Sony WH-CH520 Review

It is worth stating that Sony has a good reputation in manufacturing high-quality headphones as well. The Sony WH-CH520 is one of the cheaper over-the-ear headphones in their range that they offer to consumers, however, do not be misled by the pricing. Here is a pair of headphones that delivers decent audio quality, reasonable battery life, and comfortable wearing experience, all nicely packaged in a sleek design. After spending quite a hands-on time with these, I am here to take you into every detail and the particulars from design to mic quality so that you know what you are getting yourself into.

Design and Aesthetics

Since the Sony WH-CH520 doesn’t exude premium materials immediately, on the other hand, it does not exactly look cheap either like Sony WH-CH720N. It manages to achieve a certain midpoint in the relationship between basic design and contemporary design. The design is minimalistic with very sharp features and an almost invisible logo on the headband intending to provide a more grown up and subtle touch to it.

The headphones come in three different colors of black white and blue giving options for wearing the headphones under most fashions. I chose the blue color which is bright but not gaudy. For additional quiet dampening, it is safe to assume that most of you will appreciate the way the headband sets snugly against your head without the need for any loud colors to pop through.

The ear cups are small yet sleek and low slung, which was surprisingly nice compared to some of the more over the ear headphones that are quite bulky. The control arrangement is somewhat level located on the right ear cup to the design and not quite noticeable.

Materials and Build Quality

Sony has maintained the quality of the product even with the low price tag. There is a lot of plastics used in the construction of Sony wh-ch520 wireless headphones, yet it does not seem fragile. It is not easy to break the plastic, and I cannot say that I have to handle the headphones with extra care to toss them into a handbag. I liked the texture of the plastic material very much as it was also matte and prevented smudges.

The headband is flexible enough but still made of good material. In my evaluation, the bend has some give to it while not bending so much as to damage the plastic which means it should be able to take ‘abuse’ from daily wear. The earcups are covered in synthetic leather and the padding is lightweight which feels nice, and additionally does not seem to deteriorate that quickly.

As for the points of concern, I would say that the whole structure seemed to be too “light” in comparison to other headphones which could be both a pro or a con. On one hand, that improves comfort (we will come back to this later), but on the other, it could feel a bit fragile in use when put against more heavy and sturdier headphones. Well, it worked out well during my everyday travels and some rough handling.

Comfort and Fit

In terms of comfort, my new Sony wh-ch520 wireless headphones with microphone series headphones by Sony did it right. Immediately after I wore them, they felt as though they placed a feathery load on my head, and the memory foam on the ear cups provides just alarmingly enough padding for extended hours of use. I wore these for a few hours straight and none of the usual earache that comes up with the use of some of the more cumbersome headsets in crossovers was encountered.

These headphones did not make me break a sweat as they only weighed 147 grams so say most people won’t feel like they actually have a pod on their head. For me, wearing a pair was a relief because they didn’t squeeze my skull the way some other over-the-ear styles do. They provide a comfortable yet safe fit, and I suspect most normal heads would be able to wear them comfortably. Tweaking the adjustable band to conform to my head real time helped, but once these were on, very little readjustments were necessary.

Still, the ear cups are a little smaller than usual and are a mixture of on ear and over ear. You may feel some discomfort after long hours of wear due to pressure if your ears are comparatively big. I personally thought the fit offered was good in most use case situations, but it is something to bear in mind especially if you are more accustomed to sophisticated earcup or full over the ear contraptions.

Sound Quality

When it comes to value for money, sound quality is one of the most important aspects that most buyers pay attention to when selecting a pair of headphones. The sony wh-ch520 headphones – that. With these headphones, which I used for music as well as podcasts and movies, I went on a journey into the world of their potential under various scenarios. Admittedly, they do not come close to the likes of the Sony WH-1000XM4 in sound performance, which is common with some of Sony’s higher models. However, the listening experience was quite nice and rich as well.

According to Sony WH-CH520 reviews, sounds are reproduced nearly accurately, however, apparently the most interesting part of the sound is the bass, which is boosted up just a little. Such a feature caters well to listeners who enjoy a little bass kick but not too much of a bass punch. I also liked this clinical bass tilt of theirs when checking out more contemporary genres such as modern hip-hop or electronic pop. The bass in those styles is usually thickened and creates a perfect bed for vocal melodic lines.

For instance, the Sony wh-ch520 wireless performed well even with heavy bass tracks as I listened to “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd and “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish. The bass is significant, crisp yet well blended with other elements in the mix without competing against them. This is a very key factor for those that like music with bass but without it being too overpowering so as to create a fun intimate experience.

In fact, they tend to shine mostly in the midrange, which is great for those listening to a lot of stuff with heavy vocals. Regardless, if you are into listening to an audiobook or spoken word content like a podcast or even music comprising mostly of the vocals in indie and acoustic music, you will definitely enjoy the mids on the WH-CH520.

Hearing acoustic songs such as Ed Sheeran’s “Tenerife Sea” and The Head and the Heart’s “Rivers and Roads”, I could tell that the voices were warm and dense and close, as if they were sung in front of my ears. The guitars and middle range instruments were sharp and natural which was pleasant and engaging particularly for people who enjoy dissecting details in the way a vocal performance was done or in instruments. The WH-CH520 had just the right amount of mids, they were not recessed but without the pesky forwardness that sometimes gets a deco on budget headphones.

The clarity in the mids also made a marked improvement in my podcasts. I had my fill of “the Joe Rogan experience” as well as “stuff you should know” as I found the voices crystal clear without the need to strain or any chance of distortion. The sound was not tiring even after long hours of listening as can be the case with annoyingly harsh or overzealous mids.

I believe that the treble performance on the Sony WH-CH520 is satisfactory but a bit subdued, especially if one is familiar with more high-end audiophile headphones which normally bring out the good stuff in the highs. This means that while the more general casual users would be able to use the detailed tin can even more than any other phone they have used, it does lack some air and some brightness that higher tiered phones would provide. Instruments in the high frequencies like cymbals, hi-hats, or the upper octave of cellos or fiddles may at times be a bit subdued.

For example, when it came to jazz audiophile music for, “Take Five” The Dave Brubeck Quartet inclined toward way too much saxophone and cymbal treble presence but I am sorry to say, lots of shimmer was not happening. Once again when I listened to an orchestra or classical music to be specific “Clair de Lune” by Debussy, the highs felt a bit damped, this slightly lowered the overall width and clarity of the sound.

That being said, this is more of an individual opinion and something that most casual listeners will not care for or notice. In fact, the mellowed treble is beneficial to the WH-CH520 as most low-end headphones suffer from an overabundance of sibilance which can cause listening fatigue. For those who don't mind a more laidback sound, one that does not batter you with too much high end, this will be a plus.

Smart Features

In addition to the common features, what makes the Sony WH-CH520 stand out is the Sony Headphones Connect app’s ability to be integrated with the headphones. In the application, it is possible to change the audio using an equalizer which I personally found quite helpful when wanting to change and even improve the sound depending on mood. Whatever your preferences may be, whether more bass is needed or a more balanced acoustics is desired, the application presents some factory programmed presets together with one for customizing.

The characteristics of the headsets also include support for the built-in voice assistant. This feature enabled me to call up Google Assistant and Siri with hardly any strain. This is especially helpful when I want to change the tracks or even check the weather without pulling out my phone. Most of the time, the voice controls do as instructed, especially there’s quite a noise around except for some instances when the voice assistant would not be able to understand what I said.

Connectivity and Usability

As for the means of connecting sony wh-ch520 wireless, it is Bluetooth 5.2, which was stable and reliable throughout my use. I had no trouble pairing it with the gadget whereas even while using it, there were no lags or drops of signal. I verified this area and were comfortable where there was a consistent signal over a thirty foot area from my device.

Another unique plus is when you can connect to several devices at the same time. This enabled me to switch easily between my phone and the laptop which is a major plus for someone who works with two devices. One was even more handy at the office when I went from listening to music on the phone to having a zoom meeting on the computer. The Sony wh-ch520 wireless headphones bluetooth never disappointed me.

ANC Noise Cancellation N/A (No ANC)

In case you want active noise isolation (ANC) features in the product, this one does not come with them. Sony WH-CH520 does not have ANR feature, which is one of the trade-offs at this price point. However, the passive isolation from ear cups does a good job at keeping moderate noise out. I found that in quiet usage situations ANC would not be greatly missed, however in more active situations that is say there was ambient noise in a cafe, or during the commute, it will be noticed that the headphones lack the option to silence the outside world.

That being said, these types of headphones are more for less active use in less noisy close spaces. If ANC is one of your top priorities while buying headphones you might want to check some of Sony’s more expensive models like WH-1000XM5.

Battery Life

Where the Sony WH-CH520 wins the most surely is in the battery performance. According to Sony, they say that the headphones can last for up to 50 hours on a single charge like Technics EAH-A800. But in my test, It showed that it was two hours more than the stated figure. For a few days, I did not need to recharge the headphones after using them on and off several times. As for poor users like me who have to wear the headphones for as long as 6 to 8 hours a day, I discovered that it did take quite a few days without having to plug in.

The headphones also come with a quick charge feature which for a charge of 10 minutes, allows for 90 minutes of playback time. This is very useful if you are in a hurry and did not charge them at night. The charging is also done using USB c which is another advantage since it is quicker than the micro USB chargers.

Mic Performance and Call Quality

Communication over the phone with the Sony WH-CH520 was surprisingly a good experience and I feel it better than Sennheiser Momentum 4 in this feature. The microphone embedded in the headphones clearly captures loud speech even surrounded by moderate noise. I placed a couple of test calls both indoors and outside and there were no complaints from the other party about not being able to hear me. These are not advertised as a call centric device, but in normal usage, they perform more than what is expected.

The mic is of reasonable use for telecommuting applications like Zoom, casual voice and video calls, and phone calls while on a mobile. In busier environments, the ambient sounds did seep into the phone call, yet in quieter rooms, the microphone effectively suppressed the surrounding sounds and focused on my voice.

Durability and Portability

Another feature that stood out to me with the WH-CH520 was their build quality. I know that they are relatively soft plastic but these things have surprised me by how strong they have been. I have stuffed them several times in my bag with no cover and upon taking them out, not even a dent. The lightweight construction, albeit not equally sophisticated as metal or high-end materials, has done quite well in daily usage

These headphones also come with strong portability as an advantage. A lightweight body and small-sized ear cups make it fairly easy to carry them, and they can be folded flat which is convenient for placing in a bag or small pouch while on the move. These are not the best travel headphones that one can expect, but for work and leisure on the go, these are excellent for the purpose.

Final Thoughts

The Sony WH-CH520 can be considered a bargain for the price you pay for. It may not be the best over the ear headphones and may not even come with certain premium features such as active noise cancellation. However, the most important aspects of a headphone like sound quality, battery life and comfort stand out for this device. If you are in the market for something inexpensive and want a pair of wireless headphones that you can use around the house, this one is certainly worth a buy.