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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-07 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• SANOTO's biggest strength: IPX8 waterproofing rated for submersion up to 10 meters for more than 2 hours, plus a built-in 8GB MP3 player so you can listen underwater with no phone involved.
• SANOTO's biggest trade-off: You must switch to MP3 mode when swimming — Bluetooth can't travel through water — and it's a chunkier ear-hook design (26 g) with no noise control.
• WXQZXO's biggest strength: About 3 grams per bud, a soft silicone tip, and touch controls, which is the combination that makes side sleeping tolerable.
• WXQZXO's biggest trade-off: No water protection rating at all, so it's a dry-land product — and the sleep-tracking features lean on the Zemyee Life app.
• For the swimmer, runner or surfer: SANOTO Swimming Headphones.
• For the light sleeper, side sleeper or shift worker: WXQZXO Sleep Earbuds.
The SANOTO S710 is a swimming tool first and a headphone second. The IPX8 rating is the headline: it can be submerged up to 10 meters for over two hours, which covers laps, surf sessions and casual diving. The important catch is mode switching. Bluetooth runs on the 2.4 GHz band, and water absorbs that signal, so the moment you go under you need to double-tap into MP3 mode. That's exactly why the 8GB of built-in memory matters — it holds around 1500 lossless tracks and reads MP3, FLAC, WMA, WAV and APE files, so your phone can stay in the bag.
Wearing is handled by skin-friendly silicone ear hooks that flex to different head shapes and are designed to work under a swim cap, goggles and earplugs. SANOTO also lists a "big head" benefit in plain terms: the hooks adapt to different head shapes, and the in-ear seal keeps water out of your ears while you swim. If you've struggled to keep wireless headphones for a big head seated during a workout, the hook-plus-tip combination here is the more secure answer. Battery is 12 hours in MP3 mode and 8 hours over Bluetooth, with a 2-hour charge, and the box includes replacement ear tips, two magnetic charging cables and an adjustable elastic strap.
Who should buy it: swimmers, surfers, divers, and anyone who wants one set of in-ear headphones for pool laps and gym sessions. Who should skip it: people who mainly want quiet bedtime listening, since there's no sleep mode, no app and no noise control — and anyone who refuses to manage a music library, because the underwater experience depends on having your own files loaded.
The WXQZXO Z500 is built around one job: disappearing in your ear at night. Each bud weighs roughly 3 grams, and the detachable silicone tips are soft and skin-friendly, so the shell sits inside the ear contour rather than pressing against it. For side sleepers who roll over through the night, that low profile is the whole point — the design is specifically aimed at light sleepers, insomnia sufferers, shift workers and frequent travellers.
The software side is where it gets interesting. Sleep Mode shuts off voice assistants, call ringtones and system notifications so nothing wakes you, and the Zemyee Life app offers built-in white noise plus scheduled playback and intelligent sleep detection that pauses audio once you drift off. Separately, a high-sensitivity sleep monitoring system records stages, sleeping positions and total duration, then reports an overall sleep score you can compare over time. Bluetooth 6.0 handles pairing and connection stability, and a 32-ohm dynamic driver delivers the HiFi sound for white noise, sleep music or guided meditation.
Battery is up to 6–8 hours per charge in the buds and up to 48 hours total with the charging case, topped up over Type-C. Tap controls let you pause or switch modes without fumbling. Who should buy it: anyone who needs headphones that survive a night on their side. Who should skip it: swimmers and heavy sweaters, because there is no waterproof rating listed here — treat these as dry-land buds — and anyone who wants zero app involvement, since sleep tracking and white noise both live in the app.
• Best for water → SANOTO Swimming Headphones. IPX8, 10-meter submersion for 2+ hours, and a dedicated MP3 mode for underwater listening.
• Best for sleep → WXQZXO Sleep Earbuds. 3 g per bud, silicone tips, sleep mode and sleep tracking.
• Best for people with a big head → SANOTO Swimming Headphones. Flexible silicone ear hooks are designed to adapt to different head shapes, which is the more forgiving fit of the two.
• Best for battery life → SANOTO Swimming Headphones. 12 hours in MP3 mode and 8 in Bluetooth, versus 6–8 per charge (48 hours total with the case) for WXQZXO.
• Best for side sleepers → WXQZXO Sleep Earbuds. The feather-light shell is the reason it exists.
• Best for phone-free listening → SANOTO Swimming Headphones. 8GB of onboard storage means no phone needed at all.
• Best for app features → WXQZXO Sleep Earbuds. White noise library, scheduled playback, sleep stages and sleep scores.
• Best for Bluetooth range → WXQZXO Sleep Earbuds. 15 meters versus 10 meters on the SANOTO.
In my opinion, the right pick comes down to whether water or sleep is your priority. If you're swimming, surfing or training hard — especially if you have a big head and normal earbuds keep working loose — I'd buy the SANOTO Swimming Headphones, because the IPX8 rating, the ear-hook fit and the 8GB MP3 player are a combination the WXQZXO simply doesn't attempt. If your problem is falling asleep on your side, I'd buy the WXQZXO Sleep Earbuds instead; 3 grams and a sleep mode beat waterproofing you'll never use in bed. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, and pick the one that matches your actual nights and weekends.
FAQ
how to fit in ear headphones
Twist the tip gently into your ear canal and let the housing sit flush against the outer ear. On the SANOTO, seat the silicone ear hook over the top of your ear first, then adjust the tip; on the WXQZXO, the 3 g shell should sit almost unnoticed inside the contour.
Wipe the silicone tips with a soft damp cloth and let them air dry — never soak the electronics. The SANOTO ships with ten replacement ear tips and the WXQZXO has detachable silicone tips, so both let you swap or rinse the part that actually touches your ear.
how to open in ear headphones
Neither of these has a hinged lid or removable shell — "opening" them means getting to the charging port. The SANOTO charges over a magnetic charging cable (two are included) and the WXQZXO charges over Type-C into the portable charging box.
how to ear headphones
If you mean wearing them properly: hook the SANOTO over your ear and push the tip in for a seal that keeps water out, and for the WXQZXO simply press the bud in until it's flush — no hook, no pressure, which is what makes side sleeping workable.
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