Sony WH-CH520 vs JBL Tune 510BT: Which Cheap On-Ear?
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Comparison Table
| # | Product | Our Score | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones Bluetooth On-Ear Headset with Microphone and up to 50 Hours Battery Life with Quick Charging, Pink Best Overall | 8.1/10 | $34.99 | Check Price on Amazon |
| 2 | JBL Tune 510BT - Bluetooth headphones with up to 40 hours battery, microphone for call, foldable and comfortable, Android and iOs compatible (White) Runner-Up | 7.9/10 | $49.95 | Check Price on Amazon |
Prices as of October 5, 2026 — check Amazon for the latest price and availability.
Top Picks for You
Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones Bluetooth On-Ear Headset with Microphone and up to 50 Hours Battery Life with Quick Charging, Pink
The Sony WH-CH520 offers the most credible name-brand spec at its price: roughly 50 hours of battery, multipoint pairing for phone-plus-laptop, and Sony's app EQ in a light on-ear frame. On-ear pads isolate poorly and can pinch over hours, and there's no ANC — but as a dependable everyday Bluetooth headphone, it's a safe default.
Price as of October 5, 2026 — check Amazon for the latest price.
JBL Tune 510BT - Bluetooth headphones with up to 40 hours battery, microphone for call, foldable and comfortable, Android and iOs compatible (White)
JBL PURE BASS SOUND: These wirelss headpones feature the renowned JBL Pure Bass sound, which can be found in the most famous venues all around the world. WIRELESS BLUETOOTH: These headphones stream wirelessly from your device and can even switch between two devices so that you don't miss a call. UP TO 40 HOURS BATTERY WITH SPEED CHARGE: For long-lasting fun, listen wirelessly for up to 40 hours and recharge the battery in as little as 2 hours with the convenient Type-C USB cable. A quick 5-minute recharge gives you 2 additional hours of music. MICROPHONE ON EAR CUP FOR HANDS-FREE CALLS: Easily control your sound and manage your calls from your headphones with the convenient buttons on the ear-cup. ASK SIRI OR HEY GOOGLE: Siri or Hey Google is just a button away: activate the voice assistant of your device by pushing the multi-function button. Featuring an adjustable headband the Tune 510BT are designed to fit nearly any head size comfortably
Price as of October 5, 2026 — check Amazon for the latest price.
The Short Answer
Buy the Sony WH-CH520 for most people. It quotes a longer battery, it is lighter, and Sony's app lets you adjust the sound — something the JBL cannot do at all.
Buy the JBL Tune 510BT if you want more bass out of the box and have no interest in an app. Its tuning is JBL's bass-forward Pure Bass, and it does what it does without any setup.
Check the price of each colour before you buy. Both brands price their finishes differently, and on the day you buy the cheaper model may not be the one you expect.
Battery: Sony by Ten Hours
Sony quotes about 50 hours, JBL about 40. Both are long enough that charging becomes an occasional chore rather than a daily one, and neither has cancelling to drain it. The Sony's extra ten hours means charging roughly every two weeks instead of every week and a half for most people — a real but modest difference.
Quick charging is close. Sony quotes about 1.5 hours from 3 minutes; JBL about 2 hours from 5 minutes. Either rescues a forgotten charge before you leave the house.
Sound and Control: The Real Difference
The JBL is tuned for bass. JBL calls it Pure Bass, and it gives pop, hip-hop and electronic music a weight that makes a cheap headphone sound fuller than its price. The trade is detail in vocals and acoustic music.
The Sony is warmer and more even by default, and it can be changed. Sony's Headphones Connect app includes an equaliser, so you can add bass, reduce it, or tune for podcasts. It also offers DSEE, Sony's processing for compressed music.
The JBL has no app. What JBL tuned is what you hear. You can still use an equaliser in your streaming app or phone, but nothing on the headphone itself changes.
Comfort
Both are on-ear, and both press on the ear rather than around it. That suits an hour or two at a time; over a full day, most people feel the pressure, and glasses wearers feel it sooner. The Sony is slightly lighter, which helps a little.
If you plan to wear headphones for long stretches, an over-ear design is more comfortable — our JBL Tune 720BT review covers a cheap over-ear with a very long battery.
Calls and Two Devices
Both switch between two Bluetooth devices, so a call on your phone can interrupt music on a laptop without re-pairing. Both have a built-in microphone and physical buttons. Neither is a call headset; for frequent calls in noisy places, a boom microphone is better.
Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones
The one to buy for battery, weight and control over the sound.
Up to 50 hours of battery, multipoint, a quick charge of about 1.5 hours from 3 minutes, an app with an equaliser and DSEE, and a light frame at about 147g. Sony prices its colours very differently, so check the finish before you order. Our Sony WH-CH520 review covers it on its own.
What you give up against the JBL: some bass out of the box, unless you add it in the app.
Check Price on Amazon · $34.99 as of October 5, 2026 — check Amazon for the latest price.
JBL Tune 510BT Wireless On-Ear Headphones
The one to buy if you want bass with no setup.
Up to 40 hours of battery, two-device switching, a 5-minute charge for about 2 hours, physical buttons, a fold-flat frame and JBL's bass-forward Pure Bass tuning. It is a simple, dependable headphone that does exactly one sound well.
What you give up against the Sony: about ten hours of battery, an app and any way to adjust the sound on the headphone itself.
Check Price on Amazon · $49.95 as of October 5, 2026 — check Amazon for the latest price.
How to Decide
Do you want to adjust the sound? Sony. The JBL has no app.
Do you mainly listen to bass-heavy music and want it to sound big straight away? JBL.
Is battery the priority? Sony, by about ten hours.
Is the price gap large on the day you buy? Take the cheaper one. They are close enough that a big difference in price outweighs the differences in specification.
Do you need noise cancelling? Neither. Sony's cheapest cancelling model is compared in our WH-CH520 vs WH-CH720N guide.
For the rest of the field, see our best on-ear headphones under $50 and best on-ear headphones guides.
FAQ
Which is better, the Sony WH-CH520 or the JBL Tune 510BT? For most people the Sony: longer battery, lighter, and an app with an equaliser. The JBL suits people who want strong bass without any setup.
Which has the longer battery? The Sony, at about 50 hours against about 40 for the JBL, by each maker's figures.
Does the JBL Tune 510BT have an app? No. The Sony WH-CH520 works with Sony's Headphones Connect app, which includes an equaliser.
Do both connect to two devices? Yes. Both can switch between two Bluetooth devices.
Can you use either with a cable? No. Neither has a headphone jack; both are wireless only.
Which has more bass? The JBL, out of the box. The Sony can add bass through its app equaliser.
Verdict
Buy the Sony WH-CH520 if you want the most complete cheap on-ear: the longer battery, the lighter frame, and the ability to tune the sound to your taste.
Buy the JBL Tune 510BT if bass is what you want and you would rather not open an app. It is a simple, well-liked headphone, and when it is clearly the cheaper of the two on the day, it is an easy choice.
Written by
HeadsetAtlas Editorial TeamOur recommendations are research-driven: we analyze technical specifications, aggregate thousands of verified user reviews, and cross-reference expert sources to score every product. Read our full review methodology →