Faisal Ghaffar 
Sony has introduced new wireless in-ear headphones in the form of WF-C700N and they are designed to bridge the gap between the company’s entry-level, cheaper model and its high-end, premium headphones.
Design
In terms of looks, the WF-C700N are similar to WF-C500, the cheaper version that Sony had introduced back in 2021. The colors are the most significant difference, as the new ones are available in sage green, black, white and lavender and the ANC microphones also have metallic grilles. As compared to Airpods, there is no stem on the WF-C700N, but they do have a button design that allow them to sit in the ear cup completely.
In terms of control, Sony has opted for button instead of touch surface. The good thing about the WF-C700N is that the button is very soft despite the noticeable click and haptic feedback. Since they are mid-range headphones, they do not have sensors for pausing and playing music automatically when you take them out and put them back in the ear again.
Build and case
In terms of construction, Sony has managed to reduce the weight of the earbuds by 15%, as it has come down to 4.6g from 5.4g. This means that the WF-C700N are truly lightweight and you can keep them in your ears for hours. As for battery life, they can last for 10 hours without ANC and 7.5 hours with ANC. It takes you an hour and a half to charge them fully when the battery is fully drained.
As far as the case is concerned, it seems like an oversized pill and is quite light. There is a USB-C port on the back for charging it and also a button to use for pairing the headphones or resetting them.
Sound
One thing to note about Sony’s headphones is that even the cheapest ones have a very good sound, which is usually bass-heavy. The same applies to WF-C700N, as they have a balanced and clear sound, especially where the mids and highs are concerned. The bass sounds truly great and not overbearing at any point. You are given five frequency bands to make adjustments.
Software
The active noise cancellation is what puts the WF-C700N in the mid-range category rather than the cheap one. It was only available in expensive models previously, but Sony has now decided to branch out. You can use the app to decide which mode to switch to with just a button touch. There are a total of three of them available, with the default being On/Transparency.
On the whole, the ANC is quite decent, but it is obviously not close to the performance delivered by expensive models. The difference in quality exists mostly because fewer microphones have been used in the WF-C700N, as opposed to high-end models. Sony also offers you some gesture control, where you can assign specific functions to the right and left earpiece.
The app also comes with a switch that lets you choose between connection stability and sound quality. Sony’s version of virtual sound surround is called ‘360 Reality Audio’, but this only works with four streaming services.
The Verdict
The WF-C700Nfrom Sony are a good option for anyone who does not want to spend a lot for in-ear headphones that come with decent active noise cancellation.
