Audio review
Sony WF-C700N Review: One Lab Says the Noise Cancelling Does Nothing
SoundGuys measured no difference between the cancelling switched on and the seal alone. Two other reviewers found it effective. The N in the name is doing a lot of work.
By Paulo GerchonPublished 2 min read
Sony
Sony WF-C700N
Good · researched from 3 sources
The fit is good, the app is unusually generous and the price is right, so as ordinary earbuds these are fine. Treat the noise cancelling as a bonus rather than the feature, because the one source that measured it found nothing.
- Buy if
- Budget listening where fit and comfort matter most · Anyone who wants real EQ control at this price · Ears that seal well with the supplied tips
- Skip if
- Buyers specifically shopping for active noise cancelling · Anyone who wants LDAC on an Android source · Long days, on a measured 7 hours 13 minutes
We don’t list prices, because Amazon’s change hourly.
The N in the name
SoundGuys put these on a test fixture, measured the noise reduction with the cancelling switched on, measured it again with the earbuds simply sealed in the ear, and got the same chart.
Their conclusion is blunt: the active noise cancelling is not working.
GSMArena describes instantly feeling ambient noise drop several notches when it is enabled. Pocket-lint calls the performance respectable, short of flagship models but adequate against a Nothing Ear 2.
Two listeners against one measurement.
The reconciliation is in SoundGuys' own review. They rate the passive isolation as performing well, because the ear tips seal properly. A good seal alone produces exactly the sensation of noise dropping away when you put earbuds in, and there is no way to tell by ear whether the electronics contributed.
If cancelling is specifically why you are buying, this is not the evidence you want.
What the measurements say about the sound
SoundGuys, against their preference curve: bass more than 6 dB quieter below 100 Hz, treble under-emphasised above 5 kHz, most instruments still audible.
Pocket-lint, listening: lively, slightly forward midrange that flatters vocals, bass rich and weighty without overpowering.
Those are hard to reconcile, and the app is the reason it may not matter. GSMArena counts eight EQ presets plus three custom profiles, which they note is uncommon at this price and which is more control than several more expensive earbuds offer.
Seven and a quarter hours
SoundGuys measured 7 hours 13 minutes with cancelling on. GSMArena confirmed Sony's 7.5 to 8 hour claim in real use.
Fifteen hours in total with the case, or twenty with cancelling off. Ten minutes of charging returns about an hour.
GSMArena's criticism stands: rivals manage up to twice as long.
The omissions add up
No LDAC, on a Sony product, where Anker puts it in earbuds costing the same.
No wear detection, which GSMArena points out is present on cheaper models, so they keep playing when you take them out.
No wireless charging.
And multipoint was promised but unavailable at launch, per GSMArena, so verify that before buying on the strength of it.
Where they are actually good
Fit. GSMArena reports them staying put over hours with a good seal from the silicone tips. Pocket-lint credits the 4.5 gram weight with comfort and notes less ear pressure than pricier rivals.
That matters more here than on most earbuds, because on SoundGuys' evidence the seal is doing all of the noise reduction. Get the tip size right and these work as advertised, whatever the electronics are or are not contributing.
How it scored
The overall 7.0 is the weighted average of these five criteria — we never adjust it by hand.
Sound quality
SoundGuys measured bass over 6 dB below their target under 100 Hz and reduced treble above 5 kHz. Pocket-lint describes lively sound with rich weighty bass, and GSMArena calls it balanced.
Value
Pocket-lint scored 4.5 out of 5 and GSMArena calls it a great overall package for the money. SoundGuys is the dissent at 6 out of 10, recommending against buying.
Build quality
Both SoundGuys and Pocket-lint call the plastic construction cheap, with Pocket-lint singling out the case as feeling fragile. IPX4 only.
Ease of use
Eight EQ presets and three custom profiles in the app, which GSMArena rates unusually generous. No wear detection, no wireless charging, and GSMArena says multipoint was missing at launch.
Noise cancelling
SoundGuys measured no difference against passive isolation alone and concluded the cancelling is not working. GSMArena and Pocket-lint both found it effective in offices and against ambient noise.
Pros and cons
What we liked
- SoundGuys rates the passive isolation as performing well thanks to good ear tip fit
- Eight EQ presets plus three custom profiles, which GSMArena calls uncommon at this price
- GSMArena and Pocket-lint both found the fit secure over hours of wear
- 4.6 g per earbud per SoundGuys, so they disappear in the ear
- GSMArena reports call quality better than similarly priced rivals
- Ten minutes of charging returns about an hour of playback
What we didn’t
- SoundGuys measured no difference between cancelling on and passive isolation alone
- SoundGuys measured bass more than 6 dB below their target under 100 Hz
- No LDAC despite the Sony name, only AAC and SBC
- No wear detection and no wireless charging
- GSMArena reports multipoint promised but unavailable at launch
- Both SoundGuys and Pocket-lint call the plastic cheap
Specifications
| Noise cancelling | No measurable difference against passive isolation per SoundGuys |
|---|---|
| Battery | 7 h 13 m with cancelling on per SoundGuys; 7.5 to 8 hours per GSMArena |
| With case | About 15 hours total; 20 with cancelling off |
| Quick charge | Ten minutes for about an hour |
| Codecs | AAC and SBC over Bluetooth 5.2; no LDAC |
| Water resistance | IPX4 |
| Weight | 4.6 g per earbud and 31 g for the case per SoundGuys |
| App | Eight EQ presets and three custom profiles, adaptive sound control |
| Missing | Wear detection, wireless charging, and multipoint at launch |
How we researched this
We have not had this unit on the bench. This review synthesises the manufacturer’s published specifications, independent measurements and owner reports listed below. Every figure on this page comes from one of those sources rather than our own measurement.
3
sources reviewed
SoundGuys is the only source that measured on a test fixture, supplying the noise cancelling finding, the frequency response deviations, the measured battery, the weights and the codec list, and scored 6 out of 10. Pocket-lint supplies listening impressions, the comfort assessment and the build criticism, and scored 4.5 out of 5. GSMArena supplies the app detail, the real-world battery confirmation, the call quality assessment and the note about multipoint being absent at launch. The three disagree fundamentally about whether the active noise cancelling does anything, which the FAQ reports rather than resolves.
What we read
Common questions
Does the noise cancelling on the Sony WF-C700N work?
How long does the battery last?
How do they sound?
What is missing at this price?
Are they comfortable?
The bottom line on the Sony WF-C700N
The fit is good, the app is unusually generous and the price is right, so as ordinary earbuds these are fine. Treat the noise cancelling as a bonus rather than the feature, because the one source that measured it found nothing.
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