Our Verdict
The Sony WH-CH700N are decent headphones for neutral sound listening. While their out-of-the-box sound profile isn't flat and neutral, it's still fairly well-balanced and is slightly excited and V-shaped. They'll likely be a good choice for a wide variety of genres and content, with a little extra kick of bass that won't be overpowering. Unfortunately, they aren't consistent among users, so you'll likely have to adjust them to achieve the same response every time. On the bright side, they're compatible with the Sony | Headphones Connect app so you can customize their sound with a graphic EQ.
- Versatile sound profile with graphic EQ.
- Comfortable, lightweight design.
- Efficient control scheme.
- Plasticky build quality.
- Bad noise cancellation.
- Bass delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
The Sony WH-CH700N are an alright option for your daily commute or to take with you traveling. They're comfortable enough to wear for extended periods, and their 34-hour battery life should easily last even the longest of travel days. Unfortunately, while they have an ANC feature, it doesn't work well and they won't block much background noise, especially the low rumble of bus or plane engines.
- Versatile sound profile with graphic EQ.
- Comfortable, lightweight design.
- Efficient control scheme.
- Plasticky build quality.
- Bad noise cancellation.
- Bass delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
The Sony WH-CH700N are decent headphones for sports. While they feel decently stable, they may be best suited for a light job as opposed to a more intense workout. On the upside, they're comfortable enough to wear for extended periods, and their out-of-the-box sound profile has a bit of extra kick to keep you pumped up. Unfortunately, as with most over-ear headphones, they may cause you to sweat a bit more than usual.
- Versatile sound profile with graphic EQ.
- Comfortable, lightweight design.
- Efficient control scheme.
- Plasticky build quality.
- Bad noise cancellation.
- Bass delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
The Sony WH-CH700N are okay office headphones. Their excellent battery and comfortable fit mean you should easily be able to wear them through an entire workday. Unfortunately, they don't isolate noise well at all so they won't help if you work in a very noisy office and want something to keep you concentrated.
- Versatile sound profile with graphic EQ.
- Comfortable, lightweight design.
- Efficient control scheme.
- Plasticky build quality.
- Bad noise cancellation.
- Bass delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
The Sony WH-CH700N aren't recommended for wireless gaming. These are Bluetooth headphones so they won't be compatible with a PS4 or an Xbox One. You can plug them into your console's controller, but it'll only transmit audio, so you won't be able to use their mic. You can connect them wirelessly to a Bluetooth-enabled PC, it's likely that their latency will be too high for gaming.
The Sony WH-CH700N aren't suitable for wired gaming. You can plug them into your PS4 or Xbox One controller, but you'll only hear in-game audio and your microphone won't work.
- Versatile sound profile with graphic EQ.
- Comfortable, lightweight design.
- Efficient control scheme.
- Plasticky build quality.
- Bad noise cancellation.
- Bass delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
The Sony WH-CH700N are a passable option for phone calls. They have an integrated microphone so you can take calls while you're on the go, but like most Bluetooth headphones, their microphone isn't the best. Your voice will be fairly clear but be lacking in body, and the person you're speaking to likely won't hear you well, even in a moderately noisy environment.
- Versatile sound profile with graphic EQ.
- Comfortable, lightweight design.
- Efficient control scheme.
- Plasticky build quality.
- Bad noise cancellation.
- Bass delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 10, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Feb 05, 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.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Sony WH-CH700N are a good mixed usage headphone with above-average sound quality and a decently comfortable design. They look somewhat similar to the Sony MDR-ZX770BN but they're more customizable since they support the Sony | Headphones Connect app. Unfortunately, their noise cancellation is fairly weak and won't be good enough for noisy commutes. They also take a very long time to charge, but on the upside, they deliver up to 35 hours of playback on a single charge. They're a decent headset but don't quite outperform other headphones in their price range for mixed usage. See our recommendations for the best wireless headphones, the best wireless headphones under $100, and the best noise cancelling headphones under $100.
The Sony WH-CH700N Wireless are better headphones than the Sony MDR-XN950N1 Wireless. They are more comfortable and have noticeably better sound quality. The XB950N1 have a very dark sound profile that's better-suited for very bass-heavy genres like dubstep. Unfortunately, both headphones’ ANC feature is disappointing and barely block ambient noise, but the MDR-XB950N1 are slightly better in that regard. On the other hand, you’ll get more battery life on the CH700N, although they take a very long time to charge. Also, their app offers more controls and a good 5-band EQ, while you can only play with the bass levels of the XB950N1.
If you want a wired headset for commuting, then the Bose QuietComfort 25/QC25 are better than the Sony WH-CH700N Wireless. The Bose have a much stronger noise cancellation for noisy environments. They're also more comfortable and have zero-latency since they are wired. However, the Sony have a greater range, and their wireless design makes them a bit more convenient to use with your phone on a daily basis.
The Sennheiser HD 4.50 are a somewhat better wireless headset than the Sony WH-CH700N. The Sennheisers have much better noise isolation and would be more suitable for commuting and noisy environments. The HD 4.50 also leak a little less, so you won't distract your colleagues. On the other hand, the WH-CH700N are a bit more comfortable, have a slightly more balanced sound, and a longer battery life.
If you want a gaming headset, then the wired HyperX Cloud Alpha are the better option, but for mixed usage, the wireless Sony WH-CH700N Wireless are more convenient. The Cloud Alpha have no latency, they're a bit more comfortable, and they're better built than the Sonys. However, the WH-CH700N have a much better range since they are wireless, and they're a bit more practical for outdoors since they are noise cancelling headphones.
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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