Products
Mark Levinson Nº 5909
Sony WH-1000XM6
Tested using Methodology v2.0
Updated Aug 27, 2025 03:11 PM
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Tested using Methodology v2.0
Updated Oct 30, 2025 02:32 PM
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TypeOver-ear
Noise CancellingYes
EnclosureClosed-Back
Bass Amount
Slightly Emphasized (1 dB)
WirelessYes
TransducerDynamic
Treble Amount
Emphasized (3 dB)
MicYes
Sound Signature
Bright
TypeOver-ear
Noise CancellingYes
EnclosureClosed-Back
Bass Amount
Very Emphasized (5 dB)
WirelessYes
TransducerDynamic
Treble Amount
Balanced (-1 dB)
MicYes
Sound Signature
Warm
Our Verdict
Mark Levinson Nº 5909
Sony WH-1000XM6
The Mark Levinson Nº 5909 offer a very different sound profile to the Sony WH-1000XM6, which will appeal to some audiophiles, but the Sony are a better choice as overall or travel headphones. The Mark Levinson's Harman-tuned frequency response features a bright high-end response, while the Sony opt for a darker, more bass-heavy sound. The Sony offer more scope for adjustment via an in-app graphic EQ. The Sony are dominant when it comes to factors outside of sound: their noise isolation performance is far superior, they have a longer battery life, and a better-performing mic. The Mark Levinson are able to deliver audio more consistently, however, which could be important if you wear glasses or have a larger head.
Variants
- Nº 5909 (Ice Pewter)
- Nº 5909 (Pearl Black)
- Nº 5909 (Radiant Red)
- WH-1000XM6 (Black)
- WH-1000XM6 (Midnight Blue)
- WH-1000XM6 (Platinum Silver)
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Ice Pewter
Nº 5909
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Black
WH-1000XM6
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Pearl Black
Nº 5909
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Midnight Blue
WH-1000XM6
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Radiant Red
Nº 5909
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Platinum Silver
WH-1000XM6
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Main Differences for
Sports And Fitness
Sports And Fitness
Threshold
Sports And Fitness
6.9
7.4
Stability
6.5
7.0
Bluetooth Connection
7.8
8.8
Full Comparison
Sound
Sound Profile
Sound Profile
Normalization Frequency
700 Hz
500 Hz
Bass Amount
Slightly Emphasized (1 dB)
Very Emphasized (5 dB)
Treble Amount
Emphasized (3 dB)
Balanced (-1 dB)
Sound Signature
Bright
Warm
Frequency Response Consistency
8.2
6.0
Consistency L
Consistency R
Std. Deviation
0.79 dB
1.30 dB
Bass Profile: Target Compliance
9.7
7.8
Bass Profile: Target Compliance
RMS Deviation From Target
1.2 dB
4.6 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
20 Hz
20 Hz
Low Bass
0.7 dB
4.83 dB
Mid Bass
0.67 dB
4.8 dB
High Bass
0.09 dB
3.95 dB
Mid-Range Profile: Target Compliance
9.0
8.7
Mid-Range Profile: Target Compliance
RMS Deviation From Target
1.42 dB
1.74 dB
Low Mid
-0.91 dB
2.33 dB
Mid-Mid
0.47 dB
-0.8 dB
High Mid
1.74 dB
-0.11 dB
Treble Profile: Target Compliance
8.1
8.6
Treble Profile: Target Compliance
RMS Deviation From Target
3.2 dB
2.82 dB
Low Treble
1.68 dB
0.03 dB
Mid Treble
4.12 dB
-2.49 dB
High Treble
0.82 dB
-1.17 dB
Peaks/Dips
7.5
7.3
Peaks/Dips Graph
Peaks
1.43 dB
1.57 dB
Dips
1.64 dB
1.85 dB
Stereo Mismatch
6.8
7.3
Frequency Response Mismatch
Phase Response Mismatch
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.86 dB
0.59 dB
Weighted Frequency Response Mismatch
0.78 dB
0.99 dB
Weighted Phase Mismatch
1.6°
1.6°
Cumulative Spectral Decay
CSD
PRTF
3.8
6.2
PRTF
PRTF Accuracy (RMS Deviation)
3.63 dB
4.49 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
5.08 dB
6.56 dB
PRTF Distance
2.26 dB
11.62 dB
Harmonic Distortion
8.5
9.4
Harmonics Levels
THD Ratio
WHD @ 94 dB SPL
0.12%
0.06%
WHD @ 104 dB SPL
0.47%
0.12%
Electrical Aspects
Impedance
Sensitivity @1kHz-1V
112.0 dB SPL
119.5 dB SPL
Bluetooth Max SPL
102.5 dB
104.9 dB
Virtual Soundstage
0.0
7.3
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
On/Off
Speaker Modeling
No
On/Off
Room Ambience
No
Presets
Head Tracking
No
On/Off
Virtual Surround
No
360 Reality Audio
Test Settings
Firmware
V1.5.0.8
2.0.2
Power
On
On
Connection
Bluetooth
Bluetooth
Codec
aptX HD, 24-bit, 48kHz
SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
Test Instrument
Audio Precision APx517B
Audio Precision APx517B
EQ
Neutral
Off
ANC
High
On
Tip/Pad
Default
Default
Microphone
Integrated
Integrated
Design
Style
Design Picture 2
Type
Over-ear
Over-ear
Enclosure
Closed-Back
Closed-Back
Wireless
Yes
Yes
Transducer
Dynamic
Dynamic
Comfort
7.5
7.5
Comfort Picture
Weight
0.79 lbs
0.56 lbs
Clamping Force
1.2 lbs
0.8 lbs
Controls
8.0
8.1
Controls Picture
OS Compatibility
No Controls
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use
Great
Good
Feedback
Great
Good
Call/Music Control
Yes
Yes
Volume Control
Yes
Yes
Microphone Control
No
Mute/Unmute
Channel Mixing
No
No
Noise Cancelling Control
On/Off
On/Off
Talk-Through
On/Off
On/Off
Additional Controls
Voice Assistant
Voice Assistant
Portability
5.7
6.2
Portability Picture
L
8.4" (21.5 cm)
7.5" (19.0 cm)
W
8.2" (20.7 cm)
6.1" (15.4 cm)
H
2.2" (5.6 cm)
2.0" (5.0 cm)
Volume
151.45 in³ (2,481.78 cm³)
87.63 in³ (1,436.00 cm³)
Transmitter Required
No
No
Case
8.0
8.0
Case Picture
Type
Hard case
Hard case
L
8.9" (22.7 cm)
8.3" (21.0 cm)
W
8.5" (21.7 cm)
7.4" (18.9 cm)
H
2.9" (7.3 cm)
2.6" (6.5 cm)
Volume
219.42 in³ (3,595.62 cm³)
157.43 in³ (2,579.85 cm³)
Build Quality
8.0
8.0
Build Quality Picture
Stability
6.5
7.0
Stability Picture
Headshots 1
Angled Picture
Side Picture
Headshots 2
Front Picture
Rear Picture
Top
Top Picture
In The Box
In The Box Picture
Isolation
Noise Isolation - Full Range
8.4
9.7
Noise Isolation - Full Range Graph
Noise Cancelling
Yes
Yes
Overall Attenuation
-22.16 dB
-28.40 dB
Bass
-15.79 dB
-20.10 dB
Mid
-21.26 dB
-32.30 dB
Treble
-30.89 dB
-34.19 dB
Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios
8.7
9.9
Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios Graph
Airplane Noise Attenuation
-20.42 dB
-24.43 dB
Airplane Noise Isolation Audio
Office Noise Attenuation
-19.18 dB
-24.09 dB
Office Noise Isolation Audio
Street Noise Attenuation
-22.67 dB
-26.88 dB
Street Noise Isolation Audio
Noise Isolation - Voice Handling
Female Voice 1
Male Voice 1
Female Voice 2
Male Voice 2
Leakage
7.5
8.4
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
36.34 dB
31.11 dB
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
Yes
In-Line
No
No
Boom
No
No
Detachable Boom
No
No
Mic
Yes
Yes
Recording Quality
6.3
7.7
Microphone Frequency Response
Recorded Speech
LFE
562 Hz
20 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
2.82 dB
4.24 dB
HFE
7,240.77 Hz
7,240.77 Hz
Weighted THD
0.903
N/A
Gain
-0.19 dB
20.34 dB
Noise Handling
7.7
8.2
SpNR
SpNR
15.25 dB
58.59 dB
Noise Gate
Always On
Always On
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
7.5
8.0
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
8.0
8.5
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample
Active Features
Battery
8.9
9.2
Battery Type
Rechargable
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
18.6 hrs
31.75 hrs
Additional Charges
0.0
0.0
Total Battery Life
18.6 hrs
31.75 hrs
Charge Time
1.7 hrs
1.75 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
Auto-Off Timer
Auto-Off Timer and Standby Mode
Audio While Charging
Yes
Yes
Passive Playback
Yes
Yes
Charging Port
USB-C
USB-C
App Support
6.5
8.0
App Picture
App Name
Mark Levinson
Sony Sound Connect
iOS
Yes
Yes
Android
Yes
Yes
macOS
No
No
Windows
No
No
Equalizer
Presets
Graphic + Presets
ANC Control
Presets
On/Off
Mic Control
No
No
Room Effects
No
Yes
Playback Control
No
Yes
Button Mapping
No
Yes
Surround Support
No
Yes
Connectivity
Wired Connection
8.9
9.8
Cable Picture
Analog Audio
Yes
Yes
USB Audio
USB-C
No
Detachable
Yes
Yes
Length
13.12 ft (4.00 m)
3.94 ft (1.20 m)
Connector
USB-C
1/8" TRS
Latency - Analog
0.2 ms
0.4 ms
Latency - USB
37.9 ms
N/A
Recorded Latency
Recorded Latency Connection
USB
Analog
Bluetooth Connection
7.8
8.8
Bluetooth Version
5.1
5.3
Multi-Device Pairing
2 Devices
2 Devices
Quick Pair (Android)
Yes
Yes
Quick Pair (iOS)
No
No
Line Of Sight Range
334.65 ft (102.00 m)
334.65 ft (102.00 m)
Latency - SBC
372 ms
212 ms
Latency - aptX
365 ms
N/A
Latency - aptX Adaptive (High Quality)
258 ms
N/A
Latency - aptX Adaptive (Low Latency)
52 ms
N/A
Latency - LDAC
246 ms
230 ms
Recorded Latency
Recorded Latency Codec
aptX Adaptive (Low Latency)
LDAC
AAC Support
Yes
Yes
Wireless Connection (Dongle)
0.0
0.0
Line Of Sight Range
N/A
N/A
Latency - Dongle
N/A
N/A
Recorded Latency
N/A
N/A
PC Compatibility
Analog
Audio Only
Audio Only
Wired USB
Audio Only
No
Non-BT Wireless
No
No
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
Audio Only
Audio Only
PS4 Wired USB
Audio Only
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
No
PS5 Analog
Audio Only
Audio Only
PS5 Wired USB
Audio Only
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No
No
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
Audio Only
Audio Only
Xbox One Wired USB
No
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
Audio Only
Audio Only
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No
No
Base/Dock
0.0
0.0
Type
No Base/Dock
No Base/Dock
USB Input
No
No
Line In
No
No
Line Out
No
No
Optical Input
No
No
RCA Input
No
No
Dock Charging
No
No
Power Supply
No Base/Dock
No Base/Dock
Check Price
Ice Pewter
Nº 5909
SEARCH
Amazon.com
Black
WH-1000XM6
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
Pearl Black
Nº 5909
SEARCH
Amazon.com
Midnight Blue
WH-1000XM6
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
Radiant Red
Nº 5909
SEARCH
Amazon.com
Platinum Silver
WH-1000XM6
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
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Mark Levinson Nº 5909
Sony WH-1000XM6
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Mark Levinson Nº 5909 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: Main Discussion
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