Design & Construction

The Sony WH-CH400 is the younger brother of the WH-CH400. It focuses on providing wireless audio to urbanites who don't want to spend a fortune on a pair of wireless headphones. On the right earcup, you will find the (From Back-Front): Volume buttons, Power button, LED indicator, Micro-USB port and Mic. The power button allows for play and pause or answer or end a call with a single press. The volume buttons also doubles as track forward/backward buttons. A red LED will light up when it is left to charge. It takes about 4.5 hours to charge from a dead battery. Pairing via both NFC and bluetooth is simple and quick. A Blue LED light up once in 3 seconds during wireless usage. Both sides of the headband bear the Sony logo and the right earcup has the NFC. The headband is very light and will not cause discomfort to those who wear spectacles since it is a supra-aural (On-Ear) headphone, instead the discomfort will be experienced on the ears itself. On the headband, there is also no cushion which will cause pain on the crown of the head eventually after long term wear. The exterior of the headphones gives off this matte bright colour scheme but isn't prone to fingerprints smudges. On the top, the headband holding the structure is made of plastic and the earcups pivot left and right but don't fold flat or up to store. The earcups are meant to sit on your ears and would cause wearing fatigue after an hour of continuous wear.

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Sound Quality

The 30mm headphone drivers sound very basic. Due to the earpad design, he sound output is blended in with the surroundings. This makes the headphone suitable for only a category of users. Overall, bass comes off as slightly boosted giving a small thump while the mids and highs are clear and clean. The highs do not sound too sharp and tinging. However, the soundstage is narrow and there isn't any instrument separation. Call quality was okay as the caller manage to hear me on the other end but the headphones mic unfortunately picks up surrounding noises.

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Connectivity & Portability

The headphone operates only wirelessly. In wireless mode, it supports the basic SBC and AAC codecs and Bluetooth Version 4.2 for clear audio transmission. Users cannot charge the headphone and use it at the same time. Listening via the Micro-USB cable is also unavailable. Users can put the headphone in Bluetooth pairing mode by holding down the power button for 7 seconds when its switched off. The battery life peaks at 20 hours. The package comes with a only a Micro USB cable for charging. Sony didn't throw in at least a soft carrying pouch so you may need to get one yourself if you want to protect your headphones from drops and scratches.

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PROS​

• Lightweight & Compact

• Long Battery Life

• Easy Controls For Music Play & Calls

• A Range of Colours

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CONS​

• No Wired Option

• Unable To Stow Into Smaller Profile

• No Carrying Pouch

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The Bottom Line

The Sony WH-CH500 is a definitely a compact headphone housing plush ear cushions, 30mm drivers, long 20 hours battery life and easy to use controls. It is only recommended for short daily commutes and home use. A range of colours are available to fit users of different gender and personalities; Black, Blue Red & Grey.