If you’ve ever read any of my content here at the NY Post, you know I’m in love with my Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones.
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I → read → headphones
That said, while they’re the best of the best, they do command a pretty high price point, making them not a great option if you’re trying to save a little money.
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you → say → money
The newly released Sony headphones are actually ones that I’d buy for myself, and here’s why they stand out.
Pros:
- Lenghty battery life
- Great sound quality
- AI noise reduction for calls
- Under $100
Cons:
- Not foldable
- No ANC
These are probably the best pair of headphones I’ve tested under $100.
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I → release → 100
They’re sleek, lightweight and sound almost as good as most premium headphones.
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They → ’re → headphones
With tiny, round ear cups and a padded headband, the plastic design is lightweight and built for all-day wear.
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design → build → wear
It doesn’t really feel premium, and my biggest qualm is that these headphones don’t fold, making them harder to take on the go.
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them → feel → go
That said, there are plenty of colors to choose from, including cobalt, if you’re looking for a brighter offering.
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you → say → offering
The small ear cups are generally comfortable, but since I do have large ears, the left ear cup hurt a little after wearing these headphones for over an hour.
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cup → have → hour
Other than that, they’re quite lightweight and stay put on my head, even while I walk around the city.
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I → ’re → city
As for setup, I used the Sony Sound Connect app to quickly get these connected.
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these → use → app
It took me about two minutes total.
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It → take → minutes
The app detected the headphones almost immediately, and I ended up on a screen with battery life and a 10-band adjustable EQ.
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I → detect → life
Sound quality
No, these headphones have no noise cancellation or Transparency Mode features, but my God, they sound good.
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they → have → features
When I first demoed these headphones, I was shocked at how full and clear they sounded.
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they → demo → headphones
After testing them for a few days, I can safely say these preserve Sony’s signature sound, even at a sub-$100 price point.
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these → test → point
Vocals sound clear and coherent, and while bass lacks a little punch (I think because of how small the ear cups are), there’s very little to fuss about when it comes to sound.
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it → sound → sound
Dare I say they sound almost just as good as my Sony WH-1000XM6 when I don’t have noise cancellation enabled?
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cancellation → say → WH-1000XM6
I listened to tons of songs from VOILÀ, and the headphones handled heavy instrumentation and overlapping vocals easily.
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headphones → listen → instrumentation
There was a little distortion at times, but that’s to be expected.
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that → be → times
It’s definitely something you only notice if you concentrate heavily, which makes me think casual listeners might not catch it.
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listeners → ’ → it
Remember, the 10-band adjustable EQ can also help you get a stronger bass or clearer vocals if needed.
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you → remember → bass
Comparing these to the previous-generation CH520s, I have to say these felt a little more balanced in their overall soundstage, which made listening to music for longer hours a more pleasurable experience.
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listening → compare → hours
Call quality is surprisingly good, too, which definitely gave me pause.
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which → give → pause
You’re telling me call quality is decent on a sub-$100 pair of headphones?
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quality → tell → headphones
Even with background noise, I could hear the other person on the line, and they could hear me.
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they → hear → me
Sony WH-CH530 vs. Sony WH-CH520
I already mentioned that sound quality is a little better in the newer iteration.
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quality → mention → iteration
Other differences include battery life, which jumps up an extra five hours (the previous generation capped at 50 hours).
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generation → include → hours
One thing that has stayed the same, though?
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that → stay → ?
Sony offers the latest version at the same price as the previous generation.
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Sony → offer → generation
I cannot stress how good these headphones are for the price they’re selling at.
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they → stress → price
The fact that Sony kept these at the same price as the last generation makes them even more appealing.
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them → keep → generation
They don’t have active noise cancellation (just passive), which is the biggest con, but they still do well to block out some background noise.
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they → have → noise
For someone who’s always up and about in the big city, I guess it’s cool to hear the traffic once in a while so I know where I’m going.
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I → ’ → while
This article was written by Nishka Dhawan, Commerce Reporter for the New York Post.
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article → write → Post
Nishka reports on the latest tech launches, innovations and trends to separate the best new products from the “AI slop.”
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Nishka → report → slop
Taking the latest technology for a spin, Nishka tests home appliances and tech products that actually improve your life, from vacuums to headphones to gaming gadgets and more – all while finding the best deals and lowest prices.
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that → take → deals
Before joining The Post in 2026, her work appeared in Rolling Stone, ABC, NBC Select, Reviewed and Digital Trends.
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work → join → Stone
The Aporia
