Sony WF-C510 In-Ear Headphones Review: Premium Sound on an Affordable Budget

Sony is known for making excellent premium audio products, and their audio accessories have always been my top recommendation. However, the high cost is often a barrier for many people. But I truly believe that with the new WF-C510 headphones, Sony is changing that perception. I’m impressed with what Sony has done here. These headphones deliver Sony’s signature sound quality at an affordable price—what we’ve all been waiting for.

It is designed to enable the masses to enjoy premium audio at a price of less than Rs 5,000.

The new headphones aren’t just lightweight and compact—they’re some of the best headphones out there, especially for those who spend most of their time in noisy environments. The WF-C510 offers many reasons why, even without active noise cancellation (ANC), it is still a better option than many ANC headphones available on the market.

Let’s take a look at why these headphones stand out in the budget category.

Comfort and fit

The Sony WF-C510 headphones are available in four colors, I got blue with a soft matte finish. They are really compact and lightweight, making them very easy to carry around.

The tablet-shaped charging case fits perfectly into a small jeans pocket. There is an LED indicator on the front, and a USB-C port and a reset pairing button on the back.

As for the headphones, they are well built and weigh only 4.6 grams. The headphones are small, lightweight and have an in-ear design. They look beautiful and premium. The WF-C510 has physical buttons on the top for easy control of music and calls, which I really liked since I always prefer physical buttons to touch controls. The headphones also have an IPX4 rating, which means they can withstand light splashes.

Well, Sony knows how to create headphones that block out most external noise. After many hours of wear, I was impressed with how well they fit. The compact and lightweight design makes them suitable even for gym workouts or jogging. I even shook my head to see if they would stay in place and hold up perfectly.

Connectivity

The WF-C510 headphones are equipped with Bluetooth 5.3 with support for SBC and AAC audio codecs. They come with Google’s Fast Pair feature, making them easy to pair with Android phones. On my iPhone, I used the pairing button located on the back of the charging case. The connection took a while, but I have no complaints.

You can also download the Sony Sound Connect app from the Play Store or App Store to make the pairing process even easier. Additionally, the earbuds have dual pairing, which means you can connect them to two devices at the same time. Overall, I think they provide a seamless experience with both Android and iOS devices.

Features, Sound Quality and Performance

Instead of using Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Sony has introduced an Ambient Sound Mode feature in the WF-C510 headphones. This mode, which you can enable through the app, allows you to hear your surroundings while enjoying the music. I found this feature especially useful as I live near Laxmi Nagar in East Delhi, one of the densely populated areas of the national capital.

As for other ANC headphones, I often found myself taking them off while walking or commuting. However, with the WF-C510 I didn’t have this problem at all. These headphones allowed me to stay aware of my surroundings while enjoying music.

The ambient sound setting also includes a voice pass-through option, which makes conversations clearer by picking up human voices while reducing background noise.

The headphones also come with features such as preset equalizers, customizable EQ settings, and personalized sound profiles based on hearing tests. They also come with 360-degree audio support.

Let’s talk about the sound quality of the Sony WF-C510 headphones.

The WF-C510 headphones are equipped with 6mm drivers for vibrant, clear sound. I was impressed by how detailed the highs and mids were for headphones in this price range. Bass is decent, but may not be as deep as some expect. I played Diljit Dosanjh and Sonu Nigam’s songs on Apple Music and the experience was amazing.

– The sound can get quite loud without distortion even at maximum volume.

– Although the WF-C510 doesn’t have noise cancellation, they still block out a lot of outside noise and I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything.

– Even in busy areas, the headphones provide clear sound while still allowing some outside noise to pass through for good balance.

– Using the Sony Sound Connect app, you can also adjust the equalizer settings.

– Despite the lack of a dedicated gaming mode, the headphones are suitable for general gaming.

– I also tried them for watching movies and was pleased with the performance.

At a price point of less than Rs 5,000, the sound quality definitely exceeds expectations.

When it comes to phone calls, the sound quality is impressive. Each earbud has two microphones that, along with built-in software, reduce background noise. Although the Sony WF-C510 headphones excel in sound quality, one drawback I did notice is that the microphones could be better.

They have difficulty hearing voices clearly, especially in noisy places. I had problems with voice clarity during conversations in crowded places.

In terms of battery life, Sony claims that the WF-C510 headphones can last up to 11 hours on a single charge. In my testing, I got about six to eight hours of battery life on a full charge, which is impressive. In addition, they also support fast charging, which gives an hour of playback with 10 minutes of charging.

Is it worth buying?

For under Rs 5,000, I would definitely recommend music lovers to try out the Sony WF-C510 headphones. They are lightweight, compact and easy to carry in your pocket, making them a great choice for those on the go. The WF-C510 delivers clear sound and offers useful features like Ambient Sound Mode.

While they lack active noise cancellation and call quality isn’t ideal in noisy environments, the overall design and decent battery life make them a strong contender in this price range.