Sony Sony - WIC100 Wireless In-ear Headphone - Black Review
The Sony WI-C100 are the most comfortable headphones you'll wear, but they sound terrible for music. This is a tool for calls and podcasts, not an audio experience.
The 30-Second Version
Buy these only if you hate losing earbuds and love taking calls. For music, they sound like a $10 radio from 2003.
Overview
Look, the Sony WI-C100 is the most comfortable pair of headphones you'll ever wear, but they sound like a tin can with a string attached. That's the one thing you need to know. The neckband design is genius for never losing an earbud, and they're so light you'll forget they're on. But if you're buying headphones primarily to enjoy music, you're in for a rude awakening. This is a tool for podcasts, calls, and staying aware of your surroundings during a workout, not an audio experience.
Performance
The performance story is a total split. The comfort and mic quality are shockingly good, landing in the 97th and 88th percentiles in our database. You'll sound crystal clear on calls. But the sound quality is in the 4th percentile. That's not a typo. The 9mm drivers pump out audio that's thin, lacks any real bass, and makes everything sound distant. The promised DSEE upscaling does very little to salvage compressed music. It's functional audio, not enjoyable audio.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Unbeatable comfort. The neckband is feather-light and you can wear these all day. 84th
- Excellent microphone for calls. People will actually hear you clearly. 74th
- IPX4 rating means you can sweat all over them at the gym. 66th
- You will never, ever lose one down a drain. The neckband design is foolproof.
Cons
- The sound quality is genuinely bad for music. It's hollow and weak. 6th
- Noise isolation is practically non-existent. You'll hear everything around you.
- The 25-hour battery is just okay now. Many competitors do better.
- The physical buttons on the neckband can feel a bit cheap and fiddly.
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Design
| Form Factor | In-Ear |
| Wearing Style | Bud |
| Ear Tips | l |
| Weight | 0.0 kg / 0.1 lbs |
Audio
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Driver Size | 9 |
| Impedance | 20 |
| Codecs | Microphone Included |
Connectivity
| Wireless | Yes |
| Bluetooth | 5 |
| Wired Connector | Bluetooth 5 |
Earbud Battery
| Battery Life | 25 |
Microphone
| Microphone | Yes |
Features
| Touch Controls | Yes |
| Water Resistance | Water-Resistant |
Value & Pricing
At around $35, it's a fair price for what you get: a supremely comfortable, call-focused wearable. But you're not getting a great value for music. You're paying for convenience and comfort, not sound.
Price History
vs Competition
If you want better sound at this price, the Anker Soundcore P31i runs circles around the Sony for music. But you lose the foolproof neckband. The Nothing Ear (a) is another strong budget contender with more balanced sound. The Sony's only real advantage is that specific neckband comfort and the mic quality. If you don't need the neckband, there are better-sounding buds for the money.
| Spec | Sony Sony - WIC100 Wireless In-ear Headphone - Black | Sony Sony WF-1000XM5 Noise-Canceling True Wireless | Technics Technics EAH-AZ80 Noise-Canceling True Wireless | Bose Bose QuietComfort Ultra True Wireless | Apple Airpods Pro 3 Apple AirPods Pro with Wireless MagSafe Charging | Jabra Jabra Evolve2 Buds USB-C MS Earbuds with USB-C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | In-Ear | In-Ear | In-Ear | In-Ear | In-Ear | In-Ear |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Sony WF-1000XM5 Noise-Canceling True Wireless In-Ear Headphones (Black) | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Wireless | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Active Noise Cancellation | — | true | true | true | true | true |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Battery Life Hours | 25 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Case Battery Hours | — | 16 | 16 | 18 | 24 | 25 |
| Water Resistance | Water-Resistant | IPX4 | IPX4 | IPX4 | IP57 | IP57 |
| Multipoint | — | true | true | true | true | true |
Common Questions
Q: Are these good for running?
Yes, but not for the reason you think. The IPX4 rating handles sweat, and the neckband means they won't fall out. But the lack of noise isolation means you'll hear all the traffic, which some runners prefer for safety.
Q: How's the battery life in real use?
The 25 hours is accurate if you keep the volume moderate. It's not class-leading anymore, but it'll easily get you through a week of commutes without a charge.
Q: Can I use just one earbud?
No. The neckband design means both earbuds are always connected and active. You can't use just the left or right side independently.
Who Should Skip This
If you're looking for immersive, enjoyable music listening, this isn't it. Go get the Anker Soundcore P31i instead. Also skip these if you want to block out the world; there's no real noise isolation here.
Verdict
We can only recommend the Sony WI-C100 to a very specific person: someone who prioritizes all-day comfort and clear phone calls above everything else, and who mostly listens to podcasts or audiobooks. For everyone else, especially music lovers, this is an easy skip. The terrible sound quality is a deal-breaker for a product whose main job is to play audio.