Sony WF-C700N True Wi-fi Earphones Overview: Really feel-Good Sound

Though traditionally one of many greatest manufacturers of all time within the private audio house, Sony received into the true wi-fi sport a bit later than the competitors. Even when it did enter the section, it tried establishing itself as a big-budget decide earlier than steadily taking over extra reasonably priced value segments. The brand new Sony WF-C700N true wi-fi headset is its newest entrant within the way more aggressive mid-range section of wi-fi earphones, priced at Rs. 8,990 in India.

In contrast to the arguably extra flamboyant competitors within the under-Rs. 10,000 class for true wi-fi earphones, the Sony WF-C700N takes a extra simple strategy to parts corresponding to design and specs. That stated, you continue to get the sort of options we have now come to anticipate at this value, together with energetic noise cancellation and app help. It is a no-nonsense pair of true wi-fi earphones that guarantees to ship on the details, however is it ok to beat the headliner manufacturers which have dominated the mid-range true wi-fi house of late? Discover out on this evaluation.

The Sony WF-C700N has superb passive noise isolation, due to a safe match

 

Sony WF-C700N design and options

In a product section the place flourish and crowd pleasing aesthetics are the norm, Sony has chosen to stay to its tried and examined design language with the Sony WF-C700N. It is a compact and light-weight pair of true wi-fi earphones, and is unmistakably Sony in its styling, with distinguished logos printed onto the highest of the earpieces quite than on the outer-facing facet. In contrast to the a lot bigger Sony WF-1000XM4 earphones, the WF-C700N is much more simple in the way in which it appears to be like and suits.

This features a flat internal floor which helps in attaining a safe and really environment friendly degree of noise isolation, massive microphone grilles on the skin, and bodily buttons on every earpiece for controls — one thing that’s pretty unusual on true wi-fi earphones even in additional reasonably priced segments. It is not one thing I am complaining about as a result of such a management system is much more correct, and lots much less inclined to unintended triggers.

You should buy the Sony WF-C700N in any of 4 colors — white, black, inexperienced, and lavender. Whereas renders of the inexperienced and lavender variants look fascinating sufficient, I fairly just like the understated, discreet look of the black variant despatched to me for evaluation. I’ve at all times maintained that true wi-fi earphones aren’t meant to be equipment or appeal to an excessive amount of consideration; becoming comfortably and dealing successfully are extra necessary, and the black color variant strains up with that idea.

The controls are customisable, however not fully; you may select a management ‘set’ for every earpiece, with fastened controls inside the set itself. The management units embody Ambient Sound Management (switching between ANC and transparency modes), Playback Management (playback and invoking the default voice assistant in your smartphone), and Quantity Management.

Clearly, this implies which you could select as much as two of the three units, or alternatively deactivate controls on one or each earpieces fully. This sort of system is simpler to get used to, however the lack of flexibility can get a bit annoying since you will have to make use of your smartphone to cowl for the perform set(s) you keep away from. The controls themselves are problem free due to the usage of a bodily button, though urgent too firmly would possibly have an effect on the safety of the match when worn.

The bodily controls for the WF-C700N might be customised by the Sony Headphones Join app

 

The Sony WF-C700N earphones are IPX4 rated for water resistance; that is solely actually sufficient to deal with gentle splashes of water or sweat, and positively not really helpful to be used throughout even gentle rain. The gross sales bundle features a brief charging cable and a complete of three pairs of silicone ear ideas of various sizes.

The charging case of the Sony WF-C700N is small and quite pocket-friendly due to its conveniently slim and pill-like form. The again of the case has the USB Sort-C port and pairing button, whereas the entrance has the indicator gentle. Nevertheless, this compact form signifies that the case provides just one extra cost to the earpieces.

Sony WF-C700N app and specs

A part of the rationale for the Sony WF-C700N being comparatively compact and light-weight are the bodily smaller 5mm drivers within the earphones. It is necessary to say that driver measurement has nothing to do with sound high quality, and the WF-C700N largely retains up with equally priced competitors by way of the sonic capabilities of the drivers.

The earphones have a frequency response vary of 20-20,000Hz, and use Bluetooth 5.2 for connectivity with help for the SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs. There is no help for superior Bluetooth codecs, however this additionally makes the Sony WF-C700N platform agnostic, and is due to this fact simply as effectively fitted to iOS, as Android.

Commonplace Bluetooth connectivity signifies that the Sony WF-C700N is straightforward to arrange and get going with nearly any supported machine, however the full expertise depends on having the Sony Headphones Join app (accessible for iOS and Android). The app works with varied appropriate Sony headsets, and units up for the particular headset in use as soon as you have accomplished the pairing course of and linked the headset.

The Sony Headphones Join app is on the market for each iOS and Android

 

The app has a visible show of the battery ranges of every earpiece and the charging case, adaptive sound management for automated sound mode switching, customisable transparency mode ranges, absolutely customisable equaliser settings, and the power to pick management units. You too can set a timer to mechanically energy off the earphones when not in use, and replace the firmware as wanted.

The app is not fairly as detailed with the C700N as with costlier headsets from Sony such because the WF-1000XM4, however it covers key features and works reliably sufficient. Nevertheless, it isn’t one thing you will want to make use of too usually after the preliminary setup because the characteristic set is pretty simple and operable from the headset itself, for many issues.

Sony WF-C700N efficiency and battery life

Whilst you can anticipate a bit extra flourish and spec-boasting from manufacturers corresponding to Oppo, OnePlus, and Nothing within the mid-range true wi-fi section, the Sony WF-C700N is lots much less ‘over-the-top’, and a good bit extra simple and direct in its strategy. What you get is a dependable, snug, and constant listening expertise that’s largely according to what you’d anticipate from Sony by way of sound and energetic noise cancellation efficiency.

For my evaluation, I had the Sony WF-C700N paired to an Apple iPhone 13 Professional (Overview), utilizing the earphones to take heed to music, place and obtain calls, and watch movies. The shortage of help for superior Bluetooth codecs was instantly evident within the sound; this headset is not tailor-made round element and precision, as is the case with the marginally costlier Nothing Ear 2.

As a substitute, what you get is a concentrate on the sonic signature itself, achieved by a fairly refined degree of tuning for the Sony WF-C700N. The main target is on the richness of the sound, with parts throughout the frequency vary sounding intense, virtually as if totally different components of the observe are combating one another in your consideration. Listening to Lavender (Star One Remix) by Frenchfire with energetic noise cancellation on and the amount set at simply over the 50 p.c mark, I may hear virtually nothing outdoors the earphones. The quick, aggressive beats of this progressive home observe sounded even higher with the amount turned up.

Though battery life on the earpieces is first rate, the Sony WF-C700N’s charging case provides only one extra cost, which is disappointing

 

The Sony WF-C700’s flexibility in giving the whole lot an opportunity to shine was spectacular — the lows would rumble as wanted, whereas the mid-range would decide up at simply the best time. The highs felt a bit subdued compared, however not an excessive amount of. The general consequence was a heat, cozy sound that was working to maintain me engaged and attentive, however with out attempting too onerous.

The fully customisable equaliser settings within the Sony Headphones Join app enables you to tweak the sound to your liking, and are pretty conscious of modifications as effectively. Nevertheless, I fairly preferred the pure sound of the Sony WF-C700N earphones due to the shortage of fatigue it delivered, which was a key differentiator of this headset over the extra detailed sound on supply from a lot of the competitors. I used to be ready to make use of the earphones for hours at a stretch throughout the work day, and in addition zone into my night exercises due to the spectacular mixture of noise isolation and energetic noise cancellation.

Lively noise cancellation on the Sony WF-C700N is not distinctive; the truth is, it is pretty atypical by itself. There was an audible discount in ambient sound, however wind noise and mushy family noise such because the hum of a ceiling fan may nonetheless be heard. Nevertheless, mixed with the superb noise isolation and safe match, even taking part in music at average volumes was sufficient to virtually fully shut myself off from what was taking place round me.

The transparency mode sounded a bit too intense and amplified sounds on the highest degree, however this may happily be decreased by the app to a extra snug degree. When it comes to quantity capabilities, the Sony WF-C700N would not get fairly as loud as you’d anticipate, however the heat and immersive nature of the sound ensures that you simply’re capable of hear what it is advisable hear even with the amount at average ranges. Efficiency on calls was first rate as effectively, each indoors and open air.

Battery life on the Sony WF-C700N is first rate for the earpieces, with the earphones operating for round seven hours on a single cost, with ANC on and the amount at across the 50 p.c mark. Whereas that is first rate, the general battery life is not significantly nice contemplating that the charging case provides just one extra cost for the earpieces, for a complete battery lifetime of 14 hours per cost cycle. There is no such thing as a wi-fi charging, however wired charging is pretty fast and environment friendly.

Verdict

Sony will not be as charming or consideration grabbing as competing manufacturers within the true wi-fi earphones section, however it positively will get factors for consistency and reliability. The Sony WF-C700N is an easy and easy-going pair of true wi-fi earphones that delivers precisely what you’d anticipate for the worth of Rs. 8,990. The nice and cozy and cozy sound, glorious match, acceptable ANC efficiency, and handy controls make this a worthwhile pair of earphones. There’s additionally the notable benefit of having the ability to purchase these earphones each on-line and offline, due to large availability.

The battery life on the charging case and the shortage of help for superior Bluetooth codecs are the one notable drawbacks on this in any other case fully cheerful pair of true wi-fi earphones. In the event you’re on the lookout for a bit extra flourish and element within the sound, you would possibly need to take into account the Nothing Ear 2 as an alternative, however in any other case the Sony WF-C700 is a secure guess.

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