Here is what you need to know: sony’s upcoming The ColleXion headphones have leaked showing redesigned metal hinges and black and white colour options.

Fresh leaked renders of Sony’s upcoming The ColleXion are giving us a closer look at what could be the company’s most expensive consumer headphones yet. The renders, shared by Steve H. McFly in collaboration with Android Headlines, show the headphones in black and white finishes. The overall design still looks very clean, understated, and minimal without trying too hard to look futuristic, typical of Sony’s approach with its famed WH-1000XM series. Sony hasn’t officially confirmed the headphones yet, but previous reports suggest a launch could happen as early as May 19th.

Key details and features

The white variant especially stands out. It has a softer, more refined look compared to the darker finishes Sony usually goes for for its premium-tier audio products. At least from the renders, Sony seems to be pushing towards a quieter luxury aesthetic instead of flashy styling. That said, the hinge redesign could end up being the most important change here.

Sony’s Sony WH-1000XM6 received criticism from some people over hinge durability concerns, particularly around the plastic-heavy structure. The leaked renders of the ColleXion appear to show a noticeably different hinge mechanism with metal integrated into the frame. That will probably catch the attention of long-time Sony shoppers. The XM series has consistently delivered excellent sound quality and some of the best ANC performance in the market, but durability concerns are not something people expect at premium-tier prices.

The renders also suggest Sony could be experimenting with more premium materials overall, although it is still difficult to judge that properly before hands-on impressions arrive. The headphones overall appear more polished than the XM6. The design language feels more mature and less utilitarian without losing Sony’s design identity.

Pricing and availability

Leaks currently suggest the The ColleXion could cost around EUR 629 (around Rs 71,000), or roughly USD 740. For context, the Sony WH-1000XM6 launched around the USD 449 (around Rs 43,000) mark, while the AirPods Max retail for roughly EUR 549 (around Rs 62,000) in Europe. That would place Sony’s new headphones comfortably above both. At that price, buyers will look beyond sound quality and ANC and pay much closer attention to things like comfort, materials, durability, and long-term reliability.

That could help Sony separate these from competitors like the AirPods Max. Apple has focused on design and ecosystem features with the AirPods Max, while Bose continues prioritising comfort and travel-focused ANC. Sony’s strength has usually been strong sound, excellent noise cancellation, reliable battery life, and practical everyday usability. The ColleXion headphones seem aimed at shoppers who already like Sony’s audio tuning but want something that feels more premium physically too.

For most people, the XM6 will likely remain the more practical option. But if Sony has genuinely improved the hinge durability while upgrading the overall hardware quality, the ColleXion headphones could end up appealing strongly to enthusiasts who felt the XM6 still fell slightly short of feeling truly premium despite the price.