Today, we are going to be looking at a pair from Sony – a well-established brand in the tech field. They have numerous wireless earbuds offerings with different advertised purposes and this time, we are going to be looking at the WF-SP800N which is their workout pair option.
As mentioned, the Sony WF-SP800N is meant for fitness enthusiasts with the features that it offers such as active noise cancellation, IP55 certification for water and dust protection, and an extended battery life. It retails for $199.99 on Amazon which is how most premium earbuds are priced. While all that sounds fairly reasonable, we’re going to be looking at the Pros and Cons of this pair to ultimately determine if what they say on paper holds up to reality.
Starting off with the positives, here are the good things that we found out about this pair. Read on for the Pros.
Pros
IP55 Certified. Because this pair is catered for those who have more active lifestyles, this is great news. Being IP55 certified entails that it’s dust resistant and that it can take a sustained spray of water. Sony even mentioned that you can rinse them under a faucet after your workouts which is pretty cool as not many pairs can do this. This also means that you shouldn’t have to worry at all about getting sweaty in them or going in the rain with them as they are very water resistant.
Solid Active Noise Cancellation. For being a workout pair, this model has great active noise cancelling technology with both noise cancelling abilities and transparency mode. This means that if you really want to get in the zone at the gym, you can toggle on active noise cancellation to block out ambient noise. Meanwhile, if you’re commuting home or just want to be aware of your surroundings you can easily switch to transparency mode which is very handy as well.
Great Battery Life. This pair offers up to 13 hours of real world battery life (without noise cancellation; 9 hours with noise cancelling on). You also get an additional 13 hours in the case which is very impressive as well. This is one of the best battery lives we’ve seen thus far and we can definitely say that Sony did such a great job in this aspect.
Unique Design. Apart from the classic colorways, the WF-SP800N comes in unique tones like a cool blue and a bright red orange which is refreshing compared to the usual black, white, and beige colors that we often see. It will definitely spice up your gym outfits or will be a great statement piece even if you’re just on your daily commute.
Now with all these premium features, it’s definitely a solid pair but we’re also going to be looking at the Cons or limitations of this model. For transparency’s sake and to be able to make an objective judgment on this one, here are the not-so-good things that we found.
Cons
Large Form Factor. Compared to other pairs in the market, the form factor of this one is definitely on the larger side. This is something to keep in mind if you’re looking for something more subtle size-wise as it is pretty big. The charging case that it comes with is also pretty bulky so you wouldn’t be able to comfortably fit it in your pocket unlike many out there in the market.
Loose Fit. Unfortunately, this pair doesn’t have a secure fit even with the twist to lock instructions that Sony recommends for a good seal and even with the different silicon tip options that come with it. It falls out easily which is a shame since this could impede your workout which is an inconvenience. This is definitely something to consider since it has the tendency to fall out and get lost or damaged while on runs or hikes.
Confusing Controls. Like many other models, this pair has tap function which means that you can control different types of settings through the touch sensitive panel on each earbud. That being said, the tap function on this pair is very confusing to use as there are moments wherein it’s faulty or doesn’t work which is pretty frustrating especially if you would have to stop your workout to configure your earbuds or your music through your phone. While it doesn’t seem like a big of a deal, it is pretty inconvenient and is definitely a hassle.
Overall, the Sony WF-SP800N is a great daily option not just for those with active lifestyles but also for those who are looking for a solid noise cancelling pair. Its many great features definitely justifies the price point at which it’s at and we can comfortably recommend this pair to those who are looking for something very durable with noise cancellation and a great battery life.
Although before you take the plunge, we advise you to look over the Cons and figure out if it’s something that you can look over should you get this pair. Make sure that it meets your non-negotiables and that you’re aware of any issues that might arise with it. All in all, we hope to have helped you with your decision and with your earbud hunting in general. Let us know what you think!
