Sony WH-CH720N Review

Our Sony WH-CH720N Headphones Experience

The Sony WH-CH720N was never going to stand up to its bigger brothers. Given the price was less than half that of the higher-end models, we knew what we were in for and adjusted our expectations accordingly. In our experience, it is a generally average pair that is neither offensive nor noteworthy. We aren't mad at it, but we also aren't mad about it.

The 720N offers one of the most expansive soundstages in its price range. It has a rich app that helped us customize the sound to our tastes and the genre. The sound is open and feels airy, sure to please all but the most discerning listeners.

We liked the fit, but they aren't as cushy as other Sony models. At a fraction of the price, we guess they had to cut corners somewhere. We were able to wear them for about 7 hours without discomfort, which let us make it through a commute and much of a full work day with regular breaks; we had no trouble donning them again for the ride home, but a continuous stretch would probably be pushing it.

The worst part was really the commuting. With so much background noise, it would have been nice if they could have blocked more of the competing sounds. They didn't block much, and we think anyone looking for this as a reason to buy headphones will likely be disappointed. They muted enough noise for the office, but busy cafes and subway stations were challenging.

Sound Quality

The CH720N sound quality is better than average, but only by a hair. They are pleasant to listen to, but they won't knock your socks off.

The soundstage is open and airy with space for the instruments to breathe. While not immaculate or detailed, it has a playful sound mix with a solid sense of sound location, which makes it very enjoyable. The soundstage definitely delivers for immersion and energy.

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The bass is warm and boosted for a lively and fun listening experience. It lacks the tight precision we see in higher-end Sony headphones, but it isn't offensive. While not a messy sound, it can get fuzzy at times. The lows are often overpronounced and unrealistic, and it is glaringly obvious when you compare them to higher-end choices.

The middle range is forward-sounding, and the vocals are pleasingly energetic. The vocals sound like the start of the show, but not in every genre. When there is a powerful bass line, the voices can sound subtly inaccurate or dulled. The mids sometimes take a backseat to the lows, creating a bit of congestion.

The treble is not as defined as the lows or mids, but they are mostly smooth. They are not particularly sparkly but are generally well-balanced dynamically with the other frequencies. Synths and cymbals can feel tiring at higher volumes, but the vocals don't.

Comfort and Fit

The CH720N is lightweight at 186 grams, helping keep them comfortable. The lighter weight comes from the plastic construction, so they don't feel very high-end.

The headband on the CH720N is extendable for various head sizes.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

The CH720N ear cups are well-padded but felt shallow, and some ears rubbed on the inner lining in a way that was uncomfortable.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

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The plastic doesn't get too hot, and the clamping force is pretty lightweight, so wearing glasses with them wasn't terrible. The ear cups are on the shallow side, and our ears kept touching the inner felt of the ear cups. These were more comfortable than we thought they'd be after unpacking, and we could wear them up to 6.8 hours.

Noise Cancellation

If you are hoping for legendary Sony noise cancellation, you won't find that here. The active noise cancellation (ANC) on the CH720N is below average, and while it's ok for the price, there are some that offer more for less. For better Sony ANC, you'll need to spend significantly more.

Overall, the blocking power is lackluster, with the average decibels blocked barely peaking at 21. The group's average is closer to 24.

Sony does their least impressive work in the bass range, with only 13 decibels blocked, and sees their biggest win in the treble range, with 31 decibels blocked on average.

Ease of Use

These headphones are easy to use, with a straightforward app that works on Android and iOS.

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Controls

The outside ear cups include tactile controls. The buttons are only slightly raised from the edge, making them harder to tell apart with your fingers. They work quickly with less delay than competitors, and we suspect that once you get used to their locations, they are easier to use. The buttons include an ANC/Ambient button, volume controls, play/pause, and more, so you don't need your device for simple operations.

Customization

The app offers customization of features, such as ambient awareness and 5-band equalizer settings, including several preset EQ settings. You can't adjust the active noise cancellation (ANC), but you can toggle it on and off. There are other features like Sony's DSSE, hearing protection, and adaptive sound control, with some being easier to find in the menu than others. The ambient awareness works pretty well, but it isn't as natural as some others.

Battery

The Sony's claimed battery life is 35 hours. While not the shortest in the group, it is significantly lower than the 50+ hours shared by many higher-ranking options.

They also have passive playback, so you can keep listening even after the battery dies, albeit while plugged in, which keeps you tethered.

Call Quality

Making calls with the CH720N is below the average. It is nice they have this functionality, but we suspect that unless it is a quiet environment where you are attending an online meeting or similar, the effort and frustration will be too high to bother.

Even in quieter environments like our office, the voices on the call have a grainy or gravelly texture. While it did a good job of muting background sounds (very impressive at this price), it did not do a good job of producing clear, crisp voices. As the environment gets louder, like during a commute on public transportation, reducing background noise comes at the cost of choppy voices cutting in and out as the technology struggles to decide what to block and what to let through. It all felt really muddy