WH-CH720N and WH-CH520: Sony renews its entry-level headphones

When talking about Sony mobile headphones, the WH-1000XM references immediately come to mind. Nevertheless, the Japanese firm also designs much more modest Bluetooth headsets, within reach of all budgets. The new WH-CH720N and WH-CH520 fall into this category and are offered at indicative prices of €150 and €70 respectively. Both models will be launched during the month of March 2023.

WH-CH720N: circumaural format and active noise reduction

The WH-CH720N are Sony’s most affordable active noise canceling Bluetooth headphones. It stands out from its predecessor, the WH-CH710N, with its revamped, more modern design, reminiscent of the look of the WH-XB910N with more angular edges. The new helmet has also undergone a nice slimming cure compared to the previous model, by displaying only 192 g on the scale. A featherweight that should improve the already excellent feelings of comfort of the WH-CH710N.

Sony says it has improved the quality of voice capture as well as the performance of active noise reduction, in particular thanks to the integration of the V1 chip, which already officiates within the WH-1000XM5. The acoustic architecture seems unchanged. The headset incorporates multipoint Bluetooth technology for pairing up to two sources simultaneously. In addition, it is compatible with the fast pairing protocols Google Fast Pair and Windows Swift Pair.

Many other features are also appearing. This is the case of the integrated voice control: it is possible to invoke Google Assistant or Alexa by voice. Additionally, the WH-CH720N is now supported by the Sony Headphones Connect app. It is thus possible to configure different equalization profiles or to manage the power level of the active noise reduction. In addition, the WH-CH720N promises 35 hours of autonomy when the noise reduction is activated.

WH-CH520: long battery life and pretty colors

Unlike the WH-CH720N which includes all of the ears, the WH-CH520 is a so-called supra-auricular headset, that is to say that the pads rest on the ears. Its design has also been reworked: it adopts a more modern look with a smooth, non-dimpled finish, as is the case with the WH-CH510.

Devoid of active noise reduction, the WH-CH520 is equipped with new microphones supposed to improve voice pickup during calls. In addition, it is now compatible with the Sony Headphones Connect app and therefore has access to the integrated equalizer. Like the WH-CH720N, no changes seem to have been made to the acoustic part. Multipoint Bluetooth is included, as are the quick pairing protocols cited for the WH-CH720N. The WH-CH520 also promises a daunting autonomy of 50 hours. It will be available in four colors: black, blue, white and beige.