Sony WF-C500: Meet the best Sony True Wireless budget headphones

The Sony WF-C500 is a comfortable and affordable wireless headset. They do not have active noise cancellation, but the good seal they create in the ear passively reduces external sounds decently.

Sony wireless headphones remain at the high end of the market for their sound quality, and the Sony WF-C500 are no exception. They are a cheaper model than the excellent WF-1000XM4, but their performance is remarkable. In addition, they are IPX4 certified and fit any user very well. In this article we tell you about all their features, pros and cons.

Design

The Sony WF-C500 wireless headphones are small and lightweight, ideal for those who need a portable headset. They are made mostly of plastic, although they are IPX4 certified. They are fairly resistant to splashes and sweat. You can't submerge them, but you can take them to the gym.

The Sony WF-C500 Bluetooth headset package comes with three sets of tips (small, medium and large). They fit well and feel comfortable. They do not invade the ear canal too much and the texture is soft. They have a good design and stay fixed to the ear, even when you exercise.

Each cup of the Sony WF-C500 headphones weighs only 5.4 grams and you forget you're wearing them in a few seconds. Thanks to their design and compact size, you can take them anywhere for hours without fatigue. Like the glasses, the case is small and simple. It features magnets on the inside that keep them secure, although if you drop them, they might come apart.

Both cups of the Sony WF-C500 integrate task-specific touch controls. With the right cup you control playback, change songs and answer calls, with the left cup you control volume. The earpieces feature L and R symbols to make it easier for you to put them on.

Connectivity

The WF-C500s are one of the company's most affordable True Wireless and therefore do not offer the more advanced features of the best Sony headphones. However, we have little to complain about. They work with Bluetooth 5.0 technology. They also support AAC and SBC wireless codecs.

These Sony wireless headphones automatically enter sync mode by simply removing them from the case. You can also use a single earbud if you wish. Users of the Apple system can enjoy a high-quality codec (AAC), but Android owners are not so lucky.

On the other hand, to minimize the inconvenience in this regard, the application offers you the sound quality priority or connection priority modes. With the Connect Headphones app you can also access the DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) circuit, a technology that significantly improves the quality of compressed files.

The Sony WF-C500 application also supports the Sony 460 Reality Audio spatial sound algorithm. In addition, you can adjust the equalization. Moreover, you can control these Sony headphones via Google Assistant or Siri.

The Sony WF-C500 has an integrated omnidirectional microphone in each cup for making calls. To answer or end a call you only need to press once on the right cup, but you can also use the virtual assistant on your phone. Calls are clear, although they do pick up some noise.

Battery life

The autonomy of the Sony WF-C500 reaches 10 hours on a single charge and the case gives you an additional 10 hours. When you go below 50% of the capacity you hear a warning, as well as when the battery runs out.

The case integrates LED indicators, as do the cups, which indicate the charging process. A USB-A/USB-C cable is included in the package, although there is no power adapter.

The capacity is quite good for an affordable Sony headset. They also load quickly. With 10 minutes of charging, you can use them for more than an hour. Unfortunately, they do not support wireless charging.

Sound quality

The Sony WF-C500 True Wireless Bluetooth headphones do not have active noise cancellation, and to block noise you need a good seal. Fortunately, the cups do a decent job of reducing high-pitched noise, though not bass. In this respect they perform better than many In Ear headphones in this price range.

In terms of sound quality, we were pleasantly-surprised. At first it doesn't seem noticeable, but after using them for a while you begin to appreciate the good balance. The bass is not very deep, but has good textures and remains controlled. The treble is also detailed and lively.

The mid-tones stand out. The vocals sound emotional and the dimension surprised us. The Sony WF-C500 delivers coherent sound at all frequencies. They also do a good job with the dynamics of the recordings. The mixes are heard with the desired expression and the attention to the silences is noticeable.

They do not emit a very expansive sound, but they are convincing. Rhythms and tempos flow with precision. Overall, the Sony WF-C500 offers a well-balanced and pleasant audio, with a tonal neutrality that we loved.

Why do we like the Sony WF-C500?

They are perfect if you need a lightweight, portable headset. The audio is very well balanced, you can operate it with personal assistants and they are very comfortable.

Why don't we like them?

Only AAC and SNC codecs are supported. They do not integrate active noise cancellation, like the Sony WF-1000XM4, and the battery is standard. In truth, these are not very significant cons considering the price.

Conclusion on the Sony WF-C500

Good, affordable True Wireless headphones are hard to find. The market is very large and there are many options. The Sony WF-C500s seem to us to be a success. They are comfortable, offer good sound and the connectivity functions well. The value for money is excellent. Interested? Find the best price on this link.

If you are looking for cheap On-Ear headphones we recommend you check the Sony WH-CH510.

Sony WF-C500 reviews

This model has an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon. More than 60% of users rate the Sony WF-C500 with the highest score. That said, here are a few highlights from the site so that you can be guided by their own users.

• Ricardo: “I always buy Sony and I am very satisfied. They sound very good, like a Sony, and with the app you can equalize the sound. They have a good price and quality materials.”
• Javier: “They sound good and feel comfortable, but you can't turn them off except with the app or by putting them in the case.”
• lorveth: “The sound quality is good, but they make a very annoying constant background noise.”