No products in the cart.
Sony might be looking to end WH-1000XM4 vs XM5 vs XM6 confusion with new ‘1000X The Collexion’ headphones – but it could just make things worse
- Sony has trademarked the name ‘1000X THE COLLEXION’
- The trademark was filed end of June, in both Japan and Canada
- The listing also notes ‘portable audio players; radios; loudspeakers; amplifiers’
Sony has filed a trademark for the name ‘1000X The Collexion’, and if the company thinks I’m buying ‘Collexion 1000X’ headphones after all these years, it can think again.
Why? First, because after years of getting our heads around the seemingly random selection of numbers and letters that comprise Sony’s flagship 1000X range (over-ears start with a ‘WH-‘ and end with ‘M4, M5 or M6’; earbuds start with ‘WF-‘ and end in the same way, except we’re only up to ‘M5’ there) I think we’ve all finally cracked it. And we don’t want you to simplify the naming of the best Sony headphones now, thank you very much.
What was my second reason? I find it impossible to say the word ‘Collexion’ without affecting a problematic French accent like something from the well-known and very much of its time 1980s British comedy ‘Allo ‘Allo! – and if you need a third, the non-word ‘Collexion’ also reminds me of young persons’ advice centers called Connexions in the UK (although admittedly these closed in 2012).
But Sony’s gone and done it. As of late June, in both Canada and Japan, the trademark name ‘1000X The Collexion’ officially exists for Sony. And despite any nagging inkling that this was a brainstorming session everyone should have slept on before making any big decisions, we all know about it now, thanks to The Walkman Blog.
I shouldn’t make this just about Sony. No, there are plenty of headphones and earbuds monikers out there that make me feel as if I’m writing out a WiFi password every time I name-check them – see the Technics EAH-AZ100, the Denon AH-C840NCW, the Panasonic RP-TCM225 and the Audio-Technica ATH-SQ1TW (all earbuds) for starters – why yes, your migraine will be with you presently. Now, imagine discussing which products should go into our respective earbuds buying guides, and welcome to my life…
1000X the Collexion: it’s not just earbuds and headphones
Is Sony perhaps just seeking to avoid WH-1000XM4 versus WH-1000XM5 versus WH-1000XM6 confusion here? It’s a valid point – although do check out our explainer on the three models too – since the newest XM6 still can’t seem to topple the twice-superseded XM4s off their perch as our recommended buy for most people.
Or maybe the Sony WF-1000XM5 have been ordered one too many times in error, by buyers looking for over-ears who ultimately received in-ears? Possibly, but there’s more going on here.
The published description for Sony’s 1000X The Collection includes a list of products that might become part of it. The listing reads: “Headphones; earphones; portable audio players; radios; loudspeakers; amplifiers; television receivers; telecommunication machines and apparatus”.
The keen-eyed will note the inclusion of portable audio players there – and here’s an idea I can get behind. The original Sony Walkman arrived the same year I did (I’m not telling you the precise year), and it holds a special place in my heart. A 1000X Walkman may well work for me.
Cast your minds back to Sony’s April 2024 release ULT range (billed as the bass-response option), including the ULT Wear headphones, several ULT Field Bluetooth speakers, and an ULT Tower bigger speaker beast. Those names were all trademarked ahead of the ULT brand release, so it’s highly possible a full lineup of audio products is in the cards.
Of course, Sony might (just might) be planning some sort of special edition boxed set of 1000X The Collexion headphones and/or earbuds, as it seeks to finally consign the five-year-old WH-1000XM4 to the big gig in the sky – because the excellent WF-1000XM4 have already gone that way. Probably not, but it’s not impossible.
As always, when we know more, so shall you.
Add comment