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The WH-CH710N headphones feature both NFC and Bluetooth, so you have the option to either connect manually with Bluetooth or to simply touch your NFC-enabled device to the “N” mark. I chose to use Bluetooth to stream music and connection was swift and stable every time. The Ambient Sound mode, on the other hand, was disappointing. While I could tell that my housemates were talking, I struggled to make out specific words and phrases. This is especially difficult when the volume is boosted above mid-way. I also had difficulty discerning the difference between Ambient Sound and Ambient Sound Off. That said, there was no noticeable change in sound quality when cycling through the three modes, which was pleasant since ANC can sometimes throw the tonal balance off-kilter. From my experiences, the AINC featured in the WH-CH710N works … to an extent. At normal listening volumes, it filters out some lower frequencies well. But some jarring noises still found their way into my listening experience. Like, say, the neighbor’s power tools during a weekend project. The noise cancellation dampened these sounds to a degree, but it was nothing like what I’ve grown accustomed to with more premium headphones. Our Take Of course, you can find even better headphones for a bit less - like the JBL Tune 750BTNC, which we highly recommend - or drop a bit more to get a more premium experience. Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. See how we test.
Sony WH-CH710N - Review 2020 - PCMag UK Sony WH-CH710N - Review 2020 - PCMag UK
While the soundstage does begin to feel somewhat claustrophobic as we move through the song, the headphones allow for a complex layer of high notes to build upon one another. Again, the mids can become somewhat lost in the mix, but there’s a good enough balance of bass and treble that it takes a closer listen to notice this detail. Should you buy the Sony WH-CH710N? So what, then, do they actually sound like? Well, our first impression of the Sony WH-CH710N’s sound quality was that it sounded energetic and easy-to-listen to. They didn’t overwhelm us with bass (they're not part of Sony’s Extra Bass series) and we thought we heard a clear midrange and rolled off highs. That's probably because these aren't Hi-Res Audio headphones, and they don't support many HD codecs - the exception, of course, being AAC. If you don't need exceptional clarity you probably won't mind their sound, but if you're a big audiophile you'll definitely hear the shortcomings. Likewise, there’s no carrying case included with the WH-CH710N. A USB-C charging cable and a headphone cable are included, as is a picture book cosplaying as an operating manual — I found Sony’s online help guide to be significantly more useful.The WH-CH710N are touted as noise-canceling headphones, but they don’t have active noise cancellation technology (ANC) like the WH-1000XM3. Instead, Sony implemented what’s essentially its second-tier, cheaper technology called Artificial Intelligence Noise Cancellation (AINC), which it said is designed to constantly adapt to the environment around it to create the most effective mode for noise cancellation. My aforementioned beef with the physical operating guide revolves around activating voice assistants with the headphones. From the physical guide on its own, it’s difficult to get your preferred voice assistant set up. The online guide, though, is thorough in its instructions and briskly walked me through choosing my preferred assistant from the settings on my phone. Yes. They are not their higher-priced, popular older sibling. But at the end of the day, the WH-CH710N deliver excellent battery life and adequate sound for a manageable price. They aren’t the best, but they’re great at being good. This, honestly, isn’t a huge deal. They weren’t meant to be on par with top-quality products in terms of sound, and they weren’t priced to be either. What the Sony WH-CH710N needed to do was sound good, because they’d be a waste of stellar features if they didn’t.
XANAD Case for Sony WH-CH710N / Sony WH-CH700N Noise
Just as disappointing was the fact that their actual noise cancellation isn’t the best we’ve ever heard… or, er, not heard. It’s actually more like noise reduction than outright cancellation, and is nowhere near class-leaders like the Sony WH-1000XM3 or Bose 700. That's sort of expected at this price range - but if you need total silence, the WH-CH710N aren't going to give you that. The last thing we have to talk about is battery life, which is actually a pretty big highlight for the headphones: they should last about 35 hours on a single charge with noise cancelling turned on and up to 200 hours in standby mode. In fact, listening to them for three days straight at eight hours a day, we didn't even hear the low battery warning. That battery life will likely degrade as time goes on - like all electronics - but out of the box expect these to last you a few days, maybe even a week, between charges. The left earcup houses the power/pairing button, as well as connections for the included USB-C charging cable and the 3.5mm headphone cable. Plugging the audio cable in immediately breaks the Bluetooth connection, but you can still use the headphones in active ANC and ambient listening modes. If you’re trying to conserve battery life or the headphones are out of juice, you can also listen in wired, passive mode, though some of the bass response and high-frequency clarity suffers. The Sony WH-CH710N headphones feature three listening modes: Ambient Sound, Ambient Sound Off, and Noise Cancelling. If you’re after high-fidelity sound for a fraction of the price, you’ll be disappointed with the WH-CH710N, especially with limited codec support that includes SBC and AAC. But, with realistic expectations, I think most people would enjoy how they sound. Noise cancellationWhile it may be tempting to think of the WH-CH710 as an affordable alternative to the much-loved WH-1000XM3 headphones, their lower price means that sacrifices have been made in terms of quality. While noise-cancellation here is great, it isn’t on a par with what you’d get on some more expensive headphones. The Ambient Sound mode doesn’t allow for clear conversation, and the mostly plastic frame doesn’t feel sturdy. Steely Dan’s Do It Again shows off the treble in all its glory. The high-end is nimble and defined, with each instrument distinct from the last. Anytime you start to believe one instrument has claimed the spotlight, the next chimes in prepared to hold its own against the cluster. The oval-shaped earpads were soft, just not the kind of soft that you would expect from higher-quality products. The headband also felt a bit more rigid than I would have liked. These are mainly minor annoyances that didn’t take away from my overall experience.
Hard Case for Sony WH-CH700N Wireless Noise Cancelling
The mic offers decent intelligibility. Using the Voice Memos app on an iPhone 8, we could understand every word we recorded, but there was some Bluetooth distortion fuzzing up the edges. The mic signal was strong, however, so despite the distortion, the words came through loud and (somewhat) clear. Conclusions The Sony WH-CH710N headband may be rigid, but it feels durable, as does the rest of the product. As long as they’re not abused, these should be able to be your daily cans for the foreseeable future. Should you buy it? So for lows, the ANC is quite good, while for mids and highs it's merely decent. And keep in mind it does affect the audio slightly—with ANC on, expect increased bass depth and slightly higher overall volume levels. However, these differences are incredibly subtle. Ambient listening mode works well for conversing or hearing your surroundings without removing the headphones. There are five buttons in total built into the WH-CH710N. There’s a power button of the left earcup, three buttons representing volume and action commands aligned in a row on the right earcup, and a button for toggling between noise cancellation and ambient sound modes lower on that same right earcup. It involved a small learning curve to get used to the various buttons, but I was able to functionally use each one in no time. FeaturesOn the right earcup you’ll find your basic control buttons for volume and play/pause, plus a button that controls noise cancellation and ambient sound, two features we’ll talk about more in a minute. You can hold the middle button to bring up your assistant, but you won’t be able to activate it just by saying ‘Hey Siri’ or ‘OK, Google’ as neither come built into the headphones. On the left earcup are a 3.5mm aux port, a power/paring button and USB Type-C port that’s used for charging. Sony estimates battery life to be roughly 35 hours with ANC on, or 45 hours with it off, but your results will also vary with your volume levels. Performance
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