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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-05 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• Sony WFC510/B — biggest strength: Ambient Sound Mode keeps you aware of your surroundings, plus up to 11 hours per earbud (22 hours with the case) and Multipoint pairing to two devices at once.
• Sony WFC510/B — biggest trade-off: There is no active noise cancellation here at all, so it will not block a plane cabin — it does the opposite.
• Back Bay Audio True — biggest strength: Active Noise Cancellation tuned for planes, trains and traffic, plus a Transparency Mode when you want the outside world back in.
• Back Bay Audio True — biggest trade-off: Each earbud lasts about 5 hours, which is shorter than the Sony set per bud, though the case carries up to 25 hours of total playback.
• Pick Sony WFC510/B if you want to stay aware of your surroundings and value longer single-charge listening.
• Pick Back Bay Audio True if you want to actively cancel noise on flights and want low latency for gaming and movies.
The Sony WFC510/B is a compact, lightweight in-ear set built for comfort over long stretches. Sony lists it as light and compact with a fit designed for an all-round listening experience, and at 31 g for the package it's clearly aimed at people who wear earbuds for hours rather than minutes. The headline feature for this comparison is Ambient Sound Mode, which Sony describes as keeping you aware of your surroundings. That is a deliberate design choice: instead of sealing you off, the earbuds let the outside in.
Who should buy it: someone who wants to hear their environment — a commuter crossing busy streets, an office worker who needs to catch a colleague's question, or a traveler who wants to stay aware of announcements and not feel sealed off. Who should skip it: anyone whose main goal is to silence a noisy cabin. Sony lists noise control as None, so if blocking engine roar is the priority, this is the wrong tool. If price matters to you, check the current price on Amazon using the button on this page rather than trusting any number you see elsewhere.
Back Bay Audio True: Who It's For
The Back Bay Audio True goes the other direction entirely. This is an active noise cancelling set, and the manufacturer says the team in Boston spent years refining it to cancel noise from planes, trains and traffic without creating head pressure. That last detail matters: ANC that pushes back on your ears can cause a headache on a long flight, and the pitch here is cancellation without that sensation. For anyone shopping for the best noise-blocking earbuds for flights, that's the core appeal.
When you want the world back, Transparency Mode turns the noise cancelling off and pipes ambient sound through the in-ear headphones — this is Back Bay's version of an ambient mode, and it's the feature that overlaps with the Sony set. Battery is split differently: each earbud plays up to 5 hours, but a full case charge powers up to 25 hours, and 15 minutes of charging gets you 2 more hours. Bluetooth 5.4 delivers 20 ms low latency for gaming and movies, and dual microphones handle clear calls. There's a Bass Mode that toggles between the company's "Signature Sound" and a heavier low end, and the 10 mm dynamic drivers are physically larger than Sony's 6 mm units.
Who should buy it: the flyer who wants quiet, the gamer or movie watcher who notices audio delay, and anyone who wants both cancellation and a transparency option in one pair. Who should skip it: someone who wants maximum time per single charge, since 5 hours per bud is shorter than Sony's 11. Also worth noting — it uses touch media controls, so if you prefer physical buttons for skipping tracks, factor that in.
• Best for ambient awareness → Sony WFC510/B. Ambient Sound Mode is a core, always-on-style feature rather than a toggle you switch into.
• Best for flights → Back Bay Audio True. Active Noise Cancellation is designed specifically for planes, trains and traffic.
• Best for battery per earbud → Sony WFC510/B. Up to 11 hours per bud versus about 5 on the Back Bay set.
• Best total case battery → Back Bay Audio True. Up to 25 hours of playback from the case.
• Best for switching between devices → Sony WFC510/B. Multipoint pairs two Bluetooth devices at once.
• Best for gaming and video → Back Bay Audio True. Bluetooth 5.4 with 20 ms low latency.
• Best for a transparency option → Back Bay Audio True. Transparency Mode brings ambient sound in when you want it.
• Best for longer single-charge comfort → Sony WFC510/B. Light, compact design with a focus on all-day fit.
For flights specifically, I would buy the Back Bay Audio True. Cancelling engine drone is the entire point of noise-cancelling earbuds, and this set is purpose-built for planes, trains and traffic with a Transparency Mode for when you need to hear the gate announcement. If ambient sound mode is what you actually want — staying aware rather than shutting out — I'd choose the Sony WFC510/B instead, and its 11-hour-per-bud battery and Multipoint make it the better everyday companion for commutes and desk work. Two different jobs, two different answers.
what is ambient mode on earbuds
Ambient mode is a setting that lets outside sound reach your ears instead of sealing it out, so you can hear traffic, conversation or announcements while still wearing the earbuds. On the Sony WFC510/B this is called Ambient Sound Mode. On the Back Bay Audio True, the same idea appears as Transparency Mode, which turns the noise cancelling off and pipes ambient sound through the in-ears.
what is ambient sound mode in earbuds
It's the earbud feature that keeps you aware of your surroundings rather than blocking them. Sony describes its Ambient Sound Mode exactly that way — keeping you aware. Some earbuds use microphones to blend the outside world into what you're hearing, and some, like the Back Bay set, do it by disabling the active noise cancelling first.
At its simplest, ambient mode is the opposite of noise cancelling: noise cancelling removes outside sound, ambient mode lets it in. That makes it useful for crossing streets, hearing a barista call your order, or catching a flight announcement. Both earbuds here offer a version of it, but only the Back Bay Audio True also offers full active noise cancelling for the times you want silence.
Do these earbuds work for flights?
The Back Bay Audio True is the better flight pick because its active noise cancelling targets plane noise and it offers 25 hours of total playback from the case. The Sony WFC510/B has no noise cancelling and is built around ambient awareness instead, though its 22-hour total battery and Multipoint make it strong for general travel and commuting.
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