The Sony WF-C510 represent the latest addition to the company’s lineup of entry-level wireless earbuds. For those seeking uncomplicated, budget-friendly earbuds for everyday use during commutes or workouts, these no-frills options offer a straightforward solution without breaking the bank.
The C510 succeed the C500, a model that has gained popularity despite not being the most budget-friendly or feature-heavy option available. Many consumers seek a straightforward pair of earbuds from a trusted brand that meets their expectations, which is exactly what the C500 delivers.
The Casio C-510 is again attempting to capture the same market segment. Sony is unveiling a fresh iteration of its mannequin, boasting a compact design that’s not only smaller but also lighter than its predecessors, coupled with a significant enhancement in battery life, now spanning 11 hours, and introducing the added convenience of multipoint connectivity. There’s also a transparency mode available, but it does not include active noise cancellation. Despite their differences, all of these whereas models share a common $100 price tag. What’s the purpose of this query, exactly? In comparison to its rivals offering similar price points, this product stands out due to its distinctive blend of innovative features and exceptional performance. Let’s discover out.
Design and luxury
Sony’s C510 undergoes a substantial redesign compared to its predecessor, prioritizing a compact and lightweight form factor. This remarkably compact case is the smallest I’ve ever encountered, occupying almost no space in your pocket or bag. While there’s a drawback to consider, we’ll explore it further in the context of battery performance.
The C510 is now offered in four fresh hues: crisp white, sleek black, ocean-blue, and vibrant yellow – as showcased here. The soft blue and white tones are subtly rendered in pale pastels, while the yellow teeters on the edge of becoming an off-white shade, its subtlety tempered by the surrounding colour palette. The earbuds’ casing and ear tips are crafted from high-quality matte-finished plastics that showcase their subtle colour palette to great effect.
These brand-new earbuds boast a sleek design, being smaller and lighter than their predecessors. Although Sony asserts that the C510 are their smallest in-ear earbuds to date, Tiny as they may seem, these earbuds hardly occupy any space within your ears, neither protruding excessively.
The majority of the exterior surface of these earbuds is dedicated to the physical buttons that control a wide range of functions. Despite their similarities to older technology mannequins, these earbuds may be slightly too large, prompting an instinctive tendency to adjust them every time they’re inserted into your ears. Given the necessity to physically push the controls inward, you’re constantly compelled to drive your entire earbud further into your ear with every press, an experience that can be downright unpleasant.
While the C510 headphones are generally comfortable to wear, they’re particularly well-suited for extended listening sessions. Despite appearing to deviate from modern in-ear designs, these ear suggestions lack the stress-relieving feature of contemporary products, characterized by side vents that ease insertion and removal. When inserting or removing earplugs, a noticeable amount of suction is often experienced, emphasizing the importance of taking it slow to avoid applying excessive pressure that might cause discomfort or damage to the ears. I found that twisting and corkscrewing while inserting or removing them was the most comfortable approach for me. Upon entering, I surprisingly experienced no sense of unease.
The C510 exudes a sense of robustness and solidity, defying its entry-level status with a construction that feels truly premium. Additionally, these earbuds feature an IPX4 rating, rendering them splash-resistant for worry-free use in humid environments.
Software program and options
The C510 headphones seamlessly integrate with Sony’s updated Sound Join app, a revamped version of their long-standing software solution. Initially, the interface appears streamlined, but this is merely an illusion born from Sony’s tactic of concealing options within a labyrinthine menu, thereby relegating the clutter to a hidden realm where it can still hinder navigation. With this additional feature, the app now offers an even more seamless user experience. Despite its convenience, the process still requires an unnecessarily lengthy sequence of actions to set up.
As a basic mannequin, the app offers limited customization options. The Ambient Sound Management, also known as Transparency Mode by Sony, is a key feature that enables proper tuning of the primary aspect. You can simply turn it on or off or adjust its level. There’s also a Voice Passthrough mode that optimizes voice quality above all else.
The app also features a comprehensive equalizer (EQ) with five distinct frequency bands, as well as a dedicated Clear Bass control slider. A plethora of presets exist, along with three tailored options for your personal use. If an equalizer (EQ) seems overly complex, Sony offers a innovative feature that lets you select from five pre-curated sound profiles that effectively render one of the most pleasing options for your music playback experience. You have the flexibility to further refine your selection after choosing from this diverse range of five options. The app creates a personalized equalization (EQ) profile based on your preferences and stores it among numerous customizable profiles for future use.
The app also features Sony’s proprietary 360 Reality Audio technology, offering an immersive listening experience with three-dimensional surround sound capabilities. To optimize sound localization, calibrate the function to suit your unique head and ear shape by recording a video of your ears; the application will subsequently generate a personalized HRTF profile tailored to your individual anatomy. Apps utilizing this format to provide audio content seamlessly. As time passes, relatively few apps are attempting this approach, making it increasingly unlikely for new entrants to emerge. The generated profile cannot be utilized outside these apps, rendering it useless for formats like Atmos; thus, creating one is essentially a futile exercise.
Sony’s DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) is touted as a technology capable of reviving lost detail in compressed audio files. The utility of this function is largely limited to its original intent for working with highly compressed audio files, rendering it practically ineffective when applied to higher quality recordings. Despite toggling it alongside Spotify audio, there was no discernible difference in sound quality.
The application further empowers users to personalize the functionality of the earbud buttons. While the performance offers some flexibility, users are limited in their ability to customize, having the freedom to assign ambient sounds and playback controls to specific buttons; conversely, they can modify playback management gestures to suit their preferences. As I navigate my music app, I find myself consistently thwarted by the accidental triggering of the play/pause function due to the one-press gesture, which has become an unwelcome constant companion. It’s essential to either enable all features as they are or disable them completely.
The C510’s noise-cancellation capabilities fail to deliver a truly immersive listening experience, lacking a certain je ne sais quoi. Within a single day, this unexpected surprise exceeded expectations: who could have predicted that an entry-level pair of earbuds would boast advanced noise-cancelling technology? Despite this reality, the current landscape differs significantly, as many, if not all, rival options now boast effective active noise suppression capabilities. The earbuds’ noise-cancellation capabilities are comparable to those of the OnePlus Buds 3, offering impressive performance at a reasonable price point.
Despite its cost-cutting efforts, Sony’s latest move involves an unprecedented level of frugality, effectively sacrificing essential features such as in-ear detection for seamless pause and play functionality. I initially criticized the omission of these features in my previous review of the OnePlus Nord Buds 3, which holds significantly less value than the C510; therefore, it’s pointless to include the C510 in this comparison.
Ultimately, Sony opted for a straightforward approach, limiting its offerings to only the most basic file formats. Considering its role in developing LDAC, it’s surprisingly frugal when incorporating it into its own products.
Efficiency
Audio high quality
The C510 features a single 6mm dynamic driver that delivers a frequency response of 20-20,000Hz. The earbuds support high-quality audio streaming via SBC (Sub-Band Coding) and AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) codecs over the latest Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity standard.
Traditionally, the C-series has boasted a harmonious balance in tuning across Sony’s consumer audio lineup, earning this distinction from the manufacturer itself. Despite Sony’s reputation for balance, their sound profiles often mean sacrificing deep bass notes.
The exterior of the C510 adheres to Sony’s familiar audio aesthetic, characterized by a subtle balance of warmth and darkness, with a notable emphasis on low-end depth.
Compared to its counterparts and many rivals, the C510’s bass tuning is strikingly conservative, standing out for its measured approach. While the low-end may not impress with an abundance of low-frequency energy or mid-range punch. While there’s a minor dip in mid-bass, it never becomes overly prominent or distracting. The low-end response can often be lacking, resulting in a significant reduction of the typical thump and rumble one would expect from the deeper frequency registers.
The mids start somewhat tentatively, with gentle restraint in the lower registers before expanding into a richly textured middle and upper range. The treble is the frequency range where sound power diminishes slightly, characterized by a restrained and muted response throughout the entire spectrum. Treble lacks its usual vibrant spark, instead appearing dull and uninspiring across the entire frequency range.
What’s the purpose behind your request? Initially, the sound’s timbre appears surprisingly dull and subdued in its upper registers. Despite spending several hours on it, the task no longer frustrated me as intensely as it had at first. The sound is mellifluous, its overall tonality pleasantly harmonious. I soon found that the sonic quality was most pronounced when listening to vintage, often amateurishly recorded tracks, whose sonic clarity and vibrancy were more pronounced due to their age. My 1970s and 1980s playlist sounded phenomenal on these earbuds, boasting rich vocals and a satisfyingly detailed high-frequency response. A subtle boost in the bass effectively compensated for the scarcity of low-end frequencies on those vintage recordings.
In particular, this phenomenon extended to diverse genres that are already inherently vibrant, such as digital music alongside popular styles from Japan, Latin America, and India. One notable advantage of a subdued tuning is its ability to minimize sonic fatigue, allowing listeners to enjoy music for extended periods without experiencing discomfort.
The Casio C-510’s limitations lie in its inability to handle complex arrangements and orchestral elements seamlessly. Compositions featuring numerous layered devices often struggle with a disjointed, unclear sonic presentation. Without a rich, resonant pipe organ to anchor the composition, Hans Zimmer’s Cornfield Chase from the Interstellar soundtrack lacks the same visceral impact, instead blending seamlessly into its contrasting sonic elements; conversely, the crescendo in Mountains from the same album falls flat. As soon as the earbuds are pushed to accommodate even mildly complex audio, their sonic integrity falters, revealing the fundamentally budget-oriented character of the system.
Notwithstanding my reservations, I must admit that I was initially impressed by the earbuds’ imaging capabilities and their ability to effectively render soundstaging. Objects are expertly placed within a well-defined sonic environment, yielding impressively realistic stereo imaging.
While the C510 may lack technical spectacle, its ability to produce pleasing sound remains unaffected. Regardless of how much truth you find depends largely on what you choose to listen to?
Microphone
The Shure SM58’s predecessor, the C510, boasts impressive microphone sensitivity. Although voices have been relatively subdued, they remain mostly crisp and unobstructed, free from overwhelming artificial distortion courtesy of the effective noise reduction. The noise-cancellation technology effectively eliminates ambient distractions, while the voice quality remains consistently clear, even in noisy surroundings. Totally, a successful formula for individuals seeking high-quality names.
Noise cancellation
The C510’s noise-cancellation technology falls short of delivering a truly immersive listening experience. Despite their unassuming appearance, these earbuds boast an exceptional design, with ear tips that form a remarkably effective seal, capable of passively blocking out a significant amount of ambient noise. Frequently, I remained oblivious to distractions such as ambient noise, humming machinery, and hushed conversations nearby, my focus solely on the task at hand. While they might not effectively eliminate low-frequency hums like active noise cancellation, these headphones are still well-suited to reduce ambient noise and provide effective passive isolation, making them a suitable choice for most environments except perhaps noisy airplanes.
So good that the included transparency and Ambient Sound mode become indispensable necessities. The audio processing function consistently produces high-quality results with remarkably clear sound. The focus on vocals proves especially valuable when you simply want to tune in to those around you and filter out everything else.
Latency
The C510 exhibits average latency performance. Paired with a PC, users experience a noticeable lag of approximately 200-250 milliseconds when streaming video content. The sensitivities of modern society may vary greatly; yet, being considerate is crucial, especially when consuming content that may offend or disturb others. While some delays didn’t overly concern me, I found myself less affected when watching videos that were animated or featured minimal character interaction, thereby mitigating any frustration caused by the lag. While I wouldn’t condone using these for gaming purposes, especially given that Sony’s Bluetooth devices lack a dedicated game mode.
Connectivity
While the C510 demonstrated decent connectivity performance, The connection proved to be secure and stable, with no instances of interruption or disconnection throughout.
The sole drawback to the seamless listening experience was a faint lag between the two earbuds whenever adjustments were made to the volume level. The latency inherent in many earbuds stems from the fact that only one earbud is directly connected to the phone, while the other links to the first earbud; as a result, all signals must be transmitted from one earbud to the other.
Notwithstanding the C510’s generally reliable performance, this device exhibited an unusual delay between its left and right channels, causing one earbud to respond slightly earlier than the other with a noticeable disparity in timing. While it wasn’t excessively perilous, I still found it arduous to avoid discovering the adjustment every time the amount changed.
The C510 facilitates seamless multi-device pairing, offering users a convenient feature for connecting their phone to both a computer and tablet simultaneously. The app efficiently manages all units, ensuring seamless handling throughout.
Battery Life
With a stated battery life of 11 hours and an additional 11 hours from the case, Sony alleges that its battery enables approximately one hour of playback following a mere five-minute rapid recharge.
I was hardly surprised when the Sony C510 exceeded its quoted battery life, having witnessed similar discrepancies from the brand’s Bluetooth offerings; consequently, the device delivered a respectable 14 hours and 14 minutes of continuous audio playback without faltering. This impressive feat was achieved by a pair of wi-fi earbuds that played for over 14 hours straight without needing to recharge once, resulting in a truly remarkable outcome.
While enabling the DSEE function may compromise battery life to some degree, it’s indeed notable that the earbuds still managed a respectable duration of around 13 hours when this feature was active? Although this unusual outcome arose, given the feature’s limited impact during my testing, I would likely omit it.
After verifying the system, I managed to surpass the one-hour mark with DSEE disabled and narrowly miss it when enabled, which confirms my findings.
Although the battery life is impressive, it’s essential to note that the charging case can store an additional charge for the earbuds. While a 25-hour battery life may seem reasonable, it lags behind many competitors that can sustain longer playtimes while storing more energy overall. While observing, more than 14 consecutive hours of continuous playback may not appeal to many users when considering earbuds.
Conclusion
Sony’s latest foray into the entry-level earbud market yields mixed results. One advantage of these earbuds is their sleek, compact design, which pairs nicely with the case’s slim profile; additionally, they boast an impressive battery life that easily supports extended periods of continuous listening. This wireless earbud boasts impressive microphone efficiency and seamless connectivity capabilities, effortlessly supporting dual-unit pairing for a truly immersive listening experience. While the noise cancellation may not be particularly robust, the headphones’ passive sound isolation functions reasonably well, and the Ambient Sound mode proves to be surprisingly effective.
While the robust suction providing passive noise isolation in the earbuds is effective, it may still feel uncomfortably tight. The buttons on the aspect are easily accessible with intuitive pressure sensitivity, offering limited customization options within the app. It’s astonishing that there isn’t even basic in-ear detection for automated play/pause functionality in this 2024 audio product, especially considering its entry-level status. While impressive for its time, the passive noise isolation pales in comparison to the precise active noise cancellation (ANC) offered by many competitors today. While suitable for casual use, the latency may prove excessive for serious gamers seeking a seamless experience. While the case itself has a limited budgetary impact on overall battery life?
While high-quality sound may seamlessly integrate with various products, its exceptional nature is often fleeting, providing a pleasing experience in specific genres but falling flat in others.
Depending on your location, the WF-C510 may be valued similarly or even higher than its competitors, including the popular OnePlus Buds 3. The OnePlus option stands out as a clear winner in nearly every category, making it challenging to recommend the C510 solely based on price. If your heart is set on a Sony product within a specific budget, you’re limited to exploring their offerings in that price range.
