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I tried Sony's WH-CH720N noise-canceling headphones, and they're a big win for budget shoppers
All the noise-blocking goodness of Sony's premium headphones for a fraction of the price.
Best invention of the past 10 years? Might just be noise-cancelling headphones, which can help reduce the nerve-rattling roar of the outside world. The question is, do you really need to spend $300, $400 or even $500-plus (looking at you, Apple) for a good pair?
You do not. Sony's WH-CH720N headphones do a superb job of minimizing ambient noise for a very reasonable $148 — significantly less than Sony's top-rated, widely loved WH-1000XM5 ($348). So what exactly do you sacrifice by choosing the cheaper product? Here's my Sony WH-CH720N review.
VERDICT: Though missing a couple features found in Sony's much pricier XM5 headphones, the CH720N delivers top-notch audio and noise-cancelling, which in the end is all that really matters.
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Superb sound and noise-cancelling
- Much less expensive than Sony's flagship 'phones
- Multipoint connectivity
- Poor printed instructions
- Non-folding design
- No carrying case
For the uninitiated, active noise-cancelling (ANC) technology uses sound to block other sounds. It won't protect you much from barking dogs or screaming babies, but it's great at dampening jet engines, traffic noise and other lower-frequency ambience. This works over and above the basic muffling you get from the headphones' earcups.
Speaking of which, the WH-CH720N (hereafter just "720N") feels quite cushy on the head thanks to the soft padding of both the earcups and headband. These are also exceptionally light 'phones, weighing just under 7 ounces; the XM5s weigh closer to 9. It may not sound like much, but something that's going to sit on your head for potentially hours at a time? The lighter, the better.
Another design difference: The 720N earcups swivel, but they don't fold. Thus, these headphones are a little tougher to travel with, especially considering you don't get a carrying case. Sony also opted for tactile buttons instead of touch controls, something I actually prefer. Here you won't accidentally graze an earcup and wind up raising the volume or skipping a track.
The volume and play/pause buttons are on the bottom edge of right earcup, alongside a button that toggles between noise cancelling and transparency modes. (A pleasant chime sounds when you switch, though without any kind of verbal cue it can be difficult to know which mode you've selected.) The only button on the left earcup is for power. Although it takes a little practice to remember how the right-side buttons are laid out, I like that they're a decent size and easy to locate by touch.
I do wish Sony had done a better job labeling the left and right sides — the L and R badges are tiny and hard to spot — but once you've committed the button locations to memory, you'll know which side is which. In addition, Sony's included USB-C charging cable is annoyingly short, but you can easily switch to a longer one if needed.
Sony WH-CH720N setup
How hard can it be to use headphones? Not very, though you do need Sony's companion app, and that makes the setup process take a bit longer than you'd expect. And if you're hoping for instructions to help you through it, too bad: The 720N continues Sony's tradition of terrible documentation. The included reference guide has tiny print and almost zero information on setting up or using the headphones.
Instead, there's a QR code on the lid of the box; you have to scan it with your phone to access an online manual. Even there, the quick-start guide makes no mention of something as basic as charging the battery. (It arrives partially charged, so you can start using the headphones immediately, but you really should do a full charge first.)
Next, the Sony app runs you through a gauntlet of setup steps and options, some of which may seem confusing to novice users who just want to play some music already. Once I completed all the selections, I found myself looking at a splash screen titled "Hikaru Utada '40 Dai-Wa-Iroiro🎵' 360 Reality Audio Stream Archive." Yep, no idea what that was about. Then I waited a good 15 minutes while the app downloaded and installed a firmware update.
The good news is that once you're done with all this, it's pretty smooth sailing. The Sony app affords access to a wide range of features and settings, including an equalizer, adaptive sound control (which can automatically adjust noise cancelling based on your actions) and something called DSEE. This last isn't explained anywhere, but it's a Sony technology designed to enhance the quality of compressed audio. I can't say I noticed a ton of difference when toggling it on or off while listening to Spotify, but this might vary depending on your hearing, source material, etc.
Sony also offers something called 360 Reality Audio, which claims to analyze your ear shape to help create an immersive listening experience. However, this works only with a handful of music apps, Tidal being the most mainstream one. I wasn't able to test the feature.
Sony WH-CH720N features and performance
The 720N supports multipoint connectivity, meaning it can pair with two devices instead of just one. That's great if you want to alternate using it with, say, your phone and your laptop.
However, there's another neat feature that's missing here: auto-pause. Other headphones, including Sony's XM5, can sense when you take them off and will automatically pause whatever's playing. Put them back on and the audio resumes. It sounds minor, but once you get accustomed to this feature, it's hard to live without.
Similarly, you don't get the the XM5's Speak to Chat feature, which automatically pauses playback when you talk. If you need to have a quick conversation, plan on removing the headphones (and manually pausing the music if you don't want to lose your spot).
I'm not sure little amenities like these are worth another $250. In fact, they're not, full stop. The 720N delivers what matters, and that's superb noise cancelling. That's because it incorporates the same ANC technology (Sony's V1 chip) as the much pricier XM5. While I wasn't able to compare the two directly, I can tell you that the cheaper headphones block sound like a champ.
They also sound — to my ears, anyway — outstanding. Audio quality is a highly subjective thing, and I don't have the audio-engineering background to say something like, "These headphones really excel at the lower mid-ranges."
Instead, I listened to a wide range of music, everything from Beethoven to Billy Joel to Bruno Mars, and it all sounded lovely: well balanced, richly detailed, not pushy with the bass. Want more bass? Less treble? Head to the app and fiddle with the equalizer, which has plenty of presets but also manual and custom slots.
Sony promises up to 35 hours of battery life with ANC turned on and closer to 50 with it off. (If you add DSEE into the mix, it'll further impact the battery.) These are solid numbers; depending on usage, you could probably go a full week without needing to recharge. What's more, if you're heading out and realize the headphones have no power at all, you can get up to an hour of playtime after just three minutes of charging. The flipside is that a full charge can take as long as three hours — pretty slow.
Sony WH-CH720N: Should you buy them?
The 720N's predecessor, the 710N, was widely regarded as "pretty good," an affordable alternative to Sony's then-flagship XM4 headphones. The 720N keeps the affordability but makes notable improvements to noise cancelling and overall sound quality. Yes, you sacrifice little amenities like folding ear cups, auto-pause and a carrying case, but the important stuff is there.
In the WH-CH720N, Sony has crafted a lightweight, versatile, comfortable headphone that sounds superb and cancels noise with the best of them — all for a reasonable price. Audiophiles may demand something more, but I think the vast majority of music fans would be very happy.
