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What we think
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Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize excellent sound quality for music and a premium build but don't mind a higher price and no wireless capability, then the Sennheiser IE600 earbuds may be best for you. They're suited for high-fidelity listening, have a detachable cable, but lack features like a microphone, active noise cancelling, and app-based customization, which could limit their use for calls, gaming, and modern convenience. In contrast, the Sony WH-CH520 headphones are more budget-friendly and offer wireless convenience with very good microphone quality, making them a versatile choice. They are great for varied uses including gaming and video with virtual surround, and they have a long battery life. However, they may not match the Sennheiser's superior sound for critical listening and have a lower build quality. They lack active noise cancelling, making them less ideal for noise isolation in loud environments. 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 IE600
- Very good for music
- Excellent for TV and video
Advantages of the Sony WH-CH520
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for air travel
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.3
7.6
The Sennheiser IE600 is very good for music, while the Sony WH-CH520 is good.
Gaming
6.7
8.8
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for gaming, while the Sennheiser IE600 is only fair.
Phone Calls
3.5
6.7
The Sony WH-CH520 is only fair for phone calls, while the Sennheiser IE600 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
8.0
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sennheiser IE600 is poor.
TV and Video
9.3
8.2
The Sennheiser IE600 is excellent for TV and video, while the Sony WH-CH520 is very good.
Noise Reduction
7.0
4.6
The Sennheiser IE600 is good for noise reduction, while the Sony WH-CH520 is poor.
Battery
N/A
52.0 Hours
The Sennheiser IE600 does not have a battery. The Sony WH-CH520 has 52 hours of battery life.
Cost
$600
$40
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Sennheiser IE600 has a price of $600 and the Sony WH-CH520 costs $40.
Build Quality
9.0
7.0
The Sennheiser IE600 has excellent build quality, while the Sony WH-CH520 has good build quality.
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How the Sennheiser IE600 and the Sony WH-CH520 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sennheiser IE600 | Sony WH-CH520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$600 | $40 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sennheiser | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | April 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.3/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 3.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 6.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.3/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.6/10 | 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 | 7/10 | 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 | 2.5/10 | 8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 10/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 6 Grams | 147.41 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Shopping
Sennheiser IE600
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Dig into reviews and images
Soundguys
Jasper Lastoria | August 2023
"If you've got the bucks, the Sennheiser IE 600 is a nice, upscale set of in-ear monitors made of a lightweight metal with an unusual texture. It comes with a suite of extras, and performs well at virtually every task."
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 IE600 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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