Sony unveils new noise-cancelling earbuds, the WF-C700N, along with the Midnight Blue WH-1000XM5
The Sony WF-C700N offer affordable active noise cancellation but lack the high-resolution audio support of the flagship WF-1000XM4
Sony has expanded its true wireless earbuds lineup with the addition of the noise-cancelling Sony WF-C700N.
The Japanese manufacturer already has class-leading premium earbuds in the WF-1000XM4, while those seeking a budget option are covered by the WF-C500. The new WF-C700N sit between those buds in price and undercut the company’s other mid-range true wireless offerings – the LinkBuds and LinkBuds S – with a price tag of £100.
Unlike the £60 WF-C500, the WF-700N come equipped with active noise cancellation and are able to make use of Sony’s clever Adaptive Sound Control technology, which adjusts ANC and sound settings based on where you are and what you’re doing. Sony says its latest buds will offer best-in-class attenuation at their price point, and based on the performance of their flagship WF-1000XM4, we won’t be surprised if that proves to be the case.
They’re smaller and lighter than the WF-C500 and will be available in a different range of colours too, with Lavender and Sage options joining black and white models in place of Coral Orange and Ice Green.
Total battery life is stated at around 20 hours with ANC off, a figure that drops to a rather meagre 15 hours if you’re making use of their noise-cancelling capabilities. Audio comes courtesy of 5mm drivers, with Bluetooth codec support covering SBC and AAC. There’s also Bluetooth multipoint pairing with up to two devices, which is welcome since the WF-1000XM4 launched without it.
The absence of LDAC means the CF-700N can’t be used to stream high-resolution audio and their upscaling algorithm – Digital Sound Enhancement Engine – is of the basic variety rather than the Extreme version supported by the WF-1000XM4. Those are of course compromises made to keep the price of the buds down and we still expect the WF-C700 to be strong sonic performers for the money.
There’s still no word on when Sony will reveal the fifth-generation model of the flagship WF-1000XM earbuds, but it has unveiled a new colourway for its wonderful WH-1000XM5 over-ear headphones. The sleek and elegant midnight blue variant will be available for £380 later this month.