Sony’s high-end 1000XM3 earbuds offer noise cancellation and some of the best audio quality you’ll find in a truly wireless set, but today, the company is announcing a significantly less expensive option: the new WF-XB700 earbuds. Priced at only $129.99, the XB700s feature Sony’s signature “Extra Bass” technology for punchier sound output. At that price, Sony is undercutting competitors like Jabra and Samsung.
They last for up to nine hours on a single charge, with the battery case getting you another nine hours for 18 total. And they’ve got an IPX4 water and sweat resistance rating, so they should be able to handle your workouts and the occasional run in the rain. The earbuds use Bluetooth 5.0, and each one establishes an individual connection to your phone. For codecs, Sony is supporting AAC and SBC. The XB700s will be available this month in black and blue color options. You’re not getting any kind of noise cancellation in these, though; for that, you’ll still need to step up to Sony’s flagship pair of earbuds.
Slated to go on sale later this month, Sony’s latest Bluetooth headphones support your choice of onboard Alexa or Google Assistant, active noise cancellation, an ambient sound mode that lets you listen in on your surroundings, and (best of all) a reasonable price tag.
The $200 WH-CH710N headphones feature “smart” noise cancellation that automatically adjusts itself based on the ambient sound, which the headset detects using a pair of forward- and backward-feeding microphones.
If you actually do need to hear what’s going on around you, an ambient noise mode lets you mix nearby sounds (like honking horns) with your music
Besides the WH-CH710, Sony also announced a new pair of true wireless earbuds. The $130 WF-XB700 features Sony’s bass-boosting Extra Bass audio technology, along with Bluetooth 5 support and compatibility with smartphone voice assistants.
The earbuds also boast a “tri-hold” design that’s built to contact three different points on your ear for a more secure fit, plus an IPX4 rating for protection from sweat. One key missing feature: active noise cancellation, although you’ll generally have to pay extra for that functionality in a pair of true wireless earbuds.
As with the WH-CH710N headphones, the WF-XB700 earbuds are set to go on sale this month. the WH-CH710N also supports Qualcomm’s near CD-quality aptX or lossless aptX HD codecs. An older version of these headphones (the $130 WH-CH700N) does support aptX and aptX HD, so we’d be surprised if the newer WH-CH710N cans don’t. That said, we’ve reached out to Sony for clarification.
Design-wise, the WH-CH710N comes with an adjustable metal headband, oval-shaped earpads, and earcups that swivel flat for easy storage.
Sony promises up to 35 hours of music playback from the WH-CH710N’s integrated lithium-ion battery, and up to 200 hours of standby time. You can recharge the headset via its built-in USB-C port.