Is Sony teasing its ultra-premium AirPods Max 2 rival? It looks a lot like
it, as F1 star gets spotted wearing the super-chic cans, two weeks before tipped launch and Sony itself is drawing attention to the suspiciously high-quality photos

Date:
Tue, 05 May 2026 09:33:43 +0000

Description:
Sony's WH-1000XX The ColleXion has been spotted adorning the ears of Damson Idris, in what appears to me to be an early tease of the super-premium cans

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Sony WH-1000XX The ColleXion
all but confirmed Spotted on Hollywood star's head in NYC Seems to give a
wink and nod to previous leaks If there were any doubt that Sony was cooking up something special, it should now be dispelled. We've reported on 'Sony WH-1000XX The ColleXion' leaks before, and now it seems like the brand's 10th-anniversary super-premium headphones could be real.

They haven't been officially announced yet, but they seem to have shown up in public, all but guaranteeing a release is on the horizon. Specifically, they were seen worn by F1 star Damson Idris, in several photographs which were shared by various fashion pages on X. Case in point: Article continues below You may like 'Makes the WH-1000XM6 seem cheap' Sony just leaked elite 'Collexion' headphones, coming very soon 3 upgrades I want to see in the imminent Sony XM6 flagship earbuds The full specs of the Sony WF-1000XM6 wireless earbuds just leaked Damson Idris frolicking in NYC pic.twitter.com/cPdXdoc574 May 3, 2026 Over on the r/headphones Subreddit , audiophiles were quick to note that these aren't a known pair of headphones, with a Sony logo making it clear that these are the product of the Japanese brand, but several design differences from the likes of the WH-1000XM6 .

It seems, then, that we're looking at Sony's as-yet-unannounced premium option. The pictures give us a look at a few key design features, including
an interesting metal headband/hinge, an audio jack, some grilles and a carry case too. Thankfully, the latter looks a lot more sensible than the AirPods Max 2 'bra' case. Tin-foil hat time Ostensibly, this could be a simple leak. We occasionally hear cases of tech testers snapped with upcoming gadgets in public: companies do need to let their devices get real-world testing, after all.

But you probably don't use Hollywood stars to do said testing. The fact that it was Damson Idris who was spotted with the cans, in very professional-looking photographs, makes me think it wasn't a massive coincidence and then there's the fact that an official Sony account replied to the above X post with the 'eyes' emoji, drawing attention to the whole thing rather than avoiding it. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. My conspiracy theory (and that of most of the Reddit commenters)? Sony has started sending out the WH-1000XX The ColleXion headphones to certain people, in the hopes that they'll get pap-snapped with the cans to raise intrigue.

We've seen it before, with brands such as Beats giving its audio products to influential people, to tease the imminent launch of an exciting new device. Even if not true, and this was just a happy coincidence for the brand, Sony's clearly leaning into it. May 4, 2026 The rumor mill says that these headphones will be announced on May 19. Since we're getting these 'candid' teases of the cans, that launch date is looking increasingly likely.

So far we've heard that these will be top-end cans selling for around 629 (about $740, 550, AU$1,030), that could have advanced ANC and audiophile-quality specs, but perhaps a worse battery and heavier weight than Sony's other headphones.

If the rumors are correct, we won't have long to go until we discover the truth in these whispers. The best noise cancelling headphones for all budgets Our top picks, based on real-world testing and comparisons

Read our full guide to the best noise cancelling headphones 1. Best overall: Sony WH-1000XM6 2. Best mid-range: Bose QuietComfort Headphones 3. Best under $100/100: 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 4. Best under $60/50: Soundcore Q30 Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/wireless-headphones/is-sony-teasing-its-ultra- premium-airpods-max-2-rival


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