Recently, Sony launched the WH-CH520 headphones in multiple markets across the world. It is currently the most affordable wireless headphones from the Japanese company.
The WH-CH520 is the successor of the WH-CH510 from 2019. In other words, the brand took 4 years to introduce a newer model, which is uncommon in today’s fast-paced consumer electronics market.
The latest budget wireless headphones from Sony come with multiple upgrades over its predecessor. At the same time, it costs a bit more.
In India, the older CH510 was introduced at 3,990, whereas the newer CH520 retails at ₹4,490 on retailers like Amazon. So are these sub-₹5,000 Sony headphones worth buying? Let’s find out in our review.
Disclosure: This review is based on the author’s first-hand experience with a unit provided by Sony India. The brand had no early look or editorial input.
Functional Design
The Sony WH-CH520 wireless headphones are on-ear type. The device’s body is entirely made of good-quality plastic with limited stretchability.
The headband is adjustable but it cannot be folded for better portability. However, the cans be turned.
The foam used on the cans is also present on the headband. So you don’t feel the pressure on the top of your head.
Unfortunately, the earlobes could be hurting for some after wearing the headphones for a while. This depends on the shape of your ear, and therefore, I cannot call the product universally comfortable.
Further, the control buttons are located below the right can. The multifunction button is slightly raised to differentiate itself from the volume keys on either side.
Holding the multi-function button will turn on or off the device. Whereas, the volume keys can be held to skip forward or backward.
The right can also includes a USB Type-C port for charging and a microphone hole. The product does not ship with a case. You only get a USB Type-A to Type-C cable.
The headphones come in four color options, namely Blue, Beige, White, and Black.
Ton of Features
The Sony WH-CH520 headphones connect wirelessly to devices via Bluetooth 5.2. It offers multipoint connection feature, and therefore, it can be connected to two devices at a time.
The headphones also support Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair. So it’s very easy to pair with Android and Windows devices.
It automatically switches to the device playing media or receiving a call. You can also track the headphones through Google’s Find My Device service.
I did not face any connectivity issues. The connection was solid on all devices I used the headphones with. I used the product with multiple smartphones, tablets, a laptop, and a TV.
But I wish it had a 3.5mm jack for an optional wired connection. This would have allowed me to connect it to my gaming console through the controller. Instead, I had to rely on the TV connection with noticeable latency.
Further, you can manage the product with Sony Headphones app, which is available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The application lets you play with equalizer, manually switch between connected devices, update firmware, and more
Interestingly, the headphones offer support for Sony 360 Reality Audio. Unfortunately, I do not use any of the supported streaming services. So I couldn’t try it out.
Nevertheless, you could use the DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) feature on all streaming apps. This option enhances the compressed audio to some extent.
As for endurance, Sony advertises up to 50 hours of battery life. The headphones live up to the claim. You will find it hard to drain the battery as it can even last more than the claimed number with lower volume levels.
On the other hand, it takes up to 3 hours to charge fully. Anyway, that’s fine as you get a lot more playback time in return.
Good Sound for Price
The Sony WH-CH520 house 30mm drivers. It only supports basic SBC and AAC audio codecs. Being an entry-level model, it is targeted at the general public who mostly listen to compressed music offered by Spotify and other streaming platforms.
Regardless, it would have been nice if the headphones offered a better soundstage. The audio output is crowded and isn’t that immersive.
On the plus side, the mid-range frequency output from the headphones is really good for its asking price. Thus, the instruments and vocals sound detailed and clear. The headphones are well-suited to binge-watch TV series and movies.
Similarly, the bass is well-controlled. So the headphones are great to listen to rock tracks, especially songs like ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ by Queen. But treble could have been better. Instruments like cymbal sound unnatural.
Though the headphones have a single microphone, the call quality is good. Ambient noise is suppressed to a certain level to provide clear audio to the people on the receiving end.
Finally, since the product is on-ear type, there’s a noticeable sound leakage at higher volume levels. It could be disturbing to the people around you, especially in a quiet room.
Conclusion
As an entry point to Sony’s wireless headphones family, the WH-CH520 is a good product overall. It is feature-packed, unlike most products in the price segment.
It is not only long-lasting but also provides a sound signature the masses would love. Even the mic quality is good for calls.
Though it may not be comfortable for everyone, it can be availed in four stunning colors, which is something that most brands don’t offer. This is very crucial for some as headphones are a fashion statement and so is the brand ‘Sony.’
The Sony WH-CH520 wireless headphones are more expensive than a plethora of cheaper offerings on the market. But you may not get a package like this.
You can get the Sony WH-CH520 via Amazon at INR 4500 or around $58 internationally.
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