Sony usually loves to flex. They’ve got the massive WH-1000XM5 headphones and the high-end WF-1000XM5 buds that cost a small fortune and cancel out noise like a vacuum seal. But the Sony WF-C510 earbuds are different. They aren't trying to be the most powerful things on the planet. Honestly, they’re basically Sony admitting that most of us just want something that works, doesn't fall out of our ears, and won't break the bank if we lose one in a drain pipe.
The WF-C510 replaces the older WF-C500. It’s a big deal because the C500 was a cult classic for people who hated the "stem" look of AirPods. Now, Sony made the new ones even smaller. Like, significantly smaller. If you have tiny ears and most earbuds feel like you're trying to shove a golf ball into your skull, these are probably the answer you've been looking for.
The Smallest Buds Sony Ever Made
It’s hard to overstate how tiny these things are. Sony claims they are their smallest closed-type earbuds ever. When you hold the case, it feels like a pill container or a tube of lip balm. It’s light. Almost too light? Some people might think they feel a bit "plasticky" compared to the premium leather-and-metal vibe of the flagship models, but that’s the trade-off for weight.
They fit. That’s the main thing.
Sony used a matte finish this time around. It’s grippy. If you’ve ever had those glossy earbuds that fly out of your fingers like a wet bar of soap, you’ll appreciate the texture here. The buttons are physical, too. Thank goodness. No more accidental pauses because your hair brushed against a touch sensor or you were trying to adjust the fit while running. You actually have to click them. It feels tactile and deliberate.
What about the battery?
You get 11 hours. Just from the buds. That is actually kind of insane when you consider how small the housing is. The case gives you another 11, totaling 22 hours.
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Sure, some competitors offer 40 hours total with the case, but those cases are usually the size of a deck of cards. Sony went for pocketability. A quick 5-minute charge gives you an hour of playback, which is the "oh crap, I forgot to plug them in before my commute" lifesaver we all need.
The Sound Quality Reality Check
Let’s be real: these are sub-$60 earbuds. They aren't going to sound like a $300 pair of Sennheisers. But, because they are Sony, they have access to the DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine).
Basically, DSEE tries to fix the high-end frequencies that get crushed when music is compressed into a Bluetooth stream. It makes Spotify sound a little less "thin." Out of the box, the sound is balanced, maybe a bit safe.
But you have to use the Sony Headphones Connect app. If you don't, you're missing out. The "Bright" preset or the "Excited" EQ setting really wakes these drivers up. They use 6mm drivers, which sounds small, but the tuning is punchy. The bass doesn't distort even when you crank it, which is where most cheap earbuds usually fail and start sounding like a blown-out car speaker.
Multipoint Connection is the Hero Feature
For a long time, cheap Sony buds only let you connect to one thing at a time. It was annoying. If you were watching a video on your laptop and your phone rang, you had to manually disconnect and reconnect.
The Sony WF-C510 earbuds fixed this. They have Multipoint Connection.
You can stay connected to two devices simultaneously. It works surprisingly well. You can be on a Zoom call on your Mac, hang up, and immediately play a podcast on your iPhone without touching a single setting. This used to be a premium feature. Seeing it at this price point makes it really hard to justify spending more on the higher-end models unless you absolutely need top-tier noise canceling.
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Ambient Sound Mode vs. No ANC
Here is the kicker: there is no Active Noise Cancellation (ANC).
Wait, don't leave yet.
The physical fit of these buds provides "passive" isolation. They plug your ear canals quite well. It’s not going to silence a jet engine, but it cuts out a lot of the hum in a coffee shop.
Instead of ANC, Sony gave these an Ambient Sound Mode. This uses the microphones to feed outside noise into your ears so you can hear traffic or someone talking to you. It’s surprisingly natural. It doesn't have that "static" hiss that a lot of budget transparency modes have. It makes these great for runners or people who walk their dogs and don't want to get snuck up on by a rogue cyclist.
- IPX4 water resistance (sweat is fine, swimming is not).
- Fast Pair for Android.
- Swift Pair for Windows 11.
- 360 Reality Audio (if you use Tidal or Amazon Music).
What’s Missing?
There is no wireless charging. You have to use the USB-C port.
There is also no wear detection. If you take an earbud out of your ear, the music keeps playing. You have to manually pause it. To some, that's a dealbreaker. To others who find auto-pause sensors annoying and glitchy, it's actually a feature.
The microphones are... okay. In a quiet room, you sound fine. Clear. On a windy street in Chicago? The person on the other end of the call is going to hear that wind. Sony improved the mic structure from the C500, but it’s still a budget setup.
Comparison: C510 vs. The Competition
If you look at the Jabra Elite 4 or the Soundcore Liberty series, the market is crowded.
Soundcore usually offers more "features" for the money, like ANC and longer total battery life. But Soundcore's app is a mess and their fit is often bulky.
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Jabra is exiting the consumer earbud market, which makes their stuff feel like a risky "legacy" buy right now.
Sony wins on the ecosystem. The app is rock solid. The connection is stable. And frankly, the resale value or support for Sony products is just better. These buds feel like they were designed by people who actually use earbuds every day, rather than a marketing team trying to check every box on a spec sheet.
Is the Upgrade Worth It?
If you already have the WF-C500 and they still work perfectly, you probably don't need to rush out and buy these. The sound quality isn't a massive leap forward.
However, if your old buds are dying, or if you are tired of switching Bluetooth settings between your phone and tablet, the Multipoint support alone makes the Sony WF-C510 earbuds worth the upgrade. The smaller size also means they are way more comfortable for side-sleepers or people who wear hats/beanies over their ears in the winter.
The green (they call it yellow, but it's totally sage green) and blue colors are also a nice touch. They look modern. They don't look like "budget" tech.
How to Get the Most Out of These
If you decide to pick these up, do these three things immediately:
- Find the right tips. Sony includes three sizes. Don't just stick with the ones that come installed. Try the larger ones. A better seal equals better bass and better passive noise blocking.
- Enable DSEE. In the app, turn on DSEE. It eats a tiny bit more battery, but the sound richness is worth the trade-off.
- Customize the Button Mapping. You can change what the clicks do. Set one side to cycle through Ambient Sound and the other to handle your playback.
The Sony WF-C510 earbuds aren't revolutionary, and they aren't trying to be. They are just a very "Sony" solution to a common problem: finding a reliable, small, and great-sounding pair of buds for under seventy bucks. They hit the sweet spot between being "disposable" cheap and "too expensive to take to the gym."
If you want a pair of earbuds that disappear into your ears and just work every time you open the case, these are the ones. Grab them in the blue or green if you're bored of black and white; they look significantly better in person than they do in the press photos. Keep the firmware updated via the app, and they’ll likely last you several years of daily commuting.