Let’s be real: flagship wireless earbuds are getting ridiculous. Every new iteration pushes the price tag higher, leaving a massive gap for anyone who just wants great sound and effective noise **cancelling** without having to take out a second mortgage. Enter the Sony WF-C710N, the spiritual successor to the C700N, arriving at an Aussie street price of around $189. These buds are here to prove that you don’t need to break the bank to have quality in-ear audio.
The Look: Stylish Budget, Questionable Fit
From a design perspective, Sony nailed the aesthetic. The C710N keeps the streamlined, stemless form factor we love from the brand, and the pair I had for review were even a retro translucent blue that screams “fun tech”. In fact it seriously reminded me of one of my favourite gaming consoles, the clear blue Nintendo Gameboy Advance. I have to say it’s a nice break from the usual sea of matte black plastic. The pill-shaped recarging case is also nicely pocketable.
Fitting in-ear is ok, while the signature Sony comfort is present and they are incredibly light and comfortable for hours of casual listening, the fit is not as secure as I would like for a bit of exercise. Spending some time on the spin bike I caught the buds on a few occasions as they squeezed and popped out, a similar situation when I was on a conference call, they just slid out and sort of hung on the edge of my ear. To fix this Sony does include three ear tip sizes so it’s worth playing with them all to make sure you get the right fit for you but without any stabilising fins or wings, getting a locked-down fit might be a struggle for many.
Use with More Than One Device
Experience seamless connectivity with your Sony WF-C710N earbuds thanks to their Multipoint feature. This clever technology allows you to connect your earbuds to two devices at the same time. Imagine effortlessly switching between listening to music on your laptop and taking a call on your smartphone, without the need to re-pair or disconnect. It’s perfect for busy days, keeping you connected and productive across all your devices with absolute ease.
Performance: Where Sony Crushes the Competition
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): This is the absolute star of the show with dual-sensor noise cancelling. While I was testing this in the device I had to double check to make sure I had the right model and it wasn’t a more expensive pair. The ANC that performs is perfect to cancel out the drone of a train or plane ride but in an everyday test I was watering my lawn and it just completely blocked out the sound of the spraying water and surrounds. This level of peace and quiet is usually reserved for models costing twice as much. A single tap of the left earpiece gives you Ambient mode, so it lets the sound in while still being able to hear your audio. For commuters and office dwellers on a budget, this alone makes the purchase worth it.
Battery Life: At around 9 hours of playback on a single charge with ANC on, this crushes the majority of the competition. With the charging case, you are looking at over 30 hours of total use and then of course “quick charge” for 5 minutes and that gives you an hour or so. Again, features that are a real surprise at this price point.
The Sony Sound Profile is On Point
Different brands have very different sound profiles, which is why I always suggest trying a few to find the most pleasing to you out of the box then adjusting to make it perfect. These settings are often adjustable via an app, but the core profile is always there. Sony tends to have an out of the box profile that is punchy, warm, and a prominent deep bass while some of the high-end treble detail (like cymbals) gets slightly de-emphasised.
Sony includes a full custom five-band equaliser in the essential Sony Sound Connect app. Tweak the bass down slightly and crank the treble slider up a notch, and suddenly the profile opens up beautifully, delivering excellent clarity across the mids and making the earbuds making it highly enjoyable for long sessions. This is my preference but your’s might be just to leave it be, or crank that bass even more for some doof doof.
Some features that are worth mentioning is that the product has an IPX4 rating which is fine for sweat and light rain, just generally daily use. It’s also really clear when using it to take calls on your phone or via a chat program hands-free.
Verdict: Worth the Price?
Yes absolutely. The Sony WF-C710N delivers where it matters most: best-in-class ANC and incredible battery life, wrapped up in a comfortable package. However If you absolutely need a secure workout fit, look elsewhere but be prepared for that price to be much higher. If you want a sub $200 pair of buds that delivers almost flagship-level noise cancellation and a great sound, the WP-C710N is the undisputed champion of the mid-range.
