The Sony WF-C500 are budget-friendly earbuds with a versatile sound that will suit most types of audio content. These sleek wireless in-ears have many customization features like 360 Reality Audio for virtual surround sound and a graphic EQ to personalize their mix via Sony's Headphones Connect companion app. While they don't have active noise cancellation (ANC), their long battery life and IPX4 rating for protection against water splashes still make them well-suited for use on the go.
Note: We noticed a hissing or white noise in our earbuds when no audio played. Several users have also reported the same issue, and while it may not affect every pair, it can get annoying over time. If you've experienced this, please let us know in the forums.
Our Verdict
The Sony WF-C500 are decent for neutral sound. Out of the box, they have a very neutral sound profile suitable for various genres. However, sibilants like S and T sounds are a bit dull. Additionally, our unit's right driver is noticeably more bass-heavy than the left, delivering a bit of extra thump and rumble to mixes. On the plus side, their companion app has a graphic EQ and presets to let you customize the mix.
- Graphic EQ and presets.
- Passive soundstage seems small and unnatural.
The Sony WF-C500 are good for commuting and travel. They struggle to passively isolate you from the sound of rumbling bus and plane engines, but they're portable and have a sturdy case to protect them when you're out and about. While their battery lasts nearly 12 hours, the case only holds one extra charge. They'll still last you through a long flight or commute.
- Long continuous battery life.
- Good build quality.
- No ANC feature.
The Sony WF-C500 are great for sports and fitness. They're portable, have a long continuous battery life, and are decently stable, so they stay in place during moderate exercise. They're also well-built and rated IPX4 for resistance against water splashes. However, they're likely to fall out during a more intense workout.
- IPX4 rating for water resistance.
- Long continuous battery life.
- Can fall out during intense workouts.
The Sony WF-C500 are satisfactory for office use. Despite not having an ANC feature, they block out a lot of office-type noise, like chatty coworkers or the hum of an A/C unit. They also have a long continuous battery life, so they'll last a typical workday without recharging. Unfortunately, they don't have multi-device pairing, and using the buttons on the side of the buds can hurt your ears.
- Long continuous battery life.
- Controls for answer/ending calls.
- No ANC feature.
- Mic has mediocre noise handling.
The Sony WF-C500 are Βluetooth-only headphones. They're compatible with Βluetooth-enabled PCs but have high latency, so you may notice a delay if you use them for gaming. They also aren't compatible with PlayStation or Xbox consoles.
The Sony WF-C500 are truly wireless headphones, and you can't use them wired.
The Sony WF-C500 are okay for phone calls. Recorded speech is clear but thin-sounding, and your voice can get drowned out if you take a call somewhere loud, like a busy street or subway station. Also, they don't have an ANC feature, so you may have trouble hearing the caller over the sound of a passing train or bus. Fortunately, they have onboard controls for answering and ending calls, so you don't need to pull out your phone.
- Controls for answer/ending calls.
- Adequate recording quality.
- No ANC feature.
- Mic has mediocre noise handling.
Changelog
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Updated Feb 18, 2026:
We mentioned the Sony WF-C710N in the Stability section of this review.
- Updated May 14, 2024: We've added a comparison between these headphones and the JLab Audio JBuds 3 True Wireless in Noise Isolation.
- Updated Jun 13, 2023: We've made minor changes to the text to keep the article up to date with current review methodologies.
- Updated May 18, 2023: We've retested Continuous Battery Life in Battery, which has changed the scoring of this test.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sony WF-C500 come in four different colors: 'Βlack', 'White', 'Green', and 'Orange'. We tested them in black; you can see the label for the unit we tested here.
If you encounter another variant, please let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Sony WF-C500 are budget-friendly headphones with a very neutral sound profile, similar to the EarFun Air Pro 2 True Wireless or the JBL Live Free NC+ TWS True Wireless. Unlike those headphones, though, they lack ANC. Also, unlike Sony's previous budget earbuds, the Sony WF-XB700 Truly Wireless, they work with the Sony Connect Ηeadphones app. It offers sound customization features and access to 360 Reality Audio, a virtual surround sound feature, although you need to subscribe to a compatible streaming service to work.
If you want more options, check out our lists of the best true wireless earbuds, the best earbuds and in-ear headphones, and the best wireless Βluetooth earbuds under $100.
The Sony WF-C500 Truly Wireless and the Sony WF-C700N Truly Wireless are extremely similar headphones. Their design and build quality are nearly identical, but the WF-C700N has active noise cancellation (ANC). This lets them cut out more background noise than the WF-C500 can passively. However, this impacts their battery life, and the WF-C700N only lasts half as long on a single charge as the WF-C500.
The Sony WF-1000XM4 Truly Wireless are better for most purposes than the Sony WF-C500 Truly Wireless. The 1000XM4 are better-built and have a much more stable fit. They also have ANC and a much better noise isolation performance. On the other hand, the C500 have a more neutral default sound profile that some may prefer. Their mic’s recording quality is also much better.
The Sony WF-C500 Truly Wireless are better than the Beats Studio Buds True Wireless. They have a longer continuous battery life, better overall mic performance, and better noise isolation performance. Their default sound profile is more neutral, which some may prefer, and their app includes a graphic EQ and presets for sound customization. On the other hand, the Beats are more comfortable.
The Sony WF-C500 Truly Wireless and the JBL Vibe Buds True Wireless are similarly performing wireless buds with slight differences. While both buds are well-built and decently comfortable, the Sony support a virtual soundstage for a more immersive audio experience and have a longer continuous battery life. However, their carrying case holds fewer charges. Conversely, the JBL have a longer total battery life but have a shorter continuous one.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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