in modern conveniences, superior noise cancellation, and microphone performance, wrapped in a sleek, comfortable design. However, the MDR-1000X, despite its physical wear and tear, delivers a surprisingly strong performance in noise cancellation and transparency, and a truly exceptional, balanced audio experience that left us nostalgic. While the new model is a testament to Sony’s continued innovation, the original reminds us that sometimes, the fundamentals were already perfected a decade ago.

✅ Superior ANC & Transparency
✅ Excellent mic performance
✅ Modern design & features
✅ Improved comfort

❌ Reduced battery life
❌ Less compact case
❌ Audio quality shift
❌ Pricey

Products Mentioned

===DISCLOSURES===
✅ Sony sent us the WH-1000XX for review purposes.
✅ We bought the MDR 1000X with our own money.
✅ No one got input at any stage in the creation of this content. All opinions and bad jokes are strictly our own.
✅ Affiliate shopping and merchandise links above earn us commission.