Review: SONY WF-C510 headphones

I lost my headphones and needed a replacement. Fast. I was near London Bridge and popped into Rymans stationary shop, which isn't where you'd normally expect to find quality audio equipment, but they had these Sony WF-C510s in stock. They were the most expensive thing on the shelf, which gave me some confidence. Around £50 and they were mine.

Unboxing

The box is small. Appropriately compact for the product inside. You get the earbuds themselves, three different sizes of earbud tips so you can get a proper fit, a set of instructions, and a compact carry case that's genuinely nice to have.

What you don't get is a charger cable. That's going to be annoying if you don't have a USB-C charger lying around, which most people do these days, but it's a bit of a gamble on Sony's part. On the flip side, cutting down on packaging waste is respectable, even if it's a slightly hollow gesture when people end up having to buy chargers anyway.

The carry case though is excellent. Compact, feels protective, and it doubles as an additional battery for another 11 hours of playback. That's a proper bit of design thinking.

First Impressions

These are not a hassle to use, but they're not the smoothest pairing experience I've had either. The Bluetooth connectivity is a bit clunky if you're bouncing between multiple devices, which is something I do regularly. Getting them to connect to a new device takes actual thought.

Here's the process: click the button on the case for 10 seconds, wait for the light to turn blue, then go find them on your Bluetooth settings and pair. It works, but it's fiddly enough that you'll need a moment to remember it every time. Easier headphones exist. Better pairing is available. But once they're connected to your primary device, they stick fairly well.

The sound quality out of the box is actually decent. Nothing to make you weep, but it's balanced and clear. No active noise cancellation here, but there's an Ambient Sound mode if you want to let outside noise through without taking them out. Useful for jogging. Theoretically.

After a Month of Using

A month in and I've got honest opinions. The battery life is as advertised, which is brilliant. Eleven hours from the buds themselves, and with the case you're looking at 22 hours of listening. That's a proper all-day battery situation. Charging is quick too. USB-C connection and they'll give you an hour of playback from just five minutes of charge if you're in a pinch.

The fit though is where things get tricky for me. They fall out when I jog. Just comes loose and drops. I've tried different earbud sizes and they still don't sit right during running. For casual listening or sitting at a desk, they're fine. For anything more vigorous than a walk, they're not reliable.

Volume is not an issue. These things get loud. Very loud. Which is good when you need volume, but it's also a reminder to be sensible about headphone levels. Sustained loud listening will damage your hearing, and these are capable enough to do damage if you're not careful.

The Bluetooth 5.3 connection is stable once paired. They work brilliantly with my iPhone, and Apple integration is seamless. iPadOS, iOS, it all just works without faffing.

They're also IPX4 water-resistant, which means if you get caught in rain or sweat during a workout, you're not destroying them. That's a nice safety net.

Summary

For the money and the brand reputation, these are not bad at all. You're getting proper Sony audio engineering at a budget price point. The battery life is legitimate, the sound is balanced, and they're built with recycled plastic so there's at least an environmental consideration.

The pairing process is awkward if you're a multi-device person, and they're not jogging headphones no matter what Sony's marketing suggests. But if you want solid everyday earbuds that work with your phone, charge quickly, and actually last through a full day without needing juice, these deliver.

Not perfect. But solid.