The entry-level wireless earbuds segment in the Rs. 5,000 to 6,000 range has always remained very competitive. There are lots of brands, even prominent ones racing to stand out as the best. Sony is now making things even harder for them by launching the all-new WF-C500 TWS earbuds at Rs. 5,990*. While they fall in that sweet entry-class price, they bring along a lot from Sony’s high-end earbuds for delivering a premium music listening experience. Are they a clear winner among entry-level TWS earbuds? Or does the budget price come with its own set of caveats? Let’s find out.
The Sony WF-C500 look a lot like the higher-end WF-1000XM4. They are small, compact, and come with rounded edges for a comfortable fit. The earbuds weigh 5.4 g each, so they aren’t going to be tiring even if you wear them for hours. They ship with three sizes of silicone ear tips so you can find one that’s right for you. The tips use a softer compound and offer passive noise isolation for a better music listening experience. The earbuds also come with an IPX4 rating which means they are suitable for rainy walks and intensive sweaty exercises.
These earbuds come with controls button to make the music listening experience truly wireless. You can single tap the right earbud to control playback and attend calls. A double-tap forwards the track while pressing and holding the earbud summons your smartphone’s voice assistant. A single tap on the left earbud raises the volume, while a longer press lowers it. Most TWS earbuds are available in white and black colour schemes, but WF-C500 also come in orange and green colours which sets them apart.
Build quality can be an issue with entry-level earbuds, and if you aren’t careful, they could break within months of use. Such models usually also ship with bulky cases that aren’t easily pocketable. However, the Sony WF-C500’s pill-shaped case is compact and weighs just 35 g. As it uses rounded edges, you can easily slide the case in your pocket, even when wearing tight jeans. Sony says the case is strong enough to protect the earbuds from accidental falls and bumps. Its hinge is also said to be durable enough for long-term usage. The case comes with in-built magnets to keep earbuds in their place. It uses an all-around textured matte design to prevent scratches. Its semi-translucent lid looks premium and lets you see the charging status of the earbuds.
The Sony WF-C500 are Bluetooth 5.0 earbuds supporting SBC and AAC codecs. They offer up to 10 meters of range in an open environment. The earbuds use 5.8mm neodymium full-range dynamic drivers that delivers a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz. Sony says the earbuds produce balanced and natural-sounding audio with detailed highs. The Sony Headphone app also lets you have a personalised music listening experience. It comes with an adjustable EQ feature with five bands and an additional Clear Bass band for boosting the bass. You can try out different settings and save presets to access them quickly. Most entry-level earbuds miss out on this feature, giving the C500’s an edge over them.
The earbuds support Sony’s DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine), a feature from its higher-end siblings. It upscales audio in real-time for a richer and more immersive music listing experience. These earbuds also support the 360 Reality Audio feature for a surround sound experience. For gamers, there is also a low-latency feature. All these features can be controlled using the Sony Headphone app.
Pairing the Sony WF-C500 earbuds with Android phones and Windows PC takes no time. As they support Google Fast Pair and Microsoft’s Swift Pair feature, you only have to open the lid of earbuds near these devices and tap on ‘Pair’ to get started. Android users can also locate the earbuds by ringing them, using Google’s Find My Device app. These earbuds are also compatible with iOS devices.
Sony claims the earbuds can deliver up to 10 hours of music listening time, which is quite impressive for entry-level truly wireless earbuds. The case provides another 10 hours of battery life, which means you can have nearly 20 hours of music listening time with a full charge. The device has a USB Type-C port for charging.
The Sony WF-C500 are perfect for those who want a rich audio experience at a pocket-friendly price. Features like app compatibility, adjustable EQ, solid build quality, and strong battery life clearly make the WF-C500 a winner among entry-level Truly Wireless Earbuds. These earbuds are now available at www.reliancedigital.in. You can also experience their audio quality by visiting your nearest Reliance Digital store.
Note – Prices are subject to change. Please refer to the product catalogue for more details, pricing, and availability.
