If there’s one accessory that I always toss into my cabin bag on a long flight, it’s a pair of over-the-ear headphones. While TWS Bluetooth earbuds dominate the wireless headphone landscape, you might not want to risk losing one of your earbuds when you opt to stretch your legs. The other obvious advantage is the ability to plug in your headphones into the in-flight entertainment – most premium ear cans offer a 3.5mm jack and cable for this reason.

Sony has been one of our preferred brands in this space. The WH-1000XM5 is a case in point. These headphones are finished with soft fit leather and are comfortable to wear for hours together. But they don’t come cheap. One reason our interest was piqued by Sony’s new WH-CH720N headphones that promise some of the brand’s legendary acoustics at half the price. Are these headphones ready for your next International business trip or holiday getaway?

Lightweight form:

I first used these headphones on a Mumbai-bound domestic flight; the first thing that impressed me was its lightweight form. Sony has positioned this as the lightest ‘headband’ style headphones that they’ve crafted. At 192 gm, these are remarkably light; you can wear these for hours together without feeling the heft. Sony has finished these ear cans with synthetic leather and urethane materials backed with an optimum ear structure. The other cool touch is Sony’s unique silent joint that reduces rattling of moving parts. All you have to do is focus on the music. These headphones look premium but there’s no carry case in the box. We think Sony could have at least added a cloth carry case in the box. We dig the swivel design that makes WH-CH720N even more compact and easier to slip into your man bag.

That legendary Sony Bass thump

Sony’s companion app gets the job done. There’s a longish set up process that also offers the option to grab images of your ears for the perfect acoustic experience. While that might sound gimmicky, it works really well. Sound quality is terrific for its asking price. I also enjoyed using Sony’s 360 reality audio as I watched the last two episodes of Night Agent on Netflix. ANC (Active noise cancellation) is another big win. This should come as no surprise with Sony ear cans. The WH-CH720N uses a V1 processor that integrates a Bluetooth SOC (System on a chip) and a high-quality noise cancelling processor. I didn’t use these headphones all that much for calls but they do ace calls with their wind noise reduction structure and precise voice pick up technology that uses beamforming microphones.

Wrap up

It’s easy to recommend these headphones. We wish Sony would create an easier nomenclature for their wide headphone line rather than stick to lengthy model numbers that are not easy for consumers to remember and recommend. You get all the standard features like voice assistant support (across platforms). Battery life is on point too. Sony claims 50 hours of battery life (35 hours with noise cancellation), a fair estimate based on our experience with these ear cans. It’s one of many reasons including the stellar soundstage (I checked out multiple genres of music) that make it one of the best buys under Rs 15K

The Sony WH-CH720N comes in Blue, White and Black and costs Rs 14,990.