The Sony WF-C710N are entry-level noise cancelling earbuds aimed at casual listeners who want ANC and companion app support without breaking the bank. They replace the older Sony WF-C700N and slot in below the Sony LinkBuds S in Sony's lineup. Despite being more affordable earbuds in Sony's lineup, they offer modern conveniences like wear detection and multipoint pairing.
Our Verdict
The Sony WF-C710N are very good for sports and fitness. These lightweight and portable buds will stay in your ears for light workouts like a gentle jog. But since they lack stability fins, they're not the best choice for more intense workouts like sprints. Still, they're comfortable to wear and easy to throw in a pocket or gym bag. Their IPX4 rating also means they can withstand a little rain without damage.
Comfortable, stable fit.
IPX4 rating keeps the buds safe from water splashes.
Good noise isolation, even if weak in the bass-range.
Bluetooth connectivity performance is often poor and slow to connect.
The Sony C710N are good for travel. They're super light and easy to throw in a coat pocket, which is handy if you don't like the added bulk that over-ears bring. Their nine-hour battery will also see you through a transatlantic flight without a recharge. These comfortable buds will also stay in your ears while you board and disembark from busy commuter buses. That said, while the included ANC does a good job blocking out mid-range sounds like people talking, it barely blocks out low-end rumble, so you'll likely hear some bus or train engine noise along with your audio.
Mic has decent noise handling.
Comfortable, stable fit.
Good noise isolation, even if weak in the bass-range.
Bluetooth connectivity performance is often poor and slow to connect.
The Sony WF-C710N are decent for office use. These highly portable earbuds offer good overall noise isolation performance, especially in the mid-range. That means they're good at blocking out sounds like coworkers chatting or typing. Their mic is also acceptable for office use; it makes you sound a bit honky, but it does a good job of distinguishing your voice from background noise. The nine-hour battery life will last you through a full day at the office without a recharge, and they're comfortable enough to keep in for long periods. Their multipoint Bluetooth connection means you can easily switch between your phone and laptop, but the Bluetooth connection in general can be a bit finicky.
Mic has decent noise handling.
Good noise isolation, even if weak in the bass-range.
Bluetooth connectivity performance is often poor and slow to connect.
Mic makes you sound honky.
The Sony WF-C710N earbuds are Bluetooth headphones and don't come with a wireless dongle; their latency is too high for wireless gaming.
The Sony WF-C710N are wireless-only headphones; you can't use them wired.
The Sony WF-C710N have satisfactory audio reproduction accuracy. They barely deviate from their own warm sound profile through the bass and mid-range, although some inconsistencies in the treble can render sounds like sibilants relatively dull or piercing, depending on their pitch. The left and right drivers are also generally well-matched, apart from some mismatch in amplitude in the treble, which can cause centrally-panned, high-pitched elements like hi-hats to feel pulled off center. Other than that, audio is accurately reproduced with low distortion. Since these are in-ears, they don't produce sound that interacts with your outer ear.
The Sony WF-C710N have good noise isolation performance, especially in the mid and treble ranges. Sounds like chatty coworkers or fellow passengers are noticeably reduced. That said, the buds can't block out much bass-range noise, so you'll hear the rumble of bus engines alongside your audio. Still, the buds leak remarkably little audio, even at unsafe listening levels, so your audio won't disturb anyone around you.
The Sony WF-C710N have a passable microphone. That said, in use, they perform a bit better than their score suggests. While their mic doesn't make you sound particularly lifelike, it still captures the all-important mid-range frequencies, so you're comprehensible. The mic system also does a decent job separating your voice from background noise, though in very noisy environments, your voice cuts out a little during calls.
The Sony WF-C710N show disappointing frequency response consistency results, mainly due to amplitude mismatches between the left and right drivers. However, with a proper fit, the sound remains fairly consistent across repeated uses in real-world conditions.
Performance Usages
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sony WF-C710N come in four colorways: 'Black,' 'White,' 'Pink,' and a translucent 'Glass Blue.' We tested the 'Black' option, and this is a photo of their label.
If you encounter another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Sony WF-C710N are an updated version of the Sony WF-C700N Truly Wireless, offering several welcome improvements like better ANC performance and wear-detection sensors. They also use touch controls in place of physical buttons, which you may or may not prefer, but they remain lightweight and comfortable. Compared to the mid-range Sony LinkBuds S, the more affordable WF-C710N have slightly weaker ANC but offer a comparably warm sound profile along with app support. Neither pair can match the ANC performance of the premium Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless, but the differences are smaller than you might think given the price gap. Compared to popular budget competitors like the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless, the C710N offer a longer continuous battery life but worse ANC performance.
If you're interested in other wireless earbuds and headphones, check out our articles on the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds under $100, the best Sony headphones, and the best noise cancelling earbuds.
The Sony WF-C710N are the sequel to the Sony WF-C700N Truly Wireless, and offer some small but worthwhile upgrades. The C710N pulls ahead with slightly better ANC performance, and have a mic that better distinguishes your voice from noise around you. The C710N also use touch surfaces instead of physical buttons for control input, which you may or may not prefer. It's worth noting that we think the C710N are more comfortable, and they have a noticeably longer battery life. Apart from that, both pairs offer similarly warm sound profiles, and both come with graphic EQs in the companion app.
The Sony WF-C710N and Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless occupy very different segments of Sony's earbud lineup. The XM5 are part of the brand's flagship 1000X series lineup, while the C710N are much more affordable earbuds. In terms of sound quality, the differences are smaller than you might think. Both pairs have a warm sound and come with EQs in their companion app, allowing you to customize the sound to your liking. That said, the XM5 offer superior quality control, with better-matched left and right drivers. But the XM5 really pull ahead in ANC performance, offering superior noise isolation across the entire frequency spectrum. Still, the mic performance is fairly unremarkable with both buds, so if you don't need superior ANC, saving your cash and choosing the cheaper C710N could be the wise choice.
The Sony WF-C710N are positioned a tier below the Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless in the brand's earbud lineup. The main advantage the pricier LinkBuds S offer is superior noise isolation performance. If you often find yourself annoyed by chatty coworkers, the LinkBuds S are the better purchase. Still, the two pairs sound very similar, and the C710N actually have a better performing mic and a longer continuous battery life. So if noise isolation isn't a priority, the cheaper buds may offer better value.
The Sony WF-C710N goes head-to-head with the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless in the lower mid-range of the earbud market. Anker always punch above their weight when it comes to ANC performance, and the Liberty 4 NC are no exception, offering impressive results for an affordable price. The Anker also offer a longer total battery life and comparable mic performance to the Sony. For most people, we think the Anker are a better-value purchase. That said, their stemmed design isn't for everyone, so if you prefer a more discrete, pebble like earbud, the Sony may be the better choice.
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Test Results
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