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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
For an immersive experience, the Sennheiser HD800S offers superior overall sound quality and an exceptional soundstage, ideal for critical listening and enjoying high-fidelity music; however, they are open-back and don't offer noise isolation, making them unsuitable for noisy environments. On the other hand, the Sony WH-CH520, while more budget-friendly, provides good sound quality with active noise cancelling, making them a better option for casual listening in various environments, and they are also wireless with a long battery life, which enhances convenience and portability. The Sony model is also more suitable for calls, meetings, and gaming due to the integrated microphone and lower latency. 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 Sennheiser HD800S
- Best in class for music
- Best in class for TV and video
Advantages of the Sony WH-CH520
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for air travel
Key differences
Music
9.9
7.6
The Sennheiser HD800S is best in class for music, while the Sony WH-CH520 is good.
Gaming
7.5
8.8
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for gaming, while the Sennheiser HD800S is good.
Phone Calls
5.0
6.7
The Sony WH-CH520 is only fair for phone calls, while the Sennheiser HD800S is poor.
TV and Video
9.7
8.2
The Sennheiser HD800S is best in class for TV and video, while the Sony WH-CH520 is very good.
Noise Reduction
2.5
4.6
The Sony WH-CH520 and Sennheiser HD800S are both poor for noise reduction, though the Sony WH-CH520 is somewhat better.
Battery
N/A
52.0 Hours
The Sennheiser HD800S does not have a battery. The Sony WH-CH520 has 52 hours of battery life.
Cost
$1,400
$50
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Sennheiser HD800S has a price of $1,400 and the Sony WH-CH520 costs $50.
Build Quality
9.0
7.0
The Sennheiser HD800S has excellent build quality, while the Sony WH-CH520 has good build quality.
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Key similarities
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.1
8.0
The Sennheiser HD800S and Sony WH-CH520 are both very good for podcasts and audiobooks.
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How the Sennheiser HD800S and the Sony WH-CH520 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sennheiser HD800S | Sony WH-CH520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $50 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sennheiser | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2015 | April 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 10/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.6/10 | 8.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.7/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.5/10 | 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 | 2.5/10 | 4.6/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | N/A | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 10/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 371.9 Grams | 147.41 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Sennheiser HD800S
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | March 2023
"The cans offer stellar sound quality, comfort, and good maintenance options—so they're an easy recommendation if you have the cash and the need for the last headphones you'll buy for years."
Sony WH-CH520
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Dig into reviews and images
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 Sennheiser HD800S or the Sony WH-CH520
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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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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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