Review: Sony WH-CH530

Design and first impressions

This time it was time to test a pair of headphones from Sony, namely Sony WH-CH530, which do not come with an overly high price tag.

I tested the white model, but they are also available in several different colors. For those who enjoy a bit of color, they are available in pink, coral, mint, cobalt, white and black.

In terms of design, I think they are stylish and have that typical Sony-look. However, there are some downsides when it comes to the design. The headphones cannot be folded, and they feel quite plastic in terms of build quality. But as mentioned, these aren’t Sony’s premium headphones. These are better suited for those not prepared to invest 3,000 SEK in a premium model.

We have previously tested Sony WH-1000XM4, which is their premium model. It can be folded and also has many more features that are missing from the WH-CH530. But I suppose it’s like they say: you get what you pay for.

Battery life and calls

Battery life, however, is excellent, as the battery lasts for a full 55 hours. The headphones also have a quick charge function that gives you 1.5 hours of battery life after just three minutes of charging.

I also tried making a few calls with them. The sound quality was perfectly acceptable during calls, but the microphone could have captured the audio better. The comment from the person I was talking to, when I asked how the sound was: “A bit tinny with an echoing feel.”

Connectivity and sound

Another convenient thing was when I connected my iPhone via Bluetooth for the first time. A pop-up appeared that took me directly to Sony’s app, Sound Connect. It was easy to install, and there you can choose between different equalizer modes: Heavy, Clear, Bright, Soft, and Game. You can also create your own manual setting.

I tested all the modes, and since I primarily enjoy listening to EDM, the Bright setting suited my music style best.

The sound is perfectly acceptable, but I miss noise cancellation and more bass in the headphones. It would have provided that little extra punch you want.

Comfort and features

On the other hand, the headphones sit very well on the head without becoming uncomfortable during longer sessions. This is likely due in large part to the low weight of only 150 grams, which also explains the somewhat plastic feel in build quality.

If you want to control the headphones using the physical buttons, it is very standard and simple. You can adjust the volume, skip between tracks in the list, pause and play music, receive and end calls, and start the voice assistant function. In my case, Siri started up.

The final function is simply to turn the headset on and off.

Summary

In summary, I think the Sony WH-CH530 is a pair of headphones that offers a lot for those who do not want to spend several thousand SEK on a premium model. They have an impressive battery life of 55 hours, sit comfortably even during long sessions, and have simple and smooth features for daily use.

The sound is perfectly acceptable, although I personally miss more bass and noise cancellation. The microphone could also have been better for calls. The design is stylish, but the plastic feel and the lack of a folding mechanism slightly detract from the overall impression. For the price, it still feels like you get a simple and functional headphone where you have to accept that certain features and characteristics from Sony’s more expensive models are missing.

Sony sent a review product for this test. Senders of material have no editorial influence on our tests; we always write independently with you, the readers and consumers, in focus.