Sony WF-C510

Design and comfort

The Sony WF-C510 is available in black, white, pastel blue or pastel yellow. First of all, it weighs less than 5 grams per side. It is made from recycled plastic and comes in a plastic-free box. The ergonomic design, which the manufacturer says is based on a comprehensive evaluation of different ear shapes, and the three earphone sizes ensure that the earphones fit securely and without pressure in the ear canal. Objectively, the workmanship is good for this price range, but it doesn’t look robust or elegant to me. On the contrary, the lifestyle appeal of the WF-C510 gives it a youthful, almost toy-like feel.

Technical details

The 6mm dynamic drivers and DSEE (Digital Sound Engine Enhancement) are designed to deliver good sound. SBC and AAC are supported as audio codecs, but not the in-house LDAC format. For Bluetooth, the Japanese giant has opted for the latest 5.3 standard, including multipairing for two transmitters. Sony also wants to score points with an eleven-hour battery life (with transparency mode switched off) and the same capacity via the charging cradle. The latter has a USB-C interface and supports fast charging.

Finally, the headphones are IPX4 certified, making them a good choice for sports activities.

In practice

In fact, there is little to complain about in terms of comfort. The rounded capsules sit comfortably and securely in the ear at all times. Sony’s WF-C510s do not offer noise cancellation, but they do offer good passive external isolation. However, there is an Ambient Sound Management (ASM) function that can be activated at the touch of a button to improve your awareness of your surroundings and your ability to communicate. If necessary, you can even limit the external sound that is fed to the driver, and the level of which can be controlled, to voices in the frequency band.

In our tests, the Bluetooth connection was stable and had a range of several rooms. Pairing is quick and supports the so-called Swift Pair function for pairing with Windows devices. The battery life is also good. The information seems realistic and practical.

On the left and right of the headphones, there are smooth mechanical buttons that allow you to select different functions: play music, skip tracks, answer phone calls, call a voice assistant and switch to transparent mode. Single, double, triple and repeat clicks are provided for the left and right headphones. There is also a volume control, which is activated by pressing and holding the button. Spotify can also be controlled remotely via the Quick Access function.

Sound Connect app

These features are configured via a tried and tested iOS and Android compatible app, now called ‘Sound Connect’. In addition to firmware updates (from version 1.0.4), you will find a configurator, and it is even possible to get help with equalisation settings.

Simple automatic functions provide added convenience. For example, there’s no need to switch the WF-C510 on or off when you put it in or take it out of your pocket. Music playback alternates seamlessly with phone calls, even when these are handled by a second Bluetooth device via a multipoint connection.

The unit can also be used with just one earbud.

Finally, the app includes a section on 360 Reality Audio – a proprietary format for three-dimensional sound reproduction via headphones (link with more information) that Sony has been trying to promote for several years. The test units can be optimised for this format at the touch of a button, without any further explanation. However, apart from Amazon Music Unlimited, the platforms involved are not particularly widespread, so I will not go into detail about this feature.

The sound

Harmonious and a pleasure to listen to: the Sony WF-C510 scores points with its appealing performance in everyday mobile use. On the one hand, it’s clear that you can’t expect audiophile delicacies at this price. On the other hand, these are lifestyle accessories from a company that has been serving this market competently and successfully for decades. The headphones sound balanced and powerful in neutral.

I would recommend the Sony WF-C510 for pop, rock, urban and EDM music. It serves these styles of music with an appropriate sound signature, without annoying peaks and at a powerful level (in combination with an iPhone 15 Pro). The stereo panorama is also broadly illuminated, but spatial depth, explicitly delicate dynamics or silvery trebles are not among the test unit’s main disciplines, which was not to be expected given the low price. If you like, you can use the equaliser to adjust the taste, for example to give the bass a bit more punch, which is quite successful.

DSEE’s sound enhancement is usually subtle with high quality source material such as Tidal, but can sometimes be heard as a warmer and more delicate reproduction. Some older productions sound a little tinier and bloodless without DSEE. I left it on in automatic mode. Finally, the built-in microphones provide the obligatory hands-free function. The voice quality is quite good and suitable for making calls on the move.

The bottom line

Whatever you like is allowed. You will hardly use the Sony WF-C510 at home in a designer armchair with the highest sound quality expectations. You’re more likely to take these headphones out of your pocket to listen to music when you’re out and about, travelling or doing sport, and use them to support phone calls. Not everyone will appreciate the noise cancelling, but the coherent sound quality is perfectly adequate for leisure use and can be further customised with an equaliser.