Sony WH-CH720N Review (2026): Cheap Sony ANC

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Where It Sits

Sony's cancellation reputation was built on the XM-series, which costs three to four times this. The CH720N uses a simpler system, and the gap is clear rather than subtle — the XM headphones remove more, and they do it with less of the faint pressure sensation cheaper cancellation produces.

What the CH720N does is remove enough. Engine noise, road rumble and air conditioning drop away convincingly. Voices and keyboards do not, which is true at every price and not a fault of this model.

Against the tier below, it is a real step up. Budget cancelling headphones from unknown brands often produce a slight hiss and little else; this is recognisably the same kind of processing Sony puts in its expensive models, applied less aggressively.

So: better than cheap ANC, clearly short of flagship ANC, priced accordingly. That is an unglamorous conclusion and it is the accurate one.

The Thing Nobody Mentions

It is extremely light for an over-ear headphone.

This gets buried under specification comparisons and it is the feature most likely to affect whether you actually use them. Cancelling over-ears tend to be heavy, and weight is what makes them uncomfortable across a long flight or a full working day. The CH720N is unusually light, and that changes how long you can wear it more than any cancellation figure does.

The trade is that the lightness comes from all-plastic construction, which feels exactly like what it costs.

The Practical Specification

35 hours of battery, which is strong — well beyond Bose's 24 at more than twice the price, and enough that charging becomes a weekly thought.

Multipoint, so a laptop and a phone can stay connected at once. Genuinely useful and not a given at this price.

App EQ, which matters because the default tuning leans warm. Ten minutes in Sony's app is worth more than any amount of reading about the sound.

Where the Money Went

The build. All plastic, light, and unmistakably a budget product in the hand. Treat the hinges as the first thing likely to fail, as on every folding headphone at this price.

The cancellation ceiling, as above.

The price is volatile. This model discounts frequently and heavily, and what looks like a fair deal at full price becomes an easy recommendation on sale. Check the figure on the day rather than assuming.

Who Should Buy It

You want Sony's cancellation without flagship money: yes. This is precisely the product for that, and there is no real competition from other major brands at this exact point.

You wear headphones for hours: yes, and the weight is the reason.

You want the quietest possible: no. Spend more, or accept this is not that.

You want cancellation as cheaply as possible: no — our Soundcore Q20i review covers one at half the price with more battery, giving up build quality and some cancellation depth.

You want the reference for comfort and quiet: no — see our Bose QuietComfort review for what more than twice the money buys.

You want earbuds instead: best wireless earbuds under $100 covers that ground.

FAQ

Is the Sony WH-CH720N's noise cancelling good? Yes for the price, and clearly below the XM-series. It handles steady low-frequency noise well and does not remove voices, which no headphone at any price fully does.

How does it compare to the WH-1000XM series? The XM headphones cancel more and feel less pressurised doing it. They also cost three to four times as much. The CH720N is the sensible version rather than a compromised one.

How long does the battery last? Sony quotes 35 hours, which is strong for the category and better than several considerably more expensive models.

Is it comfortable for long sessions? Unusually so, because it is light. That is its strongest practical advantage over heavier cancelling over-ears.

Does it have multipoint? Yes — a laptop and a phone can stay connected simultaneously.

Should I wait for a sale? Often worth it. This model discounts frequently and the gap between list and sale price is large enough to matter.

Verdict

Our score: 8.1/10. The WH-CH720N does the job it was built for: real Sony noise cancelling, 35 hours of battery, multipoint and app EQ, in a headphone light enough to forget you are wearing.

Its limits are honest ones. Cancellation is a clear step below the XM-series, and the all-plastic build feels its price every time you pick it up. Neither is a surprise at this money.

Buy it if you want cancellation from a company that is good at it and do not want to spend flagship money. Watch the price — it discounts often, and on sale it stops being a reasonable buy and becomes an obvious one.