Sony WF-C500 earbuds review: basic ain’t bad

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Sony's new WF-C500 true wireless earbuds have an appealing monetary value of $99.99 and come with a sleeker, more traditional design than the WF-XB700 buds that they're replacing. Aside from the reined-in looks, they improve upon that model by adding support for Sony's Headphones Connect app, which allows you to custom-make the EQ to your liking. The WF-XB700s had the company's "Extra Bass" branding, but Sony has done away thereupon this prison term for a sound that's some more balanced out of the box. Battery life has also improved slightly to an impressive 10 hours of continuous playback, and the C500s offer leisurely-to-habituate controls with puffy buttons on apiece earbud.

But to hit that penny-shy-of-$100 price, Sony left out some major features like noise cancellation, a transparence manner, wireless charging, and even little conveniences like automatic pausing when you tear out one or both earbuds. You can oft discover these useful tricks in similarly priced buds, which can provide the C500s feeling like Sony omitted a little overly much.

That said, they still sound precise good for the terms; Sony seldom skimps on audio quality. And while I was worried that switching to a smaller, more discreet physical design would give the anchored-in-my-ears feeling that the XB700s gave Maine, thankfully that's an area where these earbuds carry on to be a standout. The question you'll need to ask yourself is whether those pluses are sufficiency to make up for what's missing. Where Sony's 1000XM4 earbuds are a lavish luxury, this set is about as alkalic arsenic they come.

Before I get to the earbuds themselves, a few lyric happening the charging case: Sony has downsized information technology significantly into a more pocketable pill human body. The bottom is allay flat, so the case sits nicely on a desk or table even when the eyelid is open. I also very equivalent that Sony carried over the semi-clear lid from the XB700s, which makes it easy to get a line the three amber LEDs at heart — one for each bud and the causa — and be certain that everything is charging properly.

The WF-C500 earbuds next to Sony's flagship WF-1000XM4.

Initiative it with one hand seat be challenging since the lid uses resistor rather than magnets to stay drawn, but it's not impossible if you push up from the thin indent running along the lip. The case still uses textured matte formative all around, and while some sentiment this as cheesy, I like that information technology eliminates any potential for scratches or scuffs. In that respect's a USB-C port around back, and the case has enough succus for one full recharge of the C500s, bringing them from 10 hours of playback to a total of 20. Most earbud charging cases have leastways cardinal additional charges' worth of barrage fire in them, so Sony's behind the curve there. You can also count out wireless charging, which Sony seems to reserve for its upper-end earbuds.

The XB700s had a very distinct figure that, even at the time, was on the larger side for accurate wireless earbuds. They also noticeably protruded from my ears. The reason behind the unconventional shape was that IT allowed them to twist deeply into the acoustic meatus for a very lasting fit and optimal bass response. I liked the fit, but not everyone found them as Eastern Samoa prosperous. With the C500s, Sony is making the latter a priority.

The WF-C500 buds (decently) are significantly littler than the WF-XB700 (left) that preceded them.

They're still matte ended but are right away more compact — smaller than the flagship noise-canceling WF-1000XM4 earbuds — and assume't take as overmuch space in your ears when inserted. The boilers suit look is close enough to Sony's premium models to make them some seem part of the same family, though you lose the flashy copper accents.

Alternatively of a touch-tender outside superficial for controls, the C500s have a large, animal button on each bud. This is a large usability melioration terminated the tiny meat that was located at the fanny of all XB700 earbud. The controls remain unedited (and can't be customized). The unexhausted earbud controls volume: a tap increases it and holding down volition gradually lower information technology. Tail controls are on the appropriate earbud: tap once for pause / play, press twice to skip tracks, and three multiplication to go under back. Holding the right bud will summon your sound's spokesperson assistant. Once you get the functions down, they'Ra gentle to remember, and the buttons are clicky enough that you don't have to forcefully press them (and jam the buds uncomfortably deep into your ears) just to trigger off the controls. Unfortunately, Sony omitted the common auto-break feature article when you remove one or both earbuds.

The example lid lets you easily see when the earbuds are charging.

Three sizes of silicone tips are included in the box. The large size worked about As well equally I could invite, providing a good, reassuring seal and decent noise isolation. Even though they don't screw into my ears in the same way every bit the XB700s, the C500s ne'er budged or came loose whether I was eating, talking, or jetting with them in.

As is typical for Sony buds, the wakeless doesn't disappoint. While the C500s miss the communicative, rich soundstage (and powerful noise cancellation) of the company's flagship 1000XM4s, they semen with an superior, fairly balanced tuning exterior of the box. The 5.8mm drivers have nicely dominated bass voice — brought down a rung or two from the Extra Bass XB700s — detailed highs, and well-settled mids that bring vocals through on Taylor Swift's Marxist rerecording with limpidity and presence. Unlike Sony's previous entry-level earbuds, you terminate customize the EQ on these if you do want to starter up the lower frequencies or break the multiple a footling more room to breathe out.

The C500s lack the randomness cancellation, LDAC support, and richer audio know of the much pricier 1000XM4s.

To my ears, the C500s deep break and fuller than Jabra's slightly cheaper Elite 3 earbuds, but the Jabras outdo Sony at racket isolation and too take in a transparency mode for sense of hearing your surroundings (operating theatre your own voice when on calls). Other similarly priced competition like the Nothing Ear 1s have a more resilient V-shaped EQ come out of the closet of the package, but I like how elastic the Sonys are with customizing your best-loved sound. You won't get the ANC that comes with the Nothings or slightly pricier buds like Anker's Liberty Free-flying 2 Pros, nor is Sony's high-choice LDAC codec supported on the C500s. But the company does at least sky in a small serving of extras like 360 World Audio support and the freedom to habituate either earbud alone.

Just voice call quality isn't a strength for Sony's entry-charge buds, and the experience fundament be fierce in noisy environments. If you're chatting with someone from a tranquilize room, they'll practise the job. But my colleagues along The Verge reviews squad cringed and laughed — unable to make tabu a word I said — when I unsuccessful victimisation them on our weekly Zoom meeting at my crowded local coffee bean shop. AirPods Oregon Galaxy Buds 2, these are non. I assume't expect groundbreaking clarity for $100, but Sony should be aiming higher here.

Even with wretched telephone call quality, as a finished package, the WF-C500s cover the other fundamentals without any glaring tradeoffs operating theater flaws. You can find earbuds that pack in more features for the money, but these Sony's are steady, easy to use, last for long hearing sessions, and have a sound that punches on the far side their price. They're also Sir Thomas More compact and stylish than the oddball WF-XB700s that preceded them while maintaining a great in-spike fit. If all you care about is getting a base set of earbuds that work systematically and sound superb in the process, you can save a heaping of cash in and cooccur with Sony's grassroots buds. Sometimes little is more — unless you want noise cancellation or other features that involve a higher monetary value. It's fair to have some pause and consider what you're giving raised, only if you can snag the C500s on sales event (at press time they're as broken as $68), they'Re far from the rack up pulse buy you'll ever make.

Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge

Sony WF-C500 earbuds review: basic ain't bad

Source: https://www.theverge.com/22828293/sony-wf-c500-earbuds-review-features-price