Sony WF-SP700N Review

The last pair of sporty earbuds you will ever need…

There is no denying that Sony stepped up the true wireless ANC earbuds game with the release of the WF-1000XM3. Many would argue that there’s no better option. But with a price tag that is not suited for many, finding an alternative that performs well can be daunting.

It’s strange then that so many forget about the WF-SP700N. A precursor to the excellent ANC found on the XM3’s, debuting about a year before them. Marketed towards sporty users, many wrote them off as just another pair of earbuds catered to the adventurous type.

That turned out to be a mistake. So, let’s find out what makes these earbuds special in our in-depth Sony WF-SP700N Review…

Design

At their price, it makes sense that the build is mainly plastic, from the case to the buds. Although, Sony dug deep to conjure up a wonderful, sporty yet elegant aesthetic here. Almost shaped like a bean, one could say that Samsung took some inspiration from these. Looking great in all four of the color schemes offered.

The earbuds are IPX-4 rated, which means you won’t have any trouble wearing them at the gym or out and about. Unless these are fully submerged, they won’t stop working. That said, these are some of the best sweat resistant earbuds available.

Finding your fit…

The removable wingtips are a great addition, and we highly recommend keeping them on. At the gym, having extra security is more than a welcome addition. If you are after some of the best secure fit earbuds, these deserve your attention.

Countless times you bend over to pick up a weight, or you’re getting in some cardio on the treadmill, and the bit of ear sweat slowly guides the earbuds to slip out. With just a gentle push and twist, the earbuds are locked and loaded.

With such a sturdy fit, we can safely say that the earbuds are as comfy as they are secure. The wingtips are made of silicone and never created pressure on our ears. The earbuds themselves, although a little on the big side, never felt too heavy or created uneasy pressure in our ears, which again is mostly due to the wingtips.

Unfortunately, the case isn’t much to write home about…

It’s a little on the big side and almost square-shaped. The case does not flip open and instead rotates open, which to us feels like it might break easier. Slipping in the earbuds can also be a bit tricky. They don’t snap in quickly or easily, and if misplaced, won’t charge correctly.

Sound

Overall, these are crowd-pleasers. They don’t try to go for a neutral sound but also don’t lean into the overly bass sound that other brands tend to. They aren’t as crystal clear as a pair of over-ears, but for the small size of the drivers, they sound fairly decent.

The greatest part about the sound is the ANC. Being a precursor to the now legendary WF-1000XM3, the ANC on here might not be as refined but still works great. Furthermore, they are some of the best noise cancelling earbuds you can buy.

Whether you find yourself in a coffee shop, work office, or at home, they do well isolating low hums and rumbles from air conditioners, fridges, and the like. These are the perfect airplane or train companions.

The Connect app

This offers plenty of different EQ options. Including a bass boost if you prefer a more pronounced low-end. We decided to try the bass boost as well as with the EQ off.

The bass boost quickly knocked our socks off…

There is a massive difference between the EQ off and bass boost. Listening to The Weeknd’s “Starboy” with the EQ off, we were greeted by a decent amount of low-end with the thumping drum line coming in immediately.

Drums are clear, with very little muddiness present. When the chorus comes, the piano and synths are well presented, although a little softer than we’d like. There is a faint amount of auditory masking taking place. Although not as noticeable as when we turned on the bass boost.

Replaying the same song, we found the bass and kick drum to be very demanding. They take up a lot of headroom in the already narrow soundstage. But leave just enough for the rest of the mix to not turn into a cacophony. As a result, these are some of the best sounding sports earbuds we have reviewed.

Connectivity and Features

These earbuds come with Bluetooth version 4.1, which is a bit outdated. Performance is still great, though. And we had no cut-outs or other connection issues.

The biggest letdown here is the fact that Sony added AAC codec support, but not aptX. AAC offers better sound quality over a wireless connection but is almost half the bitrate as aptX, which is the superior codec. Fortunately, standard SBC is also on offer.

Pairing is easy…

Especially if your device supports NFC, if so, pairing is just a tap away. Otherwise, you will have to connect and pair the left earbud first, then take out the other earbud that will automatically connect to the main earbud.

Battery life is probably the worst part of the earbuds. With ANC on and volume around 75%, we managed to only get around three hours of playback time. This isn’t great, especially if you’re on a long flight or train trip and want a pair that will last around eight hours.

The case does add another two full charges, but considering you’d have to stop what you’re doing and wait for them to charge is still frustrating. The case itself charges using micro-USB, which means there is no fast charging.

Who is the Sony WF-SP700N for?

These are obviously marketed towards the gym fanatics. And we can, without a doubt, recommend these to anyone looking for some of the best ANC wireless earbuds currently on sale.

If you have daily commutes on a train or bus, these will help drown out all the noise from the daily hustle. They can also help you get your work done if you are a coffee shop warrior working online.

Sony WF-SP700N Review – Pros and Cons

Looking for more great earbud or headphone options?

If so, check out our in-depth reviews of the Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds, the Most Durable Earphones, the Best Waterproof Headphones for Swimming, the Best Earbuds with Microphone, or the Best Workout Headphones and Earphones you can buy in 2023.

And don’t miss our comprehensive Skullcandy Indy True Wireless Review, our JLab JBuds Air Icon Review, our Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO Review, our Sennheiser Game One Review, and our SteelSeries Arctis 7 Review for more amazing audio currently on the market.

Sony WF-SP700N Review – Final Thoughts

Considering you can now get these on sale for under $100 at certain retailers, it is well worth owning a pair of these. They offer decent active noise cancelling that is superior to any other product at the same price.

The Sony Connect app is great, easy to use, and adds a lot of versatility. They are super comfy and are not only perfect for gym-heads but commuters as well.

So, until next time, happy listening.