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Sony WH-CH5201 / 6
In their words
1 / 2

@swift_hazel_75 · Owner-reported

Owned 6–12 months · Still using it: yes, daily · Posted

Ofc when you buy it, you know it's on ear, and you expect it to be uncomfortable, but with a bit of use it gets really good ! The battery life is very good (i only charge it once a week and use it a lot through the whole week) and the sound is great at it's price.

  • Battery · better than expected
  • Mic on calls · better than expected
  • Fit and build · better than expected
Would buy again

@warm_vector_15 · Owner-reported

Owned 6–12 months · Still using it: yes, daily · Posted

It is a great headset and it sounds really really well and balanced , the app (Sound connect) is also good , overall a good purchase!

  • Noise cancelling in the real world · worse than expected
  • Battery · better than expected
  • Fit and build · better than expected
Would buy again

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Sony

Sony WH-CH520

Affordable, acceptable performance

Current price · Amazon US
$49.95
Check Price on Amazon

Price last checked 28m ago

Overall Rating & value for money
6.6/ 10
6.6
0.010.0

A 6.6 puts its overall rating in the bottom quarter of on-ear headphones we've measured.

Measured on 15 of the 62 we've cataloged.

7.5/ 10
7.5
0.010.0

A 7.5 puts its value for money in the bottom third of on-ear headphones we've measured.

Measured on 15 of the 62 we've cataloged.

See the lab data ↓Frequency response · Isolation
Owners (2)
2of 2
Buy againOwner reported

2 of 2 would buy again. 2 of 2 still use it daily.

Owned 6–12 months.

  • Comfort over long sessions2 as expected
  • Noise cancelling in the real world1 as expected · 1 worse
  • Battery in real life2 better
  • Mic on calls1 better · 1 as expected
  • Fit and build after months2 better

Key specs

Battery Life Wireless
55.42 hAbove average
55.42 h
12 h100 h

above average for on-ear headphones — based on 41 of 62 we've cataloged.

Full Charge Minutes
3 minBelow average
3.0000000447034836 min
2 min240 min

below average for on-ear headphones — based on 34 of 62 we've cataloged.

IP Rating
NoneMost common
None73%IP549%IP559%Mil-std-810g9%

None is the most common — on 73% of the 11 on-ear headphones we've cataloged (of 62).

Weight
147 gBelow average
147 g
57 g285 g

below average for on-ear headphones — based on 50 of 62 we've cataloged.

Battery

Battery Life Wireless
55.42 h
Full Charge Minutes
3 min
Charging Method
USB-C
Battery
Yes
Fast Charging
Yes

Build

IP Rating
None
Material Chassis Primary
Plastic
Water Resistance
No
Material Headband
Plastic with padding

Design

Weight
147 g
Color Options
Beige, black, blue, white
Ear Pad Type
Leather-like synthetic, plastic
Foldable
Yes
Headband Type
Adjustable over-head
Wearing Time Max
2 h

Connectivity

Connection Type
Bluetooth
Headphone Jack
Yes
Bluetooth Codec
SBC, AAC
Bluetooth Version
5.2
USB Charging
Yes
Multipoint Devices
2 devices

Microphone

Microphone
Yes
Noise Reduction Type
Yes
Type
Single microphone

Sound

Acoustic Design
Closed-back
Driver Count
1
Driver Size
30 mm
Driver Type
Dynamic driver
Frequency Response
20-20000 Hz
Frequency Response High Hz
20000 Hz
Frequency Response Low Hz
20 Hz
Frequency Response Signature
Balanced
Impedance
32 Ω
Noise Cancellation Type
None
Passive Isolation
33 dB

Features

Companion App
IOS + Android
Control Type
Physical buttons
Eq Customization
Yes
Auto Pause
No
Inline Controls
No
Touch Controls
No
Voice Assistant Support
Siri, Google Assistant

Identity

Model Number
WH-CH520

Objective measurements from the SoundGuys test lab — overlay other models to see how this one compares.

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Sony WH-CH520 Frequency Response (measured on a B&K 5128)

Measured frequency response (dB relative) against the SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve. When the measurement goes above the dashed line, that frequency is louder than our preference curve, and when it goes below: it's quieter. Use the curve for comparison purposes only, as your taste may vary.-20-15-10-50+5+10+15+20201001k10k20kdB (Relative)Frequency (Hz)

Click a line or a legend entry to highlight it. Click again to clear.Tap a legend entry to highlight its line. Tap again to clear.

Measured frequency response (dB relative) against the SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve. When the measurement goes above the dashed line, that frequency is louder than our preference curve, and when it goes below: it's quieter. Use the curve for comparison purposes only, as your taste may vary.

Sony WH-CH520: frequency response, as measured in the SoundGuys lab. Frequency in hertz.
Frequency (Hz)Response (dB)
20-0.7
250.1
321.7
403.5
504.9
635.5
805.4
1003.5
1251.9
1600.9
2000.9
2500.8
3150.4
400-0.1
500-1.1
630-2.1
800-2.3
1000-2.3
1250-2.2
1600-1.1
20001.0
25006.6
315010.7
40007.8
50003.4
6300-1.4
80005.5
100003.4
12500-2.1
16000-6.9
20000-22.2

SoundGuys review

SOUNDGUYS rating
6.6/ 10
Worth a look
Christian Thomas
Reviewed byChristian ThomasEditor-at-largeReviewed September 2023
Isolation3.7
Battery life9.9
Comfort & fit7.2
Connectivity5.0
Design5.5
Portability7.0

The verdict

The Sony WH-CH520 are competent — if a bit boring — wireless headphones, aimed at the entry level. They work, sound decent enough, have an incredible battery life, and aren't uncomfortable. With features like Multipoint and Fast Pair, the Sony WH-CH520 are reasonably future-proof.

✓Liked: Decent tuning, Fast Pair, Lightweight

✕Could be better: Price, Difficult seal, Buttons

Read the full SoundGuys review →

What readers who own the Sony WH-CH520 report after living with it. Owner-reported, checked before publishing; ordered photo-verified first, then newest.

Owner reviews are not paid for, not solicited from specific owners, and not rewritten by us: at most we proofread typos, which is shown on the review’s own page and which the author can undo. The commission SoundGuys may earn on this page comes from retail links, never from owner reviews.

2 owner reviews

SHEvery author writes under a generated pseudonym; a member can choose to show their name and photo beside it. A signed-in author’s email is never shown. Read more · The reader says they own it. We have not seen proof, and we say so — no label here is proof of a purchase. Read more · Owned 6–12 months · Still using it: yes, daily · Posted

Would buy again

Ofc when you buy it, you know it's on ear, and you expect it to be uncomfortable, but with a bit of use it gets really good ! The battery life is very good (i only charge it once a week and use it a lot through the whole week) and the sound is great at it's price.

  • Battery · better than expected
  • Mic on calls · better than expected
  • Fit and build · better than expected

WVEvery author writes under a generated pseudonym; a member can choose to show their name and photo beside it. A signed-in author’s email is never shown. Read more · The reader says they own it. We have not seen proof, and we say so — no label here is proof of a purchase. Read more · Owned 6–12 months · Still using it: yes, daily · Posted

Would buy again

It is a great headset and it sounds really really well and balanced , the app (Sound connect) is also good , overall a good purchase!

  • Battery · better than expected
  • Fit and build · better than expected
Showing 2 of 2 owner reviews · sorted by newest

Sign-in needed to publish.

Questions from readers

What readers ask about the Sony WH-CH520, answered by the people who own it.

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0 of 1 would buy again

1 owner

The battery beat their expectations

— @clear_piccolo_46
$129.95at Amazon
Buy on Amazon