Sony WF-XB700

Atypical model from Sony

By introducing the WF-1000XM3, which has become a classic, Sony has earned the title of "king of noise cancelers" and has been bending its line ever since, releasing new TW models rarely, but aptly. However, the new WF-XB700, released in the spring of 2020, is out of the general vector. Older models took their toll with the ability to customize the headphones for themselves and distance themselves from the outside world as much as possible. The new ones are more like sports headphones from JBL. And that's why.

Athletes will love it

The WF-XB700 cut to zero all sorts of cool features that usually lure headphone sellers. The proprietary Sony Connect application is not supported by them, there is actually no possibility for customizing control or adjusting the sound. This time. For some reason, the proprietary noise reduction was removed without equipping the headphones with even a simple ANC. For a price of $150, this is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. This is two. The conversational microphone has also been simplified as much as possible. It's three. Now we consider what has come in their place. The case is now protected from moisture. You won’t go to the pool with them, but they will survive the ingress of raindrops or sweat. The battery life has increased significantly. If the old models held a charge for about 3 hours, the WF-XB700 can play all 9. But the ergonomics are at the same level - the headphones look massive and clumsy, but at the same time they sit surprisingly comfortably in the ears, not distracting from walking or cycling. Although, carrying them for half a day is still inconvenient. The reason for comparing with JBL lies in the nature of the sound of these headphones.

Accentuated bass and slightly swollen mids

The first thing that catches your eye (or rather in your ears) is the bass. TW headphones of previous generations had trouble with low frequencies, more modern models leveled the situation, but now we have a reason to talk about almost full-fledged bass, which is not inferior to ordinary vacuum headphones. So, the low frequencies of the WF-XB700 are a pleasant surprise, there is a lot of bass, but it does not roar and does not obscure the rest of the instruments. On the contrary, he has enough softness and delicacy, but not enough to sound sluggish and boring. The downside of the WF-XB700 is the midrange, which lacks definition and detail. Because of this, listening to podcasts or watching TV shows is not very convenient, they are more like musical headphones for every day than a universal headset.