Sony WF-C510 Earbuds Review: Premium Sound On A Budget

Sony is known for making excellent premium audio products and its audio accessories have always been my top recommendation. However, the high cost attached has often been a dealbreaker for many people. But with the new WF-C510 earbuds, I genuinely believe Sony is changing that perception. I’m impressed with what Sony has done here. These earbuds bring Sony’s signature sound quality to an affordable price range -- something we have all been waiting for.It is designed for the masses to experience premium audio for under Rs 5000.The new earbuds are not just lightweight and compact -- they are one the best earphones available especially for those who spend most of their time in a loud environment. The WF-C510 offers many reasons why even without Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), it is still a better option than many ANC earbuds available in the market.

Let’s look at why these earbuds stand out in the budget category. Comfort And FitThe Sony WF-C510 earbuds are available in four colours, I got the blue one that comes in a soft matte finish. They are really compact and lightweight, making them super easy to carry around.

The pill-shaped charging case fits perfectly in the small pocket of jeans. On the front, there's an LED light and on the back, you'll find a USB-C port along with a pairing reset button.

Now coming to the earbuds, they are well-built and weigh only 4.6 grams. The earbuds are small, lightweight and have an in-ear design. They look nice and premium. The WF-C510 have physical click buttons on the top for easy control of music and calls, which I really liked as I always prefer physical buttons over touch controls. The buds also come with an IPX4 rating, that means they can handle mild splashes.

Well, Sony knows how to make earbuds that block out most outside noise. After wearing them for long hours, I was impressed by how well they fit. The compact and lightweight design even makes them suitable for gym workouts or runs. I even shook my head to check if they would stay in place and they held on perfectly. ConnectivityThe WF-C510 buds have Bluetooth 5.3 with support for SBC and AAC audio codecs. They come with Google Fast Pair, making it super easy to connect them to Android phones. For my iPhone, I used the pairing button placed at the back side of the charging case. It did take some time to pair but I have no complaints here.

You can also download the Sony Sound Connect app from the Play Store or App Store, to make the paring process even better. Plus, the buds come with dual pairing, that means you can connect them with two devices at the same time. Overall, I feel that they offer seamless connectivity on both Android and iOS devices. Features, Audio Quality And PerformanceInstead of using Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Sony has introduced the Ambient Sound Mode feature in the WF-C510 earbuds. This mode, which you can enable through the app, allows you to hear your surroundings while enjoying your music. I found this feature particularly useful since I live near Laxmi Nagar in East Delhi, one of the crowded areas in the National Capital.With other earphones that offer ANC, I often had to take them off while walking or commuting. However, with the WF-C510, I didn't have that issue at all. These earbuds allowed me to stay aware of my surroundings while still enjoying my music.

The ambient sound setting also includes a voice passthrough option, that allows clearer conversations by capturing human voices while reducing background noise.The earbuds also come with features, including preset equalizers, customisable equalizer settings and personalised 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 earbuds.The WF-C510 earbuds have 6mm drivers that provide a lively and clear sound. I was impressed by how detailed the highs and mids are for earbuds in this price range. The bass is decent but it might not be as deep as some people expect. I played songs of Diljit Dosanjh and Sonu Nigam on Apple Music and the experience was amazing.- The sound can get quite loud without distortion even at maximum volume.- While the WF-C510 don't have ANC, they still block a lot of outside noise and I didn't feel like I was missing anything.- Even in busy places, the earbuds provided clear sound while still letting in some outside noise, which kept a nice balance.

- With the Sony Sound Connect app, you can also customise the equalizer settings.- Even though there’s no dedicated gaming mode, I found the earbuds good for casual gaming.- I also tried them for watching movies and I was satisfied with the performance.For under Rs 5,000, the sound quality is definitely above expectations.When it comes to phone calls, the audio quality is impressive. Each earbud has two microphones that work together with in-built software to reduce background noise. While the Sony WF-C510 earbuds shine in sound quality, I did notice one drawback -- the microphones could be better.

They struggle to pick up voices clearly, especially in noisy places. I did experience issues with voice clarity during calls in crowded spaces.When it comes to battery life, Sony claims the WF-C510 earbuds can last up to 11 hours on a single charge. In my testing, I got about six to eight hours on full charge, which is impressive. Plus, they also support fast charging that gives an hour of playback with 10 minutes of charging. Should You Buy?For under Rs 5000, I would definitely recommend music lovers to try the Sony WF-C510 earbuds. 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 the call quality isn't ideal in noisy environments, the overall design and decent battery life make them a strong contender in this price range.