I tested Sony’s new $68 headphones and they prove that you don’t have to spend more money for better sound

I’m a big fan of Sony headphones. Their tuning is hands down one of my favorites, but you are going to be paying a pretty penny for one of the flagship models. That’s where the Sony WH-CH530 come into play.

They bring premium tuning in a more affordable package, making it more accessible to music lovers who don’t have hundreds of dollars to drop on a new set of cans. The headphones are also lightweight with a comfy headband, and can deliver up to 55 hours of battery life.

Could these be some of the best cheap headphones to buy right now? Well, the on-ear design may be uncomfortable for some people, but they’re otherwise perfect budget cans. Keep reading this full Sony WH-CH530 review to find out more.

Sony WH-CH530 review: Specs

Sony WH-CH530 review: Price & availability

The Sony WH-CH530 headphones are a cheap option from the audio giant and cost $68 on Amazon U.S. and £49 on Amazon U.K. The headphones come in a variety of funky colors, including Pink, Coral, Mint, Cobalt, White and Black. They were released in September 2026 and came with the announcement of the WH-CH730N and the WH-1000XM4C (an updated version of the XM4), strengthening their entry-level lineup.

Sony has a whole host of affordable cans on their website, including the WH-CH520, which cost $59. These are the predecessors to the WH-CH530 and are a little cheaper but have a shorter battery life and don’t support the same audio codecs. There are also options from budget brands, such as the Anker Soundcore H30i for $39. They come with a very impressive 70-hour battery life, but they don’t sound as crisp as the WH-CH530.

But on-ear headphones aren’t for everyone, so if you need the comfort and better noise isolation of over-ears, the JLab JBuds Lux ANC could be for you. They cost $79 and have great sound — it’s all about the style you want.

Sony WH-CH530 review: Design

The Sony WH-CH530 are a sure-fire way to get a pop of color into your outfits, and they've certainly brightened up my day. I tested the cobalt color, and although I’m not one to usually reach for a splash of color — I much prefer color drenching with a black outfit — these are actually very pretty. That said, I felt like I was in 2014 trying to decide which color of the Beats Pill I should buy.

The headphones are made of 30% recycled plastic, which is commendable, but they feel a little on the flimsy side. They also don’t have a durability rating, so they’re not equipped to withstand any moisture or dust. This is normal for headphones, which are very difficult to waterproof. If you’re just using them on public transport, in the office or at home, it shouldn’t matter. But if you need a set of headphones for workouts or to survive light rain, check out the IP52-rated Nothing Headphones (a).

Comfort

I’m not the biggest fan of on-ear headphones, but even though I’m a hater, I initially found the WH-CH530 headphones surprisingly comfortable.

This was pretty short-lived, though, since the on-ear design caused pressure on my ears. This is likely going to be down to individual anatomy and preference — while testing these headphones on my commute, I noticed plenty of people wearing on-ear cans, so people must like them. They’re just not for me.

That said, the earcups are made from the same material as the premium models from Sony, so they were comfier than cheaper on-ear models like the Anker Soundcore H30i. Although the WH-CH530 headphones don’t have any ANC capabilities, the earcups did a good job of blocking out external noise, and I could hardly hear my colleagues trying to talk to me.

The headphones weigh 5.29 ounces and are very lightweight, and the padded headband is comfortable too. I didn’t feel like it was pushing down on my head at all.

Controls

The Sony WH-CH530 headphones use button controls, which were easy to use and responsive. There’s a power button and two buttons on either side for volume. The power button doubles as play/pause, and the volume buttons can be held down to skip songs.

Connectivity

The Sony WH-CH530 headphones use the latest Bluetooth 6.0, which offers more stability than previous versions and can support higher-efficiency codecs like LC3 and LE Audio (for better battery life). Bluetooth 6.0 also supports Auracast to stream sound from LE Audio devices. This is great to see in a pair of budget cans as it makes typically high-end features a lot more accessible.

Sony WH-CH530 review: Sound quality

The Sony WH-CH530 headphones sound brilliant. For $69, the sound quality is very impressive. It’s nothing like flagship models from Sony, but still in a league of its own in this price range.

I cycled through the EQ settings in the app and kept landing back on the standard EQ as my favorite, so I carried out all my testing on this setting. I also listened with DSEE enabled, which essentially rebuilds a compressed audio file to give you the best sound possible from basic SBC and AAC audio codecs, which usually have the lowest sound quality of all Bluetooth codecs. . The headphones are actually very well balanced, with a warm sound that replicates midrange frequencies very well.

Firstly, to test the bass performance, I listened to party 4 u by Charli XCX, which is a track with bassy synth and enhanced vocals. The modified vocals were crisp with no distortion, and the bass reproduction was very impressive, again, with no distortion. Even the deepest synth notes were well supported without overpowering the rest of the song.

Next, I listened to Sweet Disposition by Temper Trap. Mid-range separation was great — all of the instruments and vocals had room to breathe and were easy to tell apart. There was lots of detail in the treble, too. Sweet Disposition starts out with a riff and vocals that have a slight echo. This echo isn’t replicated very well on some headphones and earbuds, but it was prominent with the Sonys. Backing vocals were clear, and I could still hear the gentle shimmer of the cymbals in the background.

I really enjoy listening to music with these cans. I’d expect nothing less from Sony.

Sony WH-CH530 review: App

The Sony WH-CH530 headphones are compatible with the Sony Sound Connect app. Though it’s the audio companion app that causes the most division in our office, I personally like it. You can do a lot with the custom EQs, and seeing the information at a glance makes the experience very simple.

There’s space in the app for two of your own custom EQs. By using the 10-band EQ, I got a sound I was happy with across all genres. You can also enable DSEE in the app.

If protecting your hearing while enjoying your music is on your mind, then the Sound Connect app can help. You can choose from five maximum volume levels for the headphones. I opted to go with the quietest option since, as a concertgoer, I’ve become mindful of my hearing.

It’s worth noting that you don’t get as many controls in the app when using the WH-CH530 as you do with premium models. But, again, these are pretty basic headphones; you don’t need all the bells and whistles you get with the latest flagship model.

Sony WH-CH530 review: Call quality

The Sony WH-CH530 headphones have AI noise reduction for calls, which is always a feature I love to see in a cheaper pair of earbuds or headphones. Ultimately, the lower price can mean a lower-quality microphone, but AI noise reduction helps to focus in on your voice and filter out environmental sounds.

I called my mom, as I always do when testing out new audio gear, and asked her what she thought of the microphone performance. She said that she couldn’t hear the traffic around me and my voice was clear. This shows me the AI noise reduction works well.

Sony WH-CH530 review: Battery life

The Sony WH-CH530 headphones have up to 55 hours of battery life. This is very impressive to see in such cheap headphones. After using the headphones for 10 hours, the battery depleted by around 20%, which is what I would have expected.

Now, it’s worth discussing that Sony says the headphones have a maximum battery life of 55 hours with general usage. That’s calls, music, watching videos, and accounting for times when they may be idle. Sony lists an active use battery life of 35 hours, which is more realistic. So you can stretch it to 55 hours, but I would curb your expectations and expect a little less. Still, 35 hours is very impressive. Some flagship cans have a much lower battery life than this, with the Apple AirPods Max 2 managing a maximum of 20 hours.

If, like me, you often find yourself heading out the door with no charge in your headphones, fear not. The WH-CH530 are equipped with quick charging that can give you 1.5 hours of listening in just three minutes.

Sony WH-CH530 review: Verdict

The Sony WH-CH530 are the headphones to buy if you’re looking for an affordable option but don’t want to compromise on sound quality. The sound quality of these cans really is great and has many of the qualities I love from flagship Sony headphones, like the balanced, warm sound. They have a decently good battery life and are very lightweight.

Keep in mind that these are on-ear headphones, and however light they may be, they can still fatigue your ears. But that’s really the only bad thing I have to say about them, and mileage will vary.

I don’t feel like I’m missing out on flagship features when I listen to my music with these headphones, and I think they’re the perfect choice for affordability.