Sony WF-SP800N Review: Best Option For Work & Play
September 19, 2020The Sony WF-SP800N claims to be many things to different people, but is that enough?
Type: Wireless
Driver unit: 6mm (Dome type)
Frequency range: 2.4Ghz band
Case weight: 59g
Weight: 9.8g each bud
Battery life: Up to 18hr, long battery life charging case
Features: Digital Noise Cancellation, 360 Reality Audio
Rating: 9/10
Price: RM849.00
The pursuit of the perfect pair of wireless earphones, is considered as a frivolous endeavor, one fraught with disappointment and wasted potential. This is the story of my life, because the demands of the people far exceed what the present day’s miniscule earbuds are able to offer. The physical restraints with which the engineers have to work with, force them to make compromises.
There’s only a finite amount of space within earbuds to house the hardware drivers, the electronic circuitry that drive them, as well as those for the Bluetooth, noise cancellation, touch gesture controls and the batteries. All these components have to be crammed into a space that is no bigger than the size of a peanut. It’s a remarkable feat in itself.
In addition to this, the earbuds have to offer respectable music playback quality, maintain a stable Bluetooth connection, offer a decent level of convenience, and provide many hours of battery life. It’s a tall order for anyone, even for the titans of the tech industry. A such, something has got to give. this is why most of them are good at certain things, but awful at others.
Then, along came the Sony WF-SP800N. It’s meant for those who enjoy an active lifestyle, but in reality, fit just about anyone. The earbuds are slightly chunky at the top, but the width gradually decreases towards the bottom. The silicone buds have protruding ear hooks that grab on to the ear, and in turn offer a good level of grip.
See Also:
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live
Sony WF-800
Sony WI-1000XM2
What Are They Like?
In order to achieve a perfect seal, it’s best that you get the optimal size for your ear. Once on, they cling onto your ears in a very reassuring way. This provides little chance of them falling out, no matter how vigorously you shake your head. I’ve even used them while jogging on a treadmill and cycling on an exercise bike.
It isn’t easy to unseat the WF-SP800N, which isn’t something I say often of wireless earbuds. There are very few that fit this well and invoke the kind of confidence usually expected of large headphones. This is what adds to the music listening experience. Most wireless earbuds, even the relatively expensive ones, eventually shift out of place.
It’s an annoying attribute of most earphones, wired or wireless. You would need to periodically reseat them to prevent ambient noises from seeping in. Admittedly, this does happen with the WF-SP800N too, but only after an extended period of time. And because they stay on, this securely, they amplifies your music listening experience.
This complements the powerful hardware drivers very well. There’s very little hindrance to them pumping out rich and detailed sound into your ears. Like the WF-H800, Sony’s app allows you to adjust the output and ambient sound settings to suit individual tastes. But regardless of which you choose, the detail level that comes though, are really good.
There’s also a good level of depth between the music from the background and that blasting in the foreground. You can get lost in this, for hours on end. The pin-sharp precision allow you to feel each beat, discern the various instruments being played, and truly appreciate the vocals of your favorite singers.
The presence of Sony’s propriety 360 Reality Audio provides listeners with an ‘added’ immersive listening experience. When turned on, the music hits you from every angle, offering a studio-like illusion. It’s a great feature, one that will truly be appreciated by people who enjoy a theatre-like experience.
Adding to this sense of realism is an effective active noise cancellation feature. It does a tremendous job of isolating the wearer, completely. The world around you seems non-existent, the loud honking from cars, the ear piercing, high pitched noise of motorcyclist riding by, or the constant chatter of people in the background. These disturbances, don’t enter your ears.
And since it uses Bluetooth 5.0, both earbuds maintain a good connection to your phone, even if its in your pocket or handbag. But the music listening experience is only half of the appeal. The other part pertains to the intelligent software that drives the WF-SP800N. See, these aren’t just great earbuds for music, rather they function just as well as your assistant.
The moment you place them in your ears, the voice assistant announces the connection status and how much battery power you have left. It does so in a soothing tone, one that offers a premium feel to the entire experience. It’s these little things that add to the refinement of this device. It’s compatible with Google’s voice assistant too.
Other Features?
The moment a message is received on your phone, the music volume lowers, and the voice assistant chimes in, to tell you that you’ve received a message and from which contact. You can also choose to have the message read aloud to you. It’s a helpful feature that allows you to continue working without having to glance at your phone for every notification that comes in.
Double tapping on the left earbud prompts the assistant to read your messages aloud. And with a single tap, you can reply to a message with just your voice. Google’s Voice Assistant has made massive strides in terms of voice recognition technology. It does a decent job of transcribing your verbal responses into text messages.
But that’s not all that it can do. Since the active noise cancellation does an effective job at blocking out ambient noises. Sony realized that this might not be ideal for certain situations. So, the WF-SP800N constantly listens in, on what’s taking place around you. It can recognize announcements being made over a PA system.
When it senses this, the earbuds lowers the music volume and allows the ambient sounds to come in. This way, you are constantly aware of what’s going on at airports and train stations. It’s something that is absent from many wireless earbuds, regardless of price. It’s a stand out feature, that to me, places theWF-SP800N, head and shoulders above its competitors.
If the NC is kept on, you can expect about 9 hours of battery life out of the WF-SP800N. If turned off, it improves to slightly under 13 hours. When used with the charging case, these figures can be doubled. In theory, you could use the WF-SP800N earbuds for entire day without having to worry about depleting their batteries.
Should I Buy one?
Yes, the WF-SP800N is suited for both work and play. It’s also IP55 rated, so it’s resistance to dust and water splashes. As such, cleaning them won’t require extra care. They can serve as your only pair of wireless earbuds, by being your music listening companion on the way to work, while at the gym or at home.
The Sony WF-SP800N ticks all the right boxes, making the earbuds, a nearly perfect device. Besides the slightly bulky look, there’s very little to fault these earbuds for. They can be used anywhere, keep you aware of your surroundings, read your notifications aloud, and offer a great music listening experience. The WF-SP800N is worth every penny.
