Earbuds · Model guide · Maker specs
Sony WF-C700N
Buy the WF-C700N only at a clearance price: it's Sony's older compact noise-cancelling pair, and Sony Store Japan no longer carries it.
Product images
Sony WF-C700N, from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Buy the WF-C700N only at a clearance price: it's Sony's older compact noise-cancelling pair, and Sony Store Japan no longer carries it. It runs 7.5 hours with noise cancelling on and 15 with the case, and the buds are rated IPX4. Codecs stop at SBC and AAC, so hi-res listeners should pass. Sony's Japanese site now lists the later C710N in the same range.
Who it is for
- Shoppers who find one marked down and want noise cancelling without paying flagship money. You also get ambient sound you can turn up or down, and multipoint for two devices.
- Anyone who finds bigger earbuds stick out. Sony shaped the compact body to sit close to the ear, the buds are about 4.6 g apiece, and three tip sizes come in the box.
- People who walk, commute or exercise outdoors. The buds carry an IPX4 rating for splashes from any direction, and Sony built in wind-noise reduction for both listening modes.
Who should skip it
- Listeners who want LDAC or LC3. The C700N streams SBC and AAC only; Sony's WF-1000XM6 has both.
- Anyone who wants wireless charging. The case charges over USB-C only.
- Anyone who wants Sony's flagship noise cancelling. Sony names no processor for the C700N; the WF-1000XM6 gets QN3e and Adaptive NC Optimizer.
What sets it apart
- Noise cancelling plus adjustable ambient sound in a compact bud that weighs about 4.6 g.
- IPX4 splash protection on the buds, against water from any direction.
- Up to 7.5 hours with noise cancelling on, 10 with it off, and 15 with the case; a 10-minute charge is good for about 60 minutes.
- It connects to two devices at once, Sound Connect adds DSEE, and it's certified for 360 Reality Audio.
Caveats
- Only the buds are water-rated: the case has no rating, and Sony's IPX4 rating excludes the sound outlets, vents and microphone holes.
- The cable in the box is short, about 20 cm, with a USB-A plug on the charger end.
- Talk time tops out at 5 hours, with noise cancelling on or off.
Key specs
In the same order on every earbuds page, so you can compare pairs.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Sealed in-ear; compact body shaped to sit close to the ear | Sony Japan specifications and product page |
| Fit / tips / wings | Hybrid earpieces in SS, M and LL (2 of each); no wing tips | Sony Japan product page |
| Driver / acoustic architecture | 5 mm driver; magnet type not given | Sony Japan specifications |
| Chip / processor | No processor named; Sony's QN1e, QN2e and QN3e are 1000X-line chips | Sony Japan specifications |
| Active noise cancellation | Yes; microphones on the left and right buds generate an opposite-phase signal to cancel outside sound | Sony Japan product page and specificationsSony calls it high-performance noise cancelling and gives no decibel figure. |
| Transparency / ambient | Ambient sound with an adjustable level | Sony Japan product page |
| Spatial / 360 audio | 360 Reality Audio certified | Sony Japan product page |
| Battery — buds | Music: up to 7.5 hours with noise cancelling on, 10 with it off. Calls: up to 5 hours either way. Lithium-ion battery | Sony Japan specifications |
| Battery — with case | Up to 15 hours with noise cancelling on, including 7.5 in the buds (AAC, DSEE and EQ off); no figure with it off | Sony Japan product page, footnote 1 |
| Charging | USB-C on the case; USB-A to USB-C cable, about 20 cm, included; 10 minutes gives about 60 minutes (AAC, noise cancelling on) | Sony Japan specifications and product page |
| Wireless charging | Not listed; the case charges over USB | Sony Japan specifications |
| Water / dust — buds | IPX4 drip resistance on the buds only, against splashes from any direction; sound outlets, vents and mic holes excluded (Sony footnote 3). For rain and sweat, not swimming | Sony Japan product page, footnote 3 |
| Water / dust — case | Not rated; Sony footnote 3 limits the water rating to the buds | Sony Japan product page, footnote 3 |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.2, Power Class 1, up to 10 m; 2.4 GHz band (2.4000–2.4835 GHz); A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP; SCMS-T; 20–20,000 Hz over A2DP at 44.1 kHz | Sony Japan specifications |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC | Sony Japan specificationsNo LDAC or LC3; Sony's XM6 earbuds have both. |
| Microphones / calls | Hands-free calls with phones and PCs; call noise suppression; mesh over the mic against wind; mic type not given | Sony Japan specifications and product page |
| Multipoint / device switching | Yes, two devices at once; pairs with Android phones, iPhones and PCs | Sony Japan product page |
| Weight — one bud | About 4.6 g × 2 with M tips | Sony Japan specifications |
| Finishes | Lavender, sage green, white, black | Sony Japan product page |
| Phone / OS compatibility | Any Bluetooth device, including Android phones, iPhones and PCs; Sony | Sound Connect (formerly Headphones Connect) for settings | Sony Japan product page |
| Companion app / firmware | Sony | Sound Connect (formerly Headphones Connect); DSEE is switched on in the app | Sony Japan product page |
| US launch price | No US price; open price in Japan | Sony Japan product page |
| Price band | Midrange compact noise cancelling (open price in Japan) | Based on Sony Japan's open price |
| Availability | No longer carried by Sony Store Japan; Sony's Japanese site lists the later WF-C710N in the same C-series range | Sony Japan specifications; Sony Japan headphone index |
Sony WF-C700N extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| DSEE | DSEE (not DSEE Extreme or DSEE HX), switched on in Sound Connect; Sony says it brings compressed, streamed and Bluetooth audio closer to CD-quality highs | Sony Japan product page |
| 360 Reality Audio | Certified for 360 Reality Audio | Sony Japan product page |
| Quick charge | 10 minutes of charging ≈ 60 minutes of playback (AAC, noise cancelling on, DSEE and EQ off) | Sony Japan product page, footnote 2 |
| In the box | Charging case; hybrid earpieces in SS, M and LL (2 of each); USB-A to USB-C cable, about 20 cm; warranty card | Sony Japan product page |
| Price in Japan | Open price, with no list price in yen or dollars | Sony Japan product page |
| Wind-noise reduction | Cuts wind noise with noise cancelling or ambient sound on; mesh over the call microphone | Sony Japan product page |
How the noise cancelling works
The C700N uses microphones on the left and right buds to pick up outside sound and generate an opposite-phase signal that cancels it. Sony calls it high-performance noise cancelling. The QN-series processors behind Sony’s flagship cancelling, QN1e through QN3e, belong to its 1000X earbuds, not to this pair. Each bud has a 5 mm driver.
Battery and charging
| Mode | WF-C700N |
|---|---|
| Music, noise cancelling on | Up to 7.5 hours |
| Music, noise cancelling off | Up to 10 hours |
| Calls, either mode | Up to 5 hours |
| With the case, noise cancelling on | Up to 15 hours |
| Quick charge | 10 minutes for about 60 minutes |
The 15-hour total is exactly twice the buds’ 7.5, so the case holds one full recharge with noise cancelling on. Both the 15-hour total and the quick-charge figure are for AAC with DSEE and EQ off.
Calls and Bluetooth
Bluetooth is version 5.2, with a range of up to 10 m. For calls, the C700N adds noise suppression, and a mesh over the microphone cuts wind noise.
Price, colors and where to find it
In Japan it was an open-price model, so Sony never set a list price you could hold a deal against. If you find one, compare its price with the newer WF-C710N before you buy. It came in lavender, sage green, white and black.
Sources
- Amazon — Sony WF-C700N — accessed 2026-09-20
- Sony Japan — WF-C700N product page — accessed 2026-09-19
- Sony Japan — WF-C700N specifications — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Can I still buy the WF-C700N from Sony?
Not from Sony Store Japan, which lists it as no longer carried. Other retailers may still have stock, and Sony's later WF-C710N is in the same C-series range if you'd rather buy a newer model.
Does the WF-C700N support LDAC?
No. It streams SBC and AAC only. For LDAC, look at Sony's 1000X earbuds: the XM4, XM5 and XM6 all support it. The WH-1000XM6 headphones have LDAC and LC3.
Does the WF-C700N work with an iPhone?
Yes. Pairing and hands-free calls work with iPhones as well as Android phones and PCs, and multipoint can hold two of them at once. The Sound Connect app handles the settings.
Can I wear the WF-C700N in the rain?
Yes. IPX4 protects the buds from splashes in any direction, so rain and sweat are fine; swimming isn't.
Official product page: Sony WF-C700N. Tech specs: Sony WF-C700N specs.