Sony WH-CH530 review
I’m not a massive on-ear headphones guy. Often, I find that they lack the sonic skills required to engross me in my music, and can even feel a little irritating to wear after an hour or so. So, when I was presented with the new Sony WH-CH530 — a relatively cheap pair of on-ears — it’s safe to say that my expectations weren’t particularly high. But they well and truly blew those expectations out of the water. Yes, for a pair of headphones that cost just $69. 99 / £49. 99 / AU$99. 95, the WH-CH530 almost seem too good to be true. They serve up impressive sound quality, a comfortable fit, and quality features that help them to compete with the very best on-ear headphones around. Let’s delve into a little more detail, though, and start by unpacking the sonic capabilities of the WH-CH530 in full. Out of the box, there’s a slight preference towards the low-end, but I think that’s a sensible choice, as a lot of on-ear headphones tend to leak low-frequency sounds more than an over-ear set would. While you’re not getting the most even-handed presentation, mids still sound clear and treble comes through articulately. The sound signature is exciting and energetic, and I found that it suited dance and electronic tracks very well. In Do Ya by Jazz-N-Groove, I was impressed with the punch and dynamism of the pounding bass, which sounded regimented and textured. Vocal chops in the mids and drums in the treble range also cut through with clarity, and the WH-CH530’s rhythmic, controlled replication of the track instantly grabbed me. With Spirit Potion by Garoad, electronic elements in the mid-range were beautifully clear, even when dark bass entered into the mix, while sudden percussive hits came through with excellent impact. While the WH-CH530 may not provide the most nuanced soundstage or intricately detailed audio, they get the fundamentals spot on, which is exactly what you want from headphones in this price-range. Although the WH-CH530 shun lossless audio, both by leaving out wired listening options and higher-res codecs such as LDAC, there are plenty of ways to customize the sound. First up, you’ll be able to switch on DSEE in the Sony Sound Connect app. This essentially upscales lower-res audio files in order to restore a bit more detail. There are also a number of EQ presets and a 10-band custom equalizer to work with. The Sound Connect app also includes a Find Your Equalizer test, multi-point device switching, a low-latency audio setting for gaming, and volume controls. Even though some features, including wear detection and touch controls, are missing, this is still a solid lineup for a budget pair of headphones, and it’s paired with a solid 55-hour battery life, meaning listeners are getting all the basics they need. There’s one key omission on the WH-CH530 that may put some people off though: active noise cancellation. A growing crop of on-ears (and even a new set of Bose wired in-ears) have ANC now — and the Marshall Milton ANC , for instance, pull it off pretty well. But ultimately, this is to be expected for inexpensive on-ears, and I didn’t find the lack of ANC to be too jarring, even when out and about. Of course, louder sounds and chatter are still going to seep in, even with music at higher volumes, but if you can live without noise canceling, then you shouldn’t count the WH-CH530 out. Let’s take a minute to talk about the design of the Sony WH-CH530. Yes, they have a plasticky build that doesn’t feel particularly premium, but these headphones still look pretty attractive and have a great array of color options to pick from. They also feel very comfortable and lightweight in use — I happily kept them on throughout an entire work day without experiencing any fatigue thanks to their generously cushioned ear pads and relaxed headband. All in all, the Sony WH-CH530 are an exceptional value for money option. Sonically, they punch well above their weight, and their impressive all-day comfort and feature-set far exceeds what you’d expect from similarly priced competitors. For less than $70 / £50 / AU$100, it really doesn’t get much better than this, so if you’re on a budget and like the on-ear style, I’d strongly recommend picking these up. (Image credit: Future) Sony WH-CH530 review: price & release date
Priced at $69. 99 / £49. 99 / AU$99…