Wireless headphones grant freedom from wires and aid a new agile generation. Still, to stack up against their wired counterparts, they must offer stable and sound audio output, backed by a good battery life. Uh-huh, there are a lot more aspects to factor in with a cordless pair. Add price constraint to the mix, you’re bound to find yourself in a pickle.
Enter: Sony WH-CH510 headset, which comes at a sub-5k price tag. The brand needs no introduction, as it’s a seasoned player in the audio territory. I’ve been extensively using them for the better part of the month and I’ve got a bunch of thoughts to share.
We will see how they fare for the price and if you should add them to your shopping basket. But.. but.. but.. before we jump into it, let’s go ahead with a once-over of the specs.
Sony WH-CH510 Price and Specs
| Model | Sony WH-CH510 |
| Bluetooth | v5.0 |
| Wireless Range | 10m |
| Battery Life | 35 hrs |
| Charging time | 4.5 hours |
| Colors | Black, Blue, and White |
| Driver Unit | 30mm |
| Audio Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Weight | 132g |
| Price | Rs. 4,799 |
Now that’s out of the way, let’s get down to the business. Here’s the Sony WH-CH510 review or more so my experience with them.
Sony WH-CH510 Review: Design and Build
There’s nothing much to say about the in-box contents. You get a generic cardboard package and inside it, you’ll find the headphone roomed with a user manual kit and a USB-C cable. So, yeah, there is no travel case. However, the swiveling earcups and the compact footprint means you can pack and carry them anywhere in a backpack or jewel it around your neck, flaunting the Sony branding on each pad.
Rest, there’s a three-button setup on the left pad for activation, music navigation, and summoning Google Assistant. Besides them, you’ll find a microphone and USB-C port. For the latter, we say Hallelujah! And there’s nothing on the right side.
As explicitly mentioned already, my major gripe is with the on-ear design of it. You see the headphone’s cushiony enclosure is small and too tight on my ears, resulting in wearing fatigue very quickly. Speaking of which, there are no cushions on the headband and the ones on the earcups aren’t spongy enough. Moreover, they have also cut corners with the lack of any kind of water or dust resistance.
ALSO READ: Realme Buds Wireless review
Alright, they aren’t that fancy to write home about. I would call the design as simple and sober. Sony WH-CH510 headphones are available in 3 colors viz. Black, Blue, and White. Ours is the Jet black one which is stealthy as a shadow and I dig it. Add to it the fact that this is an extremely lite headgear, makes it all the more fun!
Sony WH-CH510 Review: Audio
What’s the first gizmo that comes to your mind with the name Sony? For the most, it would be Walkman. The brand is a pioneer and veteran in audio technologies. So, I put on the WH-CH510 with confidence and I can gladly say, I wasn’t wrong.
These offer a wide sound staging with balanced attendance of all three frequency tiers. They are definitely not bass-heavy headbangers. But, the inner 30mm driver delivered a good bass response to the depths and drops on various songs I heard. (Songs ref: Eminem – Till I collapse, David Guetta ft. Sia – Titanium, Nucleya – Bass Rani)
ALSO READ: Skullcandy Crusher ANC Review
Moving to the mids, I could clearly hear the vocals on these songs. In fact, when I shuffled on to rock anthems, I could feel the strings spunked on each riff. (Songs ref: Linkin Park – One Step Closer, Foo Fighters – The Pretenders, Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit) Last but definitely not the least, Sony WH-CH510 does justice to the high tones or the treble turf of music. (Song ref: Coldplay – Adventure of a Lifetime, Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody, Agam – The Celestial Nymph)
On the software front, it claims to support SBC and AAC Bluetooth Audio Codecs. This is partly phone-specific too, which is something to keep in mind. Also, note that these headphones aren’t compatible with the Sony headphone app and thus there is no option to tweak the equalizer to your liking. This shouldn’t be a big deal as it sounds alright out of the box.
Sony WH-CH510 Review: Connectivity and Battery
It’s an all-wireless headphone. Nah no strings attached or attachable. However, the wireless experience was fine, from both a connection stability standpoint as well as longevity. By the way, battery life is its best value proposition. I went on using it for a week give or take and still it didn’t die on me. On paper, Sony acclaims 35 hours of listening time and I couldn’t agree more. Hell, if you want to be out and about, then dock it for around 10 mins tops to get up to 90 minutes of juice.
This is Bluetooth 5.0 complaint and claims to cover a 10m radius. There was no latency or listening issue during online media streaming and calls.
Sony WH-CH510 Review: Verdict
Sound: Check, Battery Life, and Connectivity: Check, Design and Build: Meh, not so much. Hey, don’t get me wrong here as the build’s fine for the price. Save for some omissions here and there, all in all, these bring sound value to the table.
If not for those tight earcups, I’d be wearing them for long hours, without noticing their lite footprint. But as mentioned, that’s not the case, at least for me. So, what I would recommend you is to visit any of Sony’s authorized stores and check if these fit your ears well. Or else, you could grab one from the online outlets too.
