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In the context of noise canceling headphones, sony is certainly the brand currently most on the crest of the wave and its WH-1000X, both M4 and M5, are among the objects of desire of many. However, not everyone has the necessary budget for top-of-the-range headphones and, on the other hand, not everyone needs the performance that those models provide, in terms of both noise cancellation and audio quality.
There is therefore a lot of room for cheaper alternatives and here too Sony plays several interesting cards, with models that have seen good sales success in recent years. Among these we find the headphones of the CH700N and CH500N series, which are positioned at affordable prices and which offer the sound signature of the Japanese giant.
Sony WH-CH720N and WH-CH520
Today Sony renews this family of products and presents the new ones Bluetooth headphones WH-CH720N and WH-CH520. We got to preview the more advanced model of the two – Sony WH-CH720N with ANC – and we can already give you the first impressions.
Sony WH-CH720N: technical characteristics
As already seen in the past, the accessible lines of Sony headphones take up the stylistic features of the higher-end and top-of-the-range models, and these new Sony WH-CH720N maintain the same philosophy, with a design change that somehow wants to recall that occurred on the WH-1000XM5. A design that is now less rounded than the previous model, but which benefits from new pavilions with a higher edge, all to the advantage of comfort.
Sony technicians have decided to make the headphones a leap in quality, thanks to the integration of the proprietary chip V1processor that in the higher models deals with the management of noise cancellation technologies a dual microphone feed-forward and feed-back. The integration of the V1 processor allows a very punctual management of the noise cancellation in theSony Headphones app and the enabling of the ambient awareness mode, to reconnect with the external environment without having to remove the headphones.
According to data released by Sony the headphones offer up to 35 hours of battery life with active noise cancellation. The headphones integrate a USB-C port for charging and a 3.5 mm jack for wired listening, which is possible both with the headphones on for noise cancellation and with the headphones turned off.
Sony WH-CH720N: sound quality and noise cancelling
Before moving on to talking about the quality of the headphones, it is good to remember the positioning on the market: with a price of 150 euros list price the Sony WH-CH720N represent the entry step into the world of active noise cancellation from Sony and therefore leave ample room for improvement for those looking for better performance in higher series products.
Sony WH-CH720N are also the lightest around-the-ear headphones among Sony’s ANC models. They weigh 192 grams and are also built using recycled plastic. The lightness, combined with new more padded and softer earpadsis certainly a strong point and leads to one fit almost total: it is possible to wear the headphones for a long time without discomfort.
On the other hand, the lightness also leads to having little insulating material on the pavilions and therefore forces the V1 processor to do a double job compared to higher-end headphones, coming to lack a good portion of the passive isolation.
The result is that active noise cancellationalthough clearly perceptible and effective on lower frequencies (e.g. train noise) it doesn’t live up to Sony’s crest, which has accustomed us to very different levels. Not only are higher-frequency sounds not filtered out effectively, but the voices of those sitting next to us on the train are too audible to create a true bubble of peace amidst the noise of commuter life. On the other hand, you won’t miss even an announcement from the train conductor… Those looking for much more effective noise canceling in the same price range will find an alternative in Sony’s home in the true wireless Sony Link Buds S.
To keep the weight down, all the details are very light, including the keys, resulting in a very ‘cheap‘ when you go to press the buttons on the earcups.
The sound is typical of Sony and recalls the Extra Bass series headphones in its signature, even if it does not reach the power of the higher series (WH-XB910N): the bass is greatly emphasized and represent a large part of the sound output.
As always at Sony, however, the 5-band equalizer with Clear Bass function it is very effective and allows you to obtain a much more balanced response curve, bringing the mids and highs back to the right prominence. Without the necessary changes to the sound profile, Sony WH-CH720N are headphones very pleasantfar from the accuracy and detail of audiophile headphones, but a lot engaging for listening to pop, disco, techno and hard rock music.
As I always like to say, judgment on headphones must take into consideration the price, but also the intended use, which in this case is ‘casual’ listening, perhaps at home while doing the work (reducing the annoyance of the noise of the vacuum cleaner) or while traveling by train, bus or tram to go to school or work. Those who follow us on these pages know that we also love products intended for purer musical listening, but this is not a good reason to disdain products that follow other philosophies.
The headphones are compatible with the technology 360 Reality Audio from Sony, a holographic positional format that allows sounds to be perceived not as coming from headphones, but as if they were emitted by a full-circle speaker array. I’ve already said that in top-of-the-range headphones this technology has too evident a tonal shift, but on the contrary it can have benefits on lower-end headphones.
This is also true in the case of these Sony WH-CH720N, which natively do not shine for spatiality, sound stage and instrumental positioning and which therefore clearly benefit from the virtual upmixing of 360 Reality Audio technology, with a much more ‘open’ rendering .
Sony WH-CH720N take advantage of the Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity with Multipoint supportwhich has been proven to work flawlessly in all situations.
Sony WH-CH720N price and availability
The wireless Bluetooth noise canceling over-ear headphones Sony WH-CH720N will be available from March at list price of 150 euros.
The younger sisters Sony WH-CH520of the on-ear type and without ANC, will be available, again from March, at the list price of 70 euros.
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