02/10/2026 2:37 pm
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Ugh I am so lost right now. Sorry if this is a total newbie question but I honestly have no idea what I am doing with tech stuff. I just started hitting the gym pretty hard about two weeks ago, like trying to go five days a week in downtown Chicago, and my current cheap wired earbuds are driving me crazy. They keep getting yanked out when I am on the treadmill and its super frustrating. I really want to switch to Sony because my brother said they are the best but there are like a million models and I dont get the difference between the letters and numbers.
I need something that wont fall out when I am sweating or doing jumping jacks. I am looking to spend maybe 200 or 250 bucks at most since I am trying to save for a trip later this year. I dont really care about super fancy recording studio sound quality or anything, I just need them to stay put and sound decent enough to drown out the loud pop music playing in the gym so I can focus on my lifting. I keep seeing people wearing these big over-ear ones but arent those gonna get all gross and sweaty? Or should I just get the tiny ones that go in your ear? Ive been looking at the WF-1000XM5 or maybe the WH ones but I am seriously confused about which one is actually for working out vs just sitting on a plane.
Does anyone know which specific Sony model is actually reliable for someone who is sweating through their shirt? I need to get these before next Monday because I have a personal training session and I dont want to deal with wires anymore...
3 Answers
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02/10/2026 2:57 pm
Re: Honestly, skip the over-ear models for the gym. I totally get where you're coming from but honestly, I have a different take. I have been using the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones for my workouts for months and have zero regrets. Yes, they get a bit warm, but I just wipe down the pads after I am done and they still feel fine.
- They are way more stable than earbuds for me.
- The noise cancelling is honestly unreal for blocking out those gym speakers.
- You can usually snag them on sale for way under your budget. They stay put through all my heavy sets and dont move around like tiny buds do. If you really want earbuds, go for Sony WF-C700N Truly Wireless Noise Canceling Earbuds because they are cheaper and fit way better than the expensive ones imo.
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02/10/2026 3:23 pm
Coming back to this, I honestly have to stop you for a second because jumping into high-end tech without knowing how your ears handle different shapes can be a massive headache. Before you drop 250 bucks, I have to ask: do you have small ear canals? I used to just buy whatever was popular until I realized I was wasting cash because my ears are super sensitive and most buds just pop right out once I start sweating. If you want my advice, be really careful with the super expensive flagship models if you havent tested the fit. I honestly think you should look at the Sony WF-C700N Truly Wireless Noise Canceling Earbuds. They are way cheaper than the ones you mentioned, so you save money for your trip, and they have this ergonomic design that stays put way better than the bulkier, heavier XM series. Make sure to use the different size tips that come in the box too. Seriously, don't just use the default ones. I once tried running in the default size and lost one in the gym parking lot because I was too lazy to swap them out. Since you have that trainer session coming up, you really want something that you can trust to stay in place while doing dynamic moves. Just be careful about wiping them down after every single set. Sweat is basically a death sentence for electronics, no matter what the marketing says. You might want to consider just bringing a small microfiber cloth to keep them dry.
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02/10/2026 2:37 pm
Honestly, skip the over-ear models for the gym. I had issues with those getting completely soaked and honestly it is just gross after a few weeks of heavy lifting. The big cans are better for flights, not for sweating through a shirt.
- Look into smaller earbuds if you want to avoid the wire mess.
- Make sure you find ones with a decent water resistance rating.
- Dont expect them to last forever if you are training that hard. Unfortunately, I tried a few of the premium Sony options and found the fit was not as good as expected when doing cardio. They kept shifting around. Just go with any wireless buds from a company that specializes in sports gear, you cant really go wrong there. Those will likely handle the moisture much better than the standard tech-focused ones.