
Sony
Sony WH-CH520
At its near-permanent $38 Amazon price, the WH-CH520 is the sensible default for anyone who just needs wireless headphones that work. You get a 50-hour battery, real multipoint, and — unusually at this price — the full Sony Headphones Connect app with custom EQ and 360 Reality Audio certification. The stock tuning is surprisingly even for the money; a little EQ warms it up nicely from the 30mm drivers. The trade-offs are exactly what you'd guess: an all-plastic build that feels light rather than premium, thin on-ear pads that get fatiguing past a couple of hours, zero noise isolation to speak of, and no ANC. The one genuinely annoying omission is a 3.5mm jack — when the battery dies, it's a paperweight until you charge it. The mic is serviceable for quiet-room calls. As a beater pair, it's nearly impossible to beat.
Specifications
Highlights
Pros
- ✓50-hour battery at a near-permanent $38 price
- ✓Full Sony Headphones Connect app with custom EQ
- ✓Real multipoint rarely found this cheap
- ✓Just 147 grams for all-day wear
- ✓Surprisingly even stock tuning for the money
- ✓3-minute charge buys 1.5 hours
Cons
- ✗No 3.5mm jack — dead battery means a paperweight
- ✗Thin on-ear pads fatigue past a couple hours
- ✗Zero noise isolation and no ANC
- ✗All-plastic build feels light, never premium
- ✗Mic only serviceable in quiet rooms
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