Sony WHCH520/C
The 50-hour battery life and 3-minute quick charge for 1.5 hours of playback make this a top pick for long listening sessions, supported by Bluetooth 5.2 and multipoint pairing. The DSEE and EQ Custom features in the Sony Headphones Connect app let you tailor sound to your taste, while lightweight build and soft earpads ensure all-day comfort. Best for budget-conscious commuters or students who need reliable wireless audio for daily travel and podcasts, not for intense workouts.
Snapshot
The 30-Second Version
Incredible battery life, mediocre everything else. Buy these if you hate charging your headphones more than you love good sound.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Battery life is ridiculous, 50 hours is top of the charts 98th
- Quick charge is actually useful, 3 minutes for 75 minutes of playback 98th
- Multipoint connection works smoothly 89th
- Fast Pair and Swift Pair make setup painless
Cons
- Sound quality is a weak spot, near the bottom of our rankings
- Comfort is mediocre, the ear cups run small
- Build quality feels cheap, 34th percentile
- No real ANC to speak of
What owners think
The Word on the Street
How owner sentiment changed over time
ExclusiveBased on when customers actually wrote their reviews - so you can see whether early praise held up.
Based on 214 dated customer reviews, grouped by calendar quarter. Period analysis is in English.
The proof
Performance
The battery is the star here. 50 hours of playback puts this in the top tier of our database, and the quick charge is genuinely useful. 3 minutes gets you 75 minutes of playback, which is the kind of feature you don't appreciate until you're heading out the door. The sound, though, is a letdown. DSEE tries to polish things up, but it can't hide the fact that these sit near the bottom of our sound rankings. The mic is fine for calls, nothing special.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Design
| Wearing Style | headband |
Noise Control
| ANC | No |
Connectivity
| Wireless | Yes |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 |
| Multipoint | Yes |
Earbud Battery
| Battery Life | 50 |
| Charge Time | 3 |
| Fast Charging | 5 minutes charging provides up to 4 hours of playback. |
| Charging | USB-C |
Case Battery
| Case Charging | USB-C |
Microphone
| Microphone | Yes |
Features
| Voice Assistant | Siri, Google Assistant |
| App | Sony | Headphones Connect App |
| Bone Conduction | No |
vs Competition
The WH-CH520 goes up against some serious competition. The Soundcore P31i offers better sound for similar money, and the EarFun Air Pro 4+ adds actual ANC if you can stretch your budget. The Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation and Technics EAH-AZ80 are in a completely different league, but they cost 3-4 times as much. If battery life is your only priority, the Sony wins. If you care about how your music actually sounds, look elsewhere.
| Spec | Sony WHCH520/C | Nothing Buds 2 | Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro | Soundcore P31i | Technics EAH-AZ80 | EarFun Air Pro 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | - | in-ear | in-ear | in-ear | in-ear | in-ear |
| Driver Type | - | dynamic | dynamic | dynamic | dynamic | hybrid |
| Wireless | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Active Noise Cancellation | false | true | true | true | true | true |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 6.0 | 5.3 | 6.0 |
| Battery Life Hours | 50 | 13.5 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 11 |
| Case Battery Hours | - | 55 | 26 | 50 | 16 | 54 |
| Water Resistance | - | IP55 | IP57 | IP55 | IPX4 | IP55 |
| Multipoint | true | true | true | - | true | true |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Anc | Mic | Build | Sound | Battery | Comfort | Connectivity | Social Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony WHCH520/C | 30.9 | 39.2 | 34 | 29 | 98 | 28.1 | 88.7 | 98.1 |
| Nothing Buds 2 Compare | 93 | 97.5 | 91.2 | 81.9 | 95.5 | 72 | 96.9 | 81.1 |
| Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro Compare | 97.2 | 97.5 | 98.8 | 93 | 72.9 | 94.7 | 99.6 | 90 |
| Soundcore P31i Compare | 89.6 | 97.5 | 91.2 | 97 | 93 | 72 | 86.1 | 90 |
| Technics EAH-AZ80 Compare | 93 | 99.8 | 79.3 | 94.2 | 44.8 | 94.7 | 97.9 | 66.1 |
| EarFun Air Pro 4 Compare | 89.6 | 97.5 | 91.2 | 99.7 | 94.7 | 72 | 99.3 | 90 |
Price
Value & Pricing
At $68, this is a tough call. You're getting best-in-class battery life and solid connectivity, but the sound and comfort are genuinely disappointing. If you just need something that lasts forever between charges and you're not picky about audio, it's fine. But there are better-sounding options in this price range.
Best Buy 1 offer From $58
Price History
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Overview
The Sony WH-CH520 is the budget headphone that nails the basics and skips the fancy stuff. The one thing to know: you're getting absurd battery life and solid connectivity for under $70, but you're giving up real sound quality and comfort to get there.
Common Questions
Q: Are these good for working out?
No. They're not sweat-resistant and multiple owners say they fall off if you run or jump. Get earbuds with ear hooks instead.
Q: How long does the battery actually last?
Sony claims 50 hours, and our data backs that up. It's one of the best battery lives we've seen in any headphone, period.
Q: Can I use these for phone calls?
Yes, the built-in mic works fine for calls. It's not amazing, but it's perfectly usable for everyday conversations.
Who Should Skip This
If you're looking for immersive sound or all-day comfort, this isn't it. Go get the Soundcore P31i for better audio at a similar price, or stretch to the EarFun Air Pro 4+ if you want ANC.
Verdict
The Sony WH-CH520 is a one-trick pony, but it's a really good trick. If you want headphones that you can forget to charge for a week and still have juice, these are a solid pick. But if you care about sound quality or comfort, you'll be disappointed. For most people, the Soundcore P31i is the better buy at this price.
