Headphones · Model guide · Maker specs
Sony WH-CH720N
Get the WH-CH720N if you want Sony noise cancelling and a long battery in light, 192-gram headphones for about $150.
Product images
Sony WH-CH720N, from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Get the WH-CH720N if you want Sony noise cancelling and a long battery in light, 192-gram headphones for about $150. Sony rates it for 35 hours with noise cancelling on and 50 with it off, and it connects to two devices at once. Next to the WH-1000XM6, it gives up the QN3 processor and LDAC, and its cups swivel rather than fold into a hard case.
Who it is for
- Shoppers who want Sony noise cancelling without paying 1000X prices. CH720N runs Dual Noise Sensor technology on Integrated Processor V1, with two microphones in each ear cup.
- iPhone owners who only need AAC, which CH720N supports alongside SBC.
- Anyone who moves between a phone and a laptop. CH720N's multipoint keeps both connected, and Fast Pair and Swift Pair make the first pairing quicker.
Who should skip it
- Android owners hoping for LDAC or aptX streaming. CH720N streams SBC and AAC only; Sony puts LDAC on its 1000X models and ULT WEAR.
- Travelers who want headphones that fold into a hard case, the way XM4 does. CH720N's cups swivel, and no case comes in the box.
- Anyone set on Sony's 1000X noise cancelling. The WH-1000XM6 runs the QN3 processor; CH720N uses Integrated Processor V1.
What sets it apart
- About 192 grams (6.8 oz). When it launched in 2023, Sony called it the lightest wireless noise-cancelling headband model it had made.
- Up to 35 hours of music with noise cancelling on and 50 with it off; Sony UK says 3 minutes of charging adds up to 60 minutes of play.
- $149.99 at launch, against $199.99 for the 2020 WH-CH710N before it.
Caveats
- There's no IP rating against rain or sweat, so it's a commuting headphone more than a gym one.
- The USB-A to USB-C cable in the box is only about 20 cm long.
Key specs
In the same order on every headphones page, so you can compare pairs.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Over-ear (circumaural), closed, dynamic | Sony WH-CH720N specifications and Help Guide |
| Drivers | 30 mm (1.18 in) dynamic | Sony WH-CH720N US and regional specifications |
| Frequency response | Wired with the headphones on: 7–20,000 Hz (JEITA). Bluetooth: 20–20,000 Hz (44.1 kHz sampling) | Sony WH-CH720N Help Guide and regional specifications |
| Impedance | 325 ohms (1 kHz) wired with the headphones on; 31 ohms (1 kHz) with them off | Sony WH-CH720N Help Guide |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB/mW wired with the headphones on; 99 dB/mW with them off | Sony WH-CH720N Help Guide |
| Noise cancelling | Digital noise cancelling with Dual Noise Sensor technology and Integrated Processor V1; two microphones in each ear cup | Sony media room, 21 February 2023; Sony US store |
| Ambient sound | Ambient Sound Mode, adjustable in 20 levels in Sound Connect (Sony UK) | Sony WH-CH720N specifications; Sony UK store |
| Bluetooth codecs | SBC, AAC | Sony WH-CH720N specificationsNo LDAC; Sony keeps that for its 1000X models and ULT WEAR. |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.2 | Sony WH-CH720N specifications |
| Multipoint | Yes, two devices at once | Sony media room, 21 February 2023; Sony UK store |
| Battery life | Music: up to 35 hours with noise cancelling on, 50 with it off. Calls: up to 35 hours on, 40 off | Sony WH-CH720N specifications |
| Charging | USB; about 3.5 hours for a full charge. Sony UK: 3 minutes gives up to 60 minutes of play | Sony WH-CH720N specifications; Sony UK store |
| Wired listening | Detachable 1.2 m cable with a gold-plated L-shaped stereo mini plug; plays passively with the headphones off | Sony WH-CH720N Help Guide and regional specifications |
| Weight | About 192 g (6.8 oz); Sony US also lists 6.77 oz | Sony WH-CH720N Help Guide; US specifications |
| Folding and case | Cups swivel; not listed as foldable, and the box has cables rather than a 1000X-style hard case | Sony WH-CH720N specifications and box contents |
| App | Sony | Sound Connect | Sony UK store |
| Microphones and calls | Two microphones in each ear cup; beamforming for Precise Voice Pickup | Sony media room, 21 February 2023 |
| Voice assistant | Voice control with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa | Sony media room, 21 February 2023 |
| Colors | Black, Blue and White at US launch | Sony media room, 21 February 2023 |
| Compatibility | Bluetooth 5.2 devices; Fast Pair and Swift Pair; no LDAC source needed | Sony media room, 21 February 2023 |
| US launch price | $149.99 (announced 21 February 2023; in stores spring 2023) | Sony media room, 21 February 2023 |
| Price band | Value over-ear (about $150 at US launch) | Based on Sony's $149.99 launch price |
| Announced | 21 February 2023 | Sony media room |
| Availability | In US stores from spring 2023 at Sony Electronics, Amazon, Best Buy (Black and Blue) and authorized dealers; still Sony's current CH over-ear on 19 September 2026 | Sony media room, 21 February 2023 |
Sony WH-CH720N extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated Processor V1 | Runs the Dual Noise Sensor noise cancelling; ULT WEAR uses a processor of the same name. Not Sony's QN1 or QN3 | Sony media room, 21 February 2023 |
| DSEE | Yes, Sony's Digital Sound Enhancement Engine | Sony media room, 21 February 2023 |
| In the box | Headset; USB-A to USB-C cable (about 20 cm); 1.2 m headphone cable | Sony WH-CH720N Help Guide |
Where it sits in Sony’s range
Sony announced the WH-CH720N on 21 February 2023, alongside the on-ear WH-CH520, as the light, noise-cancelling model in its CH series. It sits below the 1000X line, though not on driver size: its 30 mm driver is the same size class as the WH-1000XM6’s. What the extra money buys on XM6 is the processor and the codecs.
Battery and charging
| Mode | WH-CH720N |
|---|---|
| Music, noise cancelling on | Up to 35 hours |
| Music, noise cancelling off | Up to 50 hours |
| Calls, noise cancelling on | Up to 35 hours |
| Calls, noise cancelling off | Up to 40 hours |
| Full charge | About 3.5 hours |
| Quick charge | 3 minutes for up to 60 minutes (Sony UK) |
A full charge takes about 3.5 hours, so the 3-minute top-up is the figure to remember on a rushed morning.
CH720N or the older WH-CH710N?
| Spec | WH-CH720N | WH-CH710N |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 21 February 2023 | 2020 |
| Weight | 192 g | 223 g |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 5.0 |
| Noise cancelling | Integrated Processor V1, Dual Noise Sensor | AINC |
| Music battery | 35 hours; 50 with noise cancelling off | 35 hours; 45 with noise cancelling off |
| US launch price | $149.99 | $199.99 |
The newer model is 31 grams lighter, launched for less, and lasts five more hours with noise cancelling off. If your CH710N still holds a charge, those are the gains on offer, along with the move from Sony’s AINC to Dual Noise Sensor.
Sound, calls and controls
The 30 mm (1.18 in) dynamic driver covers 7 to 20,000 Hz over the cable, and DSEE, Sony’s Digital Sound Enhancement Engine, is built in. For calls, the two microphones in each ear cup use beamforming for what Sony calls Precise Voice Pickup. Voice control works with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, and the Sound Connect app handles the settings.
Price and colors
CH720N launched at $149.99 in the US and reached stores in spring 2023 at Sony, Amazon, Best Buy and authorized dealers, in Black, Blue and White; Best Buy carried Black and Blue. As of 19 September 2026, Sony still sells it as its current CH over-ear. Store prices in 2026 aren’t the 2023 launch price, so check Sony and Amazon before you buy.
Sources
- Amazon — Sony WH-CH720N — accessed 2026-09-20
- Sony USA — WH-CH720N specifications — accessed 2026-09-19
- Sony Help Guide — WH-CH720N specifications — accessed 2026-09-19
- Sony media room — WH-CH720N and WH-CH520 announcement — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Does the CH720N support LDAC?
No. It streams SBC and AAC over Bluetooth 5.2. For LDAC from Sony, you need a 1000X model such as the WH-1000XM6, or ULT WEAR.
Does it come with a carrying case?
No. The box holds the headset, a short USB-A to USB-C cable and a 1.2 m headphone cable, and the cups swivel rather than fold into a case like XM4's.
Can I use it with a cable?
Yes. Plug in the detachable 1.2 m cable and it works passively, so a flat battery doesn't stop the music.
Can I change how much outside sound comes in?
Yes. Ambient Sound Mode has 20 levels in Sound Connect, according to Sony UK.
Official product page: Sony WH-CH720N. Tech specs: Sony WH-CH720N specs.