Ahead of its rumored launch in the second week of February, a crucial piece of information about the Sony WH-1000XM6s has surfaced online. According to the leakster Insider Sony, the XM6 could be the company’s first earbuds to support “DSEE Ultimate” audio upscaling technology.
Powered by a MediaTek “MT2855” chipset, the XM6s may support DSEE Ultimate, Sony’s most advanced proprietary AI-powered upscaling technology designed to improve the quality of compressed audio files (such as MP3s or those streamed online).
DSEE Ultimate could be the real game changer
The technology uses Edge AI to recognize instruments, musical genres, and individual elements, reconstructing the sound to make compressed audio files sound closer to high-resolution audio. Theoretically, it can upscale audio to 192 kHz/24-bit (CD-like quality).
In simpler words, the upscaling technology on Sony’s next premium TWS earbuds could make audio tracks, Spotify streams, or YouTube videos sound richer, fuller, and better. However, since the technology requires substantial CPU power, it could drain the device’s battery faster.
Sony’s DSEE Ultimate will give the XM6s an edge over other competitors, but that won’t be the only upgrade the TWS offer. They’re also rumored to provide improved active noise cancellation (thanks to the upgraded chipset), and a slightly longer battery life (likely due to a larger physical battery).
Power, performance, and potential trade-offs
The earbuds could also feature a couple of design changes. Instead of the more angular earbud design and the broader charging case, we could get pill-shaped earbuds and a slightly smaller charging case.
With DSEE Ultimate, improved ANC, and a new design, the Sony WF-1000XM6 could debut at around $300 to $330 (about the same retail price as the XM5s). The tipster claims a pre-order availability from February 12, 2026.