Sony WF-C510 Review: Sony skips ANC but still releases a budget TWS champ

Imagine coming out with a pair of totally wireless earphones (TWS) without ANC in this day and age for a little under $50/Rs 5,000. Sony has done just that with its WF-C510. At $47.95/Rs 4,990, they are among the most affordable new TWS that you can get from a “major” audio brand in the Indian market today. But do these new TWS have a chance of being heard in a segment dominated by better-spaced rivals?

Sony WF-C510 looks and appearance: Super light with some interesting colors

The first thing that is going to strike you about the Sony WF-C510 is their weight. While TWS are expected to be light, these are among the lightest we have used. Each bud weighs a mere 4.6 grams, and the case itself weighs 31 grams, making the entire package just a little over 40 grams in weight. While this makes them very easy to wear and carry around, the lack of weight also gives a slight impression of fragility, although the buds and case both seem built of sturdy plastic. The buds have an IPX4 rating, so they can easily survive gym and running sessions and even a stroll in not-too-heavy rain.

The Sony WF-C510 come with a very basic design. The buds themselves are dot-like, with the entire back being a button that can be pressed. They have no stems at all and come in a case that is shaped like a capsule. They will not catch much attention, but they do come in some interesting shades – blue and yellow, apart from the regular black and white. We got the yellow shade, which looked strikingly different from the routine black, grey, and white shades of TWS that we see around us. The blue shade will also make some heads turn. Both case and buds have a matte finish, which keeps stains and smudges away.

Sony WF-C510 Features and ease of use: Simple, effective features…and a slightly complex UI

Instead of packing in bells and whistles, Sony has stuck to basics with the WF-C510. The buds come with 6 mm drivers, and while they have a transparency mode, there is no active noise cancellation (ANC). This might surprise some people as ANC is becoming available even on devices at half this price, but given the general (non) performance of ANC in budget TWS, we do not see this as a deal breaker. More importantly, these buds come with multipoint connectivity, letting you connect to two devices at the same time. They come with Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity and support SBC and AAC codecs.

Using them is as simple as pressing the pairing button on the case to enter into pairing mode and then choosing the buds on Bluetooth options in the device. You can also connect the buds using Sony’s SoundConnect app (on both iOS and Android), which gives you access to a number of features and equalizers. The buds are comfortable to wear and come with six eartip options to ensure a good fit.

Controlling the WF-C510 revolves around pressing the buttons on the buds, and this is where things get a little complex. This is because Sony has kept different controls on each of the two buds. So pressing the left bud once will turn ambient sound on and off while doing the same on the right. It will pause or play a track that’s playing. Similarly, pressing the right bud twice will let you take or end a call, but doing so on the left one will launch Spotify.

Yes, you do get the hang of it over time, but we think it is a little too complex, with very limited customization options. Mind you, once you get used to it, you get a lot of control over the buds and can use them pretty much without having to touch your phone (you can even adjust the volume by repeatedly pressing the buds – left for lowering, right for raising). The buttons on the buds are clicky and responsive, although pressing them can sometimes unsettle them in your ears.

Sony WF-C510 performance: Steady audio, super transparency mode

The Sony WF-C510 shine on the performance front. They deliver good quality audio with very good clarity, although they do not have that slight bass accent that many expect from Sony’s audio products. The audio from these TWS is balanced, and interestingly, even tweaking the equalizers does not alter it too much. Of course, you can customize the equalizers but we would recommend sticking to the default setting, which delivers a good experience in terms of clarity. No single element is overstressed, making these very good for usage in just about every scenario, although gamers and action film fans, as well as bassheads, will long for a little more “thump and rumble.” Volumes are impressively loud, without any distortion – we found ourselves pretty content with the volume at about 65-70 percent. The buds also come with Sony’s 360 Reality Audio, but support for this is limited to a few apps at the time of writing, which limits their benefit.

They might lack ANC, but the WF-C510 more than compensate with an excellent transparency mode or what Sony terms Ambient Sound Control. This lets you hear external sounds, and if you turn on Voice Passthrough, it highlights voices while suppressing other noises. And it actually works far better than most TWS at this price. In fact, if you have got a good fit on the buds, switching the Ambient Sound Control on and off almost gives you an ANC-like feels.

Multi-point connectivity works smoothly, and call quality is good, too, although those we spoke to sometimes said our voices sounded a little faint.

Battery life is surprisingly good when you consider how light the buds are – we comfortably got close to 8-9 hours with Ambient Sound Control on, and Sony claims that turning off the feature will add another 2-3 hours to the battery life. The case effectively doubles this, allowing one full recharge, which might seem a little on the lower side, as most cases tend to give at least two top-ups, but given the good battery life, we do not think this is a deal breaker. Charging the buds and the case takes about three hours, although there is a fast charge option of sorts that lets you get an hour of audio with five minutes of charging.

Sony WF-C510 Review Verdict: A good option for those with basic rather than bass-ic needs

At $47.95/Rs 4,990, the Sony WF-C510 are great value for money for those who want TWS that work well and are not too fussy about ANC or a bass-heavy audio signature. While there are a number of other brands that offer TWS with better specs on paper and with ANC at sub-Rs 5,000 (the OnePlus Nord series and the CMF Buds Pro 2 being the most prominent), the WF-C510 are a great option for those who simply want an efficient pair of TWS that do the basics brilliantly. You can get more bells and whistles from other buds, but in terms of sheer performance – balanced sound, great battery life, and a super transparency mode – these are very good value for money. Get the yellow or blue ones, and they will attract eyes as well!

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