Observation period — public launch soon. The record below is real and updated daily.

Minor Pick-list change·recommendation·2026-09-11

GPT-5.6 Sol changed its recommendation list, as extracted: 1 added, 1 dropped.

Model: openai/gpt-5.6-sol
pinned openai/gpt-5.6-sol-20260709; alias resolved to openai/gpt-5.6-sol-20260709 at 2026-09-11 09:00:01 UTC (matches the pin)
Prompt: P3 (recommendation)
Change: 1 added, 1 dropped
Baseline: 1 prior day with data; 1 matched the baseline value (2026-09-10)
Detected: 2026-09-11 · run 20260911T090002Z-da0dd3 (2026-09-11 09:00:02 UTC) · scorer v1
Severity: minor — rule: other pick-list changes are minor
Event ID: 2026-09-11:P3:openai/gpt-5.6-sol:pick_change:picks
Permalink: https://modeldrift.watch/e/2026-09-11/P3/openai/gpt-5.6-sol/pick_change/picks/

Prompt P3sent verbatim

Best noise-cancelling headphones for long-haul flights — give me a ranked top 5 with brand and model.

Why this prompt Explicit rank request makes ordinal drift scoreable.

Before baseline

2026-09-10

Scored: answered
Received: 2026-09-10 22:27:24 UTC
Run: 20260910T221001Z-bb5bd1
Served by: OpenAI · finish stop
Size: 991 characters · 421 tokens out incl. hidden reasoning · 8.1 s

Extracted picks, in order · confidence high

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Sony WH-1000XM5
Bose QuietComfort Headphones
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
Apple AirPods Max

Highlighted: the names the extractor took as picks, where they appear verbatim (5 of 5).

## Top 5 noise-cancelling headphones for long-haul flights
1. **Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones** — Best overall  
   Exceptional cabin-noise cancellation, lightweight comfort, and roughly 24-hour battery life.
2. **Sony WH-1000XM5** — Best balance of ANC and sound  
   Excellent noise cancellation, strong microphone performance, multipoint Bluetooth, and up to 30 hours of battery.
3. **Bose QuietComfort Headphones** — Best for comfort  
   Plush, low-clamping fit; strong ANC; foldable design; around 24 hours of battery life.
4. **Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless** — Best battery life  
   Up to 60 hours per charge, excellent sound, and effective—though not class-leading—ANC.
5. **Apple AirPods Max (USB‑C)** — Best for Apple users  
   Superb ANC and transparency mode with seamless Apple-device integration, but heavier and limited to about 20 hours.
**Best pick for most travelers:** Bose QuietComfort Ultra.  
**Best if battery life matters most:** Sennheiser Momentum 4.

End of response · 19 lines · 991 characters · sha256 3c1fdb492ed3699d136e7b97c7c53d6a4b3436d3bedae6eceda288f7b48eb4de

After this run

2026-09-11

Scored: answered
Received: 2026-09-11 09:21:55 UTC
Run: 20260911T090002Z-da0dd3
Served by: Azure · finish stop
Size: 918 characters · 598 tokens out incl. hidden reasoning · 15.6 s

Extracted picks, in order · confidence high

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Sony WH-1000XM6
Bose QuietComfort Headphones
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
Sony WH-1000XM5

Highlighted: the names the extractor took as picks, where they appear verbatim (5 of 5).

### Top 5 noise-cancelling headphones for long-haul flights
1. **Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones** — Best overall for class-leading ANC, cabin comfort, and low fatigue.  
2. **Sony WH-1000XM6** — Excellent noise cancellation, sound quality, call performance, and foldable design.  
3. **Bose QuietComfort Headphones** — Lighter, simpler, and often better value than the Ultra; exceptionally comfortable.  
4. **Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless** — Best battery life at up to roughly 60 hours, with strong sound and effective ANC.  
5. **Sony WH-1000XM5** — Still superb for flying and often discounted, though less compact than the XM6.
**Best single pick:** Bose QuietComfort Ultra.  
**Best for maximum battery life:** Sennheiser Momentum 4.  
**Best value:** Bose QuietComfort or a discounted Sony WH-1000XM5.
Bring the included 3.5 mm cable—and a two-prong airline adapter if needed—for seatback entertainment.

End of response · 13 lines · 918 characters · sha256 22364a21c32d81916ae48d85649a64720a704c8b1f7aee20c8546c8392590791

Reading this record

Response text is shown exactly as the API returned it, with Markdown left unrendered. Line numbers and highlights are added by this site; highlights come from the same patterns the scorer uses, so they show what the verdict rests on. Each model is asked once per day (k = 1): a single change can be sampling noise, which is why every event links the full responses rather than a summary. How scoring works.