Sony sells a number of the best wi-fi earbuds that cash should buy. That’s a truth. No rebuttals wanted.
You may have the category-leading WF-1000XM4 that comes with glorious lively noise cancellation (ANC), highly effective sound, and a putting redesign. There’s the mid-range LinkBuds S with its strong ANC and audio efficiency. The Sony WF-SP800N is a strong providing for health lovers wanting Sony bass in a smaller bundle. Even the three-year-old WF-1000X3 stays a client favourite, due to its excellent sound and noise discount.
However what if I advised you Sony’s greatest wi-fi earbuds had been their most inexpensive? It’s a daring assertion to make, nevertheless it’s additionally one with loads of validity.
The WF-C500 is a cut price launch with the spec sheet of a flagship mannequin. How Sony managed to stuff a lot performance into these minimalist-looking buds and retail them for $99 is stunning.
Don’t simply take my phrase for it. Beneath are a number of arguments for why the WF-C500 is the most effective Sony true wi-fi funding you can also make.
Flagship options at a killer value?
Sony has been extremely beneficiant with their particular options, making them accessible on fashions throughout all value factors. A handful stay unique to top-tier entries just like the WF-1000XM4, however the majority might be discovered on the WF-C500.
360 Actuality Audio allows you to take pleasure in 360-degree sound on suitable music providers (e.g., Deezer, Tidal). Regardless of performing higher on Sony’s upmarket buds, the know-how nonetheless provides music and flicks an immersive really feel on these buds. We all know of just one different competitor below $100 with 3D sound capabilities: the Inventive Outlier Professional ANC.
One other proprietary characteristic included is Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE). It really works exceptionally effectively to upscale sound high quality on compressed audio recordsdata. Our testing confirmed DSEE to be most helpful for enhancing readability and midrange on lo-fi recordings.
Sony’s signature bass efficiency can be assured. A pair of 5.8mm neodymium full-range drivers sit beneath the hood and distribute punchy, well-balanced sound. Frequency vary is effectively represented to listen to impactful lows, detailed mids, and crisp highs. What’s most fascinating is the EQ, which is accessible within the companion app and allows you to personalize sound by manually adjusting frequencies or deciding on from a variety of well-engineered presets.
Will get most of the small issues proper
Anybody in a profitable relationship will inform you that the small issues matter most. Sony’s conscious of this, and although they didn’t account for all the pieces when designing the WF-C500, they made certain to nail the fundamentals.
For example, battery life. A single cost will get you as much as 10 hours of use. That’s almost twice as a lot as the unique AirPods and AirPods Professional, and greater than most rivals in any value bracket. The charging case does underwhelm at 20 hours max, however Sony makes up for this with environment friendly fast charging (10 minutes = 1 hour of playtime).
Talking of which, the WF-C500 has one of many coolest-looking charging instances on the market, highlighted by a translucent design that calls again to the retro JVC Gumy earbuds packaging. To not point out it’s compact and received’t crush your pockets at simply 1.24 ounces.
These are a number of the first wi-fi earbuds to function on Bluetooth 5.2 and the know-how exceeds expectations. Vary extends as much as 80 toes, a size that most of the greatest wi-fi earbuds battle to attain. Pairing to units is fast, particularly on Android units through one-tap Google Quick Pair.
Lastly, we have now the design. Whereas it lacks the flash of all different Sony fashions, it’s sturdy, comes IPX4-rated for sweat and water resistance, and supplies an ergonomic match.
App assist makes them futureproof (for now)
Downloading the Sony Headphones Join app grants entry to all beforehand talked about options and extra. Small perks like battery degree indicators and a music participant with quantity slider serve sensible use. Area of interest options like Bluetooth Connection High quality allow you to prioritize secure connectivity or sound high quality; the previous turns out to be useful for video calls.
However the app’s largest characteristic is definitely its updatability. Sony continues so as to add new options by software program updates, one thing the WF-C500 additionally helps. That makes it eligible for receiving a number of the newest software program perks.
Backside line – purchase the WF-C500 in order for you premium Sony efficiency for affordable
It’s powerful competing with luxurious wi-fi earbuds that boast grade-A options like adaptive ANC, personalised 3D sound, and wi-fi charging. Nonetheless, the WF-C500 provides market staples just like the AirPods Professional 2 and sibling WF-1000XM4 a run for his or her cash by providing related performance at a a lot lower cost level.
The WF-C500 retails for $99, although we’ve seen it go for as little as $68. We’re anticipating it to be one of many greatest Black Friday offers this 12 months, so preserve your eyes peeled heading into the purchasing vacation.
