Sony WH-CH520 Review 

The Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones mark a notable upgrade from its predecessor, the WH-CH510, incorporating both aesthetic and functional improvements. These on-ear headphones introduce a modern design with monochromatic color schemes and enhanced padding for added comfort. Not just a treat for the eyes, the WH-CH520 comes with practical features like multi-device pairing, extended battery life, and compatibility with the Sony | Headphones Connect app, which offers sound customization through graphic EQ and virtual surround sound. These reasonably priced headphones are made to appeal to casual users who want comfort and quality sound without going over budget. Join us as we delve deeper into what makes the Sony WH-CH520 a standout choice in its category.

Technical Specifications

The Sony WH-CH520 headphones offer a range of features that make them a compelling choice for budget-conscious audiophiles. Here’s a breakdown of their technical specifications:

• Drivers: Each earcup has a 30mm driver, fine-tuned to deliver balanced sound across all frequencies.
• Battery Life: Exceptional endurance with up to 50 hours of playback, ensuring you can enjoy listening days without frequent recharges.
• Charging: Utilizes USB-C for charging, providing modern convenience and rapid power recovery.
• Waterproofing: Devices in this price range typically do not have waterproof ratings, including these headphones.
• Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): The WH-CH520 does not feature ANC, focusing instead on passive noise isolation through its design.
• Built-in Mic and Controls: The earcup has an Integrated microphone and tactile controls for easy access to volume, track navigation, and call handling.
• Finishes: Available in four finishes, allowing users to choose a style that best suits their preferences.
• Price: They are offered at an accessible price point of $59 / £49 / AU$79 / ₹4,490, making them an excellent value proposition.
• Colors: Sleek Matte Black, Blue, Beige, and White.
• Connectivity: Features Bluetooth 5.2 with support for SBC and AAC codecs, ensuring stable and clear wireless connections.
• Weight: Light at only 147 g contributes to their comfort during extended wear.
• Other Features: Support for the Sony Headphones app includes DSEE upscaling, which enhances the quality of compressed music files.

Design and Comfort

The design of the Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones strikes a fine balance between style and functionality, making them an attractive option for everyday use. Sporting a sleek, matte finish with subtle Sony branding, these headphones are available in monochromatic colors that exude modern and understated elegance.

Comfort is a standout feature of the WH-CH520. Despite their lightweight at just 147g, these headphones offer a robust build quality. The headband is extendable and does not become flimsy, even when fully stretched. It features a small yet effective cushion that adds comfort without bulk. Similarly, the earcups are padded sufficiently to allow for prolonged listening sessions without discomfort. During a continuous two-hour listening test, the headphones remained comfortable, although there was a slight feeling of fatigue towards the end, which quickly dissipated once the headphones were removed.

The ergonomic design extends to the user-friendly placement of controls. All essential power, volume adjustment, and track navigation buttons are conveniently located on the right earcup. The designers made these buttons tactile and easy to operate blindly, simplifying the adjustment of settings on the go. Whether relaxing with a lengthy podcast or out for a walk with your favorite tunes, the Sony WH-CH520 ensures a snug and secure fit that won’t easily slide off, enhancing the overall user experience in terms of design and comfort.

Features Overview

The Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones offer features that enhance their usability and performance, especially considering their budget-friendly price point. Here’s an overview of what these headphones have to offer:

• Wireless Connectivity: Equipped with Bluetooth 5.2, the WH-CH520 ensures a stable and reliable connection up to 10 meters from your device. The inclusion of ‘Fast Pair’ with Android devices adds convenience, allowing for quick and easy setup.
• Multi-Device Pairing: This feature is particularly useful for those who switch between multiple devices, such as a smartphone and a laptop, without the need to reconnect manually each time.
• Codec Support: The headphones support SBC and AAC codecs, providing flexible compatibility and optimized audio performance across different devices.
• Control and Ease of Use: The right earcup houses a three-button control panel that manages power, Bluetooth pairing, volume adjustments, and track navigation. This intuitive layout makes it easy to control your listening experience without reaching for your device.
• Voice Assistant Compatibility: A quick press on one of the controls can activate your device’s native voice assistant, be it Google Assistant or Siri, enhancing hands-free usability.
• Sony | Headphones Connect App: Though cut down than the versions accompanying higher-end models, the app for the WH-CH520 still offers robust features, including EQ presets, a five-band equalizer for custom adjustments, and a hearing test to tailor the sound to your preferences. The DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) feature is a standout, capable of upscaling compressed digital music files in real time to improve sound quality.

These features make the Sony WH-CH520 functional and versatile, catering to a wide range of listening preferences and situations.

Battery Life

One of the most impressive features of the Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones is their extended battery life. With a full charge providing up to 50 hours of playback, these headphones are built to satisfy even the most demanding audio enthusiasts. This significantly improved over the previous model, the WH-CH510, which offered 35 hours of battery life.

The WH-CH520 also supports quick charging, a convenient feature for a quick boost. According to Sony, just three minutes of charging can provide up to 1.5 hours of playback. While testing, it was found that after fully depleting the battery, a quick five-minute charge using the supplied USB-C cable was enough to bring the headphones back to life and provide over an hour of playtime. Although slightly short of Sony’s claim, this rapid charge capability proves invaluable for users on the go.

The long battery life and fast charging option make the WH-CH520 an excellent choice for travelers, commuters, or anyone who dislikes frequent charging. With these headphones, you can confidently leave the charger at home for a few days, knowing you’ll have enough power for extended listening sessions.

Sound Quality

The sound performance of the Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones is commendable, particularly given their price range. These headphones feature 30mm drivers that provide a broad frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz, ensuring a balanced audio experience across various genres.

The bass response is robust and controlled, maintaining clarity and depth without overpowering the midrange. This allows for confident rhythm handling and a solid foundation in tracks where the bass plays a pivotal role. While not achieving the ultimate clarity of more premium models, the midrange is nonetheless informative and eloquent. It does well with vocal tracks, presenting voices with presence and nuance, and integrates smoothly with both higher and lower frequencies.

The treble range is bright and detailed enough to bring a lively dimension to the music, yet it maintains a level of softness that prevents listening fatigue. Sony has managed to avoid the common pitfall of overly sharp or sibilant highs, which can be grating over time.

While slightly restrained, dynamic expression is sufficient to differentiate between softer and louder passages in music, though it doesn’t quite capture the full dynamism of some recordings. However, the overall sound signature is pleasantly neutral and well-suited for extended listening sessions.

Overall, the Sony WH-CH520 offers a sound quality that is both enjoyable and well-balanced, making it suitable for a wide range of audio content. While audiophiles might find some limitations, the average listener will likely appreciate the sonic performance of these budget-friendly headphones.

Verdict

The Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones are a formidable option within the budget headphone market. They deliver a well-rounded performance with a strong battery life, versatile connectivity options, and a comfortable design. The sound quality is impressively balanced for headphones at this price point, making them suitable for various audio experiences. Moreover, the ability to quickly charge and the multi-device connectivity feature enhance their practicality for everyday use. Whether for home, work, or travel, the WH-CH520s offer exceptional value, proving that quality audio does not always have to come at a premium price. Overall, they are an excellent choice for anyone looking for reliable, feature-packed headphones on a budget.

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