Sony Sony WH-CH520 Wireless On-Ear Headphones with Review
Sony's WH-CH520 headphones prove you can get a decent wireless experience for just $50, but you'll be making some serious compromises on sound and build quality along the way.
The 30-Second Version
The best $50 wireless headphones you can get, but that's a low bar. Sound and build are basic, but the battery life is stellar.
Overview
Look, if you need a pair of wireless headphones for under $50, the Sony WH-CH520 is the obvious choice. That's the one thing to know. They're not going to blow your mind with sound quality, and they feel a bit plasticky, but for the price, they just work. You get a decent 50-hour battery, a simple app for tweaking the sound, and Sony's name on the side. It's a no-brainer for a budget pick.
Performance
The battery life is solid, landing in the 57th percentile in our database, so you'll get a full week of casual use. But the sound quality, sitting at the 41st percentile, is exactly what you'd expect: fine. It's not bad, but it's not great either. The bass is a bit thin, and the overall profile is a little flat without some EQ tweaking in the app. Nothing surprised us, good or bad. It's exactly as advertised.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Insanely cheap for a Sony product. 95th
- Battery life that lasts for days. 88th
- Lightweight and decently comfortable for on-ears. 85th
- The companion app lets you actually tune the sound. 71th
Cons
- Sound is just okay. It's not exciting. 30th
- Build quality feels cheap and plasticky.
- No active noise cancellation at all.
- The microphone quality is poor for calls.
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Design
| Form Factor | On-Ear |
| Open/Closed | Closed |
| Foldable | Yes |
| Weight | 0.1 kg / 0.3 lbs |
Audio
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Driver Size | 30 |
| Drivers | 1 |
| Freq Min | 20 |
| Freq Max | 20000 |
| Codecs | AAC, SBC |
Noise Control
| ANC | No |
Connectivity
| Wireless | Yes |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 |
| Profiles | A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP |
| Multipoint | Yes |
| Range | 10 |
Battery
| Battery Life | 50 |
| Charge Time | 3 |
| Fast Charging | 3min=1.5hrs |
| Charging | USB-C |
Microphone
| Microphone | Yes |
| NC Mic | No |
Features
| Touch Controls | No |
| App | iOS, Android |
| Volume Limiting | No |
Value & Pricing
For $50? Absolutely worth it. You're paying for the core features of wireless audio and a brand name. Don't expect premium anything, and you won't be disappointed.
Price History
vs Competition
The main competitor here is the JBL Tune 770NC. For about $30-$40 more, you get actual active noise cancellation and generally better sound. If you can stretch your budget, the JBLs are a much better all-arounder. Compared to the Sennheiser Momentum 4 or Sony's own WH-1000XM6? Please. Those are in a different league and cost four times as much. The CH520 is for a different, much thriftier person.
| Spec | Sony Sony WH-CH520 Wireless On-Ear Headphones with | Sony Sony WH-1000XM6 Noise-Canceling Wireless Over-Ear | Apple AirPods Max Apple AirPods Max Wireless Over-Ear Closed-Back | Sennheiser Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus Wireless Active | JBL JBL Tune 770NC Noise-Cancelling Over-Ear | Bang & Olufsen Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX Noise-Canceling Wireless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | On-Ear | Over-Ear | Over-Ear | Over-Ear | Over-Ear | Over-Ear |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Driver Size (mm) | 30 | 30 | 40 | 37 | 40 | 40 |
| Impedance Ohms | — | 48 | 16 | — | 32 | 24 |
| Wireless | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Active Noise Cancellation | false | true | true | true | true | true |
| Open Closed Back | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Battery Life Hours | 50 | 30 | 20 | 50 | 70 | 35 |
Common Questions
Q: Will these work with my TV?
Yes, if your TV has Bluetooth audio output. They'll pair just like they do with your phone.
Q: Do they come with a case?
Nope. No case, no pouch, nada. You're on your own for storage, which is a bit of a bummer.
Q: Is the noise cancellation any good?
There isn't any. These are passive, on-ear headphones. They'll block a little sound by sitting on your ears, but that's it.
Who Should Skip This
If you need good call quality or plan to use these in noisy environments, skip these. The mic is bad and there's no ANC. Look at the JBL Tune 770NC instead. Also, if you hate plasticky builds, these aren't for you.
Verdict
Buy these if your budget is rigidly under $50 and you just need wireless headphones that work. They're a fantastic value-for-money play. But if you have even a little wiggle room, spending a bit more on something like the JBL Tune 770NC gets you dramatically better features. For a no-frills, ultra-budget Sony, this is it.