You can’t talk about big-name headphones out there in the market and leave Sony out of the discussion. Their constant release of headphone models with varying features and designs can attest to this. But beyond keeping a company active on the market, their headphones do a lot to show how Sony combines brand identity and productivity in manufacturing. The Sony WH-XB700 is one of the latest in a line of bad boys to make quite the statement. The WH-XB700’s bass comes with an oomph, making it a favorite among teenagers, high school, and college students.
However, as affordable as it is, considerations for headphones usually go beyond price. There’s always the question of whether it’s the right fit or how exactly it holds up against other products out there. People want what’s affordable, but they also don’t want trash. Can the Sony WH-XB700 give them both of that?
This review article aims to answer that question. But before we go into a comprehensive analysis, let’s have a rundown of the WH-XB700’s specifications.
Sony WH-XB700 Specifications
Weight: 195 g
Available Colors: Black and Blue
Driver Diameter: 30 mm
Wearing Style: Over the Ear
Impedance: 37 ohm
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 22,000 Hz
Noise Cancelling: Digital
Sensitivity: 103dB
Charging Time: 4 hours
Bluetooth Version: 4.2
Bluetooth Range: 10 meters
Battery Life: 30 hours
Connector Plating: Stereo 3.5 mm
Wearing Style: On-ear
Features of the Sony WH-XB700
Who it’s For
People who want to jam to really punchy bass will have a good time rocking the WH-XB700. Older people may not like this because of the way the bass resonates with the eardrums, but if you are a bass head and love to hear the thrill of the beat jump out at you, knock yourself out!. And what’s more, you can cop all that bass at a super affordable price.
Design
The Sony WH-XB700 comes in complete plastic. The plastic is thin and cheap, but it doesn’t mean that the headphone is so brittle that it crumbles to pieces at the smallest impact. However, the matte finish on the plastic gives the WH-XB700 an aesthetic lift and makes it look like some of the premium headphones in the market.
The right earcup has a volume and a multi-function button. Then the left carries the power button and another button that can be customized to perform a number of roles. It also has the TYPE-C USB format and a 3.5 mm input jack.
Comfort
It’s an on-ear headphone, so the cups aren’t supposed to be large, right? Well, that’s where you start to get things right. The earcups are quite bigger and tend to fold the ears in during use. However, the WH-XB700’s plastic build makes it light enough and allows you a quality time of good music before you start to feel the strain on your ears.
The padding on the earcups and headband are made of leather and gives the user a soft, cushiony feel. Though the headphones aren’t tight, the large on-ear cups tend to retain heat.
Portability
The Sony WH-XB700 may not exactly score high marks for its portability because it can’t be folded into a more compact form. There aren’t any hinges on the headband or on the cups. Rather, the earcups can swivel around by 90 degrees and lay flat. It makes them easy to carry along on the neck or slide into a bag. It’s not the level of compactness that people expect just yet for something they want to carry around, but it’s almost there.
Sound
The WH-XB700 promises a better sound quality than its price tag and may be living up to that. This is due to the fact that the WH-XB700 shares the same Digital Sound Enhancement Engine responsible for the awesome sound quality people get from the WH-1000XM3, which is a more expensive class of headphones. Each of the earcups are fitted with 30 mm dome-type drivers and are tuned to produce great upbeat bass without lowering the standards on the mid and high frequencies too much. The WH-XB700 is better than previous versions in its audio rendition and delivers a quite clear output despite the aggressive bass. It can be a good fit to listen to hip-hop, rap, rock, etc.
However, the bass does try to overshadow other frequencies. In such cases, a little tweaking with the EQ will get you back on track.
Connection
Though the Bluetooth version is 4.2, it still works fine with all devices. Though you can’t connect to more than one at the same time. It also supports NFC pairing if you have a device capable of being paired. If the wireless methods aren’t exactly your style, you can still dig the WH-XB700. All you need to do is plug in the AUX cord to the audio jack and continue jamming to music.
Durability/Battery Life
Great battery life has become something of a flagship feature for Sony, and they don’t leave the WH-XB700 out of it. With 25 hours of running time, you can listen to music for up to a full day without stopping for a charge. However, it takes up to 3 hours for a complete charge, and that can be a very long wait sometimes. To combat that, users can still be able to use the headphone while the battery is empty, but it has to be with the 1/8” cable in the box.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Great Battery Life
- Good Bass
- Great Sound Quality
Cons
- Lacks Quick Charge
- Fragile Build
- Portability
- Too large on-ear cups
Final Thoughts
The Sony WH-XB700 is a great choice for people who want a bit more quality without having to stretch their pockets to the last. They get a bit of the sound performance and aesthetic finish reserved for bigger headphones like the WH-1000XM3.