The Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones, Sony WH-CH720N is a more budget-friendly option. If you’re in the market for something that doesn’t cost as much as Sony’s flagship models, the WH-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM5 headphones, this is a great choice. However, for that lower price point, you can expect some trade-offs in terms of features and build quality. Right off the bat, these headphones don’t support Hi-Res audio, so there’s no Hi-Res LDAC codec streaming.
They don’t have touch controls or the speak-to-chat feature. Additionally, there’s no wear detection to save battery by automatically pausing your music when you take the headphones off—a feature included in the Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones WH-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM5. However, you do get DSEE upscaling, which enhances your older music files to sound more ‘Hi-Res.’ But it’s only the base version, not the AI-powered Extreme version found in the more expensive models. Compared to the flagship Sony models, these feel much lighter and more brittle. If you were to stretch the headband beyond a certain point, it might snap.
The plastic feels like a different grade, and the WH-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM5 can take a bit more punishment than these headphones. There’s also no carrying case included. It’s clear that Sony has gone quite far in trying to make these as affordable as possible.
However, they do offer the same Sony Headphones Connect app support, giving you the usual EQ settings and 20 levels of ambient mode. They also have multipoint pairing, which allows you to connect up to two devices to the headphones at the same time. Additionally, they feature the same Integrated V1 noise-canceling processor as the flagship models, so their noise-canceling power is quite close to the top-shelf Sonys. The question is, how close are they to the WH-1000XM4 or WH-1000XM5 in terms of noise-canceling, sound, or call quality?
- Build and Design Upgrades | Sony Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones
- Comfort | Sony Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones
- Sony WH-CH720N | Sound Quality Analysis
- Sound Comparison Table | Sony WH-CH720N vs Sony WH-1000XM4 vs Sony WH-1000XM5
- Active Noise Canceling | Sony WH-CH720N Headphones
- Call Quality Comparison Table | Sony WH-CH720N vs Sony WH-1000XM4 vs Sony WH-1000XM5
- Should You Buy the Sony WH-CH720N?
Build and Design Upgrades | Sony Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones
Here is what Sony has upgraded compared to the 710N that launched in 2020. The new 720N has the built-in Sony V1 chip, the same one that’s used in the flagship WH-1000XM5s. This proprietary Sony chip brings improved battery performance, enhanced ANC capabilities, and better voice pickup for clearer calls.
I will be testing all of these features in this review. Let me give you a guided tour of the new design. The Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones WH-CH720Ns are protected by a smooth urethane shell, unlike the previous model, which had a gritty, textured finish that some people complained about. There are three colors available: black, white, and blue.
Sony has added a few nice touches; for example, the metal headband now has a color-matching strip protecting the metal. This prevents it from rattling and keeps the extension strong and durable. When you twist and pull these apart, you won’t notice any cracking or creaking noises, so it’s safe to say that they’re well-built in that respect.
Comfort | Sony Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones
The Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones WH-CH720Ns are lightweight at just 192 grams. Some people describe the padding as vegan leather, indicating that no animals were harmed in the making of these headphones. The padding on the headband and ear cups is excellent, in my opinion. It’s very soft, very comfortable, and quite breathable too.
Sony has enlarged the ear cups compared to the WH-CH710Ns. They’re now more oval-shaped, so even if you have large ears like mine, you’ll be all right. When I first received these headphones and took them out of the box, they had 60% battery.
So, if you’re picking these up at an airport, trust me, that’s going to be more than enough power for your needs. But to justify this quick charge test, which I’m going to share in this review, I used them for hours and hours to drain them down to zero with ANC on.
From my experience using them during prolonged video editing sessions, I can say they’re very comfortable to wear. I didn’t notice any pinching at the top of my head, my ears didn’t get uncomfortably hot at any point, and the drivers on the inside did not touch any part of my ears. I heard some people complain about that with previous models, but I did not notice it at all.
Sony WH-CH720N | Sound Quality Analysis
In terms of sound quality, I tested them on flat EQ settings with DSEE upscaling turned on. What I did like about their sound is the bass response. It hits all the right buttons for me in terms of punch and bass extension, even giving the mid-range vocals in my music a nice undertone of gravity. Overall, it’s an energetic sound, and if you dig that, these will sound just fine. However, vocals and instrumental tracks sound a bit duller than on the flagship Sony headphones, making them a bit more muffled in the midrange.
Comparing their frequency sweeps with the flagship Sonys reveals a significant dip in the 3-4 kHz region, which could explain this. The soundstage also feels quite narrow and compact, which contrasts with the open and airy soundstage delivered by the flagship Sonys. Otherwise, the Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones CH720N seems to follow a similar tuning pattern to the WH-1000XM5. By the way, if you want to compare the CH720N’s sound quality to other headphones, you’ll notice these differences.
Sound Comparison Table | Sony WH-CH720N vs Sony WH-1000XM4 vs Sony WH-1000XM5
| Feature | Sony WH-CH720N | Sony WH-1000XM4 | Sony WH-1000XM5 |
| Sound Profile | Balanced, clear mids and highs | Rich, well-rounded, deep bass, clear mids | Refined, detailed, tight bass, precise mids and highs |
| Bass | Present but not overpowering | Deep and impactful without distortion | Tight, controlled, punchy bass |
| Mids & Highs | Clear but less detailed | Clear with more detail and clarity | Highly detailed and precise |
| Soundstage | Narrow, less immersive | Wide, more three-dimensional | Expansive, highly immersive |
| Detail in Complex Tracks | Some detail may be lost, especially in lows | Good detail, subtle nuances noticeable | Exceptional detail, easy to distinguish instruments |
| Noise-Canceling Impact | Standard, less effective in noisy environments | Effective, enhances overall sound quality | Highly effective, significantly improves sound quality |
| Target Audience | Casual listeners | Music enthusiasts | Audiophiles demanding top sound quality |
Active Noise Canceling | Sony WH-CH720N Headphones
In terms of active noise canceling, I have to say that these are pretty awesome. When I first tried them, I thought they were very close to the XM4’s noise canceling. They don’t seem to have the variable ANC found in the XM5, either. So, as far as noise canceling goes, these are really good for the price. In terms of transparency mode, I was equally impressed. Transparency mode sounded very natural, almost like you’re not wearing headphones. Although there’s still a little bit of screen-door effect, there was very little hiss. Overall, it’s very close to the transparency mode of the WH-1000XM4.
Call Quality Comparison Table | Sony WH-CH720N vs Sony WH-1000XM4 vs Sony WH-1000XM5
| Feature | Sony WH-CH720N | Sony WH-1000XM4 | Sony WH-1000XM5 |
| Call Quality in Quiet Place | Decent, clear voice transmission | Crisp and clear, good voice isolation | Extremely clear, natural-sounding calls |
| Call Quality in Noisy Place | Struggles with background noise, voice can be muffled | Effective noise reduction, clear voice transmission | Excels at reducing noise, clear and prominent voice |
| Voice Isolation | Basic, can sound distant in noise | Good, multiple mics help focus on voice | Advanced, superior isolation and clarity |
| Noise-Canceling for Calls | Limited, background noise can seep into calls | Effective, significantly reduces ambient noise | Highly effective, minimizes noise even in loud settings |
Should You Buy the Sony WH-CH720N?
To conclude, yes, many corners have been cut to make the Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones CH720N more affordable for folks who don’t want to spend as much on headphones. This is reflected in its build quality and features. Plus, I wasn’t particularly impressed with its sound quality. It’s good, but as someone coming from the flagship Sony headphones and earbuds, I prefer track separation that sounds cleaner and more crisp in the mids and highs. However, it does have noise canceling that’s extremely close to the best headphones Sony has to offer, while retaining many important features like Headphones Connect app support and multipoint pairing.
It’s also quite lightweight and comfortable to wear. The cushions aren’t the most plush or soft, but if you’re looking for something comfortable for your daily commute, this will do just fine. A couple of hours every day won’t be a problem at all. So, if you want something that doesn’t require a large investment, you should definitely consider the Sony CH720N. Overall, these are pretty nice.
