Sony WH-CH520

Verdict

The Sony WH-CH520 tick a lot of the bins for an on-ear pair and in some areas punch above their value level. The design is light-weight (and principally comfy to put on), name high quality is obvious, they boast extra options than their pricier rivals and provide a strong audio efficiency – although there are equally cheap headphones that sound higher.

Introduction

The cycle of headphone releases is a revolving door that sees previous pairs make method for brand new ones, although some handle to last more than others. On this occasion it’s been 4 years on the clock for the WH-CH510, which will get moved apart for the brand new Sony WH-CH520.

Pitched at an identical value, you get longer battery life, extra up-to-date Bluetooth spec, Sony’s DSEE chip that helps upscale compressed tracks to raised high quality, and help for the immersive 360 Actuality Audio format.

That each one appears good on paper, however does it translate to the audio expertise? Listed below are my ideas.

Design

• Design can pinch on the earlobes
• Light-weight
• Accessible in 4 color choices

The Sony WH-CH520 continues the identical design as its predecessor. They’re high-quality to put on for some time, however after 15- to 20-minutes they start to pinch in opposition to the earlobes. Like all on-ear you may modify the place the headphone sits for higher consolation.

There may be sufficient stress within the headphones’ clamping drive to maintain them rooted to the pinnacle, and for me there wasn’t a lot motion strolling round with these headphones on. The design isn’t foldable however the earcups could be swivelled to change the match.

The earpads didn’t overly overheat my ears, and the padding on the adjustable headband affords strong reduction. Other than the pinching, the CH-WH520 show comfy to put on, although the Marshall Main IV (£129) are higher, if not as reasonably priced.

Construct high quality is predominantly plastic which does maintain the burden down at 147g, although it’s barely heavier than the WH-CH510. The body is flexible although I wouldn’t advocate stretching them too far in worry of reaching the snapping level.

There’s no case and even fabric material to slide the headphones into, however they really feel sturdy sufficient to be flung right into a bag or hung across the neck, as I ended up doing.

Operation is saved easy with buttons positioned on the right-hand ear cup with playback and quantity controls (maintain the quantity buttons and you’ll skip ahead or backwards). The primary button can be utilized to show the headphones on and off (a maintain), and pinpointing buttons is made simple by the multi-function button (MFB) being raised above others, although I nonetheless suppose it could possibly be raised slightly additional. The remainder of the fitting ear-cup’s furnishings extends to a USB-C port for charging.

Not eager on black or white variations? The Sony WH-CH520 additionally are available in blue and beige colors so as to add some selection.

Options

• Strong wi-fi efficiency
• Sony Headphones app provides customization choices
• Bluetooth multipoint help

The Sony WH-CH520 have Bluetooth 5.2 help, and the wi-fi connection has been nice to date. No stutters, dropouts, or breakups, simply easy streaming in busy areas. You may alter the Bluetooth efficiency within the app to prioritise the connection in case you discover yourselves affected by main points.

There’s no LDAC help for increased high quality audio, so the Sony WH-CH520 make do with SBC and AAC for Android and iOS gadgets.

Battery is reportedly 50 hours, although the Sony web site states each 50 and 40. Whichever one it’s, it’s greater than lengthy sufficient earlier than a cost is required (a full cost reportedly takes three hours). Streaming a Spotify playlist for 2 hours at mid quantity ended up at 50%, and contemplating once I began the battery check it was already 50% the WH-CH520 has loads of battery in reserve. One other battery drain for 9 hours began at 100%… and ended at 100%. This headphone can final for days.

Name high quality has been excellent. The particular person on the opposite finish talked about the readability of my voice was good (as was their voice), with Sony’s sole beamforming microphone isolating the voice and suppressing different noises. They did point out it turned harder to listen to what I stated when noise ranges went up significantly. However nonetheless, this can be a excellent efficiency.

The WH-CH520 helps the Sony Headphones app for firmware updates, a customized equaliser, playback/quantity controls, in addition to with the ability to toggle on multi-point Bluetooth for connecting to 2 gadgets concurrently in case you’re a multi-tasker.

There’s no built-in voice assistant, however press the MFB two instances and it’ll launch the voice assistant in your cell gadget. Calls could be managed (accepted/ended) although this button as nicely.

The DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) upscales audio, and its presence right here is as a result of expectation that almost all who purchase this headphone will probably be listening to decrease high quality music streams. DSEE helps establish and improve the compressed parts and add extra element again into it.

Whether or not you hear a distinction is determined by what you’re listening to. At worst you’re extra prone to hear a greater sense of a observe’s dynamic vary.

Lastly for this part is the 360 Actuality Audio format. That is Sony’s proprietary immersive audio format in an identical vein to Dolby Atmos or Apple’s Spatial Audio. The precept is identical in presenting a hemisphere of sound across the listener with devices dotted round. Tidal helps it, and in case you’re it’s price going via the optimization course of to adapt the efficiency to your ears.

Sound High quality

• Easy operator on the audio discipline
• Soundstage can sound congested
• In need of element and readability

Armed with a 30mm driver, the Sony WH-CH520 on-ears put in a decent listening expertise. Tonally they’re a easy hear, although they don’t provide probably the most finessed sound to my ears, even with DSEE enabled, as there’s a slight lack of definition and sharpness to devices and voices which isn’t helped by a soundstage that’s extra congested than I’d like.

It means there’s much less room for the soundstage to breathe, and with that comes a slight deficit in definition and readability in comparison with the SoundMagic P23BT. The P23BT is aided by aptX-HD Bluetooth to funnel via increased ranges of element and readability, whereas Sony WH-CH520 depends on AAC. Of the 2, the SoundMagic is the clearer, extra exact performer.

There’s a good quantity of brightness that brings out element within the treble notes of the piano that performs all through Andreas Ihlebæk’s Come Summer season. There’s additionally good tonal variation and good sparkle to the upper notes that registers with extra impression than the SoundMagic.

A hearken to Nubiyan Twist and Cherise’s Tittle Tattle is characterised by smoothness and a reasonably pure appreciation for the devices within the observe. Bass has a strong presence, saved in test and by no means making an attempt to hog the eye, so in case you’re extra of a bass fiend it’s price wanting on the Marshall Main IV as a bassier pair.

Cherise’s voice is easily relayed all through the observe, although a qualm I’ve is the best way the Sony pitches its soundstage. Together with the slight shortfall in readability and definition, the soundstage is distant; voices sit among the many devices relatively than on prime, which provides to that congested really feel. Nonetheless, there’s some first rate dynamism, paired with respectable vitality to the extra rhythmic and flowing sections of the observe.

In Roger Sanchez’s Dance traditional One other Probability, the bass is dealt with with weight and slightly wealthy in its description. That presents slightly conundrum for me, as throughout my time listening to the Sony WH-CH520 I’ve struggled in describing the sound it’s aiming for. It’s not impartial neither is it essentially wealthy, seemingly discovering an space in-between these two poles the place it comes throughout as comparatively nicely balanced to the purpose the place it sounds good with a variety of genres, however comes throughout quick when it comes to definition.

With Sony 360 Actuality Audio tracks, the soundstage is opened with extra width and peak in tracks resembling Rileyy Lanez’s Not Mine. Doing an A/B hear, there’s extra readability and higher definition after going via the 360 Actuality Audio course of. I wouldn’t name it really immersive, nevertheless it’s a good try for an on-ear pair.

Total, the Sony WH-CH520 lacks the readability, element, and subtlety of the SoundMagic pair, however they suffice as a great hear on their very own phrases.

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