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I tested AKG’s N5 Hybrid earbuds, and I was so impressed by their noise cancellation and extra features, as long as you find them at the right price
12:00 pm | May 27, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: , | Comments: Off

AKG N5: One minute review

When I’m testing new earbuds, and considering if they deserve a shoutout for our list of the best earbuds, the first thing I do is look at the price to set expectations – but for this AKG N5 review, I found two.

There’s the official list price, which sets you up for these buds to be powerful premium players, but I was also tripping over discounted prices, with the N5 seeing some hefty discounts since launch. So while I’ll test these as top-end earbuds, I’d be remiss not to point out that you can buy them for less – and you should, as they present fantastic value for money with a reduction.

The AKG N5 are the latest pair of wireless earbuds from originally-Austrian audio company AKG (which is owned by Harman, which itself is owned by Samsung). AKG puts out wireless headphones only sparingly, with its website populated almost entirely with professional wired headsets and microphones.

And it’s clear that some of that ‘professional’ DNA is present in the AKG N5 because there are loads of features which are helpful in such a setting: a USB-C dongle included in the case lets you easily (and temporarily) connect to any laptop, tablet or similar device, while call tone settings basically act like an EQ but for incoming voice calls. There are also loads of ANC settings for people who work in busy offices.

Suffice it to say I was impressed by the feature suite of the AKG N5, but not just as someone who himself tries to drown out the infuriatingly-loud team seated next to him – they’re all features that will be handy to regular buyers, not just office-locked ones.

Another strength of the AKG N5 is their audio chops, because the buds offer expressive and clear audio with plenty of detail and texture. A few more in-app modes (sorry to mention features again) let you carry out a sound test or tweak the sonic offering to your pleasure.

Some people may be put off by the AKG N5’s design. It’s true the case is pretty huge, the build quality feels iffy, and the earbud controls are hard to activate when you want to and easy to activate when you don’t. The battery life that won't last a full day of work might also put some people off.

But it’s easy to overlook these issues if, like I said, you’re able to find a good deal on these buds. And that shouldn’t be hard given I found it more of a chore to find their actual original price rather than the current one. The N5 are fine value at their official price – but discounted, they’re a steal.

AKG N5 review: Specifications

Component

Value

Water resistant

IP54

Battery life (quoted)

6 hours (earbuds), 24 hours (total)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.3

Weight

6g / Charging case: 48.4g

Driver

10mm

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

(Image credit: Future)

AKG N5 review: Price and availability

  • Announced in September 2024
  • Priced at $299 / £249 / AU$309
  • Readily available for under $250 / £199 / AU$250

The AKG N5 were announced in September 2024, at IFA 2024, as the latest entry into the brand’s line-up of earbuds. At the time of writing they're the company’s only competitor for the best wireless earbuds.

At launch, the AKG N5 cost $299.95 / £249 / AU$309, which makes them a premium audio offering. However it’s worth pointing out that I could easily find it sold online for a discount of $60 / £50 / AU$65, so you’ll easily save money if you shop around.

Lowered price or not, these are still premium earbuds and we’ll treat them as such. Included in the box you get the buds, case and dongle as well as a USB-C to USB connector and some bud tips of varying sizes.

The AKG N5 in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

AKG N5 review: Features

  • Poor real-world battery life
  • Range of ANC options
  • Useful dongle connector

The AKG N5 connects to your phone via Bluetooth 5.3; initial pairing for me was quick and easy, and during testing there were barely any drop-outs or stutters.

You can also easily connect to new devices via a dongle included in the charging case; plug this into any device, and the N5 will stream audio from that.

The dongle is a USB-C one, though an adapter included in the box lets you plug it into standard USB ports. This is a really handy extra for people who own multiple devices and can’t pair to all of them, or who use unfamiliar devices on occasion. As someone who owns (and tests) too many gadgets, I found it incredibly handy.

9 times out of ten, this dongle worked well, however now and then I’d find the headphones would re-pair with my phone even if the dongle was connected to another device. One thing to note is that it did sap the battery of the device it was connected to: fine for gadgets plugged into an outlet, frustrating for my iPad.

Battery life is a weak spot for the buds. AKG predicts a 10-hour battery life… if you listen to music with ANC turned off, and that drops down to six hours with ANC on, or even lower if you’re talking or using the dongle.

However, in my testing I was lucky to get anywhere near six hours of listening time, and I’d usually have to charge after four and a half or five hours. That's not just below what's promised, it's way below average.

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

(Image credit: Future)

The case itself contains four full charges for the buds, however long you make that.

So should you turn off ANC to preserve battery life? Well you can, but it’d be a shame, because the AKG N5 have fantastic noise cancellation – my usual ANC test is how well it drowns out the trains that commonly pass my house, and when testing the N5, I have no idea if it passed because I could never tell if trains had passed.

ANC is complicated here, though. There are three modes: standard, Ambient Aware and TalkThru (as well as off, obviously). TalkThru boosts nearby voices so you can hear people and Ambient Aware does a similar thing for background voices, with a slider letting you fiddle with the intensity of the effect.

In standard ANC mode you can toggle Adaptive ANC, which adjusts the level of noise cancellation based on your surroundings, and turning it off presents you with a slider to change the intensity yourself. There’s also Auto Compensation mode which tweaks with ANC depending on your ‘wearing and ear canal status’, whatever that means.

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

(Image credit: Future)

Suffice it to say that every time I was presented with the ANC part of the AKG Headphones app I was scratching my head at all the options presented to me – and that’s really the theme of this companion app which bombards you with options. This’ll be pleasing news to tech-heads, but horrifying for technophobes.

Let’s fire through some of the features and settings: SilentNow turns off music and ramps up ANC to help you focus or study; Smart Audio & Video adjusts sound stage based on whether you’re listening to music or watching a video; the equalizer has a load of presets or lets you customize your sound on a 10-band EQ; various call settings let you change how you or a caller sound on the phone; and Right/Left Sound Balance does what it says on the tin.

These are as well as all the standard app modes: gesture control customization, a find-my-buds feature, and a fit test.

The app also gives you the option to toggle Hi-Res Audio, but turning this on precludes you from several other features, including Spatial Sound and Personi-Fi. This latter is a lengthy audio test that presents you with a bespoke equalization fit for your music, and I don’t know any audiophiles who don’t appreciate this kind of feature.

If you’ve skimmed that list you may have noticed something I want to explicitly commend: there are loads of options with small or large accessibility use cases here, which is always great to see.

  • Features score: 4/5

AKG N5 review: Sound performance

The AKG N5 in a man's ear.

(Image credit: Future)
  • 10mm drivers
  • Balanced sound profile
  • Textured audio in high-res mode

Whether you’re listening via Bluetooth or dongle, with Hi-Res Audio on or instead Personi-Fi enabled, there’s one thing that’s hard to deny: the AKG N5 sounds great.

The sound profile is lovely and balanced, with well-defined bass sitting comfortably alongside clear treble and distinct mids. I didn’t feel the need to touch the equalizer as I liked the default mix, and wasn’t losing any instruments to overbearing bass or treble.

It’s easy to hear the texture in each instrument with the N5: I could make out the ripples of reverb on vocal lines to the flick of a bass guitar string being strum, and the audio lines were all spread out enough to make them distinct and clear (although I have tested buds with a better soundstage).

If I have to say one bad thing about the buds, it’s that audio sounds precision-tuned but not very energetic – they helped me really appreciate great songs sonically, but didn’t always make me feel like rocking out to them.

  • Sound performance score: 4/5

The AKG N5 in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

AKG N5 review: Design

  • Chunky and cheap charging case
  • Lightweight and comfortable buds
  • Annoying touch controls

Perhaps because it contains a dongle, the case of the AKG N5 is a little on the larger size, and I’ve seen some people online criticize its bulk. Honestly, it’s not that big, and doesn’t allay the space-saving advantages of earbuds like this over full-on headphones or open earbuds with a a wraparound design – plus they're light at 48.4g.

But I did notice the thing in my pocket when I was walking – it's on the larger end of the scale.

What’s arguably worse about the case is its build: the plastic feels cheap, groans under slight pressure and picks up fingerprints readily. However AKG has it certified at IP52, which protects it from limited fine particles and sprays of water at certain angles. I can’t remember the last time I saw a charging case with an IP rating, so it’s a welcome spec.

Now onto the earbuds: these are buds with stems, but with a bigger bud and shorter, flatter stem than on your generic AirPod doppelgänger. They have an IP54 rating so they’re a little better protected against water than the case.

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

Evidence of how easily-bendable the hook is (Image credit: Future)

Due to the tips material being quite smooth, when I first started testing the N5, it constantly felt like they were on the verge of falling out of my ear. Two weeks on and that hasn’t happened yet, but I’ve still been too apprehensive to take them on a run, cycle or any kind of activity which might actually cause them to fall to the floor.

At least the buds are lightweight, so when I was sitting still, they were comfortable to wear for long periods of time. They weigh 6g each which is comparable to rivals.

Each bud has a touch-sensitive area over the ‘A’ of the AKG logo, which lets you control music playback; by default the left side toggles ANC and Ambient Aware, while the right one is for play and pause.

It took some time getting used to tapping the right spot when I was wearing the buds, and there’s a noticeable delay in the gesture being picked up – more than once I got caught in a loop playing or pausing a tune, thinking that my touch hadn’t been picked up, and constantly flicking between the two.

An even more annoying issue was that it’s very easy to accidentally press the button when you’re trying to readjust loose buds.

You can pick the AKG N5 up in white or black, and your choice affects both the buds and the case. As you can see from images, I tested the black pair.

  • Design score: 3.5/5

AKG N5 review: Value

The AKG N5 in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

While it's not easy to make reasonable argument for $299 / £249 / AU$309 earbuds being good value propositions, it does bear repeating that these things have been seeing increasing discounts over their first year of existence.

The AKG N5 aren’t bad value for money by any means, with their top-notch audio and range of useful features justifying the price, but they’re far from bargains either (except in Australia, where they’re much cheaper than elsewhere).

That certainly isn’t the case if you can find them for below about $200 / £180 / AU$300, which would make them a really tempting alternative to earbuds that are usually priced in that area.

  • Value score: 3.5/5

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the AKG N5?

Category

Comment

Score

Features

There are so many features that it's hard to get your head around them all. Battery life isn't amazing though.

4/5

Sound

The N5 offered a lovely balanced sound that lets you hear the texture and sound stage of your music.

4/5

Value

By default they're not especially competitively-priced, but discounts help.

3.5/5

Design

A few small design problems affect the user experience, but they're still great to wear.

3.5/5

Buy them if...

You find them discounted

I've yammered on about this enough, but this will be the last time: the AKG N5 are a terrific value proposition if you find them notably below their list price.

The dongle sounds useful

Love the idea of being able to listen to audio from any USB-C or USB-port-toting device without pairing Bluetooth? The AKGs' dongle is a real game-changer.

You need solid noise cancellation

While they're not quite a Bose, the AKG's noise cancellation is fantastic, with a range of features and modes letting you customize it to a surprising extent.

Don't buy them if...

You need a long-lasting battery

I didn't love how quickly the N5's battery life plummeted, and real-world use is well below the promised level.

You need a svelte charging case

I took to carrying the AKG N5's case in my bag because it just didn't fit comfortably in my pockets. You can easily find buds with more convenient-to-carry cases than these.

Also consider

Component

AKG N5

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

Apple AirPods Pro 2

Water resistant

IP54

IP57

IP54

Battery life

6 hours (earbuds), 32 hours (total)

7 hours (earbuds), 30 hours (total)

6 hours (buds); 30 hours (case)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.3

Weight

6g (buds)

5.4g (buds)

5.3g (buds)

Driver

10mm

10mm dynamic driver + planar tweeter

11mm

Apple AirPods Pro 2

The obvious competitor: these Apple buds only fully work on Apple products, but they're cheaper than the AKG (even discounted) and offer some top-tier features and noise cancellation. They also have a very svelte case.

Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

Another cheaper alternative, Samsung's wireless buds are mostly built for owners of Samsung phones, but work for others too. They sound great and have a lightweight and comfortable design.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review

How I tested the AKG N5

The AKG N5 in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

My testing process before writing this AKG N5 review took two weeks. I tested them alongside their contemporary siblings, the AKG N9 Hybrid over-ear headphones, and I've tested a huge number of earbuds recently to compare them against.

I connected the AKG N5 to a range of devices including my smartphone (via Bluetooth), my desktop PC (via dongle) and my work laptop (again via dongle) with a roughly 50/50 split between Bluetooth and dongle listening.

I also split my Bluetooth listening time roughly equally between Hi-res Audio and Personi-Fi (and other feature) modes, bearing in mind that you can't have both enabled at the same time.

My listening was done in a range of environments including at home, on public transport, in my office and on walks around my borough – and following TechRadar's testing guidelines for earbuds.

I tested AKG’s N5 Hybrid earbuds, and I was so impressed by their noise cancellation and extra features, as long as you find them at the right price
12:00 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: , | Comments: Off

AKG N5: One minute review

When I’m testing new earbuds, and considering if they deserve a shoutout for our list of the best earbuds, the first thing I do is look at the price to set expectations – but for this AKG N5 review, I found two.

There’s the official list price, which sets you up for these buds to be powerful premium players, but I was also tripping over discounted prices, with the N5 seeing some hefty discounts since launch. So while I’ll test these as top-end earbuds, I’d be remiss not to point out that you can buy them for less – and you should, as they present fantastic value for money with a reduction.

The AKG N5 are the latest pair of wireless earbuds from originally-Austrian audio company AKG (which is owned by Harman, which itself is owned by Samsung). AKG puts out wireless headphones only sparingly, with its website populated almost entirely with professional wired headsets and microphones.

And it’s clear that some of that ‘professional’ DNA is present in the AKG N5 because there are loads of features which are helpful in such a setting: a USB-C dongle included in the case lets you easily (and temporarily) connect to any laptop, tablet or similar device, while call tone settings basically act like an EQ but for incoming voice calls. There are also loads of ANC settings for people who work in busy offices.

Suffice it to say I was impressed by the feature suite of the AKG N5, but not just as someone who himself tries to drown out the infuriatingly-loud team seated next to him – they’re all features that will be handy to regular buyers, not just office-locked ones.

Another strength of the AKG N5 is their audio chops, because the buds offer expressive and clear audio with plenty of detail and texture. A few more in-app modes (sorry to mention features again) let you carry out a sound test or tweak the sonic offering to your pleasure.

Some people may be put off by the AKG N5’s design. It’s true the case is pretty huge, the build quality feels iffy, and the earbud controls are hard to activate when you want to and easy to activate when you don’t. The battery life that won't last a full day of work might also put some people off.

But it’s easy to overlook these issues if, like I said, you’re able to find a good deal on these buds. And that shouldn’t be hard given I found it more of a chore to find their actual original price rather than the current one. The N5 are fine value at their official price – but discounted, they’re a steal.

AKG N5 review: Specifications

Component

Value

Water resistant

IP54

Battery life (quoted)

6 hours (earbuds), 24 hours (total)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.3

Weight

6g / Charging case: 48.4g

Driver

10mm

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

(Image credit: Future)

AKG N5 review: Price and availability

  • Announced in September 2024
  • Priced at $299 / £249 / AU$309
  • Readily available for under $250 / £199 / AU$250

The AKG N5 were announced in September 2024, at IFA 2024, as the latest entry into the brand’s line-up of earbuds. At the time of writing they're the company’s only competitor for the best wireless earbuds.

At launch, the AKG N5 cost $299.95 / £249 / AU$309, which makes them a premium audio offering. However it’s worth pointing out that I could easily find it sold online for a discount of $60 / £50 / AU$65, so you’ll easily save money if you shop around.

Lowered price or not, these are still premium earbuds and we’ll treat them as such. Included in the box you get the buds, case and dongle as well as a USB-C to USB connector and some bud tips of varying sizes.

The AKG N5 in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

AKG N5 review: Features

  • Poor real-world battery life
  • Range of ANC options
  • Useful dongle connector

The AKG N5 connects to your phone via Bluetooth 5.3; initial pairing for me was quick and easy, and during testing there were barely any drop-outs or stutters.

You can also easily connect to new devices via a dongle included in the charging case; plug this into any device, and the N5 will stream audio from that.

The dongle is a USB-C one, though an adapter included in the box lets you plug it into standard USB ports. This is a really handy extra for people who own multiple devices and can’t pair to all of them, or who use unfamiliar devices on occasion. As someone who owns (and tests) too many gadgets, I found it incredibly handy.

9 times out of ten, this dongle worked well, however now and then I’d find the headphones would re-pair with my phone even if the dongle was connected to another device. One thing to note is that it did sap the battery of the device it was connected to: fine for gadgets plugged into an outlet, frustrating for my iPad.

Battery life is a weak spot for the buds. AKG predicts a 10-hour battery life… if you listen to music with ANC turned off, and that drops down to six hours with ANC on, or even lower if you’re talking or using the dongle.

However, in my testing I was lucky to get anywhere near six hours of listening time, and I’d usually have to charge after four and a half or five hours. That's not just below what's promised, it's way below average.

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

(Image credit: Future)

The case itself contains four full charges for the buds, however long you make that.

So should you turn off ANC to preserve battery life? Well you can, but it’d be a shame, because the AKG N5 have fantastic noise cancellation – my usual ANC test is how well it drowns out the trains that commonly pass my house, and when testing the N5, I have no idea if it passed because I could never tell if trains had passed.

ANC is complicated here, though. There are three modes: standard, Ambient Aware and TalkThru (as well as off, obviously). TalkThru boosts nearby voices so you can hear people and Ambient Aware does a similar thing for background voices, with a slider letting you fiddle with the intensity of the effect.

In standard ANC mode you can toggle Adaptive ANC, which adjusts the level of noise cancellation based on your surroundings, and turning it off presents you with a slider to change the intensity yourself. There’s also Auto Compensation mode which tweaks with ANC depending on your ‘wearing and ear canal status’, whatever that means.

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

(Image credit: Future)

Suffice it to say that every time I was presented with the ANC part of the AKG Headphones app I was scratching my head at all the options presented to me – and that’s really the theme of this companion app which bombards you with options. This’ll be pleasing news to tech-heads, but horrifying for technophobes.

Let’s fire through some of the features and settings: SilentNow turns off music and ramps up ANC to help you focus or study; Smart Audio & Video adjusts sound stage based on whether you’re listening to music or watching a video; the equalizer has a load of presets or lets you customize your sound on a 10-band EQ; various call settings let you change how you or a caller sound on the phone; and Right/Left Sound Balance does what it says on the tin.

These are as well as all the standard app modes: gesture control customization, a find-my-buds feature, and a fit test.

The app also gives you the option to toggle Hi-Res Audio, but turning this on precludes you from several other features, including Spatial Sound and Personi-Fi. This latter is a lengthy audio test that presents you with a bespoke equalization fit for your music, and I don’t know any audiophiles who don’t appreciate this kind of feature.

If you’ve skimmed that list you may have noticed something I want to explicitly commend: there are loads of options with small or large accessibility use cases here, which is always great to see.

  • Features score: 4/5

AKG N5 review: Sound performance

The AKG N5 in a man's ear.

(Image credit: Future)
  • 10mm drivers
  • Balanced sound profile
  • Textured audio in high-res mode

Whether you’re listening via Bluetooth or dongle, with Hi-Res Audio on or instead Personi-Fi enabled, there’s one thing that’s hard to deny: the AKG N5 sounds great.

The sound profile is lovely and balanced, with well-defined bass sitting comfortably alongside clear treble and distinct mids. I didn’t feel the need to touch the equalizer as I liked the default mix, and wasn’t losing any instruments to overbearing bass or treble.

It’s easy to hear the texture in each instrument with the N5: I could make out the ripples of reverb on vocal lines to the flick of a bass guitar string being strum, and the audio lines were all spread out enough to make them distinct and clear (although I have tested buds with a better soundstage).

If I have to say one bad thing about the buds, it’s that audio sounds precision-tuned but not very energetic – they helped me really appreciate great songs sonically, but didn’t always make me feel like rocking out to them.

  • Sound performance score: 4/5

The AKG N5 in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

AKG N5 review: Design

  • Chunky and cheap charging case
  • Lightweight and comfortable buds
  • Annoying touch controls

Perhaps because it contains a dongle, the case of the AKG N5 is a little on the larger size, and I’ve seen some people online criticize its bulk. Honestly, it’s not that big, and doesn’t allay the space-saving advantages of earbuds like this over full-on headphones or open earbuds with a a wraparound design – plus they're light at 48.4g.

But I did notice the thing in my pocket when I was walking – it's on the larger end of the scale.

What’s arguably worse about the case is its build: the plastic feels cheap, groans under slight pressure and picks up fingerprints readily. However AKG has it certified at IP52, which protects it from limited fine particles and sprays of water at certain angles. I can’t remember the last time I saw a charging case with an IP rating, so it’s a welcome spec.

Now onto the earbuds: these are buds with stems, but with a bigger bud and shorter, flatter stem than on your generic AirPod doppelgänger. They have an IP54 rating so they’re a little better protected against water than the case.

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

Evidence of how easily-bendable the hook is (Image credit: Future)

Due to the tips material being quite smooth, when I first started testing the N5, it constantly felt like they were on the verge of falling out of my ear. Two weeks on and that hasn’t happened yet, but I’ve still been too apprehensive to take them on a run, cycle or any kind of activity which might actually cause them to fall to the floor.

At least the buds are lightweight, so when I was sitting still, they were comfortable to wear for long periods of time. They weigh 6g each which is comparable to rivals.

Each bud has a touch-sensitive area over the ‘A’ of the AKG logo, which lets you control music playback; by default the left side toggles ANC and Ambient Aware, while the right one is for play and pause.

It took some time getting used to tapping the right spot when I was wearing the buds, and there’s a noticeable delay in the gesture being picked up – more than once I got caught in a loop playing or pausing a tune, thinking that my touch hadn’t been picked up, and constantly flicking between the two.

An even more annoying issue was that it’s very easy to accidentally press the button when you’re trying to readjust loose buds.

You can pick the AKG N5 up in white or black, and your choice affects both the buds and the case. As you can see from images, I tested the black pair.

  • Design score: 3.5/5

AKG N5 review: Value

The AKG N5 in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

While it's not easy to make reasonable argument for $299 / £249 / AU$309 earbuds being good value propositions, it does bear repeating that these things have been seeing increasing discounts over their first year of existence.

The AKG N5 aren’t bad value for money by any means, with their top-notch audio and range of useful features justifying the price, but they’re far from bargains either (except in Australia, where they’re much cheaper than elsewhere).

That certainly isn’t the case if you can find them for below about $200 / £180 / AU$300, which would make them a really tempting alternative to earbuds that are usually priced in that area.

  • Value score: 3.5/5

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the AKG N5?

Category

Comment

Score

Features

There are so many features that it's hard to get your head around them all. Battery life isn't amazing though.

4/5

Sound

The N5 offered a lovely balanced sound that lets you hear the texture and sound stage of your music.

4/5

Value

By default they're not especially competitively-priced, but discounts help.

3.5/5

Design

A few small design problems affect the user experience, but they're still great to wear.

3.5/5

Buy them if...

You find them discounted

I've yammered on about this enough, but this will be the last time: the AKG N5 are a terrific value proposition if you find them notably below their list price.

The dongle sounds useful

Love the idea of being able to listen to audio from any USB-C or USB-port-toting device without pairing Bluetooth? The AKGs' dongle is a real game-changer.

You need solid noise cancellation

While they're not quite a Bose, the AKG's noise cancellation is fantastic, with a range of features and modes letting you customize it to a surprising extent.

Don't buy them if...

You need a long-lasting battery

I didn't love how quickly the N5's battery life plummeted, and real-world use is well below the promised level.

You need a svelte charging case

I took to carrying the AKG N5's case in my bag because it just didn't fit comfortably in my pockets. You can easily find buds with more convenient-to-carry cases than these.

Also consider

Component

AKG N5

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

Apple AirPods Pro 2

Water resistant

IP54

IP57

IP54

Battery life

6 hours (earbuds), 32 hours (total)

7 hours (earbuds), 30 hours (total)

6 hours (buds); 30 hours (case)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.3

Weight

6g (buds)

5.4g (buds)

5.3g (buds)

Driver

10mm

10mm dynamic driver + planar tweeter

11mm

Apple AirPods Pro 2

The obvious competitor: these Apple buds only fully work on Apple products, but they're cheaper than the AKG (even discounted) and offer some top-tier features and noise cancellation. They also have a very svelte case.

Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

Another cheaper alternative, Samsung's wireless buds are mostly built for owners of Samsung phones, but work for others too. They sound great and have a lightweight and comfortable design.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review

How I tested the AKG N5

The AKG N5 in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

My testing process before writing this AKG N5 review took two weeks. I tested them alongside their contemporary siblings, the AKG N9 Hybrid over-ear headphones, and I've tested a huge number of earbuds recently to compare them against.

I connected the AKG N5 to a range of devices including my smartphone (via Bluetooth), my desktop PC (via dongle) and my work laptop (again via dongle) with a roughly 50/50 split between Bluetooth and dongle listening.

I also split my Bluetooth listening time roughly equally between Hi-res Audio and Personi-Fi (and other feature) modes, bearing in mind that you can't have both enabled at the same time.

My listening was done in a range of environments including at home, on public transport, in my office and on walks around my borough – and following TechRadar's testing guidelines for earbuds.

I spent countless hours in meetings with EKSA S30 and this open-ear wireless headset made it all more bearable
8:57 pm | May 16, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: | Comments: Off

The most eye-catching thing about the EKSA S30 wireless headset is its open-ear design. For anyone looking for an airy alternative to large, padded ear-cups or invasive earbuds, this may prove ideal.

Unlike many of the best Bluetooth headsets around, this boasts a twin-headset – one for each ear, with a moveable mic on the left – rather than a single unit that leaves one ear exposed (and all the office distractions that come with it).

Speaking of which, the manufacturer claims that the open-ear air conduction unit cuts out 99.9% of environmental noise on the mic, despite hanging over the ear. That said, there’s no ANC for audio, which depending on your POV may be good or bad.

It’s retailing for $150 – although on Amazon, I saw it on sale at around the $100 / £100 mark. But how does it measure up? I took it into meeting after meeting to find out if the EKSA delivers on its promise.

EKSA S30: Unboxing & first impressions

EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)

The headset comes nicely packed, in a bright orange box – a color theme that’s continued across the design, from the buttons to the branding on the case. As you’d expect, packed away in a sleeve, is the instruction manual and warranty cards. It’s a nice touch, perhaps overkill, but ever since Apple began its tech domination, it’s all about making packaging and unboxing an ‘experience’.

Inside the well-padded carry case, you’ll find the two headsets, sat in a removable molded base unit that charges them when not in use. The headsets are kept in place with concealed magnetics, preventing movement, too. At the front of the base unit is a single orange button for turning the headsets on or off.

There’s also a USB cable neatly slotted in the space in front. For my money, this case offers all the protection you need. It’s lightweight, but feels durable – I put plenty of weight on top of it, and the structure still held out, making it ideal for the commute, or leaving around in a manic office.

EKSA S30: Design & operation

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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)
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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)
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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)

The headsets themselves are light, with a plastic front and rear connected by a flexible rubberized ear hook which can be adjusted for fit. For what it’s worth, I didn’t feel any sense of these being too tight or too loose during use, so it must be doing something right.

On the underside of the speaker sections of each headset are the textured control buttons – again, bright orange, so you can’t miss them. Positioning is good, but I found operating them was a little stiff, with the hard plastic never giving me the feedback I wanted when switching on or off. I had to rely on the small lights to check whether or not the headsets were ready for the meeting.

These lights will also serve up the battery level, flashing red when they require a recharge. A light on the carry case performs the same function, showing green, orange, or red depending on how much battery charge remains.

The left earpiece also has a microphone that smoothly swivels into position. Towards the end of this there’s a button (guess which color) for muting, but happily, this one offers a better tactile experience, with a soft but definitive click when depressed.

One of the biggest missteps here is not allowing access to the USB-C charging port from the outside of the case. This means you’ll need to take the base unit out to charge it up when the battery inevitably dies. A solution like the one found on the case for the Xbox Elite controller, with a rubber cap that can be lifted to allow charger access, would just keep everything cleaner and more compact.

EKSA S30: In use

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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)
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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)
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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)

Alright, so that’s the design – but how do they work in a real-world setting? First, I was keen to find out how that open-ear air conduction felt and sounded. As a man who practically lives in his over-ear Anker Q20 headphones, I wanted to know if this headset would offer a more breathable experience, especially in the hot weather.

And I was pleasantly surprised. Draped over my lobes, the EKSA S30 felt comfortable – so light, in fact, that I almost forgot I was wearing them. Before I knew what had happened, I’d listened to an hour-long podcast without once fiddling with them or shifting their position. If you’re just using these for meetings (even all-day meetings), you’ll have no issues popping these on.

However, this headset doesn’t just cater to meetings on your desktop or laptop. As a Bluetooth device, it’ll connect to your phone, letting you answer calls, play or pause music and YouTube videos, adjust volume, or activate your phone’s AI assistant. This, too, worked well.

More importantly, everything sounded good, with the correct timbre and bass (as expected for a device that bills TubeBass Technology as a selling point). Voices sounded natural and real, with none of the tinniness you sometimes get from a headset.

During calls and meetings I could hear others perfectly, and those on the call noted that my mic delivered clear audio. When I recorded myself to listen to the playback, I experienced the same.

According to EKSA, the headset’s AI-powered microphone delivers up to 99.9% environmental noise-cancelling (ENC) Technology. A figure like that is red rag to a bull for a reviewer, so I ran a makeshift test by playing TechRadar's YouTube videos at varying volumes during calls. Once I moved around half a meter away from the source and began speaking, no-one could hear any background chatter.

Where users may have some difficulty switching from headphones to headset is the lack of noise-cancelation on the audio. But, then, I suppose that’s part of the appeal for the S30’s open-ear design, preventing the alienation that comes from blocking out absolutely everything but what’s being pumped into your ears, and generally keeping you aware of your surroundings.

EKSA S30: Final verdict

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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)
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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)
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EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)

Light, comfortable, breathable open-ear design, good audio. For me, the EKSA S30 headset ticks all the key boxes for those who want a unit for all-day meetings.

The price might be a little higher than for some headsets, but you get a fair amount in the box, including the molded charging case for protection during travel and some decent tech operating inside the twin headsets, with excellent audio clarity across speakers and microphone.

A lack of ANC may put off some users. However, I had no issues using this in a relatively quiet workspace – and with AI-powered ENC on the mic, others in your meeting won’t hear all the background chatter, even if you can.

Should I buy the EKSA S30?

EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)

Buy it if...

✅ You want an open-ear headset: I really like how the design of this headset doesn’t shut you out the way a pair of cans does, without compromising on audio.

✅ You want a headset for all-day use: I found the S30 so light and comfortable, I practically forgot I was wearing it. The fit is snug without being tight, and ideal if you’re on calls all day.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You need ANC: While the microphone blocks out background noise, the speakers have no active noise cancelation. That may be an issue if you work in a particularly noisy office.

❌ You prefer on-ear headphones: This speaks for itself, really – if you’d rather traditional headphones, this model won’t appeal. However, even as an avowed headphone addict, I found plenty to like and recommend here.

For more options for regular meetings, we've also reviewed the best headsets for conference calls.

I tested these clip-on open ear headphones with 3D audio – here’s how I rated them
9:00 pm | May 13, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: | Comments: Off

Anker Soundcore C40i: review

Enter the Anker Soundcore C40i, another competitor in the ever-growing field of open ear headphones. Thanks to their lack of a seal, these clip-on headphones are ideal for those who want to be aware of their surroundings – such as runners or gym-goers. At the same time, the Anker Soundcore C40i still aim to deliver a strong sonic experience – something that a lot of open ear models have struggled to accomplish. So how do they fare?

Well, as you may expect, you’re not going to get stunning audio from the Anker Soundcore C40i. Like all open ear headphones, the loose design means that sound is less concentrated and there’s ambient noise to compete with from your surroundings. Yet these still perform decently in the audio department. Well, that is, after a bit of tinkering.

You see, out of the gate, I wasn’t sure if me and the Anker Soundcore C40i would be best pals. The default Soundcore Signature tuning is a little convoluted and bass packs a pretty feeble punch… well, more of a tap really. But I had no need to fear, because like many of the best open ear headphones, the C40i have custom EQ settings. I simply wandered over to the Soundcore app and refined audio by selecting 3D Surround Sound.

I was actually quite surprised that the 3D audio mode was a hit – I’ve seen no end of headphones fail on this, including rival clip-on buds like the Edifier LolliClip. Bass response is improved and you get a decently immersive listening experience – I stuck with 3D mode for much of my testing. There’s also a Bass, Volume Booster and an eight-band custom option for those who aren’t digging the 3D effects.

After getting all set up, I got straight into A Seagull & Clouds by Himiko Kikuchi, a beautiful funk-infused jazz track. The C40i performed very well for a pair of open ear headphones, with subtle percussive elements including tambourines coming through clearly, yet subtly enough to give the expressive trumpet, dancing keys and smooth bass plenty of limelight.

Moving over to Black Eye by Allie X and the pounding drum machine didn’t have the razor sharp speed that I’ve heard from more premium headphones, but its depth was replicated nicely, especially given the C40i’s open build. Higher pitched vocal segments sounded perfectly clear at medium volumes but could sound a little harsh at top levels.

Overall, I’d argue that the C40i sound above-average for a pair of open ear headphones. There’s no LDAC for ‘hi-res’ listening and you’re unlikely to be wowed by massive sub-bass, for example. But these do still offer up surprisingly good separation and impressively immersive overall sound, which is to be applauded.

There’s no noise cancelling here, as seen with some open ear headphones like the Honor Earbuds Open. And if you pair that with the C40i’s inherently leaky open design, you can expect listening sessions to be significantly interrupted if you’re in busy areas.

That could be a big win if you’re concerned about the risks of using ANC-enabled buds in traffic-heavy areas for your morning run. But if you’re instead looking to shut out the world around you, don’t worry – you can check out our guide to the best noise cancelling earbuds instead!

Someone picking Anker Soundcore C40i out of charging case

(Image credit: Future)

In general, there really aren’t a ton of features to play around with on the Soundcore C40i. Again, you can adjust EQ in the super easy-to-use app, which also shows devices connected with multi-point and battery life remaining for each bud and the charging case. The only other major inclusion is customizable button controls. You can assign a different function to tapping once, twice, or three times on the buds’ buttons. Options include playback control, voice assistant activation and volume adjustment.

The decision to use traditional button controls was also one that I had no issue with whatsoever. Sure, it’s not the most modern approach, but it removes the frustration I’ve experienced when accidentally triggering touch commands on rivals like the Happy Plugs Clip. These buttons also let you take or reject calls, which brings me onto mic quality. I found the C40i performed nicely, with clear speech on both calls and a voice recording. Background static was very limited and I wasn’t subjected to harsh sibilance either – no complaints here!

Outside of their button controls, I didn’t quite fall in love with the C40i’s design, though. Firstly, they’re not particularly pretty, with the Midnight model I tested having an almost muddy shade to it. The case also feels a little chunky and positioning the sync button on the underside of the case is a little odd – not that I really needed it thanks to the C40i automatically pairing to my phone via Bluetooth 5.4.

I also didn’t find these open ear headphones to be particularly comfortable. They were a little tight for me, so I rarely found myself keeping them on for longer than a couple of hours at a time. That’s something that the slightly newer, more expensive model, the Anker Soundcore AeroClip corrected with a more flexible build.

A couple more things before I stop moaning – both the C40i’s waterproofing and battery life are markedly average, with a number of competitors outperforming them. They’re just IPX4-rated, meaning they can handle some water splashes and sweat, but might not be the best with water jets or submersion. That’s not the case for a model like the IP57-rated Huawei FreeArc, which have plenty of protection against the elements. And you’re getting a moderate eight hours of playtime from the buds and maximum 21 hours with the case – again, nothing special.

The C40i still plate up impressive audio in 3D sound mode and I’m a big fan of the Soundcore companion app, so their list price of $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$149.99 is hardly outrageous. But you can do better. Specifically, the newer Anker Soundcore AeroClip are a more rounded, comfortable pick and only cost a touch more. And if you’re on a tighter budget, you can grab an excellent budget alternative like the Huawei FreeArc, which I’ve spotted on sale for less than £80 fairly regularly – but more on these below.

Anker Soundcore C40i review: specs

Waterproof rating

IPX4

Battery life

7 hours (earbuds); 21 hours (with charging case)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.4

Weight

5.8g (per bud); 40g (charging case)

Frequency range

20Hz-20kHz

Anker Soundcore C40i with one of the earbuds outside of the charging case

(Image credit: Future)

Anker Soundcore C40i review: price and availability

  • $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$149.99
  • Launched in October 2024

The clip-styled Anker Soundcore C40i released in October 2024 alongside a more traditional open ear model, the Anker Soundcore Aerofit 2. You can grab this model in three colorways: Desert Bronze; Midnight (black); or my personal favorite, Champagne Mist, which is a see-through variant, similar to the Sony WF-C710.

The C40i launched with a list price of $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$149.99, which is in the budget-to-midrange category. It’s worth noting that this model is significantly pricier than its predecessor, the Anker Soundcore C30i, which are typically $69.99 / £59.99 / AU$99.99. On the other hand, you’ll have to shell out $129.99 / £129.99 (about AU$210) for the more recent (and superior) Anker Soundcore AeroClip.

Anker Soundcore C40i against block

(Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the Anker Soundcore C40i?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Solid mic quality, effective 3D sound mode, battery life just OK, no ANC.

3.5/5

Sound quality

Need some tuning, but offer solid bass output and clear audio for open ears.

4/5

Design

Not the most comfortable, average waterproofing, nice button controls.

3/5

Value

Fairly priced but you can do better in a similar price range.

3.5/5

Buy them if...

You’re on a budget
With a sub-$100 / £100 list price, the Anker Soundcore C40i are far from the most expensive open ear headphones on the market. They’re a bit less than the newer AeroClip model, making them a solid budget alternative.

You’re not into touch controls
If you don’t want fiddly touch controls then you’re in luck, because the C40i stick with good ‘ol buttons. You can customize the button controls in the Soundcore app too, allowing you to assign a different function to one, two, or three button presses.

Don't buy them if...

You’re an audiophile
These sound above average for a pair of open ear headphones, but still, you’re not going to get that rich, detailed and separated sound that a pair of the best wired earbuds can offer, for example.

You’re looking for ANC
Like a lot of open ear headphones, you won’t get ANC out of the Anker Soundcore C40i. Combine that with their open design and you’re going to find that a lot of ambient noise will flow in.

Anker Soundcore C40i review: also consider

Anker Soundcore C40i

Edifier LolliClip

Huawei FreeArc

Price

$99.99 / £99.99 / AU$149.99

$129.99 (about £100 / AU$210)

£99.99 (about $130 / AU$200)

Waterproof rating

IPX4

IP56

IP57

Battery life

7 hours (earbuds); 21 hours (with charging case)

9 hours (earbuds); 39 hours (with charging case)

7 hours (earbuds), 28 hours (with charging case)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.2

Weight

5.8g (per bud); 40g (charging case)

7g (per bud); 46g (charging case)

8.9g (per bud); 67g (charging case)

Frequency range

20Hz-20kHz

20Hz-40kHz

Not stated

Edifier LolliClip
OK, so at the time of writing, this model is only available to those of you in the US, although I got to test them out myself on the other side of the pond. These are a great pair of open ear headphones that have plenty of features – including ANC, heart rate monitoring and blood oxygen tracking. They also supply strong sound quality, a neat design and high comfortability. Sure, their companion app isn’t as sleek as the Soundcore one and EQ options are a bit limited, but they’re still an option that’s well-worth your consideration. Read our full Edifier LolliClip review.

Huawei FreeArc
Conversely, the Huawei FreeArc are an alternate option for UK customers who want a truly excellent open ear experience. We love these buds for their “top-tier sound”, natural fit and competitive price. That’s right, these can also be yours for less than £100 (about $130 / AU$200). Like the C40i, there’s no ANC and battery life won’t blow you away. But still, these are a great value option in a red-hot market. Read our full Huawei FreeArc review.

Anker Soundcore C40i review: How I tested

Anker Soundcore C40i plugged into USB-C charger

(Image credit: Future)
  • Tested during a one-week period
  • Used in the office and while out in public
  • Predominantly tested using Tidal

I tested the Anker Soundcore C40i across the course of a week, predominantly when working at Future Labs, but also when out and about. I played around with their full set of features, tuned in for casual and critical listening and assessed their quality across all EQ presets.

When listening to music, I made use of Tidal on my Samsung Galaxy S24 FE. As always, I ran through the TechRadar testing playlist, which includes tracks from a variety of genres and is optimized for assessing sound quality across the frequencies. I also blasted a ton of tunes from my personal music library and compared audio capabilities against the Soundcore AeroClip on ear headphones.

Viaim’s AI recording and transcription earbuds will blow your mind, if you’ll accept ANC that’s just a shade off excellent
1:00 pm | May 10, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

RecDot Earbuds: Two-minute review

Boy, have I enjoyed my experience with the Viaim RecDot earbuds. Beginning with the AI recording and transcription functionality and ending with the sound quality, there’s very little not to love about Viaim’s latest offering.

The positives begin with the ability to record and transcribe calls, audio/video clips and meetings. This covers all situations and scenarios that you could ever find yourself wanting this type of functionality. I tried all of these features and thankfully found them to be reliable and accurate; otherwise, I would have been left seriously frustrated. My only gripe was that if a speaker (as in, the person speaking) paused for too long, Viaim would insert a full stop. Not very helpful, but perhaps a nice reminder that AI doesn't have consciousness, creativity or actual emotion.

Transcription is extended further by translation tools, the creation of to-do lists and summaries, and sharing audio or transcriptions to other devices. It really is a one-stop shop for managing your professional life. I found that these buds fit seamlessly into all aspects of my life, but especially at work.

I’ve already mentioned how impressed I was with the sound quality, but my brief comment deserves expansion. Having listened to music and carried out calls with friends and colleagues, I think Viaim has hit the mark across the board for detail across the frequencies. Remarkably, I found that I could just as easily discern a caller’s words while in a busy location as I could enjoy soulful tunes having sunk into my favorite chair for the night.

In short, far from being AI earbuds with average sound quality that you have to put up with, these are buds that are as good as much of the competition out there at the moment. The fact that they also transcribe recordings like a pro is ever more impressive.

RecDot Earbuds

(Image credit: Future)

From a design point of view, the RecDot are slightly chunkier than I would have liked, although they look pretty good for it. They’re not the snuggest fit and therefore aren’t really suitable for intense exercise, but they’re fine for when you’re sat at a computer, commuting or in a meeting.

Each bud comes with a long stem which houses a sensor for picking up presses and swipes. I would love to have had a recognition tone or perhaps haptic feedback integration, as it can at times be difficult to tell if your touches have been picked up. The buds sit cosily in the charging case, which offers a total of 36 hours of life, with each bud able to hold a maximum of 9 hours of power. All of this is more than enough to keep you going even through the busiest of days.

At $249.99 / £185 / AU$375, they’re not the cheapest buds around, but I wouldn’t compare them like-for-like against any other alternative on the market right now. These are excellent-sounding buds that deliver game-changing transcription. If you’re looking to save time in (and after) work meetings, there’s no easier way than with Viaim’s RecDot.

Any flies in the ointment? One or two; the case lid feels a tad flimsy and the ANC is fine rather than fantastic. OK, so they're unlikely to ever make it into our guide to the best noise cancelling earbuds, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they popped up in our broader best earbuds guide. I also think that if ever we created a ‘best earbuds for AI’ category (can't be long, surely?) the RecDot would be a front-runner.

Viaim RecDot Earbuds review: Price & release date

  • Released January 2025
  • Priced $249.99 / £185 / AU$375

As Viaim’s flagship product, the RecDot earbuds attract a premium price tag. Early AI adopters might be able to stomach the price, but if you only have a passing interest in how AI can streamline your workflows, you might not be convinced.

It’s difficult to bring a direct price comparison given there are so few AI earbuds on the market that can do everything these earbuds can. One example would be the Aidio X1 AI Earbuds for $149, but we’ve not yet tested those – oh, and Samsung's Galaxy Buds can do the real-time translation trick (and have been able to for a little while now) provided you've got a Samsung phone.

A helpful comparison is always Apple's AirPods Pro 2, which usually cost under $199 / £199 / AU$349. Let's not mince words – the design correlation between Apple's buds and Viaim's newer effort is striking. If you go for the RecDot earbuds, you’ll be sacrificing ANC quality, but for the extra money, you’ll get an abundance of useful hearing health features that are well worth the money (especially if you own an iPhone).

RecDot Earbuds

(Image credit: Future)

Viaim RecDot Earbuds review: Specifications

RecDot Earbuds

(Image credit: Future)

Viaim RecDot Earbuds review: Features

  • Excellent AI recording
  • Live transcription
  • Smart ANC leaves a little to be desired

When you buy a pair of the best wireless earbuds, you’ll be looking for great audio, excellent ANC and a snug fit. What most people are not looking for is an extensive set of recording and transcription services. But just because you might not have been looking for them, doesn’t mean you don’t need 'em.

With that introduction out of the way, are you ready for some seriously good features? Let’s begin with recording. There are three primary ways your set of RecDot Earbuds can do this, including call recording, audio/video recording, or live recording. The first will transcribe in real-time during a system or VoIP call. The second transcribes speeches in an audio or video clip, again in real time. The last transcribes live when you are in face-to-face dialog or in a small meeting room.

No matter how you access these recordings and transcriptions, you’ll find them to be reliable, comprehensive and useful for everyday purposes. I used it to make written notes from my own voice, to access a transcription of a conversation with a friend, and in a meeting with colleagues.

The Viaim software was able to pick up what was being said with very few issues or errors. The only snafu I experienced was that if I or someone else spoke too slowly or paused, Viaim would think it needed to begin a new sentence even if that wasn’t the speaker’s intention. So, you'll need to sub-edit your notes afterwards, but I find that's true of all note-taking software. I’d definitely like to see some post-AI tools that can sweep through the text and bring corrections, but it's still a neat perk.

RecDot Earbuds

(Image credit: Future)

What is maybe even more impressive than real-time transcription is that Viaim is able to distinguish between different speakers and mark them accordingly. I found this feature to be surprisingly reliable, making it a good fit for creating extensive meeting notes about who said what.

Transcriptions can also be simultaneously translated into up to 14 languages. With support for English, Chinese, French, German, and others, Viaim has covered a very high percentage of the world’s languages. I wasn’t involved in any bilingual meetings during my time of testing, but I can imagine how helpful this would be to non-native speakers.

The final AI feature to mention is the meeting assistant, which extracts concise summaries and actionable to-do items from lengthy recordings. If my mind hadn’t already been blown, then it most certainly was when I tested this feature. I couldn’t believe how accurately it was able to determine who needed to do what. It also did it remarkably quickly. My experience of this particular feature rings true through all the AI tools: impressive, reliable, and accurate.

Let’s finish by talking ANC. The 'Smart ANC' in the RecDot claims to reduce ambient noise by up to 48 dB, which would make it more than capable of drowning out most ambient noise. They don’t nix noise to the level of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, but they’re still capable enough for general everyday use. Given that they’ll be used primarily in office settings, you’re unlikely to need the highest-performing ANC buds – although for long-haul flights their minor shortcomings when it comes to jet engine noise cancellation could be more noticeable.

  • Features score: 4.5/5

RecDot Earbuds

The actual RecDot! (Image credit: Future)

RecDot Earbuds review: Sound quality

  • Vibrant, detailed, and crisp
  • Only one profile works for those with broad music tastes
  • ANC can be hit and miss, but auto option is best

I began by firing up Azizam by Ed Sheeran. The RecDot are able to deliver high levels of vibrancy with the strong dance beat punching through, without fighting against the vocals. While I was in an Ed Sheeran mood, I jumped into Galway Girl and sat back to enjoy the surprisingly wide soundstage. I would have taken a little more detail across the listening experience, but in general, it was all very pleasant.

Transitioning to a more sombre mood, I hit play on The Curse by Agnes Obel. Obel’s voice rises above the beautifully defined plucking of strings, delivering a near-perfect blend of instruments and notes. Alongside numerous other tracks, I was keen to play something layered, complex and gentle. I turned to the theme from Jurassic Park, by John Williams. Given this track's multiple instruments, I was pleased to hear the distinction between the flutes, piano and in fact all other sections of the orchestra. Well done, Viaim.

Most of my testing was carried out using the 'balanced' sound setting, although I did have a play around with other options, including pop, bass boost, and electronic. These other profiles were fantastic for specific tracks, but given my broad music tastes, I found them unreliable across multiple genres. I would therefore recommend sticking with the default unless you have reason to change it.

It was a similar story when it came to ANC. There’s the option to set it to low, middle, or high, but I found these weren’t reliable enough across a wide range of environments. I opted instead for the auto option and let the RecDot do the work. It’s fair to say that this did affect the sound, negatively at times, but it was better than choosing one of the three predefined options.

All that being said, I wouldn’t buy these buds purely for their sound quality. As good as they are, audiophile purists will want a dedicated pair of earbuds or headphones – probably with wires to their source device. The RecDot are for audio lovers who want more from their buds, namely a meeting companion that gets the job done.

  • Sound quality score: 4/5

RecDot

(Image credit: Future)

RecDot Earbuds review: Design

  • Accessible recording controls
  • Well-designed case that’s easy to use
  • Plenty of eartip options

The RecDot earbuds look pretty similar to almost all other long-stemmed earbuds, although they feel a little bulkier in the hand than something like the AirPods Pro. The additional size is no doubt due to the extra recording features that make the RecDot stand out from the competition.

The sensor strip is located on the stem and provides all on-board controls. The sensor supports five types of interaction with a simple slide increasing and decreasing the volume. I don’t mind sensors instead of buttons, but only if they work well. I found the RecDot earbuds a little fiddly to operate, especially the triple press to go to the previous track. Part of this will be personal preference, but I feel there’s some fine-tuning required.

The also buds ship in black, although I was sent the silver colorway. Both look smart, but I think the black offers a slightly more premium appearance. To help with fitting, Viaim supplies five different sizes of dustproof eartips. They’re a little bit fiddly to swap out, although I’ve never experienced a problem-free eartip change on any earbuds I’ve used to date. Finding the correct size of eartip took a little time, but I was glad to have an abundance to choose from.

With an IP55 rating, the RecDot earbuds are resistant to dust and water. That means you’ll be fine if sweat and rain are your only concerns, but if you’re looking to do anything more adventurous, then they’ll come up lacking. Given their recording and translation talents, these aren’t designed for extreme sports anyway.

Before moving onto the case, the only other thing to mention is that the 11mm dynamic drivers are coated in titanium, which provides the highest possible strength-to-weight ratio. This makes sure they are as light and strong as possible.

No pair of wireless earbuds would be complete without a charging case. Aside from the slightly flimsy sliding top, I only have positive things to say about it. The buds magnetically slot in with a seriously satisfying click, with zero chance of them falling out despite serious shaking. And yes, I did try!

The case supports USB-C charging, which delivers a total of 36 hours of battery life. Each charge will only give the buds a maximum of 9 hours, although this is more than enough for a full day of listening to your favorite music – and quite competitive.

The final element of the charging case is the physical record button. Offering one-click recording during meetings, all you have to do is place an earbud in the charging case, hit record, and wait for either the left or right indicator to flash. I love this feature and have used it regularly. My only bugbear is that I think this record button should double up as a ‘now recording’ light. In my opinion this would be far more satisfying and demonstrative than a dim blinking indicator on a bud.

  • Design score: 4/5

RecDot Earbuds

(Image credit: Future)

RecDot Earbuds review: Value

  • AI features to die for
  • Admirable sound considering the extra perks
  • Competitive battery life

At $249.99 / £185 the Viaim RedCot are far from cheap. You’re paying a premium price for a fully featured set of innovative earbuds. Whether they’re worth the money will hang solely on whether you will utilize their AI features. If you’re only concerned about design and sound then I’d perhaps nudge you towards the much more affordable AirPods 4 with ANC instead.

The AI recording tools are far above the biggest strength of Viaim’s latest buds. Record calls on your phone or at on-site meetings and view translations in realtime. With a capture distance of up to 7 metres you’ll be covered no matter where you’re sitting. I appreciate that you could download software to do this but to have all this tech alongside very capable sound performers makes the recording and listening workflow beautifully seamless.

  • Value score: 4/5

RecDot

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the RecDot Earbuds review:

Buy them if...

You want on-board recording capabilities
Not only do the RecDot buds sound fantastic, but they also record audio and transcribe it.

You need a meeting assistant
Extract concise summaries and create actionable to-do lists from lengthy recordings.

You want a great all-rounder
With fantastic sound, decent ANC, good battery life and AI smarts, these are the buds that do it all.

Don't buy them if...

You’re on a budget
At $249.99 / £185, there are much more affordable alternatives.

You must have tight fitting earbuds
They fit fairly well, but I wouldn’t call them a super secure or sports-optimised fit.

Sound is your only priority
The Viaim RecDot do sound good, but there are superior alternatives on the market if detailed, nuanced, neutral audio is your chief concern.

RecDot

(Image credit: Future)

RecDot Earbuds review: Also consider

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Prefer device-agnostic head-tracked spatial audio plus some of the best ANC in the business? These September 2023-issue earbuds from Bose are a great shout – and the in-ear security is nearly as good as the Powerbeats Pro 2. You'll have to forego a bit of stamina (it's only 6 hours here) and transcription/translation, but the noise-cancellation is superior.
Read more in our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100
The ANC-off and transparency profiles are much more enjoyable here – as is the sound quality generally. You also get a similar battery life and the option of Matt Berry on voice prompts (his "Waiting to pair!" is a delight). The overall aesthetic isn't as striking though, and they aren't as secure in your ears – also you can forget about meeting transcription… 
Read our full Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 review

RecDot

(Image credit: Future)

How I tested the RecDot Earbuds

  • Tested for three weeks at work, home, while exercising
  • Listened to Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer on a MacBook Pro, and iPhone

I began by getting them fitted correctly. This was helped by the numerous ear tips provided and the in-app test that covered both sound quality and noise reduction. With that out of the way and my app fully configured, I was ready to test them out in earnest.

Given their AI recording smarts, I was keen to focus my attention on that in the first instance. This mean utilizing them in meetings, conversations, and when I'm on my own. I tested all the different workflows for recording and transcription alongside all the finer elements of functionality. The only part I wasn’t able to test accurately was the translation feature.

Once I was happy with that, I turned my attention to sound quality and ANC. With Ed Sheeran, Agnes Obel and John Williams all lined up alongside TechRadar's trusted track list, I sat back and let my ears do the work.

CMF Buds 2, Buds 2a and Buds 2 Plus arrive, all with ANC and IP ratings
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Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Sony WF-C710N: Two-minute review

Sony's WF-C710N earbuds find themselves in a similar spot to The White Album in 1968: you want to better the absolute barn-stormer that was Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band a mere year later? Good luck. But of course, the Beatles managed it (was it transcendental meditation, or was it simply a clean mind?). So, has Sony done the same with its update on the WF-C700N? Yes and no, Dear Prudence. And given that Sony actually had two years to work on its follow-up, that may not feel enough initially.

The model the C710N are based on topped our pick of the best noise-cancelling earbuds in the budget space for over a year following their release, until Nothing's (a)-suffixed set of buds came in and did almost everything the Sony buds did just that little bit better – and looked slightly classier doing it. And although there are improvements here, a few in-app foibles and initial pairing issues left me struggling to find a reason to pick the Sony WF-C710N over the rivals… until I tested the ANC.

Here, Sony has truly upped its game. On a packed commuter train, I drifted off into my own happy bubble of music. I genuinely didn't expect the blissfully quiet backdrop they served up. The uptick in ANC efficacy is almost certainly aided by the extra mic in each earpiece, but however Sony achieved it, it's commendable.

Also, (because I'm still talking about those mics), call quality is very good for the money here, thanks to Sony's new AI-enhanced voice pickup technology. So, if you regularly take calls on your earbuds, there's an extra value add.

The overall sound profile and fit? It's still good despite the size increase – but it's not better than the outgoing model (Sony has essentially said that little about the driver and acoustic setup changed), so if you've picked up the older set for a discount, you may be tempted to stick with them unless you need that improved ANC.

In fact, other than the much-improved noise cancellation, it's a case of incremental upgrades rather than anything headline-grabbing or ground-breaking.

Yes, there's now a 'Find Your Equalizer' tab, but it works by asking you to pick from a selection of pre-made sound profiles rather than dishing out any otoacoustic tests or splodges to denote where your hearing might be lacking, unlike JBL's Personi-Fi or Nothing Ear's hearing tests (although it's true that you have to pay a little more to get those). The two basic 'Which do you prefer?' tests offered by the WF-C710N don't feel quite as comprehensive, detailed, or involved as those rivals.

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

See the wires in the case? (Image credit: Future)

Also back for 2025 is Sony's entry-level DSEE upscaler, so Spotify streams will sound better, plus there's that Sony-special 360 Reality Audio support. However, since Tidal parted ways with the format, your only source options for listening to this particular spatial-audio-adjacent offering now are Amazon Music Unlimited and Nugs.net.

Do I still like the new transparent blue colorway now that I've tested it? Not as much as I'd wanted to. The shiny plastic avidly collects fingerprint smudges, and at the risk of stating the bleedin' obvious (as these cases have almost always been plastic, dear reader), this one feels overly plastic. It's also a little bigger than the older model. That said, Sony's more traditional matte black, off-white and pink colorways are available too.

For sound, there's no addition of LDAC, but they're still a solid listen with good volume and energy levels, albeit sacrificing a modicum of dynamic nuance, detail and sonic placement to get there. They're still good for the level, but that's my point, good is simply no longer great in budget 2025 noise-cancelling earbuds.

To really hammer it home: in 2023, when the WF-C710N's predecessor made its grand entrance, earbuds bearing these kinds of features had never been seen at that level. But the competition really upped its game in the following 24 months, didn't it? One can even buy inexpensive open earbuds with excellent ANC now (see the Honor Earbuds Open), something unheard of, even considered impossible, until very recently. So, the fact that these Sony earbuds fit well, boast slightly better stamina and offer auto-off isn't quite enough to trounce the competition these days. But the ANC? If you prioritise noise-nixing, that'll make up the difference…

Sony WF-C710N review: Price & release date

  • Released on March 25, 2025
  • Priced $119 / £100 / AU$189

Yes, Sony has won this territory before (see the April 2023-issue Sony WF-C700N I keep going on about), but that was before the excellent Nothing Ear (a) arrived, a year later in 2024.

The fact that Sony released these follow-up earbuds at the same MSRP as their older counterparts is welcome but unsurprising news: we've seen it with everything from AirPods to Bluetooth speakers. Why? Because competition is rife, and once-flagship tech (comprehensive ANC, wearer detection, EQ tweaks, spatial audio tech, customisable on-ear functions, and so on) keeps trickling down to entry-level products.

If you've done even a little research into this end of the market, you'll know the current class leader is the Nothing Ear (a) mentioned above, with the insanely cheap $30 / £30 / AU$70 JLab Go Pop ANC or even the $69 / £59 / AU$110 (approx.) Earfun Air 2 NC not far behind.

So have the few extra perks offered by the new WF-C710N – slightly better battery, an auto-off feature, improved call quality, a rudimentary equalizer test and much better noise cancellation – trounced the Nothings? Depending on your priorities, yes, but it's all about that last point…

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

See the mesh over the mic? (Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-C710N review: Specs

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

(Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-C710N review: Features

  • Dual noise sensor tech (feedback and feedforward mics) for ANC
  • Auto-off is a welcome addition
  • AI-enhanced voice pickup for clearer calls

Let's start with the above bullet points: call-handling? It was good before, but it's even better now. That's thanks to the implementation of AI-enhanced voice pickup technology, which works a treat even on crowded, windy and rainy London Soho streets during rush hour (trust me on this one).

Wearer detection for auto-off is perhaps the biggest usability perk added this time around, which means music pauses when you remove one bud (or both) and resumes once you put it back in. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but once you're used to it, you'll always be reaching for buds that can do it.

OK, so Sony's 360 Reality Audio – 24 object-based channels arranged in a 360-degree soundstage (launched back in 2019) – isn't the big ticket feature it used to be, since few streaming platforms support it and Tidal waved goodbye to its support in July 2024.

As noted, Sony's Headphones Connect app is gone, but it's been replaced by the Sony Sound Connect app. Adaptive Sound Control still takes the wheel as far as noise profiles go, optimized according to what you're doing – yes, they know when you're 'Staying'. And although you can't manually up the noise cancellation levels on the fly (although you can tailor the ambient awareness on a slider from 1-20), if you tap the cog under 'Optimize switching for you', you can tailor each sound profile according to your actions. So if you want Adaptive ANC to kick in on your commute, here's how you do it.

That extra mic has paid dividends because the WF-C710N's dual noise sensor tech (feedback and feedforward mics) provides much more robust noise-cancellation performance. On a packed train from London to Dorset, I was struck by how cocooned in my music I felt.

Any omissions worth mentioning? Although there's multi-point to two devices now (you can toggle it off if you want, but why would you?), there's still no LDAC support. Why mention this? Because the WF-C710N's main rival, the Nothing Ear (a) do boast it.

Also, while there's now a 'Find Your Equalizer' tab in the app, it's a little basic compared to any hearing tests to create splodge-type graphs of your hearing profile you might have tried. Essentially, playing your choice of music, there are five profiles to pick from, and then a further four based on your initial pick. It's more than the older model offered, but given the lengths the competition is going to these days (see JBL, Nothing and Denon to name a few, and, of course, the AirPods Pro 2, for a surcharge), it feels a little basic. Yes, the WF-C710N are budget earbuds, but the Nothing Ear with their lengthy hearing tests are roughly the same price now…

  • Features score: 4.5/5

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

(Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-C710N review: Sound quality

  • Agile, fun, energetic listen
  • Minor treble distortion if we're being picky
  • LDAC would be a great addition

The sound, as with the older option, is good for the money, but there are incremental gains to be had here. The opening keys in Grian Chatten's All of the People are textured and three-dimensional. There's a human quality to the depressing of each key that most entry-level earbuds cannot convey through the upper midrange.

Out of the box, the older WF-C700N feel just a little congested and treble-centric in direct comparison – although it took me a while to set up this comparative test, since once paired to either set of buds, my phone flat-out refused to pair to its siblings, and I'm still unsure why. Anyway, the Beatles' Helter Skelter is a great test of the stereo imaging, and with the C710N, drums sit dutifully in my right ear (until the fill, when the kick drum darts between each ear) as the driving bass sits in my left concha with pinpoint precision.

In more layered, complex and groove-heavy tracks (Michael Jackson's Billie Jean, for instance), timing and musicality are bang on across the frequencies. I can detect a minor shortfall in dynamic nuance to get all of that exuberance and volume – these are loud and proud earbuds, and for the most part, that's great news. There's just a small compromise to be made in the leading edges of lower-mids and bass notes, and just a shred of distortion through the treble, very occasionally.

Look, I'm nitpicking – and I'm better able to do it because the noise cancellation here provides such a glorious backdrop. Of course, you can tweak the sonic curve to your liking in the Sound Connect app, but it's important to note that, by default, these are zealous, unafraid earbuds. Compare them to the excellent Technics EAH-AZ100 and you'll get a greater rise and fall through each pensive, building musical passage in Dom Sigales' The Ghost is Me, with exhalations of breath, jagged keys, and waves of strings given an extra ounce of due diligence to be impactful. It's hardly a fair test given the price difference (the EAH-AZ100 retail for $299 / £259 / AU$479), but it's important to note that the sound is very good here for the money, rather than just very good, period.

  • Sound quality score: 4.5/5

Sony WF-C710N three 'Sound Connect' app screen-grabs on gray background

(Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-C710N review: Design

  • Bigger but still ergonomic earpieces
  • Case is a little bigger – and a little cheap?
  • Capacitive touch controls aren't very customisable

These are still some of the most comfortable earbuds I've had the pleasure of wearing (besides the aforementioned Technics), even though the buds and case are bigger this time around. While 4.6g to 5.4g may not sound like much of a size increase, it is noticeable. Given that the WF-C700N really were small, that's perhaps not such a bad thing, depending on your ears.

I still found them easy to fit. That said, the shinier plastic of my glass blue colorway did affect the in-ear security, and the right one fell out on a train. I don't think the fit was an issue, as they feel beautifully weighted and slipped easily into my ears with very little work. I think I just need a more matte, brushed plastic finish – and that is available.

Sony WF-C710N next to the Sony WF-C700N, side by side

See the difference in case (and earpiece) size, against the WF-C700N (Image credit: Future)

One potential bone of contention is the case: it's bigger – well, deeper – than the older WF-C700N case, and it feels a shade off high-end. Do I love the transparent finish? I'm not sure. Seeing the little red, yellow and black cables under the casework is novel, but the overall aesthetic feels a bit (dare I say it) cheap and cheerful, compared to the way Nothing has implemented transparent sections within its earbuds design language.

And the physical button is gone. I liked it, but it seems I'm in the minority. And to be honest, the new touch capacitive sensor is aided by a slightly larger concave top plate to help your finger find it, and it works fairly reliably.

My main gripe with this? You can now control volume in addition to playback, sound modes, and access to a virtual assistant, but a little more scope for customisation on what each tap does would be a huge bonus. Right now, the only way to up the volume a little is a quadruple press on the right earbud, and a quadruple press on the left lowers it just a tad. As you can probably imagine, these constant quick presses are hit-and-miss. Ah, well – and it hurts your tragus and external auditory meatus (the bit right before your ear canal) a little, after a while.

  • Design score: 4/5

Sony WF-C710N held in a woman's hand

The case is quite a bit deeper than the previous model (Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-C710N review: Value

  • For ANC, there's real value-for-money here
  • 360 Reality Audio isn't the draw it once was – LDAC would be excellent
  • Nothing's products look and feel more premium

Before the Nothing Ear (a) arrived, with their LDAC and great audio quality, I'd have no issue recommending the Sony WF-C710N above all else. But times have changed. Nothing's earbuds are here, and they are impossible to ignore.

The design of the Sony WF-C710N is fine rather than groundbreaking, and the feature set is good, although 360 Reality Audio support is not the big draw it once was.

Then again, here I sit at our shared table-slash-desk, my partner hitting the keys of his MacBook Pro keyboard heavily, because he's under a tight deadline and is stressed. Can I hear him? Not really. And there's the value, folks – because I've never heard ANC this good for this money…

  • Value score: 4.5/5

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Sony WF-C710N?

Buy them if...

You need great ANC for budget money
These earbuds are some of the most gifted at noise-nixing as I've tried for the money, thanks to that new mic array.

You have an Amazon Music Unlimited account
Link Amazon Music Play Now (after taking photos of your ears, all guided by the app) and you unlock Sony's proprietary 360 Reality Audio for Sony's own spatial audio solution.

You like earbuds that pause the music when you take one out
The WF-C710N now have wearer detection, and you love to see it.

Don't buy them if...

You prioritize on-ear volume control
You can do it, but you still need to press each bud four times quickly to get an incremental increase or decrease. It's a bit much.

You're expecting buds the same size as the C700N
There's a difference: the C710N are a little bigger and heavier owing to that extra mic and capacitive touch plate

You want LDAC
No dice, sadly. You'll need to look to Nothing's Ear (a)

Sony WF-C710N review: Also consider

Nothing Ear (a)
The battery life isn't as good, and the ANC is close but no cigar. But if you need a better level of dust- and waterproofing and want LDAC audio support, these buds are oh-so-stylish and just slightly cheaper than the Sony WF-C710N.
Read our Nothing Ear (a) review for more information

Sony WF-C510
What if you want quality Sony sound in Sony's smallest earbuds (smaller than the WF-C710N) and even better battery life, because you don't care about ANC? This is the model you need, and you'll save money. But just to be clear, the noise cancellation is the WF-C710N is very good… 
See our Sony WF-C510 review for the full scoop

How I tested the Sony WF-C710N

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

(Image credit: Future)
  • Tested for two weeks, compared against the Sony WF-C700N and Technics EAH-AZ100
  • Used in the office, walking through London, on a train, and at home
  • Listened to Apple Music Lossless tracks, Qobuz, Deezer and Spotify on an iPhone 12 Pro and a MacBook Pro

As always when testing portable earbuds, the Sony WF-C710N became my musical companions for two weeks – after a thorough 48-hour run-in period.

They accompanied me to work (walking brusquely to Weymouth station at an ungodly hour; boarding a train to London Waterloo; and at the office – yes, I really do this) and throughout a long weekend at Seaham, collecting sea glass from the stunning County Durham shoreline.

To better test the comfort and battery life claims of the Sony WF-C710N, I wore them throughout the working day on numerous occasions – and as you can see from the above over-share, my working days can be long.

To get through it all, I listened to various playlists (spanning everything from Korn to Dom Sigalas) on Apple Music and Tidal, but also to podcasts and albums on Qobuz and Deezer – and YouTube tutorials (mostly about making music on Cubase and using Cakewalk, since you ask) from my MacBook Pro.

I’ve been testing audio products for well over five years now. As a dancer, aerialist and musical theater performer in another life, sound quality, fit and user experience have always taken priority for me personally – but having heard how wonderful ANC can be when done well, I know what to look for.

Read more about how we test

  • First reviewed: April 2025
I tested Sony’s cheap new ANC earbuds, and if noise-cancelling is king, you just found your new budget buds
12:31 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Sony WF-C710N: Two-minute review

Sony's WF-C710N earbuds find themselves in a similar spot to The White Album in 1968: you want to better the absolute barn-stormer that was Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band a mere year later? Good luck. But of course, the Beatles managed it (was it transcendental meditation, or was it simply a clean mind?). So, has Sony done the same with its update on the WF-C700N? Yes and no, Dear Prudence. And given that Sony actually had two years to work on its follow-up, that may not feel enough initially.

The model the C710N are based on topped our pick of the best noise-cancelling earbuds in the budget space for over a year following their release, until Nothing's (a)-suffixed set of buds came in and did almost everything the Sony buds did just that little bit better – and looked slightly classier doing it. And although there are improvements here, a few in-app foibles and initial pairing issues left me struggling to find a reason to pick the Sony WF-C710N over the rivals… until I tested the ANC.

Here, Sony has truly upped its game. On a packed commuter train, I drifted off into my own happy bubble of music. I genuinely didn't expect the blissfully quiet backdrop they served up. The uptick in ANC efficacy is almost certainly aided by the extra mic in each earpiece, but however Sony achieved it, it's commendable.

Also, (because I'm still talking about those mics), call quality is very good for the money here, thanks to Sony's new AI-enhanced voice pickup technology. So, if you regularly take calls on your earbuds, there's an extra value add.

The overall sound profile and fit? It's still good despite the size increase – but it's not better than the outgoing model (Sony has essentially said that little about the driver and acoustic setup changed), so if you've picked up the older set for a discount, you may be tempted to stick with them unless you need that improved ANC.

In fact, other than the much-improved noise cancellation, it's a case of incremental upgrades rather than anything headline-grabbing or ground-breaking.

Yes, there's now a 'Find Your Equalizer' tab, but it works by asking you to pick from a selection of pre-made sound profiles rather than dishing out any otoacoustic tests or splodges to denote where your hearing might be lacking, unlike JBL's Personi-Fi or Nothing Ear's hearing tests (although it's true that you have to pay a little more to get those). The two basic 'Which do you prefer?' tests offered by the WF-C710N don't feel quite as comprehensive, detailed, or involved as those rivals.

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

See the wires in the case? (Image credit: Future)

Also back for 2025 is Sony's entry-level DSEE upscaler, so Spotify streams will sound better, plus there's that Sony-special 360 Reality Audio support. However, since Tidal parted ways with the format, your only source options for listening to this particular spatial-audio-adjacent offering now are Amazon Music Unlimited and Nugs.net.

Do I still like the new transparent blue colorway now that I've tested it? Not as much as I'd wanted to. The shiny plastic avidly collects fingerprint smudges, and at the risk of stating the bleedin' obvious (as these cases have almost always been plastic, dear reader), this one feels overly plastic. It's also a little bigger than the older model. That said, Sony's more traditional matte black, off-white and pink colorways are available too.

For sound, there's no addition of LDAC, but they're still a solid listen with good volume and energy levels, albeit sacrificing a modicum of dynamic nuance, detail and sonic placement to get there. They're still good for the level, but that's my point, good is simply no longer great in budget 2025 noise-cancelling earbuds.

To really hammer it home: in 2023, when the WF-C710N's predecessor made its grand entrance, earbuds bearing these kinds of features had never been seen at that level. But the competition really upped its game in the following 24 months, didn't it? One can even buy inexpensive open earbuds with excellent ANC now (see the Honor Earbuds Open), something unheard of, even considered impossible, until very recently. So, the fact that these Sony earbuds fit well, boast slightly better stamina and offer auto-off isn't quite enough to trounce the competition these days. But the ANC? If you prioritise noise-nixing, that'll make up the difference…

Sony WF-C710N review: Price & release date

  • Released on March 25, 2025
  • Priced $119 / £100 / AU$189

Yes, Sony has won this territory before (see the April 2023-issue Sony WF-C700N I keep going on about), but that was before the excellent Nothing Ear (a) arrived, a year later in 2024.

The fact that Sony released these follow-up earbuds at the same MSRP as their older counterparts is welcome but unsurprising news: we've seen it with everything from AirPods to Bluetooth speakers. Why? Because competition is rife, and once-flagship tech (comprehensive ANC, wearer detection, EQ tweaks, spatial audio tech, customisable on-ear functions, and so on) keeps trickling down to entry-level products.

If you've done even a little research into this end of the market, you'll know the current class leader is the Nothing Ear (a) mentioned above, with the insanely cheap $30 / £30 / AU$70 JLab Go Pop ANC or even the $69 / £59 / AU$110 (approx.) Earfun Air 2 NC not far behind.

So have the few extra perks offered by the new WF-C710N – slightly better battery, an auto-off feature, improved call quality, a rudimentary equalizer test and much better noise cancellation – trounced the Nothings? Depending on your priorities, yes, but it's all about that last point…

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

See the mesh over the mic? (Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-C710N review: Specs

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

(Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-C710N review: Features

  • Dual noise sensor tech (feedback and feedforward mics) for ANC
  • Auto-off is a welcome addition
  • AI-enhanced voice pickup for clearer calls

Let's start with the above bullet points: call-handling? It was good before, but it's even better now. That's thanks to the implementation of AI-enhanced voice pickup technology, which works a treat even on crowded, windy and rainy London Soho streets during rush hour (trust me on this one).

Wearer detection for auto-off is perhaps the biggest usability perk added this time around, which means music pauses when you remove one bud (or both) and resumes once you put it back in. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but once you're used to it, you'll always be reaching for buds that can do it.

OK, so Sony's 360 Reality Audio – 24 object-based channels arranged in a 360-degree soundstage (launched back in 2019) – isn't the big ticket feature it used to be, since few streaming platforms support it and Tidal waved goodbye to its support in July 2024.

As noted, Sony's Headphones Connect app is gone, but it's been replaced by the Sony Sound Connect app. Adaptive Sound Control still takes the wheel as far as noise profiles go, optimized according to what you're doing – yes, they know when you're 'Staying'. And although you can't manually up the noise cancellation levels on the fly (although you can tailor the ambient awareness on a slider from 1-20), if you tap the cog under 'Optimize switching for you', you can tailor each sound profile according to your actions. So if you want Adaptive ANC to kick in on your commute, here's how you do it.

That extra mic has paid dividends because the WF-C710N's dual noise sensor tech (feedback and feedforward mics) provides much more robust noise-cancellation performance. On a packed train from London to Dorset, I was struck by how cocooned in my music I felt.

Any omissions worth mentioning? Although there's multi-point to two devices now (you can toggle it off if you want, but why would you?), there's still no LDAC support. Why mention this? Because the WF-C710N's main rival, the Nothing Ear (a) do boast it.

Also, while there's now a 'Find Your Equalizer' tab in the app, it's a little basic compared to any hearing tests to create splodge-type graphs of your hearing profile you might have tried. Essentially, playing your choice of music, there are five profiles to pick from, and then a further four based on your initial pick. It's more than the older model offered, but given the lengths the competition is going to these days (see JBL, Nothing and Denon to name a few, and, of course, the AirPods Pro 2, for a surcharge), it feels a little basic. Yes, the WF-C710N are budget earbuds, but the Nothing Ear with their lengthy hearing tests are roughly the same price now…

  • Features score: 4.5/5

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

(Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-C710N review: Sound quality

  • Agile, fun, energetic listen
  • Minor treble distortion if we're being picky
  • LDAC would be a great addition

The sound, as with the older option, is good for the money, but there are incremental gains to be had here. The opening keys in Grian Chatten's All of the People are textured and three-dimensional. There's a human quality to the depressing of each key that most entry-level earbuds cannot convey through the upper midrange.

Out of the box, the older WF-C700N feel just a little congested and treble-centric in direct comparison – although it took me a while to set up this comparative test, since once paired to either set of buds, my phone flat-out refused to pair to its siblings, and I'm still unsure why. Anyway, the Beatles' Helter Skelter is a great test of the stereo imaging, and with the C710N, drums sit dutifully in my right ear (until the fill, when the kick drum darts between each ear) as the driving bass sits in my left concha with pinpoint precision.

In more layered, complex and groove-heavy tracks (Michael Jackson's Billie Jean, for instance), timing and musicality are bang on across the frequencies. I can detect a minor shortfall in dynamic nuance to get all of that exuberance and volume – these are loud and proud earbuds, and for the most part, that's great news. There's just a small compromise to be made in the leading edges of lower-mids and bass notes, and just a shred of distortion through the treble, very occasionally.

Look, I'm nitpicking – and I'm better able to do it because the noise cancellation here provides such a glorious backdrop. Of course, you can tweak the sonic curve to your liking in the Sound Connect app, but it's important to note that, by default, these are zealous, unafraid earbuds. Compare them to the excellent Technics EAH-AZ100 and you'll get a greater rise and fall through each pensive, building musical passage in Dom Sigales' The Ghost is Me, with exhalations of breath, jagged keys, and waves of strings given an extra ounce of due diligence to be impactful. It's hardly a fair test given the price difference (the EAH-AZ100 retail for $299 / £259 / AU$479), but it's important to note that the sound is very good here for the money, rather than just very good, period.

  • Sound quality score: 4.5/5

Sony WF-C710N three 'Sound Connect' app screen-grabs on gray background

(Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-C710N review: Design

  • Bigger but still ergonomic earpieces
  • Case is a little bigger – and a little cheap?
  • Capacitive touch controls aren't very customisable

These are still some of the most comfortable earbuds I've had the pleasure of wearing (besides the aforementioned Technics), even though the buds and case are bigger this time around. While 4.6g to 5.4g may not sound like much of a size increase, it is noticeable. Given that the WF-C700N really were small, that's perhaps not such a bad thing, depending on your ears.

I still found them easy to fit. That said, the shinier plastic of my glass blue colorway did affect the in-ear security, and the right one fell out on a train. I don't think the fit was an issue, as they feel beautifully weighted and slipped easily into my ears with very little work. I think I just need a more matte, brushed plastic finish – and that is available.

Sony WF-C710N next to the Sony WF-C700N, side by side

See the difference in case (and earpiece) size, against the WF-C700N (Image credit: Future)

One potential bone of contention is the case: it's bigger – well, deeper – than the older WF-C700N case, and it feels a shade off high-end. Do I love the transparent finish? I'm not sure. Seeing the little red, yellow and black cables under the casework is novel, but the overall aesthetic feels a bit (dare I say it) cheap and cheerful, compared to the way Nothing has implemented transparent sections within its earbuds design language.

And the physical button is gone. I liked it, but it seems I'm in the minority. And to be honest, the new touch capacitive sensor is aided by a slightly larger concave top plate to help your finger find it, and it works fairly reliably.

My main gripe with this? You can now control volume in addition to playback, sound modes, and access to a virtual assistant, but a little more scope for customisation on what each tap does would be a huge bonus. Right now, the only way to up the volume a little is a quadruple press on the right earbud, and a quadruple press on the left lowers it just a tad. As you can probably imagine, these constant quick presses are hit-and-miss. Ah, well – and it hurts your tragus and external auditory meatus (the bit right before your ear canal) a little, after a while.

  • Design score: 4/5

Sony WF-C710N held in a woman's hand

The case is quite a bit deeper than the previous model (Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-C710N review: Value

  • For ANC, there's real value-for-money here
  • 360 Reality Audio isn't the draw it once was – LDAC would be excellent
  • Nothing's products look and feel more premium

Before the Nothing Ear (a) arrived, with their LDAC and great audio quality, I'd have no issue recommending the Sony WF-C710N above all else. But times have changed. Nothing's earbuds are here, and they are impossible to ignore.

The design of the Sony WF-C710N is fine rather than groundbreaking, and the feature set is good, although 360 Reality Audio support is not the big draw it once was.

Then again, here I sit at our shared table-slash-desk, my partner hitting the keys of his MacBook Pro keyboard heavily, because he's under a tight deadline and is stressed. Can I hear him? Not really. And there's the value, folks – because I've never heard ANC this good for this money…

  • Value score: 4.5/5

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Sony WF-C710N?

Buy them if...

You need great ANC for budget money
These earbuds are some of the most gifted at noise-nixing as I've tried for the money, thanks to that new mic array.

You have an Amazon Music Unlimited account
Link Amazon Music Play Now (after taking photos of your ears, all guided by the app) and you unlock Sony's proprietary 360 Reality Audio for Sony's own spatial audio solution.

You like earbuds that pause the music when you take one out
The WF-C710N now have wearer detection, and you love to see it.

Don't buy them if...

You prioritize on-ear volume control
You can do it, but you still need to press each bud four times quickly to get an incremental increase or decrease. It's a bit much.

You're expecting buds the same size as the C700N
There's a difference: the C710N are a little bigger and heavier owing to that extra mic and capacitive touch plate

You want LDAC
No dice, sadly. You'll need to look to Nothing's Ear (a)

Sony WF-C710N review: Also consider

Nothing Ear (a)
The battery life isn't as good, and the ANC is close but no cigar. But if you need a better level of dust- and waterproofing and want LDAC audio support, these buds are oh-so-stylish and just slightly cheaper than the Sony WF-C710N.
Read our Nothing Ear (a) review for more information

Sony WF-C510
What if you want quality Sony sound in Sony's smallest earbuds (smaller than the WF-C710N) and even better battery life, because you don't care about ANC? This is the model you need, and you'll save money. But just to be clear, the noise cancellation is the WF-C710N is very good… 
See our Sony WF-C510 review for the full scoop

How I tested the Sony WF-C710N

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

(Image credit: Future)
  • Tested for two weeks, compared against the Sony WF-C700N and Technics EAH-AZ100
  • Used in the office, walking through London, on a train, and at home
  • Listened to Apple Music Lossless tracks, Qobuz, Deezer and Spotify on an iPhone 12 Pro and a MacBook Pro

As always when testing portable earbuds, the Sony WF-C710N became my musical companions for two weeks – after a thorough 48-hour run-in period.

They accompanied me to work (walking brusquely to Weymouth station at an ungodly hour; boarding a train to London Waterloo; and at the office – yes, I really do this) and throughout a long weekend at Seaham, collecting sea glass from the stunning County Durham shoreline.

To better test the comfort and battery life claims of the Sony WF-C710N, I wore them throughout the working day on numerous occasions – and as you can see from the above over-share, my working days can be long.

To get through it all, I listened to various playlists (spanning everything from Korn to Dom Sigalas) on Apple Music and Tidal, but also to podcasts and albums on Qobuz and Deezer – and YouTube tutorials (mostly about making music on Cubase and using Cakewalk, since you ask) from my MacBook Pro.

I’ve been testing audio products for well over five years now. As a dancer, aerialist and musical theater performer in another life, sound quality, fit and user experience have always taken priority for me personally – but having heard how wonderful ANC can be when done well, I know what to look for.

Read more about how we test

  • First reviewed: April 2025
I tested Sony’s cheap new ANC earbuds, and if noise-cancelling is king, you just found your new budget buds
12:31 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Sony WF-C710N: Two-minute review

Sony's WF-C710N earbuds find themselves in a similar spot to The White Album in 1968: you want to better the absolute barn-stormer that was Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band a mere year later? Good luck. But of course, the Beatles managed it (was it transcendental meditation, or was it simply a clean mind?). So, has Sony done the same with its update on the WF-C700N? Yes and no, Dear Prudence. And given that Sony actually had two years to work on its follow-up, that may not feel enough initially.

The model the C710N are based on topped our pick of the best noise-cancelling earbuds in the budget space for over a year following their release, until Nothing's (a)-suffixed set of buds came in and did almost everything the Sony buds did just that little bit better – and looked slightly classier doing it. And although there are improvements here, a few in-app foibles and initial pairing issues left me struggling to find a reason to pick the Sony WF-C710N over the rivals… until I tested the ANC.

Here, Sony has truly upped its game. On a packed commuter train, I drifted off into my own happy bubble of music. I genuinely didn't expect the blissfully quiet backdrop they served up. The uptick in ANC efficacy is almost certainly aided by the extra mic in each earpiece, but however Sony achieved it, it's commendable.

Also, (because I'm still talking about those mics), call quality is very good for the money here, thanks to Sony's new AI-enhanced voice pickup technology. So, if you regularly take calls on your earbuds, there's an extra value add.

The overall sound profile and fit? It's still good despite the size increase – but it's not better than the outgoing model (Sony has essentially said that little about the driver and acoustic setup changed), so if you've picked up the older set for a discount, you may be tempted to stick with them unless you need that improved ANC.

In fact, other than the much-improved noise cancellation, it's a case of incremental upgrades rather than anything headline-grabbing or ground-breaking.

Yes, there's now a 'Find Your Equalizer' tab, but it works by asking you to pick from a selection of pre-made sound profiles rather than dishing out any otoacoustic tests or splodges to denote where your hearing might be lacking, unlike JBL's Personi-Fi or Nothing Ear's hearing tests (although it's true that you have to pay a little more to get those). The two basic 'Which do you prefer?' tests offered by the WF-C710N don't feel quite as comprehensive, detailed, or involved as those rivals.

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

See the wires in the case? (Image credit: Future)

Also back for 2025 is Sony's entry-level DSEE upscaler, so Spotify streams will sound better, plus there's that Sony-special 360 Reality Audio support. However, since Tidal parted ways with the format, your only source options for listening to this particular spatial-audio-adjacent offering now are Amazon Music Unlimited and Nugs.net.

Do I still like the new transparent blue colorway now that I've tested it? Not as much as I'd wanted to. The shiny plastic avidly collects fingerprint smudges, and at the risk of stating the bleedin' obvious (as these cases have almost always been plastic, dear reader), this one feels overly plastic. It's also a little bigger than the older model. That said, Sony's more traditional matte black, off-white and pink colorways are available too.

For sound, there's no addition of LDAC, but they're still a solid listen with good volume and energy levels, albeit sacrificing a modicum of dynamic nuance, detail and sonic placement to get there. They're still good for the level, but that's my point, good is simply no longer great in budget 2025 noise-cancelling earbuds.

To really hammer it home: in 2023, when the WF-C710N's predecessor made its grand entrance, earbuds bearing these kinds of features had never been seen at that level. But the competition really upped its game in the following 24 months, didn't it? One can even buy inexpensive open earbuds with excellent ANC now (see the Honor Earbuds Open), something unheard of, even considered impossible, until very recently. So, the fact that these Sony earbuds fit well, boast slightly better stamina and offer auto-off isn't quite enough to trounce the competition these days. But the ANC? If you prioritise noise-nixing, that'll make up the difference…

Sony WF-C710N review: Price & release date

  • Released on March 25, 2025
  • Priced $119 / £100 / AU$189

Yes, Sony has won this territory before (see the April 2023-issue Sony WF-C700N I keep going on about), but that was before the excellent Nothing Ear (a) arrived, a year later in 2024.

The fact that Sony released these follow-up earbuds at the same MSRP as their older counterparts is welcome but unsurprising news: we've seen it with everything from AirPods to Bluetooth speakers. Why? Because competition is rife, and once-flagship tech (comprehensive ANC, wearer detection, EQ tweaks, spatial audio tech, customisable on-ear functions, and so on) keeps trickling down to entry-level products.

If you've done even a little research into this end of the market, you'll know the current class leader is the Nothing Ear (a) mentioned above, with the insanely cheap $30 / £30 / AU$70 JLab Go Pop ANC or even the $69 / £59 / AU$110 (approx.) Earfun Air 2 NC not far behind.

So have the few extra perks offered by the new WF-C710N – slightly better battery, an auto-off feature, improved call quality, a rudimentary equalizer test and much better noise cancellation – trounced the Nothings? Depending on your priorities, yes, but it's all about that last point…

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

See the mesh over the mic? (Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-C710N review: Specs

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

(Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-C710N review: Features

  • Dual noise sensor tech (feedback and feedforward mics) for ANC
  • Auto-off is a welcome addition
  • AI-enhanced voice pickup for clearer calls

Let's start with the above bullet points: call-handling? It was good before, but it's even better now. That's thanks to the implementation of AI-enhanced voice pickup technology, which works a treat even on crowded, windy and rainy London Soho streets during rush hour (trust me on this one).

Wearer detection for auto-off is perhaps the biggest usability perk added this time around, which means music pauses when you remove one bud (or both) and resumes once you put it back in. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but once you're used to it, you'll always be reaching for buds that can do it.

OK, so Sony's 360 Reality Audio – 24 object-based channels arranged in a 360-degree soundstage (launched back in 2019) – isn't the big ticket feature it used to be, since few streaming platforms support it and Tidal waved goodbye to its support in July 2024.

As noted, Sony's Headphones Connect app is gone, but it's been replaced by the Sony Sound Connect app. Adaptive Sound Control still takes the wheel as far as noise profiles go, optimized according to what you're doing – yes, they know when you're 'Staying'. And although you can't manually up the noise cancellation levels on the fly (although you can tailor the ambient awareness on a slider from 1-20), if you tap the cog under 'Optimize switching for you', you can tailor each sound profile according to your actions. So if you want Adaptive ANC to kick in on your commute, here's how you do it.

That extra mic has paid dividends because the WF-C710N's dual noise sensor tech (feedback and feedforward mics) provides much more robust noise-cancellation performance. On a packed train from London to Dorset, I was struck by how cocooned in my music I felt.

Any omissions worth mentioning? Although there's multi-point to two devices now (you can toggle it off if you want, but why would you?), there's still no LDAC support. Why mention this? Because the WF-C710N's main rival, the Nothing Ear (a) do boast it.

Also, while there's now a 'Find Your Equalizer' tab in the app, it's a little basic compared to any hearing tests to create splodge-type graphs of your hearing profile you might have tried. Essentially, playing your choice of music, there are five profiles to pick from, and then a further four based on your initial pick. It's more than the older model offered, but given the lengths the competition is going to these days (see JBL, Nothing and Denon to name a few, and, of course, the AirPods Pro 2, for a surcharge), it feels a little basic. Yes, the WF-C710N are budget earbuds, but the Nothing Ear with their lengthy hearing tests are roughly the same price now…

  • Features score: 4.5/5

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

(Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-C710N review: Sound quality

  • Agile, fun, energetic listen
  • Minor treble distortion if we're being picky
  • LDAC would be a great addition

The sound, as with the older option, is good for the money, but there are incremental gains to be had here. The opening keys in Grian Chatten's All of the People are textured and three-dimensional. There's a human quality to the depressing of each key that most entry-level earbuds cannot convey through the upper midrange.

Out of the box, the older WF-C700N feel just a little congested and treble-centric in direct comparison – although it took me a while to set up this comparative test, since once paired to either set of buds, my phone flat-out refused to pair to its siblings, and I'm still unsure why. Anyway, the Beatles' Helter Skelter is a great test of the stereo imaging, and with the C710N, drums sit dutifully in my right ear (until the fill, when the kick drum darts between each ear) as the driving bass sits in my left concha with pinpoint precision.

In more layered, complex and groove-heavy tracks (Michael Jackson's Billie Jean, for instance), timing and musicality are bang on across the frequencies. I can detect a minor shortfall in dynamic nuance to get all of that exuberance and volume – these are loud and proud earbuds, and for the most part, that's great news. There's just a small compromise to be made in the leading edges of lower-mids and bass notes, and just a shred of distortion through the treble, very occasionally.

Look, I'm nitpicking – and I'm better able to do it because the noise cancellation here provides such a glorious backdrop. Of course, you can tweak the sonic curve to your liking in the Sound Connect app, but it's important to note that, by default, these are zealous, unafraid earbuds. Compare them to the excellent Technics EAH-AZ100 and you'll get a greater rise and fall through each pensive, building musical passage in Dom Sigales' The Ghost is Me, with exhalations of breath, jagged keys, and waves of strings given an extra ounce of due diligence to be impactful. It's hardly a fair test given the price difference (the EAH-AZ100 retail for $299 / £259 / AU$479), but it's important to note that the sound is very good here for the money, rather than just very good, period.

  • Sound quality score: 4.5/5

Sony WF-C710N three 'Sound Connect' app screen-grabs on gray background

(Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-C710N review: Design

  • Bigger but still ergonomic earpieces
  • Case is a little bigger – and a little cheap?
  • Capacitive touch controls aren't very customisable

These are still some of the most comfortable earbuds I've had the pleasure of wearing (besides the aforementioned Technics), even though the buds and case are bigger this time around. While 4.6g to 5.4g may not sound like much of a size increase, it is noticeable. Given that the WF-C700N really were small, that's perhaps not such a bad thing, depending on your ears.

I still found them easy to fit. That said, the shinier plastic of my glass blue colorway did affect the in-ear security, and the right one fell out on a train. I don't think the fit was an issue, as they feel beautifully weighted and slipped easily into my ears with very little work. I think I just need a more matte, brushed plastic finish – and that is available.

Sony WF-C710N next to the Sony WF-C700N, side by side

See the difference in case (and earpiece) size, against the WF-C700N (Image credit: Future)

One potential bone of contention is the case: it's bigger – well, deeper – than the older WF-C700N case, and it feels a shade off high-end. Do I love the transparent finish? I'm not sure. Seeing the little red, yellow and black cables under the casework is novel, but the overall aesthetic feels a bit (dare I say it) cheap and cheerful, compared to the way Nothing has implemented transparent sections within its earbuds design language.

And the physical button is gone. I liked it, but it seems I'm in the minority. And to be honest, the new touch capacitive sensor is aided by a slightly larger concave top plate to help your finger find it, and it works fairly reliably.

My main gripe with this? You can now control volume in addition to playback, sound modes, and access to a virtual assistant, but a little more scope for customisation on what each tap does would be a huge bonus. Right now, the only way to up the volume a little is a quadruple press on the right earbud, and a quadruple press on the left lowers it just a tad. As you can probably imagine, these constant quick presses are hit-and-miss. Ah, well – and it hurts your tragus and external auditory meatus (the bit right before your ear canal) a little, after a while.

  • Design score: 4/5

Sony WF-C710N held in a woman's hand

The case is quite a bit deeper than the previous model (Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-C710N review: Value

  • For ANC, there's real value-for-money here
  • 360 Reality Audio isn't the draw it once was – LDAC would be excellent
  • Nothing's products look and feel more premium

Before the Nothing Ear (a) arrived, with their LDAC and great audio quality, I'd have no issue recommending the Sony WF-C710N above all else. But times have changed. Nothing's earbuds are here, and they are impossible to ignore.

The design of the Sony WF-C710N is fine rather than groundbreaking, and the feature set is good, although 360 Reality Audio support is not the big draw it once was.

Then again, here I sit at our shared table-slash-desk, my partner hitting the keys of his MacBook Pro keyboard heavily, because he's under a tight deadline and is stressed. Can I hear him? Not really. And there's the value, folks – because I've never heard ANC this good for this money…

  • Value score: 4.5/5

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Sony WF-C710N?

Buy them if...

You need great ANC for budget money
These earbuds are some of the most gifted at noise-nixing as I've tried for the money, thanks to that new mic array.

You have an Amazon Music Unlimited account
Link Amazon Music Play Now (after taking photos of your ears, all guided by the app) and you unlock Sony's proprietary 360 Reality Audio for Sony's own spatial audio solution.

You like earbuds that pause the music when you take one out
The WF-C710N now have wearer detection, and you love to see it.

Don't buy them if...

You prioritize on-ear volume control
You can do it, but you still need to press each bud four times quickly to get an incremental increase or decrease. It's a bit much.

You're expecting buds the same size as the C700N
There's a difference: the C710N are a little bigger and heavier owing to that extra mic and capacitive touch plate

You want LDAC
No dice, sadly. You'll need to look to Nothing's Ear (a)

Sony WF-C710N review: Also consider

Nothing Ear (a)
The battery life isn't as good, and the ANC is close but no cigar. But if you need a better level of dust- and waterproofing and want LDAC audio support, these buds are oh-so-stylish and just slightly cheaper than the Sony WF-C710N.
Read our Nothing Ear (a) review for more information

Sony WF-C510
What if you want quality Sony sound in Sony's smallest earbuds (smaller than the WF-C710N) and even better battery life, because you don't care about ANC? This is the model you need, and you'll save money. But just to be clear, the noise cancellation is the WF-C710N is very good… 
See our Sony WF-C510 review for the full scoop

How I tested the Sony WF-C710N

Sony WF-C710N earbuds in 'blue glass' on a grey table, with a woman's hand holding one of the earpieces

(Image credit: Future)
  • Tested for two weeks, compared against the Sony WF-C700N and Technics EAH-AZ100
  • Used in the office, walking through London, on a train, and at home
  • Listened to Apple Music Lossless tracks, Qobuz, Deezer and Spotify on an iPhone 12 Pro and a MacBook Pro

As always when testing portable earbuds, the Sony WF-C710N became my musical companions for two weeks – after a thorough 48-hour run-in period.

They accompanied me to work (walking brusquely to Weymouth station at an ungodly hour; boarding a train to London Waterloo; and at the office – yes, I really do this) and throughout a long weekend at Seaham, collecting sea glass from the stunning County Durham shoreline.

To better test the comfort and battery life claims of the Sony WF-C710N, I wore them throughout the working day on numerous occasions – and as you can see from the above over-share, my working days can be long.

To get through it all, I listened to various playlists (spanning everything from Korn to Dom Sigalas) on Apple Music and Tidal, but also to podcasts and albums on Qobuz and Deezer – and YouTube tutorials (mostly about making music on Cubase and using Cakewalk, since you ask) from my MacBook Pro.

I’ve been testing audio products for well over five years now. As a dancer, aerialist and musical theater performer in another life, sound quality, fit and user experience have always taken priority for me personally – but having heard how wonderful ANC can be when done well, I know what to look for.

Read more about how we test

  • First reviewed: April 2025
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