After the success of its WF-1000XM3 earbuds, Sony has expanded its wireless earbuds range with the WF-SP800N and WF-XB700.
The WF-SP800N (£180) is a wireless earbud for those who enjoy active lifestyles and come stacked with technology. The SP800N gets an IP55 resistance rating, meaning it can survive splashes of water, plus sweat and dust. You can even put them in the wash.
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Being able to control on the move is always important, and the earbuds’ Smart control technology allows the wearer to fiddle with playback by placing your finger over the right earbud. Volume control can be done via a similar action on the left earbud. The Quick Attention Mode from the full-sized over-ears also makes an appearance. Just hover your right hand over the right earbud and you can chat with your friends.
Sony promises the fit won’t be anything less than comfortable, with the earbuds curved design and soft-cushioned arc/wing-tip for support. Just like the WF-1000XM3, the WF-SP800N have noise-cancelling, and battery life is an impressive 9 hours from a single charge, with another 9 in the charging case for 18 in total. Turn noise cancelling off, and it jumps up to 26 hours. A quick 10 minute charge provides 60 more minutes.
Sound can be customised through equaliser settings in the Sony Headphones app, which is where you can activate Ambient Mode to let sounds from the outside world in. The earbuds also feature Advanced Adaptive Sound Control, which switches ambient levels on the fly depending on what you’re doing.
If those features weren’t comprehensive enough, the WF-SP800N also have Sony’s 360 Reality Audio, which turns (compatible) music into a 3D audio experience. Voice assistants include Google Assistant and Alexa, and colour options are a choice of black, white and blue.
The cheaper WF-XB700 (£130) was announced a while back but is now available in Europe.
Available in black and blue finishes, these earbuds have Sony’s EXTRA BASS technology for improved bass response, the same Ergonomic Tri-Hold striucture seen on our current true wireless favourites, the WF-1000XM3, for a more secure fit. Battery life is the same as the WF-XP800N with 18 hours in total. An IPX4 rating means they’re also suitable for use at the gym or in wet conditions.
Both the WF-SP800N and WF-XB700 are available now for £180 and £130 respectively.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
