Sony WF-C710N Review: Punching Above Its Weight in the Midrange Arena

This model impresses with its ergonomic fit, extensive feature set, and reliable active noise cancellation.

While Sony’s flagship 1000X series often steals the spotlight, there are plenty of hidden gems in the brand’s more affordable lineup. The LinkBuds series, for example, delivers impressive value at around $100 less than the premium WF-1000XM5. Sony has also been steadily releasing strong contenders under $150, and the new SONY WF-C710N, priced at $120, is no exception. With a comfortable fit, a robust feature set, and surprisingly capable active noise cancellation, it stands out in its class. That said, a few trade-offs come with the lower price tag—so it’s worth weighing the pros and cons before making your decision.

Sony WF-C710N

The WF-C710N stands out among similarly priced rivals, though it doesn’t quite reach the audio quality of Sony’s flagship models.

Key highlights of the Sony WF-C710N

The Sony WF-C710N is the follow-up to last year’s WF-C700N, a well-loved mid-range option known for its compact design and useful features. While the C710N doesn’t look much different, there are a few thoughtful upgrades that improve the experience. For example, the touch controls are now easier to use thanks to new concave panels, making it simpler to tap the right spot.

Sony also added a new transparent blue color, giving the earbuds and case a cool, see-through look—kind of like what we’ve seen from Beats’ Solo Buds and Studio Buds+. If you’re a fan of tech that shows off what’s inside, you’ll love this design.

Comfort That Lasts All Day

One of the biggest strengths of the Sony WF-C710N is how comfortable it is. The earbuds are small and light, sitting nicely in the ear without sticking out or feeling heavy. Sony clearly put some effort into the shape and fit, and it shows—you can wear them for hours without discomfort. During battery tests, they stayed in place and felt great the whole time, something you can’t always say about bulkier earbuds.

Packed with Features for the Price

Even though these earbuds cost just $120, they come loaded with features you’d expect from more expensive models. Here’s a quick look at what you get:

• Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
• Ambient Sound Mode (lets in outside noise when needed)
• Customizable EQ (with presets and sliders)
• Multipoint Bluetooth (connect to two devices at once)
• Reconfigurable touch controls
• Auto-pause when you take the earbuds out

For advanced users, there’s even more:

• Adaptive Sound Control (adjusts settings based on your activity or location)
• 360 Reality Audio support
• DSEE audio upscaling (enhances compressed music)
• Quick Attention Mode (lowers volume and turns on ambient sound when you touch and hold the earbud)

The only big feature missing is Speak-to-Chat, which automatically pauses music when you talk—but for the price, that’s not a huge surprise.

What You Might Not Like

When it comes to sound quality, the Sony WF-C710N performs slightly above average for midrange earbuds. It’s good enough for most listeners, especially at this price. The bass is strong and punchy, which works great for beats-heavy music like hip-hop, rock, and metal—but sometimes, it’s too much and overwhelms the other parts of the song.

For softer genres like acoustic or bluegrass, the bass can still overpower the mids and highs, making the overall sound feel a bit unbalanced. You’ll get better clarity if you adjust the EQ in the app, and it helps to keep DSEE turned on to improve sound detail. So, while these won’t match the sound of Sony’s flagship WF-1000XM5, they’re still a solid pick if you’re shopping on a budget.

Sony claims up to 8.5 hours of listening time with noise canceling turned on. In real-world use—switching between ANC and ambient modes—I only got around 6.5 to 7 hours. That’s still decent, but if you need them to last a full workday plus a commute, you might come up short.

While Sony says the C710N offers “crystal-clear calls,” the reality is a bit different. Even with the option to “capture voice during a call” turned on in the app, you don’t hear much of your own voice through the earbuds. That can make it harder to talk naturally, and I found myself speaking louder than usual during calls.

These earbuds do block out most background noise well, but your voice can sound muffled or distant as a result. For occasional calls, they’re fine—but if you take lots of meetings or voice chats, you may want something with better mic clarity.

Final thought

If comfort and useful features are what you care about most, the Sony WF-C710N is a great pick. The sound quality isn’t amazing, but it’s perfectly fine for everyday listening—and most people will be happy with it. If the battery life had matched Sony’s claims, these earbuds would’ve been an easy recommendation. Still, at $120, they offer excellent value thanks to a rich feature set that outshines most other midrange options. Overall, the C710N is a better buy than the slightly cheaper Beats Solo Buds, which sell for $99.95 (or $80 at launch)