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Sony WF-SP800N Truly Wireless Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Review updated Aug 26, 2021 at 01:59 pm
Latest change: Retest Feb 28, 2022 at 12:33 pm
Sony WF-SP800N Truly Wireless Picture
6.7
Neutral Sound
7.5
Commute/Travel
8.3
Sports/Fitness
7.1
Office
5.7
Wireless Gaming
5.5
Wired Gaming
6.9
Phone Calls

The Sony WF-SP800N are sports-oriented, truly wireless earbuds with quite a few extra features. They’re well-built, quite comfortable, and do a great job of staying in your ears. You can customize their punchy, bass-heavy default sound profile in the Sony| Headphones Connect app. They also have an adjustable active noise cancelling (ANC) system, but unfortunately, it doesn't block out much more noise than when it's off. Their control scheme also lacks a volume function, although you can remap some controls in the app.

Our Verdict

6.7 Neutral Sound

The Sony WF-SP800N are alright for neutral sound. Their default sound profile is bass-heavy, suitable for genres like EDM and hip-hop, but while vocals and lead instruments are present and clear, they sometimes lack finer details. These headphones also have a poor passive soundstage performance, like most in-ears. Fortunately, you can use the Sony| Headphones Connect companion app to access a graphic EQ and presets, which allows you to customize their sound profile to suit you.

Pros
  • Very stable fit.
  • Graphic EQ in companion app.
Cons
  • Closed-off-soundstage.
  • Somewhat boomy out-the-box sound profile.
7.5 Commute/Travel

The Sony WF-SP800N are good for commuting. With a continuous battery life of more than nine hours, they should be able to get you through a long day of travel. They also come with a case that holds about one extra charge. They do a good job of blocking out the chatter of fellow commuters, but they struggle to reduce the volume of lower-pitched ambient sounds like plane or bus engines. Also, their ANC system is almost useless and does very little to improve their passive isolation capabilities.

Pros
  • Sturdy build quality.
  • Very stable fit.
  • Graphic EQ in companion app.
  • Long continuous battery life.
Cons
  • Ineffective ANC system.
  • No volume controls by default.
8.3 Sports/Fitness

The Sony WF-SP800N are great for sports and fitness. They have a very stable fit that allows the buds to stay in your ears, even during intense workouts. They’re quite well-built, with dense plastic construction and an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance, though we don’t currently test for this. They also provide a bass-heavy listening experience that can help keep you motivated during your next run or workout at the gym.

Pros
  • Sturdy build quality.
  • Very stable fit.
Cons
  • No volume controls by default.
7.1 Office

The Sony WF-SP800N are decent for office use. They’re comfortable enough to wear for extended periods and barely leak any audio, so you can listen to your music at pretty high volumes without annoying your coworkers. They do a good job of blocking out mid-range noise like ambient chatter, too. If you bring their charging case with you, you should have more than enough battery life to get you through a couple of 9-5 workdays. Unfortunately, they don’t support multi-device pairing, which is annoying if you tend to switch between using your phone and your work computer.

Pros
  • Very stable fit.
  • Long continuous battery life.
Cons
  • No multi-device pairing.
  • Ineffective ANC system.
5.7 Wireless Gaming

The Sony WF-SP800N are truly wireless headphones that aren't compatible with PlayStation or Xbox consoles. You can use them with Bluetooth-enabled computers and phones, but their latency is too high to recommend them for gaming.

5.5 Wired Gaming

The Sony WF-SP800N are Bluetooth-only and can’t be used with a wired connection.

6.9 Phone Calls

The Sony WF-SP800N are okay for phone calls. Your voice should sound fairly natural and almost completely distortion-free over the phone, but also somewhat thin and muffled. Their integrated mic struggles to separate speech from ambient sound, so your voice might drown out if you use them for a phone call in a loud place. They also have a mediocre noise isolation performance, so you may not be able to hear the person you're talking to if you're calling from a moderately noisy setting.

Pros
  • Very stable fit.
Cons
  • Mic struggles with noise handling in loud places.
  • 6.7 Neutral Sound
  • 7.5 Commute/Travel
  • 8.3 Sports/Fitness
  • 7.1 Office
  • 5.7 Wireless Gaming
  • 5.5 Wired Gaming
  • 6.9 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Feb 28, 2022: Added Sony's 360 Reality Audio feature to Virtual Soundstage.
  2. Updated Aug 26, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
  3. Updated Aug 05, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
  4. Updated Aug 17, 2020: Review published.
  5. Updated Aug 11, 2020: Early access published.
  6. Updated Jul 30, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
  7. Updated Jul 24, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  8. Updated Jul 16, 2020: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The Sony WF-SP800N Truly Wireless come in a few different colors: 'White', 'Black', 'Blue', and 'Orange'. We tested them in Orange, but expect our results to be valid for the other variants as well.

You can see the label for the unit we tested here. If you come across another variant, please let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.

Compared To Other Headphones

The Sony WF-SP800N are a versatile pair of sports-oriented truly wireless headphones. They feel sturdy and have a comfortable, stable fit, not to mention their punchy sound profile and feature-rich companion app. Unfortunately, like the Sony WF-SP700N Truly Wireless, their ANC system is mostly ineffective, and they isolate you from far less noise than the Sony WF-1000XM3 Truly Wireless or the Sony WF-1000XM4 Truly Wireless.

If you're looking for other options, check out our recommendations for the best true wireless earbuds, the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds, and the best wireless earbuds for running and working out.

Sony WF-1000XM3 Truly Wireless

The Sony WF-1000XM3 Truly Wireless and Sony WF-SP800N Truly Wireless have different strengths and depending on your usage, you may prefer one over the other. The WF-1000XM3 have a more premium build, a more effective ANC system, and a better-balanced default sound profile. The WF-1000XM3 also support NFC pairing and have more options in the Sony| Headphones Connect app, including surround sound configuration. On the other hand, the WF-SP800N have a more comfortable, stable fit, leak less audio, and last longer on a single charge, though their case holds one charge to the WF-1000XM3’s three, so the WF-SP800N’s total battery life is less.

Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless

The Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless are slightly more versatile sports-oriented truly wireless headphones than the Sony WF-SP800N Truly Wireless. The Jabra have a more comprehensive control scheme, feel sturdier, and block out slightly more ambient noise. They also support multi-device pairing, so you can easily swap between listening to content on your phone and computer. Conversely, the Sony have a more stable fit, have a longer continuous battery life, and charge more quickly.

Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless

The Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless are closely matched to the Sony WF-SP800N Truly Wireless when it comes to sports and fitness. The Jaybird have a slightly more intuitive control scheme, a sturdier build, and a parametric EQ to give you greater control over how your music sounds. That said, the Sony have a better-integrated mic, last much longer off of a single charge, and block out slightly more ambient noise. The Sony also have a higher IP55 rating for dust and water resistance, though we don’t test for this.

Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless

The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless are better suited for mixed usage than the Sony WF-SP800N Truly Wireless. The Samsung are smaller but have an equally secure, comfortable fit, deliver a much more well-balanced listening experience out-the-box, and have a better-integrated mic. At over 13 hours, they’re also one of the few truly wireless headphones that have a longer continuous battery life than the Sony. However, the Sony retaliate with a more intuitive control scheme, less audio leakage, and a companion app with a graphic EQ to the Samsung Galaxy Wearable app’s simple audio presets.

Jabra Elite 75t Truly Wireless

The Jabra Elite 75t Truly Wireless are slightly better for mixed usage than the Sony WF-SP800N Truly Wireless. The Jabra have onboard, out-the-box volume controls, a more premium-feeling construction, and support for multi-device pairing. They also have a better-performing active noise cancelling feature. Meanwhile, the Sony have a more stable fit, a slightly better-integrated microphone, and a longer continuous battery life. 

Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless

The Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless and the Sony WF-SP800N Truly Wireless are fairly evenly-matched premium sports-oriented in-ears, though the Sony have an advantage in mixed usage scenarios. The Bose have a semi-open back design that lets in more ambient noise at lets you stay more aware of your surroundings. They also feel slightly more premium. The Sony are more stable in the ear, last longer off of a single charge, and have a better integrated microphone, not to mention a companion app that allows for a much higher degree of personalization.

Skullcandy Indy ANC True Wireless

The Skullcandy Indy ANC True Wireless and the Sony WF-SP800N Truly Wireless are similar headphones, so depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other. The Sony have a more comfortable and stable fit, and their battery life is longer. They also have a graphic EQ for greater sound customization. While the Sony have longer continuous battery life, the Skullcandy's portable charging case offers more additional charges. Also, the Skullcandy have better noise isolation.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Type In-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Truly Wireless
Transducer Dynamic

The Sony WF-SP800N are truly wireless earbuds with a flat oval shape and silicone tips. Similar to the Sony WF-1000XM3 Truly Wireless, the buds are somewhat on the big side and protrude from your ears more than smaller competitors, like the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless. They have a one-color design, except for a small Sony logo on the outside surface of the buds, and come in a few colors: 'Orange', 'Blue', 'White', and 'Black'.

7.5
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.04 lbs
Clamping Force
0 lbs

The Sony WF-SP800N are comfortable truly wireless headphones. While their deep in-ear fit may not suit everyone, they don’t exert much pressure on the inner ear, so they should be comfortable enough to wear for extended periods. However, due to their somewhat large size, you're constantly aware of their presence when you’re wearing them.

6.3
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Good
Feedback Good
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control No
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
No
Noise Cancelling Control On/Off
Talk-Through
On/Off
Additional Controls Voice Assistant

The Sony WF-SP800N have a passable control scheme. The touch-sensitive surface is easy to use and you hear voice prompts or beeps when a command is registered. However, the default control scheme lacks some important functions. Out-of-the-box, you can tap the right earbud once to play or pause music, twice to skip the track forward, and three times to skip backward. You can tap the left bud to cycle between ANC on, 'Ambient Sound', and ANC off. The 'Ambient Sound' setting is supposed to 'mix' your audio with ambient sound so you can hear both at the same time. You can also press and hold the left bud to activate 'Quick Attention', which lowers your audio's volume as long as you have your finger on the earbud. There isn't a way to change the volume unless you remap the control scheme in the Sony| Headphones Connect app. Unfortunately, if you want onboard volume controls you have to remove either the ANC on/off or playback functions.

9.2
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 0.8 °C

The Sony WF-SP800N are very breathable, which is to be expected of in-ear headphones. They don't cover your ears, so they don't trap heat against them. Wearing them during a workout shouldn't make you sweat more than usual.

9.4
Design
Portability
L 1.7" (4.3 cm)
W 1.3" (3.3 cm)
H 0.8" (2.0 cm)
Volume 1.80 in³ (29.50 cm³)
Transmitter Required No

The Sony WF-SP800N are outstandingly portable. You can put them in your pocket or toss them in a bag without much hassle. That said, their case is quite bulky and probably won’t fit into most pants pockets.

7.5
Design
Case
Type Hard case
L 3.3" (8.4 cm)
W 1.4" (3.6 cm)
H 2.1" (5.3 cm)
Volume 10.00 in³ (163.87 cm³)

The Sony WF-SP800N have a good charging case. It’s quite large, which isn’t ideal for portability, but it does feel well-made and should do a good job of protecting the buds from drops and bumps.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

The Sony WF-SP800N are well-built headphones. They're mostly plastic and silicone that feels good quality and have an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance, although we don't test for it currently. However, they don't feel as well-made as some other Sony earbuds, like the Sony WF-1000XM4 Truly Wireless.

8.0
Design
Stability

The Sony WF-SP800N are impressively stable truly wireless headphones. They come with a couple of differently-sized ear tips and stability fins, so you should be able to achieve an airtight seal that allows the buds to stay in place, even during intense workouts.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • Sony WF-SP800N headphones
  • 4x ear tips
  • 2x stability fins
  • Charging case
  • USB-C to USB-A charging cable
  • Manuals

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
4.28 dB
Treble Amount
-4.71 dB

The Sony WF-SP800N’s default sound profile is quite bass-heavy. Bass is over-emphasized across the range, which should please listeners who prefer a little more thump and kick. Vocals and lead instruments are present and clear, but some details seem veiled. It’s worth noting that the Sony| Headphones Connect companion app gives you access to a graphic EQ plus presets, so you can customize their sound profile to better suit your preferences.

9.5
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.1 dB

Like most in-ear headphones, the Sony WF-SP800N deliver exceptional frequency response consistency. Provided you achieve a good fit with the included ear tips and stability fins, your audio should sound the same every time you wear them.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
6.8
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
5.16 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
5.67 dB
Mid-Bass
6.08 dB
High-Bass
4.93 dB

The Sony WF-SP800N have alright bass accuracy. It’s overemphasized across the range but reasonably flat overall, resulting in extra thump, punch, and boom that should please fans of bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip-hop. That said, some listeners may find it overwhelming and muddy.

8.5
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.94 dB
Low-Mid
2.61 dB
Mid-Mid
0.12 dB
High-Mid
-1.34 dB

The Sony WF-SP800N have excellent mid accuracy. The overemphasis in the high-bass range continues into the low-mids, which may make mixes sound slightly cluttered. However, it isn’t too noticeable, and the flat mid-mid and high-mid range responses ensure that vocals and lead instruments are present and clear.

6.4
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
5.18 dB
Low-Treble
-4.73 dB
Mid-Treble
-3.93 dB
High-Treble
-7.54 dB

The Sony WF-SP800N have acceptable treble accuracy. The entire range is underemphasized, resulting in veiled instruments and lead vocals, while sibilants like cymbals and S and T sounds are dull and lispy.

8.5
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.02 dB
Dips
0.75 dB

The Sony WF-SP800N Truly Wireless have excellent peaks and dips performance. The mid-treble range is uneven, which makes sibilants like S and T sounds alternately dull and piercing. The other deviations are smaller, including a peak from the low to mid-bass that adds rumble and punch, and narrow dips in the low treble that veil instruments and lead vocals.

9.1
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.24
Weighted Phase Mismatch
2.14
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.34
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1.19

The Sony WF-SP800N have remarkable imaging. Their weighted group delay falls beneath the audibility threshold, resulting in tight bass and transparent treble. Likewise, the L/R drivers are exceptionally well-matched in terms of amplitude, frequency, and phase response, resulting in the accurate placement of objects like instruments and voices in the stereo image. However, these results are only valid for our unit, and yours may perform differently.

0.9
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
N/A
PRTF Size (Avg.)
N/A
PRTF Distance
N/A
Openness
3.7
Acoustic Space Excitation
0.6

The Sony WF-SP800N have an awful passive soundstage, which is the norm for in-ear headphones. Their design means sound doesn't interact with your outer ear, which is essential for creating an out-of-head and speaker-like soundstage. As a result, audio seems to come from inside your head. The soundstage also seems smaller and more closed-off than that of most open-back headphones.

4.1
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
On/Off
Speaker Modeling
On/Off
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
360 Reality Audio

Update 02/28/2022: These earbuds are compatible with Sony's 360 Reality Audio feature, which can offer better sound quality. However, you need to subscribe to services that support this feature and use compatible files. The review has been updated to reflect these changes.

The Sony WF-SP800N are compatible with Sony’s 360 Reality Audio (360RA) virtual surround sound feature, but it comes with a couple of caveats. First, only a few music streaming apps offer support for it, including Deezer, TIDAL, and nugs.net. Relatively few songs are mixed with 360RA, so depending on your listening habits, it may be tricky to take advantage of this feature.

7.9
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.279
WHD @ 100
0.109

The weighted harmonic distribution performance of these in-ears is very good. While there’s some distortion at moderate volumes in the low to mid-treble range, it’s not especially noticeable. The rest of the frequency spectrum falls within acceptable limits, which should result in fairly clean and pure audio reproduction.

Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
1.0.1
Power
On
Connection
Bluetooth 4.2
Codec
SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
EQ
Off
ANC
On
Tip/Pad
Silicone (small)
Microphone
Integrated

These are the settings we used while testing the Sony WF-SP800N. Our results are only valid when the headphones are used in this configuration.

Isolation
6.3
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-15.78 dB
Noise Cancelling Yes
Bass
-7.61 dB
Mid
-17.01 dB
Treble
-23.7 dB

The Sony WF-SP800N’s noise isolation capabilities are mediocre. While they do a good job of blocking out mid-range sounds like ambient chatter, their ANC doesn't offer much of an advantage. At most frequencies, it barely blocks out more sound than with ANC turned off, and it sometimes actually hurts their passive noise isolation performance. In this respect, they're similar to their predecessor, the Sony WF-SP700N Truly Wireless. With ANC on, they block out a bit of bass-range noise like rumbling bus and plane engines and an okay amount of high-pitched noise, like a humming A/C unit. If you want earbuds with more effective ANC headphones, you may prefer the EarFun Air Pro True Wireless.

9.5
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
23.97 dB

The noise leakage performance of these in-ears is remarkable. You should be able to listen to your music at high volumes without disrupting people nearby, even if you’re in a quiet environment.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
In-Line
No
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
No
Mic Yes
7.2
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
276.97 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
2.82 dB
HFE
6,544.63 Hz
Weighted THD
0.47
Gain
-0.69 dB

The Sony WF-SP800N’s integrated microphone has satisfactory recording quality. Your voice should sound natural and mostly free of distortion, but your voice seems thin and a little muffled.

7.1
Microphone
Noise Handling
SpNR
7.46 dB
Noise Gate
Always On
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
7.5
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
6.5
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample

The Sony WF-SP800N's integrated mic has decent noise handling capabilities. It has a noise gate that you can't switch off, and although it does seem to reduce moderate background sound, it also seems to drop the microphone's volume at the same time. In a loud environment like a subway station, you can hear it kick in and lower the volume of the background noise, but rather than isolating your voice, it makes your voice quieter, too. These headphones should be suitable for making phone calls in moderately noisy environments, but if you’re calling from a loud place like a busy subway station, your voice may get drowned out by background noise.

Active Features
7.2
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
9.3 hrs
Additional Charges
1.0
Total Battery Life
18.6 hrs
Charge Time
1.3 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
Auto-Off Timer
Audio While Charging
No
Passive Playback
No
Charging Port USB-C

The Sony WF-SP800N have a decent battery performance. With ANC turned on, they last for roughly 9.3 hours of continuous use on a single charge, which is quite good for a pair of truly wireless headphones. They only take a little over an hour to charge and come with a case advertised to hold about one additional charge. They also have an auto-off timer that turns the headphones off during periods of inactivity, which you can activate in the Sony| Headphones Connect app. Unfortunately, you can’t listen with one bud while the other charges. Note that battery performance can vary with real-life usage, meaning that you may have a different experience. If you're looking for truly wireless headphones with longer total battery life, the TOZO NC2 Truly Wireless come with a case that holds three extra charges.

7.5
Active Features
App Support
App Name Sony| Headphones Connect
iOS Yes
Android Yes
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
Graphic + Presets
ANC Control
On/Off
Mic Control No
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
Yes
Button Mapping Yes
Surround Support
No

The Sony| Headphones Connect companion app is good. It provides a pretty broad range of configuration options, including a graphic EQ and audio presets so you can customize the sound profile, ANC options, and control remapping for both earbuds. You can also toggle the auto-off timer on or off and check the remaining battery life of each bud and their case.

You can turn noise cancelling on, off, or choose 'Ambient Sound', which is supposed to mix ambient sound with your audio and allow you to stay aware of your surroundings. There's also a menu for the 'Adaptive Sound Control' feature, which is advertised to detect your environment and adapt the headphones' ANC performance accordingly.

Connectivity
6.9
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
5.0
Multi-Device Pairing
No
NFC Pairing
No
Line Of Sight Range
200.00 ft (60.96 m)
PC Latency (SBC)
298 ms
PC Latency (aptX)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
80 ms
Android Latency
108 ms

The Sony WF-SP800N’s have okay Bluetooth connectivity. They support Bluetooth 5.0 but not multi-device or NFC pairing. Also, their latency with PCs is too high for them to be suitable for watching movies or gaming. There’s substantially less audio lag on iOS and Android mobile devices, but you may still notice some latency while streaming video on your phone. That said, some apps seem to compensate for latency, so your mileage in the real world may vary.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
0
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
No
USB Audio
No
Detachable No
Length N/A
Connection
No Wired Option
Analog/USB Audio Latency
N/A

The Sony WF-SP800N are truly wireless headphones and can't be used wired. They come with a very short USB-C to USB-A cable for charging their case.

Connectivity
PC Compatibility
Analog
No
Wired USB
No
Non-BT Wireless
No

The Sony WF-SP800N are compatible with Bluetooth-enabled PCs. However, their latency is likely too high to be suitable for gaming.

Connectivity
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
No
PS4 Wired USB
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
PS5 Analog
No
PS5 Wired USB
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
No
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
No
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No
2.2
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
Charging Case
USB Input
No
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
Yes
Power Supply
USB-C

The Sony WF-SP800N come with a case that holds about one extra charge. You can charge it via the included USB-C to USB-A cable.