Sony WH-CH520 vs WH-CH720N: Which Cheap Sony?

Top Picks for You

The Three Differences

Cancellation. The CH720N has Sony's noise cancelling; the CH520 has none at all. This is the difference people buy the more expensive model for, and it is real — engine noise, road rumble and air conditioning drop away convincingly on the 720N and not at all on the 520.

Over-ear against on-ear. The CH720N's cups go around your ears. The CH520's rest on them. That decides isolation before any electronics get involved, and it decides comfort after the second hour — on-ear concentrates pressure on the ear itself, which is the most consistent complaint about every on-ear headphone made.

Battery, and this one goes the other way. The CH520 quotes roughly 50 hours; the CH720N quotes 35. The cheaper headphone lasts longer precisely because it has no cancellation drawing on it.

Everything else they share: multipoint pairing, Sony's app EQ, light plastic construction, and a warm default tuning that the app is worth ten minutes to correct.

Sony WH-CH720N Noise Canceling Wireless Headphones

The one to buy if you go anywhere noisy. Cancellation plus an over-ear seal is a different experience rather than a slightly better one — on a bus, a train or in an open-plan office it is the whole reason to spend the extra.

It is also unusually light for a cancelling over-ear, which matters more than the specification sheet suggests: weight is what makes this category uncomfortable across a long day, and Sony has kept it down.

Its limits are honest. Cancellation is a clear step below the XM-series that built Sony's reputation, and the all-plastic build feels its price. Our WH-CH720N review covers it in full.

Check Price on Amazon · $98 as of August 21, 2026 — check Amazon for the latest price.

Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones Bluetooth On-Ear

The one to buy if you listen somewhere quiet and want the battery to be a non-issue. Fifty hours from a headphone at this price is the strongest specification either of these offers, and multipoint at thirty-eight dollars has no real equivalent from another established brand.

It is smaller, lighter and easier to carry, and for calls and casual listening at a desk it does the job without asking anything of you.

What it cannot do is keep the world out. There is no cancellation and on-ear pads seal nothing, so a noisy room stays noisy. Our WH-CH520 review covers it on its own terms.

Check Price on Amazon · $38 as of August 21, 2026 — check Amazon for the latest price.

How to Choose

You commute, fly, or share an office: CH720N. Not close — this is the entire reason it costs more.

You listen at a desk or at home: CH520, and enjoy the longer battery and the lower price.

You wear headphones for many hours at a stretch: CH720N. Over-ear spreads pressure; on-ear concentrates it.

Battery is your priority: CH520. Fifty hours against thirty-five, and the gap exists because of what it lacks.

You want Sony's best cancellation: neither. Both sit below the XM-series, which costs several times more — see best noise cancelling headphones under $200.

You want the cheapest cancellation available: neither, necessarily. Our Soundcore Q20i review covers cancelling over-ears at less than half the CH720N's price, giving up build quality and brand support.

FAQ

What is the main difference between the WH-CH520 and WH-CH720N? The CH720N has active noise cancellation and an over-ear fit. The CH520 has neither — it is on-ear with no cancellation, and cheaper.

Which has better battery life? The cheaper CH520, at roughly 50 hours against 35. Cancellation is what costs the CH720N the difference.

Do both have multipoint? Yes, both connect to two devices at once, which is unusual at these prices.

Is the CH720N's cancellation any good? Good for the money and clearly below Sony's XM-series. It handles steady low-frequency noise well and does not remove voices, which nothing does.

Which is more comfortable? The CH720N over long sessions, because over-ear spreads pressure around the ear. The CH520 is lighter and smaller, which is more comfortable briefly and less so after a few hours.

Is the CH720N worth double the price? If you need cancellation, yes without hesitation. If you do not, you would be paying more for less battery.

Verdict

Buy the CH720N if noise is part of your day. Cancellation and an over-ear fit are what the extra sixty dollars buys, and no amount of battery life substitutes for them on a train.

Buy the CH520 if it is not. In a quiet room the more expensive headphone offers you nothing except a shorter charge cycle, and thirty-eight dollars for fifty hours and multipoint is the better deal by a clear margin.

The mistake to avoid is treating the CH720N as simply the better Sony. It is the better headphone in noise and the worse one on battery, and where you listen settles it rather than the price does.