Sony WF-XB700 (Black, WFXB700/B) review

This assessment covers the Black Sony WF-XB700, U.S. retail model WFXB700/B, Best Buy item 6408362. Blue WFXB700/L (item 6408363) is a finish-only sibling, shown separately below; the model-specific evidence describes the same functional WF-XB700 family. Both checked listings say the items are no longer available in new condition. That is a dated listing status, not proof that no used offer exists or what its package or battery is like. This is a source-based review, not a listening test or a claim of ownership.

Sealed tips and an EXTRA BASS brief

Sony announced the WF-XB700 in April 2020 as a truly wireless EXTRA BASS model and described an “Ergonomic Tri-hold” structure. The U.S. specifications call it closed dynamic and list a 12 mm driver. Its supplied package was described with a charging case, USB-A-to-USB-C cable around 20 cm long and hybrid silicone tips in SS, S, M and L, with M attached. Sony's manual says to twist each unit as it is seated and to change tip sizes if the fit is loose or low-frequency sound seems insufficient.

That gives you useful setup choices, not a fit guarantee. The earbud image conveys a broad, contoured shell with a projecting tip, but a catalog photograph cannot tell whether that shape is comfortable or stable in any particular ear. It is a sealed in-ear product, so the tip seal contributes to passive sound isolation. Sony's “EXTRA BASS” language is the maker's positioning rather than an independent claim about tonal balance. If an open design, a slim shell or confidence about pressure points is more important than the feature list, compare exact return policies and try the product only where returns are practical.

No active cancellation; codec support stays basic

Do not buy this model expecting active noise cancellation. Sony's model-specific Q&A answer says the WF-XB700 does not support noise canceling, and the guide publishes no ANC operating mode or ANC-on runtime table. The tip may block some outside sound passively when it fits, but a seal is not ANC and cannot selectively restore announcements. In situations where hearing the surroundings matters, do not infer that an in-ear passive seal is equivalent to an awareness feature.

The manual lists two music codecs, SBC and AAC. Sony's full-charge operating-time table gives each a separate maximum of nine music hours per charge; both are one-source playback arrangements. The April 2020 launch release describes the case total as nine hours from the earbuds plus nine hours from the case, up to eighteen overall. That is not eighteen uninterrupted hours on the buds, and Sony's manual warns that actual operating time depends on use conditions. Its ten-minute charge estimate is about sixty minutes of music. Communication time is a separate maximum of five hours and should not be confused with music playback. None of those figures is an ANC runtime: this model has no active ANC plan, and the published maxima do not predict the reduced capacity of an older battery.

USB-C case, but wired charging only

The case uses USB Type-C and the package guide lists a short USB-A-to-USB-C lead. Sony estimates about 2.5 hours to fill the left and right headset units and three hours for the case from empty, with conditions affecting the times. A fully charged case can fully charge both buds once at the same time. SonyListens answered that the case does not support wireless charging, so a Qi pad is not a substitute for the cable. In an older or incomplete offer, verify the case and cable separately; a model name alone does not confirm that the original accessories, cable or charging function are present.

IPX4 belongs to the headset, not the case

Sony's support specification and Help Guide identify IPX4-equivalent protection for the headset and explicitly say the charging case is not water resistant. The manual says the buds cannot be used in water and not to immerse them or use them underwater. Sony also instructs users to wipe water or perspiration from the charging port after use because moisture there may impair charging. Treat this as a limited splash rating for the earbuds, not permission to swim, shower with them, or charge a wet case.

Pairing is not multipoint

The WF-XB700 can retain up to eight pairings, but Sony's support guidance and manual say it can transmit or play from one device at a time and does not support multipoint. That may suit someone who primarily connects one source and occasionally re-pairs or switches, but it is not simultaneous phone-and-computer use. If two-device handoff is a hard requirement, exclude it even though the unit can remember multiple devices.

Who should keep it on the comparison list?

The documented combination is a sealed, tip-adjustable fit; SBC/AAC support; up to nine maker-rated music hours per full earbud charge; a USB-C wired-only case; and IPX4 protection limited to the headset. It may be relevant to someone specifically seeking Sony's earlier EXTRA BASS design who does not require ANC, wireless case charging or multipoint. It is a poor fit for a buyer whose shortlist depends on any of those absent capabilities, an open-ear construction, water protection for the case or a long verified session from an aged battery.

Before considering an older item, confirm the exact finish and suffix (WFXB700/B Black or WFXB700/L Blue), inspect the two earbuds and matching case, test USB-C charging, verify the seller's tip/cable/package description, and ask what return window applies. The listing's “no longer available in new condition” notice is not current used-stock information. No price, present offer, seller condition, warranty, battery health or live availability is asserted here.