Sony WF-XB700: Extra Bass Series Wireless Headphones 2022

4.5 / 5 ( 35 votes)

Today, in the Sony WF-XB700 review, I will look at perhaps one of the most interesting Sony wireless headphones in terms of price/quality. The WF-XB700 Extra Bass offers benefits like built-in controls, light weight, water resistance and more, but for this budget you sacrifice the TWS earbuds' more attractive features.

The Sony WF-XB700 has a lot to offer: they have excellent sound quality, comfort during long listening sessions, and an 18-hour battery life. Among the minuses, I will highlight the shape and the lack of noise cancellation (ANC), however, these are one of the best wireless headphones from Sony.

• Advantages and disadvantages
• Completeness and characteristics
• Set
• Characteristics

• Release date and price
• Design
• Sound
• Features of work
• Sony WF-XB700 competitors
• Working hours
• WF-XB700 Review Summary

Completeness and characteristics

Set

• Headphones Sony WF-XB700
• Silicone ear pads
• Charging case
• Instructions

Characteristics

Specifications Sony WF-XB700

Advantages of the model

• Closed overhead bowls.
• Gyroscopic suspension, swivel cups, soft ear pads and a sliding plastic headband that is easily adjusted.
• The design of the cups includes an acoustic labyrinth.
• XB speakers with a diameter of 30 mm.
• Bass Booster system powered by two AAA batteries.
• Ribbon wire 1.2 m long with a standard 3.5 mm plug.

Brief review of Sony WF-XB700

The Sony WF-XB700 (True Wireless) wireless headphones turned out to be really good for their price. The gadget has become noticeably better than the WF-1000X and WF-SP700N and, without a doubt, has expanded the collection of Sony wireless headphones.

This is the result of many years of painstaking work by the Sony development team, which began with the development of the Sony WF-1000X and the sports Sony WF-SP700N, and then created the ideal Sony WF-1000XM3 with active noise reduction.

• Best Noise Canceling Headphones (ANC): Ranked 2022

The latter are still the best wireless earbuds (TWS), but our review of the Sony WF-XB700 found them to be more affordable and attractive. And in some places they can even compete with Apple AirPods.

Are headphones with a comfortable fit, balanced, rich sound (Extra Bass here for a reason) and an IPX4 rating with an 18-hour battery life right for you? Below in the review of the WF-XB700 I will tell you in detail about all the nuances!

Design

With the exception of the metal base of the headband, the design is made entirely of textured plastic.
In appearance, the headphones resemble other models of the company: Sony MDR-ZX770BN and MDR-1000X. They have a comfortable fit, do not fall off with sudden movements and do not cause discomfort when worn for a long time. In addition to the standard black color, the manufacturer offers blue and red options. The Sony logo is located on the outside of the 90-degree rotating cups. This feature allows you to protect the speakers from water droplets and dust when wearing the headphones around your neck. On the right is the corporate icon for NFC wireless connection technology.

Photo: headphonesty.com

The soft ear pads are covered with artificial leather. Unlike circular ear cups, the ear pads have an oval shape that completely covers the listener's ears. The disadvantage of the design is poor air circulation, which leads to the formation of sweat in the places where the headphones come into contact with the auricle after 2-3 hours of listening to music.

The metal base of the headband is half covered with durable plastic. On top there is an artificial leather overlay, which, due to its short length, is less susceptible to cracks from constant stress. When using the headset, the sliding design remains in place, creating optimal clamping force.

Photo: headphonesty.com

On the outer panel of the left cup there are buttons for turning on the device and the Bass Effect function, a connector for a micro USB power plug, a 3.5 mm jack for connecting an audio cable and a built-in microphone. On the right side there are volume controls, and a multifunction button with the ability to stop/start a song, answer a call, and scroll through a track.

The battery life of the Sony MDR-XB950B1 is 18 hours.

However, according to data from Yandex.Market users, the device is capable of playing audio files 2 hours longer than the stated values. A full battery charge takes 4 hours.

Photo: headphonesty.com

The downside of the model is the lack of an automatic shutdown timer after pairing via Bluetooth and the ability to turn on music while charging the battery. To use mains power, you will need to buy an adapter.

Using a 1.2 meter cable with two 3.5 mm plugs, you can connect the headphones to an audio device and continue listening to music when the battery is low. Gold-plated contacts provide resistance to corrosion and oxidation.

The MDR-XB950B1 are designed for listeners with an active lifestyle. The foldable design allows you to use the headphones while walking around the city, traveling or hiking. That's why the lack of a protective case or bag as standard was strange.

Photo: headphonesty.com

Release date and price

The Sony WF-XB700 headphones launched in April 2022 and are the latest addition to the Sony Extra Bass Headphones series. The gadget was announced together with the Sony WH-CH710N and immediately went on sale together.

In terms of price, the Sony WF-XB700 is one of Sony's cheapest wireless headphones and costs $130 (9,500 rubles) . This is significantly cheaper than the Sony WF-1000XM3, which currently costs $200 (about 15,000 rubles), but remember that the latter has active noise cancellation (ANC), while the WF-XB700 does not.

Compared to other true wireless earbuds, the Sony WF-XB700 is priced right in the middle, slightly cheaper than the Apple AirPods ($140) that currently dominate in terms of sales. Which of these headphones you should use will likely depend on what mobile operating system (OS) you're using.

Design

The WF-XB700's appearance is clearly different from the past true wireless earphone models that Sony has produced. That's because the company usually chooses a round, oblong shape that resembles a bean.

The WF-XB700 definitely shares design similarities with its predecessors, but looks more like a round disc.

The color scheme is not rich, but in Sony style:

• black
• dark blue

On the outer edge of each earbud you'll find a button: on the left earbud you have volume up/down, and on the right you have play/pause and track change. You can also use them to activate your voice assistant and receive calls.

The WF-XB700 headphones have three parts: a tip that fits into the ear canal, a middle section that houses the drivers (located inside the ear), and an outer shell that houses the battery. This three-tier design isn't cost-effective and won't appeal to people who just want small, sleek earbuds. But the Sony WF-XB700 has some advantages.

Due to their size, they completely fill the ear canal. This gives a feeling of security, and the low weight makes the gadget surprisingly comfortable and pleasant to wear for a long time, and such density gives excellent sound. If the default eartips are not suitable, then you can choose the ideal ones for you - the kit includes several additional earpads.

If we talk about the Sony WF-XB700 case, the plastic case is quite thin and uses a translucent cover that allows you to see the charging status of the headphones. To charge, simply insert the earbuds into the charging docks and wait until the red LED lights up. To charge both the case and the headphones, simply connect them using a USB Type-C cable.

Review of SONY MDR-XB950B1 EXTRA BASS headphones

In this review, we will look at SONY headphones model MDR-XB950B1 EXTRA BASS. The company presented these headphones in 3 colors: classic black, very bright red and blue. These headphones have both wireless and wired connections.

Characteristics

• Connection type: Wireless, wired.
• Cable length: 120 cm.
• Bluetooth: 4.1
• NFC: yes.
• Microphone: yes.
• Size: Full size.
• Emitter design: Dynamic.
• Acoustic design: Open.
• Minimum frequency: 3 Hz.
• Maximum frequency: 28000 Hz.
• Talk time: 18 hours.
• Time to full charge: 4 hours.
• Weight: 280 g.

Set

When purchasing these headphones, the headphones will come in a parcel, in a cardboard box. The box itself shows the headphones themselves, the company logo and information about the headphones.

After opening this box, inside there is another box, black. There are no images or inscriptions on it.

This box contains the headphones themselves, a microUSB charging cable, as well as a cable for connecting AUX Jack 3.5 Jack 3.5. Unfortunately, the cable is lost.

There are also very accessible and understandable instructions for connecting. And instruction manual.

Connecting headphones to your device

Connection is possible using an AUX cable. Connection via bluetooth and NFC. The headphones connect to both Android and iOS. Here are connection examples.

There is a program for headphones; you can download it from the Play market and App store. You can choose the sound that suits you using different modes and increasing or decreasing the bass. You can also perform an ear analysis and install an additional application, but this is not necessary.

Headphone capabilities

On the left side of the headphones there is a power button, two blue and orange lights (serve as indicators showing connection), a BASS EFFECT button, a connector for connecting a charging cable, a connector for an AUX 3.5 cable and a microphone.

On the right side there is a volume control button and a control lever. Using this lever, you can switch tracks (forward and backward), pause and continue playback, you can also answer and end a call.

Impression of the headphones

I've been using these headphones for about 2 years. I use them almost every day. On the way to and from work, while jogging, while watching movies. The headphones are made with high quality, this applies to both the external materials and the inside of the headphones. Hard plastic, metal insert for size adjustment, soft ear pads. It also has a very long battery life (18 hours), which is a pretty good indicator.

The sound quality of the headphones is very good, the BASS EFFECT button serves to enhance the low frequencies. If you are a fan of bass and low frequencies, this is a great option for you. If suddenly there is oversaturation of low frequencies in some composition, you can simply turn it off with a simple press of a button. At full power there are no problems with the sound, the headphones are very loud and therefore I don’t recommend listening to music at full volume for a long time, although this is everyone’s business.

The buttons for turning on the headphones, the (BASS EFFECT) button and the control lever are conveniently located. But the volume control button takes some getting used to, I never got used to it and still use the volume control on my smartphone. When connecting several gadgets to the phone it does not cause any problems, everything works well. I have a watch and headphones connected, with the help of the watch I can control music and answer calls. The microphone works very well, even in a noisy place you can hear quite well.

Advantages and disadvantages

Pros:

• BASS EFFECT button.
• Sound quality.
• 18 hours of work in active mode.
• Wired and wireless connection.
• Good microphone.
• Easy controls.

Minuses:

• There is no charging block included.
• The turning mechanism could have been made stronger.

I bought headphones from a third party seller on Aliexpress. Attention: the link is a used product.

Conclusion

Very good headphones for lovers of bass and low frequencies. Excellent sound quality, Sony knows how to make high-quality sound. They sit comfortably on the head, do not put too much pressure and do not fall off. Minus with a rotating mechanism. We fell off the table and the mount on one of the headphones broke, we had to install clips and now they don’t swivel. But the sound quality has not changed at all. You need to understand that these headphones are made for music lovers of styles where low frequencies are used. If you are a classical music lover or like to listen to the violin or cello, it is better to choose other headphones.

Sound WF-XB700

So how do the Sony WF-XB700 sound? Being part of the Extra Bass Headphones series, I was worried that they would sound muddy and limited. Fortunately, my negative expectations were not realized.

• The best headphones for music - wireless and wired models

The first thing I immediately noticed was the bass. It's made in such a way that it feels tight and sharp rather than muddy and bloated. The result is music that you actually want to listen to. In fact, you wouldn't expect anything else from the Extra Bass series. The WF-XB700's downside is the midrange: YouTube videos are noticeably quieter than listening to music, and the less powerful midrange is to blame.

This doesn't mean that YouTube or movies on Netflix are impossible to listen to, but it would be nice if there was a way to change the equalizer depending on the type of content currently playing, such as through Sony's headphone app. But now there is no such possibility.

Of course, Sony wants the WF-XB700 not only to be focused on music, but also to be great for sports (especially the gym) - which is why the model received IPX4 water protection. They also have a stable connection: when moving around the apartment while reviewing the WF-XB700, we did not experience any interference or failures. The downside is that the gadget does not receive noise cancellation, so be prepared to hear surrounding conversations when listening to music.

In my opinion, Sony could improve the limited soundstage of these headphones and add support for aptX, a higher resolution audio codec that can stream HD audio. These factors and some other factors prevent them from achieving absolute sound quality, but I am confident that 80% of people will like the sound they provide.

Features of the Sony WF-XB700

One of the best features of the WF-1000XM3 is the ability to adjust everything from noise cancellation to equalizer in the Sony app. This is not new for Sony gadgets, as many companies offer companion applications with similar functionality. Unfortunately, the WF-XB700 does not work with the application. And it's not just that certain functions are not available.

The Sony WF-XB700 headphones also don't automatically pause when you take them out of your ear, which has a real negative impact on the use of the headset. It's no surprise that these $130 headphones don't have ANC or more interesting touch controls, but it was great to be able to preset the sound or tweak the EQ to suit you.

Sony Headphones has many alternative options. The WF-1000XM3, which I've already mentioned a few times, is more expensive, although you can regularly find a pair of them for around $200. It's been about six months since their release, but they are still the best wireless headphones.

The WF-XB700 offers a comprehensive set of built-in controls that are easy to use and cover all the basic functions well. Although the design is not as ergonomic and comfortable, these are reliable wireless headphones in their price segment.

Additional settings

Free Sony app |
Headphones Connect, available on the App Store and Google Play, lets you personalize the sound of your headphones. The main interface becomes available after pairing with an audio device via Bluetooth. Using the app, the listener can adjust bass levels, view battery status and select surround sound modes: Arena, Club, Outdoor Stage and Concert Hall.

The Open Stage mode demonstrates spacious and convincing sound.

The Concert Hall option is suitable for classical or jazz music, the rest sound equally good in the pop and rock genres. Using one of the surround sound options reduces the headphone output level by several decibels.

MDR-XB950B1 optimized to work with the Sony app | Music Center (SongPal). However, according to listeners, installing the program is unnecessary, since many functions are available in the standard equalizer settings of a smartphone.

Photo: sony.ru

WF-XB700 competitors

Among the competitors of the Sony WF-XB700 at the same price I can highlight:

• Samsung Galaxy Buds+ ($150)
• Jabra Elite Active 75t ($180)
• Honor Magic Earbuds ($110)
• Huawei FreeBuds 3 ($120)

Samsung covers almost every need for the Galaxy Buds+, including the ability to run a dedicated iOS app. The Galaxy Buds+ don't have ANC, but they do have isolation mode and 11 hours of battery life. Jabra has improved its already good TWS wireless earbuds with its latest version. The Elite Active 75t is smaller and lighter, but still has good sound quality and a convenient app for adjusting the sound. They are more expensive, but remain one of the best options you can find under $200.

Battery life

With the WF-XB700, Sony promises up to 9 hours of battery life on a single charge. This is three hours longer than the WF-1000XM3. I spent a little over 8 hours testing battery life when reviewing the WF-XB700. This is an excellent result considering the volume at which I usually listen to music. The only downside is that the included charging case only offers one full charge. In most analogues you get at least 2-3 additional charges.

However, 18 hours is a decent amount of time to listen to music. And if you're in a hurry, a 10-minute charge will give you 1 hour of use.

Sony Extra Bass MDR-XB450B

Fans of energetic musical styles and bright bass will like this model of headphones - the effect of listening to music in them is magnificent. Despite the fact that this version of the acoustic accessory is more aimed at a youth audience, it has a very strict and laconic design coupled with a non-detachable cable, and the set does not include a headset for mobile gadgets. The MDR-XB450B ​​headphones sound, if assessed by the canons of high-quality sound, not bad, nothing more: for the same amount you can buy models with a more natural, bright and expressive sound. Sony's headphone line includes more classic models that are more suitable for music lovers who prefer clear sound. This version of the accessory is a very tasteful solution.