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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
For an immersive experience, the Sony WH-CH520 headphones have better overall sound quality, a great comfort score, and virtual surround feature which could be ideal for gaming and watching TV. However, they are less portable due to their size and build. The Steelseries TUSQ earbuds, on the other hand, offer a boom mic, which could be better for calls, and are more portable, making them handy for exercise or travel. Both are similarly priced, so if comfort and immersive sound are priorities, go for the Sony headphones, but if portability and mic quality are more important, choose the Steelseries earbuds. 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 Sony WH-CH520
- Very good for TV and video
- Very good for air travel
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Steelseries TUSQ
- The Steelseries TUSQ has no clear advantages over the Sony WH-CH520.
Key differences
Phone Calls
6.7
5.2
The Sony WH-CH520 is only fair for phone calls, while the Steelseries TUSQ is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.0
4.7
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Steelseries TUSQ is poor.
TV and Video
8.2
7.3
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for TV and video, while the Steelseries TUSQ is good.
Noise Reduction
4.6
6.0
The Steelseries TUSQ is only fair for noise reduction, while the Sony WH-CH520 is poor.
Battery
52.0 Hours
N/A
The Sony WH-CH520 has 52 hours of battery life. The Steelseries TUSQ does not have a battery.
Cost
$40
$55
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
The Sony WH-CH520 has a price of $40 and the Steelseries TUSQ costs $55.
Build Quality
7.0
8.0
The Steelseries TUSQ has very good build quality, while the Sony WH-CH520 has good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
7.6
7.6
The Sony WH-CH520 and Steelseries TUSQ are both good for music.
Gaming
8.8
8.5
The Sony WH-CH520 and Steelseries TUSQ are both very good for gaming.
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How the Sony WH-CH520 and the Steelseries TUSQ compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sony WH-CH520 | Steelseries TUSQ |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$40 | $55 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sony | Steelseries | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | August 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.7/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 6.8/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.8/10 | 8.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.2/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.4/10 | 4.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 52 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.9 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 4.6/10 | 6/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 147.41 Grams | 11 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Boom | |
Shopping
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."
Steelseries TUSQ
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Can Buy or Not
Aloysius Low | March 2021
"The SteelSeries Arctis Tusq is a great headset for those on a more modest budget. You can use it for gaming or music, and I daresay it's also great for Zoom meetings when you don't want to be wearing on-ear or over-ear headphones."
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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.
About Steelseries
Steelseries is a Danish gaming products manufacturer founded in 2001 and owned by GN Store Nord. Beside a large variety of gaming peripherals like mice, keyboards, and mousemats, Steelseries markets the Arctis line of gaming headsets which feature integrated boom microphones and RGB lighting. Steelseries has partnered with several game publishers and studios for limited editions of their products like a line of Cyberpunk 2077 themed headsets in 2020.
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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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Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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