Sony WH-CH510 Review

By: Best Sony Headphones Team

In this review, we rated the Sony WH-CH510 a respectful 4.0 out of 5.0 stars due to it’s long battery life and solid sound at a good price.

Most music lovers will attest that Sony has left an indelible footprint in the audio market with its series of top-quality headphones. Since the unveiling of the WH-1000X series, Sony has continued to make giant strides with subsequent upgrades and variants in newer models. 

And this is nowhere more evident than in its flagship over-ear WH-CH510 series, a solid wireless headphone that is great where it counts. Not only does the WH-CH510 combine excellent battery life and Bluetooth with solid sound, but it is also available surprisingly at a drop-dead giveaway price. 

This article serves as a comprehensive review of the WH-CH510. Here, we discuss its swanky new features, upgrades, sound quality, as well as its pros and cons. Here’s a comprehensive review of the sound quality of Sony’s WH-CH510 headphones, just so you have full proof of your money’s worth.

WH-CH510 Wireless Headphones Review

With great battery life, strong Bluetooth connectivity, and solid sound performance for the price, we rate the Sony WH-CH510 a respectable 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. If you want high-quality headphones for regular use at home and in travel, we recommend the Sony WH-CH510s, as these headphones are solid great given the price point.

The only issue that some people could face with it is comfort. While these are a balanced set of headphones overall, they are not loaded with extra features. While it may seem contradictory, the WH-CH510s dearth of features like noise cancellation or waterproofing is is one of its strong points. While the absence of audio over USB and a 3.5mm port means you’ll be out of luck if you run out of batteries while you’re on the go, the sound, battery life, and affordability of the WH-CH510 help make up for it. By doing two very important things well (audio quality and battery life) costs can be cut in other areas without losing quality where it counts.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Insanely Cheap And Affordable	The Sound Can Be A Bit Assertive; Can Result In Fatigue
Well Balanced	Clumsy Build With Flimsy Construction
Good Ergonomics	Whacky Finish On The Plastic Casing
Great Battery Life	No USB Audio Or 3.5mm Jack
Powerful Audio Levels	Comfort Level Is Below Average
Compact And Lightweight	Mediocre Portability; Not Foldable

Sony WH-CH510

Whether you play sports, enjoy the outdoors, or are a frequent traveler, the Sony WH-CH510 was built with active users in mind. With up to 35 hours of battery life and a fully wireless, lightweight design, you can listen to these headphones all day while on the move.

Sony WH-CH510 Specs

Before we delve into the review proper, here are general specifications of the WH-CH510:

Specification	Value
Brand	Sony
Model Name	WHCH510
Type	On-Ear; Closed
Noise Cancelling	N/A
Weight	9.5 oz (132g or 0.3 lbs approx)
Dimensions	L 7.3″ (18.5 cm), W 6.4″ (16.3 cm), H 1.4″ (3.6 cm)
Frequency Response	20-20000 Hz
Sound Production	30 mm dynamic driver with ferrite magnet & 1′ diaphragm
Remote Control Function	Volume
Maximum Run Time	35 hours
Connectivity	Wireless
Wireless Type	Bluetooth
Microphone	Yes
Rechargeable Battery	Yes
Release Date	July 2019

Sony WH-CH510 Features

Below is a high-level overview of the features that come with these headphones:

• All day power and quick charging
• Lightweight and compact for on ear headphones; swivel ear cups make them eaily portable
• Wireless Bluetooth® 5.0 technology for double pairing and free movement.
• Microphone allows for easy voice assistant commands and hands-free calling
• Has buttons to skip through tracks, adjust volume, and connect to your smartphone’s voice assistant
• Strong audio from 30mm driver

What’s In The Box?

The following items are included when you purchase these headphones:

• Sony WH-CH510 Headphone
• USB Type-C™ Cable
• User manual

Design

The Sony WH-CH510 comes in a sleek, lightweight design that beats that of some of its predecessors and even a few successors. Measuring 7.8 x 6.8 x 1.6 inches when completely open, the headphones weigh 9.8 ounces. In order to be able to pack these headphones into tighter spaces for traveling, the earcups on the WH-CH510 swivel. You can describe their shape profile as close to straight with a circle on each end as possible.

Now, with the burden of weight clearly out of the picture, you can take it along with you everywhere, whether you are listening or not. When put together with its great battery life, what you’ve got is a perfect companion in the form of a riveting mobile soundbox. When this compact, lightweight design is taken into account alongside the product’s long battery life, it is clear that these headphones are tailor-made for long travels.

Specification	Value
Ear Placement	On-Ear
Wearing Pattern	Supra Aural
Use	Sports
Color Variants	Black, Blue, White
Ear Pad Material	Leatherette
Foldable Design	No
Swivel Design	Yes
Touch Control	No
Volume (Size)	1,071.71 cm³ (65.40 in³)
Length	7.3 inches
Width	1.7 inches
Height	8.8 inches
Clamping Force	0.8 lbs
Average Temperature	1.8 °C

Controls

Sony WH-CH510 employs a strong UX design that makes for swift navigation for the average listener. At the earcup’s base, there is the power button, USB charging port, and two volume controls. The controls consist of buttons that are easy to locate, identify, and interact with. They’re responsible for the typical options of play/pause, volume increase/decrease, and skip forward/back. With sleek ubiquitous controls, you can listen easily with play, stop, and skip buttons. You can easily adjust the volume with ease without doing too much, all while still allowing you to activate your device’s voice assistant. (see below).

Color Variants

In terms of appearance, there isn’t much to say about these headphones except they have a subdued and minimalistic feel that is accessible and has a broad appeal. Except for the white microdots on the outside of the two earcups that are mixed with the Sony logo, these headphones are almost all jet black by default, with other color options available to match your preferences.

Along with the trademark and tastefully done black, these headphones are available in white and blue. There is something soothing for everybody. From gender-bending warm sky blue that works for both males and females to its generic bold black color variant to match.

Sony really put consumer taste into consideration. You can keep things a bit neutral by opting for its dove white color feature, which is equally adorable and invigorating in its own way. In addition to the Sony logo that’s located on both cups, the rest of the headphones have a straightforward diamond-like grid texture that covers most of the surface.

Comfort

As on-ear headphones (as opposed to over-ear) the cups on the headphones do not surround your ears. Instead, the rest on them. For on-ear headphones, the WH-CH510 is comfortable for extended periods of time because the padding in the ear cups is made from high-quality material. While this helps make the headphones more compact, many believe the comfort levels and even sound quality are negatively impacted. As is the case with all over-ear headphones, the WH-CH510 are adjustable to allow for a better fit and more comfort.

Durability

Perhaps the design feature that sticks out most for these headphones is their structural integrity. The ear cup, swivel joints, and plastic headband aren’t extremely sturdy, meaning throwing these cans around and being rough with them is probably not a great idea. While the headphones themselves don’t collapse or fold, the cups do swivel 90 degrees, which allows them to flatten. That said, there is some flex in the headband that helps aid in the prevention of damage to the headphones.

Sony WH-CH510 Case

While these headphones do not come with a case, there are several third-party options for cases that fit these headphones. Popular cases for the Sony WH-CH510 headphones include:

• Yinke Hard Case
• LTGEM Hard Case
• Geekria UltraShell Headphones Case

Performance And Features

Overall, the sound quality, Bluetooth performance, and battery life are what make this model stand out for its price range.

Sound Quality

Now, it does not matter what genre or age of music you are attempting to listen to, the WH-CH510 sure will put a bounce to it. What makes this particular Sony feature a toast out of many is its short burst in terms of how it presents every element of a song. It doesn’t fail to unveil every single packet in just the first few seconds of listening in on a recording. The Sony WH-CH510 peaks at 1.97 dB and dips at 1.58 dB.

Specification	Value
Headphone Cup Type	Closed
Headphone Driver Technology	Dynamic
Driver Unit	30 mm
Diaphragm Size	1 inch
Magnet Material	Ferrite
Min. Frequency Response	20 Hz
Max. Frequency Response	20000 Hz
Sensitivity	102 dB/mW
Peaks	1.97 dB
Dips	1.58 dB
Sound Output	Stereo
Volume Control	Yes
USB Audio	No
Ambient Sound Mode	No
High-Resolution Audio	No
Customize Sound With App	No

Sony WH-Ch510 Noise Cancelling

The on-ear design of these headphones means you won’t get the same level of audio quality that you would get with-over ear headphones. This is mostly because the smaller cups provide less of a sense of space and don’t create as much seal. These headphones don’t have built-in noise-canceling so you will hear sounds around you that can interfere with the audio quality.

WH-CH510 Driver

The headphones come with 30 mm dynamic drivers that use ferrite magnets and feature a 1′ diaphragm. The drivers can be loud and cause some listening fatigue if you listen to them for too long.

Sound Profile

When listening to various genres, we found the bass to be clear and tight, but certainly not excessive. While most genres have a good sound with these phones, you’ll want to stay away from tracks recorded with scooped mids and pronounced highs. Although the higher frequencies are somewhat dominant and the midrange is a little subdued, the sound profile was pleasant all-in-all.

When put on a divide, it could sound to some as immediately energetic and full of vigor. To others, it may come in as being overly eager and assertive. Whatever the case, the Sony WH-CH510 stakes its claim on the subject of tangibility.  Its tonal effect is simply progressive and doesn’t fall short of any frequency range. Below is the sound profile of the headphones:

Sound Level	Loudness
High-Treble	9.23 dB
Mid-Treble	3.49 dB
Low-Treble	2.42 dB
High Mids	1.23dB
Mid-Mids	0.28 dB
Low-Mids	0.01 dB
High Bass	0.94 dB
Mid-Bass	3.41 dB
Low-Bass	1.79 dB

With that said, it’s amazing how great these headphones sound. It’s definitely impressive for their size and price. Overall, the sound quality of the Sony WH-CH510 is respectable, especially when the affordability and battery life (i.e, how long you can enjoy the sound) are taken into account. Though these headphones don’t compete with more expensive models from brands like BOSE or even their WH-1000XM3 relatives in terms of balance, sense of spacing, and clarity, they do an excellent job of balancing out overall value with sound quality, comfort, and battery life.

Battery Life

Advanced battery technology seen in electrical vehicles is now benefiting more than Teslas, and Sony’s WH-CH510 headphones are no exception. The Sony WH-CH510 has incredible 35-hour battery life, which we are extremely impressed with. That’s enough power pack for a full day’s trip! Along with having 35 hours of actual play-time, the WH-CH510 has built-in quick charging as well.

Not to mention that even when you run low on power, you can have a quick 10-minute charge using the Type-C USB cable (based on our testing, USB audio is not supported). After plugging in for 10 minutes with this functionality, you get an extra 90 minutes of jam time. It’s exciting to see a budget product with this future-proofed USB-C port (and not micro-USB). With this kind of battery life, even the longest flight won’t be an issue.

Sony WH-CH510 Battery Life & Power Specs

Battery Feature	Specification
Power Source	AC & Battery
Battery Life (Continuous Communication)	Maximum 30 Hours
Battery Life (Continous Music Playback	Maximum 35 Hours (Fully Charged)
Battery Life (Waiting Time)	Maximum 200 hours standby run time (Fully Charged)
Battery Type	lithium-ion
Recharge Time	4.5 hours
Quick Charge	10 Min charge; 90 Min playback
Battery Charge Method	USB Type-C TM
USB Type-C TM Cable Length	20 cm (approx)
Max. Power Input	5 V DC

Sony WH-CH510 Charging Time

The Sony WH-CH510 charging time is about 4.5 hours using the supplied USB-Type-C cable and a USB AC adaptor (not included). A red indicator will light up when charging is complete.

Sony WH-CH510 Charging Cable

While the Sony WH-CH510 charging cable that comes standard with the headset is a USB-Type-C cable, you will need to purchase a USB AC adaptor to charge the headphones in a conventional wall socket. You can also find a replacement charging cable here.

Sony WH-CH510 Charger

Although these headphones don’t come with a charger that works across all devices, there are many aftermarket all-in-one variations that allow users to charge these headphones with various types of charging connections.

Sony WH-CH510 Wireless

Sony’s WH-CH510 Version 5.0 Bluetooth, which is the latest version of the wireless technology, allows you to listen in on a broader spectrum from an impressive range of over 30 feet away. In addition to the increased range and sound quality that comes with Bluetooth 5.0, this feature also contributes to the increased battery life of the headphones.

Sony WH-CH510 Bluetooth

Along with the higher quality that comes with the Bluetooth 5.0 upgrade, the WH-CH510 is also backward compatible with older Bluetooth versions. When we tested Bluetooth 5.0, we didn’t have any issues with drop-out or interference.

Specification
Bluetooth	Version 5.0
Bluetooth Effective Range	30 feet (10 meters) class 2 (approx. line of sight)
Effective Bluetooth Frequency Range	2.4GHz band (2.4000GHz-2.4835GHz)
Supported Codecs	A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
Compatible Profiles	All Bluetooth Devices
Supported Audio Formats	SBC, AAC
Supported Content Protection	SCMS-T
Microphone Mount Type	Built-in
Microphone Sound Input	Uni-directional
Microphone Technology	Condenser Technology
Radio Frequency Range	2.5 GHz
Assistant Support	Siri

Sony WH CH510 Pairing

To connect, all you simply do is pair your phone or mobile device with WH-CH510’s Bluetooth wireless technology, and you can listen wirelessly to your favorite tracks while on the move.

How To Pair Sony WH-CH510

For Sony WH CH510 Bluetooth pairing (wireless connections to Mac, Windows, smart TV, Smartphone), take the following steps:

1. When you turn the headset on for the first time, it automatically enters pairing mode.
2. To pair to a second device using multipoint functionality, hold down the power button for at least 7 seconds. The LED then repeatedly flashes twice in a row and the voice guidance will say “Bluetooth Pairing”.
3. To connect to the headset, the pairing device must be within one meter while attempting to pair.
4. After turn on the bluetooth for your pairing device and search for “WH-CH510”.
5. The default passkey is “0000” if this is required.
6. For Mac, go to: System Preferences -> Bluetooth -> Add A New Device. Then, select the “Headset” device type and search for WH-CH510, using the default “0000” passkey as needed.
7. For Windows, open your Bluetooth settings and then click “add a new device”. Then select “Bluetooth” when you are given the option to “choose this kind of device”. If required, use the default “0000” passkey.
8. For Playstation 4, go to: Settings -> Devices -> Bluetooth Devices. Then add WH-CH510.
9. Once the headphones are paired, you will hear a Voice Guidance confirmation that says “Bluetooth Connected”
10. You can find helpful info on how to pair Sony WH-CH510 to TV, smartphone, or any other bluetooth device here.

Sony WH-CH510 PS4

Unfortunately, you cannot connect to a PS4 via Bluetooth with these headphones.

Sony WH-CH510 Multipoint

Bluetooth 5.0 also has dual pairing capabilities, which allow you to connect multiple headphones to a Bluetooth device simultaneously. This makes headphone sharing without a dual 3.5 mm jack incredibly easy.

Calls Made Easy

The microphone, which can be used to make calls without touching your phone, is also located near the base next to the control buttons. Thanks to its hands-free feature and top-range microphone, you can take or make calls freely without having to take your phone out of your pocket.

For professional applications, you can connect these headphones to a computer with Bluetooth capabilities for VOIP calling from your workstation. The lack of noise cancellation could be useful at work, as you can use the headphones for work calls while still being able to hear nearby co-workers trying to get your attention.

While this integrated microphone is serviceable, there are better options out there in other models in terms of clarity. The built-in microphone is solid, as there was no loss in sound quality when we tested the product indoors and outdoors. Even from 30 feet away, the Bluetooth connection remained stable. This feat can be attributed to the Bluetooth 5.0 (the latest Bluetooth version) capabilities of the device.

Sony WH-CH510 Sidetone Function

Sidetone uses a small amount of your own voice volume while you speak that is piped into the speaker. The sidetone sound is a way to confirm that your microphone is working correctly. It can help you adjust your speaker volume to a proper level.

Sony WH-CH510: Turn Off Sidetone

To disable sidetone in Windows, follow these steps:

1. Go to “Start” -> “Control Panel” -> “Hardware And Sound” -> “Sound”
2. Click the “Recording” tab
3. Select the Sony WH-CH510 headphones from among the choices listed
4. Click on “Properties”
5. In the “Transmit Properties” window, clear or uncheck the “listen to this device” box.
6. Click “Apply”, then click “Ok”
7. Finally, click ok to close the sound window.

WH-CH510 Echo

When using the headphone mic, it is important to make sure that it is not too close to your mouth when you are speaking. If it’s too close, it may make your voice too loud or cause a microphone echo.

Sony WH-CH510 App

While there’s no app specifically for these headphones, the simplicity of the device and its performance leave no indication of the need for one. That said, if you own an Android smartphone you can use the Google app feature that comes with the smartphone to operate the device.

To use this feature, connect to the Android smartphone via Bluetooth. When the Android smartphone is playing music or on standby, then press the play/call button on the headset at least twice in 0.5 seconds. After this, the Google app is activated.

Voice-assistant

Another great feature of the Sony WH-CH510 is its voice assistant that lets you connect to your mobile device with one simple click and via the Google Assistant or Siri feature. Without taking your phone out of your pocket, you can do anything you can do with a voice assistant like check the weather, adjust your schedule, get directions, play music, communicate with contacts, or make calls, all on one seamless multipurpose feature.

Sony WH-CH510 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones Review: Conclusion

So that’s about it for the Sony WH-CH510. Even with its shortfalls—the lackluster build and its mediocre portability—the Sony WH-CH510 is at once a steal anyhow you choose to look at it.

WH-CH510 Review: Frequently Asked Questions