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The short answer: the Sony WH-CH720N is one of the best values in budget noise-cancelling headphones — if you prioritize comfort and battery life over top-tier noise cancellation. At 192 g, it’s Sony’s lightest ANC headband model (per the brand), and the claimed 35-hour battery with ANC on — 50 hours with it off — means charging weekly instead of daily. The trade-offs are real, though: the noise cancellation is mid-tier and struggles with sudden or high-frequency sounds, the build is all plastic, and there’s no LDAC or aptX — just AAC and SBC.
Below, I’ll walk through the spec sheet, what buyers consistently praise, the complaints that come up again and again, and who should probably skip these.
| Product at a Glance | |
|---|---|
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Sony WH-CH720N Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones (Black) Lightweight wireless noise-cancelling over-ears with long battery life and a budget-friendly price. |
| Key specs |
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| Best for | Commuters and office workers who want comfortable, long-lasting ANC headphones without paying flagship prices. |
Overview: Light, Long-Lasting, and Sensibly Compromised
The first thing you notice about the WH-CH720N is the weight — or rather, the lack of it. At 192 g, these are easy to wear for hours, and buyers who wear glasses report that the light clamping force doesn’t press their frames into their temples the way heavier headphones do. The downside of that lightness is the build: it’s all plastic, and it feels like it. There’s no luxury here — just a practical, featherweight frame. Note also that the earcups don’t fold flat, and Sony doesn’t include a carrying case, which matters if you plan to travel with them.
Battery life is the other headline. Sony claims up to 35 hours with noise cancelling switched on and 50 hours with it off, plus USB-C quick charging that delivers roughly an hour of playback from a 3-minute charge. Real-world results vary with volume and ANC use, but buyers consistently report going days between charges. You also get Bluetooth 5.2 with multipoint — handy for staying connected to a laptop and phone at once — DSEE upscaling, Sony’s Integrated Processor V1, and 30 mm drivers. Controls are physical buttons rather than touch panels, which many buyers actually prefer for reliability.
Then there’s the noise cancellation itself, and this is where expectations need calibrating. The ANC is mid-tier: it takes the edge off constant low-frequency drone — engines, office hum, air conditioning — but struggles with sudden or high-frequency sounds like voices, keyboard clatter, or announcements. Adaptive Sound Control, which is supposed to adjust ANC to your activity, can misfire and switch modes at the wrong moment. There’s also no wear detection (music keeps playing when you take them off), no water or sweat resistance, and codec support stops at AAC and SBC — no LDAC or aptX for hi-res wireless. On the plus side, buyers report clear call quality, which makes these a dependable pick for work calls.
What Buyers Like
All-day comfort. This is the most praised trait by far. The light weight and gentle clamping force make these easy to wear for entire workdays, and glasses wearers specifically call out the lack of temple pressure.
Battery life that goes for days. Buyers consistently confirm the long battery claims hold up in practice — 35 hours with ANC on means most people charge once a week, not once a day.
Clear call quality. For remote workers, this matters as much as music sound. Buyers report that voices come through clearly on calls, with decent background-noise handling on the microphone side.
Strong value. Taken as a package — comfort, battery, multipoint, decent ANC, Sony sound tuning — buyers feel they’re getting a lot of headphone for the money.
What Buyers Complain About
Mid-tier ANC. The most substantive complaint. If you’re buying primarily for silence — drowning out a loud office or airplane cabin — these won’t match Sony’s flagship models. Sudden and high-frequency noises get through.
All-plastic build feels cheap. Light is good; flimsy-feeling is not. Buyers wish the materials matched the comfort, and some worry about long-term durability.
Doesn’t fold flat, and no case included. For a headphone this light, the lack of folding feels like a missed opportunity, and buying a third-party case adds to the total cost for travelers.
No wear detection. Take the headphones off and your music keeps playing — a small annoyance that flagship buyers take for granted, and its absence is felt.
No water or sweat resistance. Fine for the desk and the commute, but not a pick for workouts or rainy walks.
No LDAC or aptX. Android users hoping for hi-res wireless are limited to AAC and SBC. Audiophiles should look up the range.
Adaptive Sound Control can misfire. The automatic ANC adjustment sometimes changes modes at the wrong time — ramping ANC up or down when you’d rather it stayed put.
Things to Know Before You Buy
First, treat the 35-hour and 50-hour battery figures as brand claims rather than guarantees — your mileage varies with volume, ANC, and multipoint use. They’re still excellent numbers, just not lab-certified promises.
Second, calibrate your ANC expectations. These are wonderful for dulling background drone, but they are not silence machines. If flagship-level cancellation is the priority, you’ll need to spend more.
Third, plan for portability. With no folding design and no included case, these are home-and-office champions first and travel companions second — unless you add a case to your order.
Is the Sony WH-CH720N good for calls?
Buyers report clear call quality, making them a solid pick for work calls and video meetings.
Does it support multipoint?
Yes — multipoint connection lets you stay connected to two devices at once (for example, a laptop and a phone).
What’s the battery life with ANC on?
Sony claims up to 35 hours with ANC on and 50 hours with it off. Real-world results vary with volume and usage.
Does it fold?
No — the WH-CH720N doesn’t fold flat, and no carrying case is included in the box.
The Verdict
The Sony WH-CH720N gets the important things right for the price: it’s genuinely comfortable for long sessions, the battery lasts for days, and call quality is clear. The compromises — mid-tier ANC, an all-plastic build, no folding design, no LDAC or aptX, and no wear detection — are honest ones at this price. Buy it if you want comfortable, long-lasting ANC headphones on a budget. Skip it if you need flagship-level noise cancellation, a travel-friendly fold, or hi-res codec support.
