Sony WH-CH720N (Black) review

Sony · current U.S. configuration · Black WH-CH720N/B

The WH-CH720N is a closed, over-ear wireless noise-cancelling headphone with a 3.5 mm input and documented passive playback. Its practical distinction is not a claim that it cancels more noise than another model; it is the combination of a 192 g listed mass, two-device Bluetooth switching, and separate powered and passive cable modes. This review interprets Sony’s U.S. product, specification, and Help Guide information rather than reporting personal listening, comfort, or laboratory results.

Light listed weight, with fit still personal

Sony lists the WH-CH720N at approximately 192 g and describes it as over-ear. That figure is useful for comparing specifications, but it cannot predict how pressure, cup depth, heat, glasses, or head shape will feel. Sony’s wearing guide says the cups should sit snugly around the ears and warns that incorrect adjustment can reduce the effect of noise cancellation. A user who needs a particular fit should confirm it directly and consider whether the seller’s return conditions allow an individual fit check.

The WH-CH720N is an ANC model, but ANC availability should not be confused with total silence. Sony explains that its noise cancellation mainly targets lower-frequency sounds such as vehicle and air-conditioning noise; it does not completely cancel surrounding noise. The guide also says fit and microphone obstruction can affect operation. That is a more useful expectation than assuming the feature will erase speech, abrupt sounds, or every noisy environment.

Ambient sound controls and device switching

Noise cancelling and Ambient Sound are available through the headset controls. Sony’s U.S. product information describes 20 adjustable ambient-sound levels and a Focus on Voice option for hearing conversation without removing the headphones; those adjustments use the Sony | Sound Connect app. The app guide also lists multipoint setup, battery status, equalizer, and other controls. These are software-dependent features, so check that the app works on the intended phone before relying on app-based adjustment.

Multipoint is useful if a phone and computer are both part of the day. Sony describes the WH-CH720N as supporting two Bluetooth connections and playback switching; the sound does not combine into two simultaneous streams. The manual’s troubleshooting section notes that some source devices or apps can maintain a silent connection after playback stops, which may delay switching. Treat multipoint as a supported handoff feature, not a guarantee that every operating system, video call, or app will hand control over identically.

Rated runtime is mode-specific

Sony’s Help Guide lists up to 35 hours of Bluetooth music playback with noise cancellation or ambient mode on, using either AAC or SBC. With those modes off, its maximum is 50 hours. Sony gives the same maximum figures for a supplied headphone cable with the headset powered on: up to 35 hours with ANC active and up to 50 with it inactive. Communication-time ratings are different from music ratings, so the music-playback number should not be used as a call-runtime promise. Actual use can also be shorter depending on settings and conditions.

The supported Bluetooth codec list is SBC and AAC; Sony does not list LDAC for this model. This is a simpler runtime comparison than a product whose ratings change across several codecs, but it remains a manufacturer maximum rather than a guaranteed all-day result. Sony lists an approximately 3.5-hour charge time and quick-charge estimates in its Help Guide. The included USB cable is the charging accessory; the separate 3.5 mm jack is the documented wired audio connection. The reviewed specifications do not establish USB-C digital audio.

Two wired modes—not one

The supplied connection cable can be used with the WH-CH720N powered on, retaining ANC or Ambient Sound when Bluetooth is not wanted or is unavailable. Sony’s manual gives that powered cable route the same maximum music-runtime figures as Bluetooth: 35 hours with ANC on and 50 with it off. Connecting the cable disables Bluetooth. When powered off, the headset can still play audio over the cable, but noise cancellation and Ambient Sound are unavailable. The passive mode can be useful when power is exhausted; it cannot satisfy a need for ANC at the same time.

In cable mode, Sony says to use the supplied cable and operate playback and volume at the source because several headset controls are unavailable. Confirm the cable is in the box if you plan to use analog audio, and confirm the playback device has a compatible 3.5 mm output or a suitable adapter. Avoid treating the USB charging lead as an audio cable: Sony identifies the 3.5 mm connection as the supplied wired listening path.

Package, care, and a fair comparison

Sony’s U.S. specification page lists a Connection Cable and USB Cable in the box. The headphone is not documented as waterproof; Sony cautions that water or foreign matter can cause damage and recommends stopping use and contacting Sony if either enters the unit. This matters for rain, exercise, and storage decisions. Check the exact black WH-CH720N/B listing rather than assuming another color or a third-party bundle includes the same pieces.

Against the Sony ULT WEAR, the figures describe different priorities, not an overall winner: the CH720N is listed at 192 g versus 255 g for ULT WEAR; the CH720N lists up to 35 hours with ANC on in AAC/SBC, while ULT WEAR lists up to 30 hours in AAC/SBC and 25 with LDAC. ULT WEAR adds its ULT1/ULT2 bass control and an LDAC option but disables LDAC while multipoint is on; the CH720N’s listed codecs are AAC/SBC. None of those numbers determines which headset sounds better, fits better, or reduces more of a specific noise. Buyers should choose according to their documented connection, codec, weight, cable, and app needs, then verify the exact package and return terms.