Sony WH-CH700N review

There’s no question that Sony’s WH-1000XM4 is the cream of the crop when it comes to noise canceling headphones. If, however, you don’t have the means or desire to spend upwards of $350, then the Sony WH-CH700N is a viable option. These noise canceling headphones support full Google Assistant and Siri integration for hands-free commands and notification readouts. Plus, they boast excellent battery life: a must-have for nomadic listeners.

Editor’s note: this review was updated on May 4, 2021, to include a content menu, add context to the sound quality section, and include information about the noise canceling performance.

Related: Best Sony headphones

Who is the Sony WH-CH700N for?

• Anyone who wants the Sony WH-1000XM4/XM3 should consider these mid-tier headphones because they’re more affordable and include some similar features.
• All music fans can enjoy this portable headset, especially students. Its compact design makes it easy to transport, and nearly all genres of music sound good through the headset.

What’s it like to use the Sony WH-CH700N?

The plastic headset is lightweight with rotating ear cups, which makes the WH-CH700N a great travel companion. Attached to each ear cup is a moderately comfortable oval cushion. Unfortunately, the padding isn’t deep enough to prevent the driver grill from rubbing the outer ear, causing irritation. Discomfort is further amplified for those who wear glasses.

Although the headphones aren’t the most comfortable, the positioning of the playback controls makes onboard operation easy. Each function has its own dedicated button, so you don’t have to remember what a double-tap does as opposed to one. Plus, the noise canceling button can be reconfigured to access Google Assistant or Alexa via the Sony Headphones app. I found this configuration to be more useful as there were few times when I preferred noise canceling off.

Google Assistant and Amazon integration is invaluable

Being able to take full advantage of Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa (as of the 4.2.0 firmware update) with the Sony WH-CH700N is wonderful. I loved having my incoming texts read aloud to me when I was baking or my phone was in another room. If you don’t want to say, “Ok Google” or “Alexa” to get the voice assistant’s attention, you can always press the ANC button (once it’s remapped as mentioned earlier).

Is the noise canceling any good?

The noise canceling can kind of quiet low-frequency sounds but it’s not that much better than the standalone passive isolation performance. You’ll still hear low-frequency sounds like the rumble of an engine or hum of an old A/C unit when you wear these headphones, but the ANC will render these sounds about 30% quieter than they’d sound without noise canceling enabled.

If you want a great pair of noise canceling headphones, you’re going to have to shell out a bit more for the top contenders from Bose, Shure, or even Sony’s flagship headset.

Does the Sony WH-CH700N have good battery life?

After subjecting the headphones to a constant 75dB(SPL) output, our objective testing yielded a standalone playback time of 43 hours, 34 minutes with noise canceling on. This is an excellent readout, earning the Sony WH-CH700N a high score with regards to battery life. While it is annoying that Sony opted for a microUSB input, it’s a minor inconvenience for such extended playback. If you just need a bit of juice to get you through the morning commute, 10 minutes supplies an hour of playback.

Do the headphones stay connected?

Connection strength is consistent with these Bluetooth 4.1 headphones. Even though these cans don’t support Sony’s LDAC codec, they do support two high-quality Bluetooth codecs (AAC and aptX HD) alongside SBC. If you don’t care much for audio quality and would rather have connection stability, you can inform the Sony Headphones app of your preferences and adjust accordingly. Of course, if all else fails, wired is a tried-and-true option that outperforms any codec, assuming your phone allows it.

How do the headphones sound?

The Sony WH-CH700N feature a neutral midrange frequency response and lightly de-emphasized bass response. If you’re a fan of acoustic, indie, or vocal-heavy music, these headphones are a great pick as they clearly reproduce mids and highs for an engaging sound. Fans of hip-hop or electronic music may think these headphones sound underwhelming right out of the box.

The dynamic drivers are angled to be parallel with the ear canal for a more realistic representation of the sound. This design takes full advantage of the human ear anatomy because it uses the pinna to funnel soundwaves entering the inner ear.

Lows, mids, and highs

In Tara Terra’s song Lorelei, the bass frequencies like drum hits and the bass guitar lack the predictable emphasis that I so enjoy. To hear this, skip ahead to 0:29. Here, the first major bass slide and pluck is initiated by Nick Soria. Even though it’s only accompanied by guitar picking, the bass lacks both clarity and oomph. This becomes even more difficult to hear six seconds later when Emily Blue sings, “I will go,” as Soria repeats his introductory playing because Blue’s vocals are masking the already attenuated bass response.

While low-end reproduction is underwhelming, vocals and treble instruments sound excellent. Blue’s ethereal tone is easy to track throughout the song’s entirety. Even during the bridge at 3:00, which is laden with guitar riffs and kick drum hits, Blue’s falsetto “Oh,” remains clear. Additionally, snares and cymbals are relayed clearly toward the end of the bridge at 3:04.

Can you use the Sony WH-CH700N for phone calls?

The microphone sounds okay and is passable for most quick calls, but it relays some echo during voice transmission. It isn’t pervasive enough to forgo the headset microphone but is something to be aware of. Take a listen for yourself.

Sony WH-CH700N microphone demo:

Sony WH-CH700N vs Sony WH-CH710N

The Sony WH-CH710N features a more modern design than the CH700N, which may be preferred by aesthetes. The new model has more plush ear pads, and a USB-C charging input instead of the microUSB input found on the WH-CH700N. Battery life is exceptional with either headset; though to our surprise, the older model edges out the WH-CH710N by a couple of hours. This shouldn’t make a huge difference day-to-day, seeing how both exceed 40 hours of playtime on a single charge.

Noise canceling performance is better with the Sony WH-CH710N, as is the sound quality. Neither headset can outperform the Sony WH-1000XM4, but if you want to get the best ANC value between these two mid-range headsets, get the WH-CH710N: it does a better job of attenuating extremely low frequencies. Bassheads will prefer the new headset, too, because its amplified bass response is much easier to hear than the WH-CH700N.

Ultimately, both headsets are very good but if you have the extra cash, the upgraded model affords more modern comforts.

Should you buy the Sony WH-CH700N?

If you prioritize a lightweight build and extended battery life first and foremost, then the Sony WH-CH700N makes sense. In fact, when it comes to noise canceling headphones in this price range, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better performer even in 2021. If, though, you want the best noise canceling on the market, these headphones will leave you yearning for more, perhaps even wishing you’d gone with the Bose QuietComfort 35 II or Sennheiser PXC 550-II. For the rest of us, the WH-CH700N is good enough and doesn’t cost a fortune.

Next: Bose QuietComfort 35 II vs. Sony WH-1000XM4

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