The volume level and sensitivity of the Sidetone function cannot be adjusted, and the function cannot be turned off. — Sony support guide This means the ear cups sit on your ears, instead of surrounding them. The design means sound is less immersive, but they're ideal for working out or situations where you could do with hearing noises around you.

Yinke Case for Sony Wh-CH510/520/JBL Tune 510BT Wireless

With that said, it’s remarkable how solid these Sony’s still manage to sound, despite theirlow price and limited form factor. We found the bass to be clear and present, but certainly not overbearing. The higher frequencies were a little more dominant than we’d like, and the mids too suppressed, but the profile was pleasing overall. It’s worth noting that, although this particular reviewer has an abnormally large head and often pushes headphone bands to their limit, the Sony WH-CH510 only got about halfway extended before sitting comfortably on both ears. We suspect this will be particularly good news for the large-headed among us, as well as those that like to wear hats and cans at once.Next to the controls and microphone is the sole port for USB-C charging (audio over USB isn’t supported from what we tested). We’re disproportionately excited to see a budget product adopt this future-proofed port instead of micro USB. There’s an integrated microphone next to these buttons for this purpose and for taking calls, and while it’s certainly serviceable, it’s not the clearest option out there.

Case for Sony WH-CH510 MDR Digicharge Hard Protective Carry Case for Sony WH-CH510 MDR

These are on-ear headphones rather than over-ears, meaning that their cups won’t surround your ears but rather rest upon them. This makes the Sony WH-CH510 considerably more compact, but arguably a little less comfortable (it also impacts the audio quality, but more on that later). The fact that these Sony WH-CH510 headphones are in the on-ear format means you won’t quite get the audio quality that over-ear competitors offer. This is largely due to the smaller cups not creating a seal, as well as offering less sense of space. Another budget on-ear option, this time designed with fitness and exercise in mind. Like the Sony WH-CH510, its a lightweight design with solid sound. We think the Jabra Move Wireless are a little more stylish, too, with a choice of colour options and minimal lines.For those chasing something that's substantially more sturdy or sporting a 3.5mm port, you’re unlikely to find an alternative at this price that’s also wireless, let alone boasts solid battery life and sound. Also consider... If you want to see the very best of Sony’s audio tech, head on over to our Sony WH-1000XM4 review for our favorite over-ears and our Sony WF-1000XM4 review for our top in-ears. Both are top of their class when it comes to both noise-cancelling and quality sound. If you’re looking for the best budget headphones, you’re likely already willing to make a few sacrifices. If nothing is going on around you, the sound quality with the Sony WH-CH510 isn’t bad! It just… isn’t amazing. It certainly won’t make you forget studio headphones or anything, but—assuming a good fit—there’s surprisingly decent bass for on-ears and mids aren’t distractingly under-emphasized. Highs are a bit all over the place, but in a manner that’s pretty common with cheaper headphones. However, even here there are tradeoffs. Lows, mids, and highs