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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a wireless design and longer battery life for on-the-go usage, the Sony WH-CH520 may be a better choice with its built-in wireless capabilities and extensive battery life, along with a more lightweight build ideal for travel. However, if you prefer a gaming-oriented design with a boom mic for clear voice pickup and virtual surround for immersive gaming experiences, the Razer Kraken, although wired and heavier, could be the better option, especially for gaming and calls. Note that the Kraken may have better build quality and a higher mic score, but the WH-CH520 may offer better comfort and is optimized for both Android and Apple devices. Both have excellent overall sound quality, but you might experience more outside noise with the WH-CH520 due to the lack of active noise canceling offered by the Kraken. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Razer Kraken
- The Razer Kraken has no clear advantages over the Sony WH-CH520.
Advantages of the Sony WH-CH520
- Very good for TV and video
- Very good for air travel
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
7.1
7.6
The Sony WH-CH520 and Razer Kraken are both good for music, though the Sony WH-CH520 is somewhat better.
Phone Calls
5.5
6.7
The Sony WH-CH520 is only fair for phone calls, while the Razer Kraken is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
4.7
8.0
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Razer Kraken is poor.
TV and Video
7.4
8.2
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for TV and video, while the Razer Kraken is good.
Noise Reduction
6.5
4.6
The Razer Kraken is only fair for noise reduction, while the Sony WH-CH520 is poor.
Battery
N/A
52.0 Hours
The Razer Kraken does not have a battery. The Sony WH-CH520 has 52 hours of battery life.
Cost
$50
$40
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Razer Kraken has a price of $50 and the Sony WH-CH520 costs $40.
Build Quality
8.5
7.0
The Razer Kraken has very good build quality, while the Sony WH-CH520 has good build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
8.3
8.8
The Sony WH-CH520 and Razer Kraken are both very good for gaming.
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How the Razer Kraken and the Sony WH-CH520 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Razer Kraken | Sony WH-CH520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$50 | $40 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Razer | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2019 | April 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.1/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.4/10 | 8.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.4/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.2/10 | 6.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 52 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 1.9 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5.2 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6.5/10 | 4.6/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 322 Grams | 147.41 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Boom | Integrated | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Razer Kraken
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Dig into reviews and images
PC Gamer
Rob Dwiar | March 2019
"Generally the Kraken is a very comfortable headset and there’s nothing that really identifies it as anything else. All in, the Kraken performed exactly as I’d expect a premium, designated gaming headset to perform: performing well in game audio, though not quite with the same quality of those headsets further up the price scale."
Sony WH-CH520
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Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | September 2023
"If you’re looking for headphones that simply do what you ask them to: the Sony WH-CH520 is a decent option, even if it isn’t very exciting. Sony’s WH-CHXXX line fits this role quite well, and the WH-CH520 offers a decent raft of quality-of-life updates over its predecessor that should keep listeners happy. If the Sony WH-CH520 were a car, it’d be the boring-but-safe commuter compact."
Get a great deal on the Razer Kraken or the Sony WH-CH520
About Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean hardware manufacturer aimed specifically toward the gaming market. They manufacture a very wide array of gaming laptops, tablets, phones, peripherals and, of course, headphones and earbuds both wired and wireless. Since 2016, Razer has owned the THX suite, aimed at quality assurance of audiovisual systems such as speaker sets, video game consoles and even movie theaters.
About Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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