The Sony WH-CH500 are on-ear headphones with a lightweight but cheap design that are okay for mixed usage. They have good 20-hour battery life and amazing wireless range. Unfortunately, their sound lacks low bass and may sound overly boomy to some. They also don't have a great noise isolation performance. On the upside, they are stable enough for running.
Our Verdict
The Sony WH-CH500 are passable for mixed usage. Their sound profile is a bit muddy, and they don’t isolate much noise. Their leakage performance is decent, so you can mask a bit more noise by raising your volume. They're stable and comfortable enough for more casual sports, but their very high latency with PCs makes them unusable for watching video content or gaming.
- Great wireless range.
- Lightweight and stable.
- Decent battery life.
- Poor noise isolation.
- Build quality feels a little cheap.
- Very high latency.
The Sony WH-CH500 are okay for neutral sound. Their low-bass is extended, but bass is overall overemphasized and muddy. They have excellent mid-range, but their treble range varies a lot and might feel piercing on some S and T sounds while lacking detail on others.
The Sony WH-CH500 are alright for commute and travel. They don’t isolate much noise so expect a lot of noise to seep into your audio. Their leakage performance is decent, so you can raise your listening volume slightly without bothering people around you too much. The on-ear fit may get fatiguing for some after long periods of wearing the headphones, though.
The Sony WH-CH500 are decent for sports. They're stable enough for more casual sports and running. The cups can also swivel to lay flat, making them easier to slide into a bag. They're breathable since the on-ear fit helps with airflow.
The Sony WH-CH500 are mediocre for office use. The on-ear fit might not be as comfortable for everybody and might get fatiguing after a while. However, their 20-hour battery life will last you a couple of days if you use them at work. They also leak a bit but should be fine in an average office if you don’t blast your music.
The Sony WH-CH500 aren't suitable for wireless gaming. They have too much latency with PCs to be a viable option for gaming, so what you will see may not match what you hear.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 12, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Nov 20, 2018: Review published.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Sony WH-CH500 are cheaply-made headphones that don't feel very durable but are decent for many cases. They have a good 20-hour continuous battery life, but unfortunately, they have a very high amount of latency with PCs. They also don't have a wired connection that some other models provide, which can be helpful since you can use the headphones passively even if the battery is dead.
See our recommendations for the best on-ear headphones, the best headphones under $100, and the best wireless headphones.
Overall, the Skullcandy Grind Wireless are better headphones than the Sony WH-CH500 Wireless. The Skullcandy have a more accurate bass response, which some may prefer, and their on-ear design is more comfortable. You can also use them wired, even if the battery is dead, and they don’t feel as cheap as the Sony. On the other hand, the Sony have a slightly better battery life with power-saving features, which the Skullcandy lack, and have a better wireless range.
The Mpow H5 Wireless are better headphones than the Sony WH-CH500 Wireless. They have a more stable fit thanks to the over-ear design, and they block more ambient noise with their ANC feature, making them a better choice for commuting and office work. Their build quality is decent and a bit more high-end than their price suggests. You can also use them wired. They also have better sound quality. The Sony have better battery life, wireless range, and a better microphone for calls.
The JBL E45BT Wireless are better headphones than the Sony WH-CH500 Wireless in every way. They have better sound quality, build quality, sound quality, battery life, can be used wired even if the battery is dead, and they support full multi-device pairing. The Sony have slightly better feedback on their control scheme and have NFC support for easier pairing, with better wireless range. The Sony are usually cheaper than the JBL.
The JBL T450BT Wireless are better on-ear headphones than the Sony WH-CH500 Wireless. They have a similar cheap feeling, but they sound better and leak less, so you can raise the volume during loud commutes. They have about half as much latency with PCs compared to the Sony and are more stable for sports, making them more versatile. However, the Sony have a slightly better microphone and a longer battery life. They also support NFC for quicker and easier pairing, and they have an amazing wireless range.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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