I just tested these Sony noise canceling earbuds — they're Bose-level good for a lot less money

A new challenger approaches! Sony announced its latest WF-C710N wireless earbud back in March, and they build on the success of the WF-C700Ns. I’ve now spent a few days with these earbuds and I have to say, they’re some of the most awesome sounding buds out there — especially if you’re on a budget.

Priced at just $119, I love that the WF-C710Ns are a more affordable way of getting highly effective ANC. And boy, do they sound good across an array of genres. The bass response is fantastic. They come with a user-friendly companion app if you want to customize the EQ or remap the buds’ buttons. They come in a new see-through colorway too. Style and substance.

These might just be the best noise-canceling earbuds for you — here’s why.

Sony WF-C710N review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A successor to Sony’s excellent WF-C700N earbuds
• Who is it for? For serious listeners on a sub-$120 budget
• How much does it cost? $119 / £99
• What do we like? Extreme comfort levels, highly effective ANC, fantastic bass response, consistent (and amazing) sound across genres, and the long battery life
• What don’t we like? The plasticky case and absence of aptX/LDAC codecs

Sony WF-C710N review: Specs

Sony WF-C710N review: Price & availability

The price hasn’t changed from the original model — they cost just $119 at Amazon U.S. / £99 at Sony U.K. Sony has introduced two new colorful variants (alongside the Black and White colorways): Pastel Pink and the crystalline clear Blue Glass.

The WF-C710Ns are priced similarly to the likes of the Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro ($124) and the Soundcore AeroClip ($129). They’re far cheaper than Bose’s entry-level QuietComfort Earbuds ($179) and the JBL Tour Pro 3 ($299) while offering a similar set of features, such as highly effective active noise cancelation, long battery life, and more.

Sony WF-C710N review: Design & comfort

• Minimalist design
• Mighty comfortable
• Case feels plasticky

The Sony WF-C710Ns retain much of their predecessor’s design, although they’re rounded and slightly larger in size. The colors have changed too; Lavender and Sage have been replaced by Glass Blue and Pastel Pink. I tested the see-through Glass Blue model, which I think looks stunning.

The buds fit extremely snugly in my ears, and I didn’t experience them falling out throughout the testing process — even while walking. They’re very light too, each weighing just 0.18oz. For context, they’re even lighter than the Bose QuietComforts (0.29oz each). In fact, I even forgot I had them in at moments.

I stuck with the default eartips size the earbuds came with, but there are three extra pairs in the box in case you have smaller or bigger ears. Having worn them for eight hours straight, I can confidently say that these are some of the most comfortable earbuds I’ve tested, on par with the QuietComforts.

Just like the QuietComforts, the WF-C710Ns’ charging case feels a little too plasticky for my liking. The only difference is that the WF-C710Ns don’t cost as much as the QuietComforts, so it doesn’t feel like a major flaw.

Speaking of the case, if you get the Glass Blue variant (which you definitely should), the case is see-through — I’m a big fan. You can even see the wires that sit at the bottom, near the USB-C charging port.

The WF-C710Ns are IPX4 rated, which means they’re resistant to water only at a splash level, so don’t go swimming with them. You can wear them while working out, though, as they’re sweatproof. This is the same rating as the QuietComforts’.

You’ll have to spend more on the likes of the JBL Tour Pro 3s or the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 ($180) if you want dust-resistant buds — both are IP55 rated.

Sony WF-C710N review: Connectivity

• Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC and SBC
• No aptX or LDAC
• Multipoint connectivity

The Sony WF-C710N utilize Bluetooth 5.3 with support for AAC and SBC codecs. Unfortunately, there’s no aptX lossless or LDAC, which I’ve seen in cheaper earbuds like the EarFun Air Pro 4s ($89), so serious listeners may be left feeling shortchanged. The pricier Bose QuietComfort Earbuds don’t support these advanced codecs either, if that’s any comfort.

The good news is that the WF-C710Ns feature multipoint connectivity, so they can connect to up to two devices simultaneously. I really value this feature. I was able to keep the earbuds connected to both my Google Pixel 7 Pro and my MacBook Air M2 simultaneously, which made swapping between sources effortless.

Unlike the WF-C700Ns, the WF-C710Ns feature wear detection, so playback automatically pauses when a bud is taken out and then resumes when it’s put back in. I found that it works smoothly.

Sony WF-C710N review: Controls & app

• Simple touch controls
• User-friendly app for customization

The physical button on the Sony WF-C700Ns has been replaced by a touch panel. You can fully remap the earbuds via the app (more on that in a second), but by default, the right earbud is responsible for changes to playback, while the left is used for noise cancelation modes.

Tapping the right earbud pauses/resumes playback, tapping twice skips to the next track while tapping thrice takes you to the previous track (or the beginning of the current track), and tapping four times or more increases the volume. You can also use your device’s smart assistant (Google or Siri) by holding the bud.

On to the left earbud: tapping once switches between ANC and Ambient modes, tapping four times reduces the volume, and holding the bud toggles the Quick Attention mode. Quick Attention drastically reduces the volume so you can hear the world around you.

The Sony | Sound Connect app, available for free on iOS and Android, lets you customize the WF-C710Ns. You can choose the level of ANC, update the buds’ firmware, remap touch controls, and customize the equalizer (or choose from eight presets, such as bass boost or vocal). I found the app extremely easy to use, thanks to its intuitive interface and clear signposting.

Sony WF-C710N review: Sound & performance

• Fantastic bass response
• Well-balanced sound
• Honestly? Zero complaints

The Sony WF-C710Ns sound absolutely fantastic. Their internal hardware is near-identical to their predecessor. They use 5mm drivers to deliver powerful bass and clear vocals. Sony’s trademarked Digital Sound Enhancement Engine technology is at play here too, which reproduces sounds as close to the original recording as possible.

I tested the earbuds by listening to a range of genres — rock, indie, dance/pop, etc. — on Qobuz, one of the best music streaming services, on my Google Pixel 7 Pro. Every song I listened to through the WF-C710Ns sounded phenomenal, with fantastic bass response and crystal clear vocals.

I’m a big fan of bass. The more powerful the bass, the better — I want to be able to feel it in my jaw and temples. For wireless earbuds, the WF-C710Ns reproduce basslines extremely well. Listening to 070 Shake’s ‘Elephant’ revealed the extent of this. This is a song I’ve listened to nearly 100 times, so I know it like the back of my hand.

I first listened to it with the EQ set to Default (Off). Even without the bass boosted, the bass sounded powerful but never overpowering. It left enough room for me to appreciate Shake’s vocals and the electric guitar. I also really like that I could hear a (purposefully) distorted layer of Shake’s vocals in the chorus.

Boosting the bass made it even better. Each note plucked at the beginning of ‘Jumpsuit’ by Twenty One Pilots sounded clear with loads of depth. The Bass Boost EQ gave a lovely warmth to the bassline with good low-end impact.

Lows, mids and highs are balanced very well, as I found while listening to Linkin Park’s ‘Up From the Bottom.’ The WF-C710Ns had no problems keeping up with the change in pace. Every syllable in Mike Shinoda’s rap sounded clear with no muffled notes. And I love that when Emily Armstong goes from low notes to almost screaming in the final bridge, the change in frequencies is handled well.

I also tested the Excited EQ, which makes mid- and high-range sounds stand out, while listening to ‘Disease’ by Lady Gaga. If that song doesn’t make you want to execute a choreographed dance already, you’ll find it hard to resist after listening to it through the WF-C710Ns. With this preset toggled, the song’s chorus sounds livelier and Gaga’s high pitch towards the end doesn’t pierce your ears. Instead, you’re treated to a new-found appreciation for her breath control.

Sony WF-C710N review: Active noise cancelation

• Highly effective ANC
• Wind Noise Reduction design
• Adaptive sound control

In our Sony WF-C700N review, we noted that the pair was a noise-canceling leader at a bargain price. Well, the WF-C710Ns’ active noise cancelation (ANC) is just as good if not better. The earbuds offer mindblowing ANC, blocking out most sounds indoors and outdoors. Sony has incorporated a Wind Noise Reduction design which, basically, reduces the sound of wind buffeting so you can hear music more clearly.

I take the bus to and from work, and I’m pleased to report that the earbuds effectively blocked out the vehicle’s rattling and rumbling. Indoors, I couldn’t hear my coworkers speaking, or the clickity-clackity sounds of mechanical keyboards.

My colleague, Erin, was testing a blender at the time of writing, so I stood next to her and the earbuds drastically reduced the loud noise of berries and ice being crushed.

As with many other ANC buds, you can switch to Ambient mode to be aware of your surroundings — handy if you’re working out or running outdoors. Additionally, the Sound Connect app allows you to adjust the ambient sound in 20 levels, so you can personalize it according to your preferences.

And of course, you get a Transparency mode too, which allows you to have conversations with people without having to remove the earbuds. I made use of this at a grocery store and when chatting with my coworkers — and it worked like a dream.

Sony WF-C710N review: Battery life

• Up to 33.5 hours of listening time
• Comparable to pricier rivals
• No wireless charging

The Sony WF-C710Ns have fantastic, long battery life. On a single charge with ANC off, the earbuds can last up to 12 hours, and this drops to 8.5 hours with ANC enabled. The charging case provides 21.5 additional hours, so you can bump the total listening time up to 33.5 hours (ANC off) or 30 hours (ANC on).

Their battery life is comparable to pricier rivals, which is great. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, with ANC on, deliver 9 hours of playback. The JBL Tour Pro 3s, with ANC enabled, clock in at just 7 hours. Similarly priced earbuds like the SoundCore Aeroclips deliver 8 hours of listening time too.

The case, however, cannot be charged wirelessly, as I discovered when I enabled the battery share feature on my Google Pixel 7 Pro and tried to use a wireless charging pad in the office. No dice.

Sony WF-C710N review: Verdict

I can’t get enough of the Sony WF-C710N wireless earbuds. I listen to music almost throughout the day and thanks to just how comfortable these earbuds are, I can keep doing so for hours on end. Bass response is fantastic, while the overall sound is powerful and clear, giving you very little to complain about.

The cherry on top of this beautiful cake is the earbuds’ long battery life — you can get up to 33.5 hours of listening time with the charging case. The case doesn’t support wireless charging, though, if that’s a concern. I also love how stylish the WF-C710Ns look, especially in the see-through Glass Blue colorway.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and Sony has done a great job of retaining the WF-C700Ns’ best features while introducing new ones like wear detection and touch controls — all for just $119. I think the WF-C710Ns are winners. It’ll make you enjoy music in new ways.