Home Headphones Sony Wh Ch520 Vs. Shure Aonic 40

Sony Wh Ch520 Vs. Shure Aonic 40 Review

Last updated on Apr 13, 2023   7 minute read
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Sony WH CH520

Sony WH CH520

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Reasons why you might like the Sony WH CH520

Overall Score 4.9 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Weight of 147 g
  • Battery Life of 40 hours
  • Can Be Used Wirelessly
VS
Shure Aonic 40

Shure Aonic 40

See price on Amazon

Reasons why you might like the Shure Aonic 40

Overall Score 4 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Weight of 311 g
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Anc)
  • Battery Life of 25 hours
  • Can Be Used Wirelessly

Sony Wh Ch520 Vs. Shure Aonic 40 Review In Summary

Category Features Sony WH CH520 Shure Aonic 40
DESIGN weight 147g 311g
has a detachable cable
can be folded
has a tangle free cable
sweat resistance
has an over-the-ear foam
has an on-ear foam
has stereo speakers
SOUND QUALITY has active noise cancellation (anc)
has passive noise reduction
lowest frequency 20Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 20,000Hz 20,000Hz
sound pressure level 97dB/mW
driver unit size 30mm 40mm
impedance 35Ohms
has a neodymium magnet
POWER battery life 40hours 25hours
charge time 3hours
has a battery level indicator
battery power 400mAh
has a rechargeable battery
CONNECTIVITY can be used wirelessly
bluetooth version v5.2 v5
has usb type-c
has bluetooth aptx
has aac
maximum bluetooth range 10meters
has a 3.5mm male connector
MICROPHONE number of microphones 1only
EXTRAS multipoint count 2only
control panel placed on a device
can be used as a headset
travel bag is included
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Sony Wh Ch520 Vs. Shure Aonic 40 Review In Detail

Design

Weight

Sony WH CH520 147g
Shure Aonic 40 311g

The Sony WH CH520 have a weight of 147g, these weigh below 320g, which we consider as the highest average a headphone should weigh for comfort during long use. We prefer a lower weight better because lighter devices are more comfortable to carry.

Shure Aonic 40, at 311g are heavier than the Sony WH CH520 with a difference 164g

Has A Detachable Cable

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

Detachable cables are cables that have connectors on both ends. One end goes into your headphone earpieces, while the other end is inserted into an audio source. Some new headphones, and not just the expensive ones, are coming with detachable cables, Shure Aonic 40 are one of those.

Can Be Folded

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

Shure Aonic 40 are foldable, which makes them more portable. Foldable headphones are easier to transport and take up less storage space.

Has A Tangle Free Cable

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

Twisted headphone cables can be a great source of annoyance and inconvenience, Sony WH CH520's cable is designed to minimize tangling. Constant twisting of the cables can also lead to bends in the copper wires, affecting sound quality, or rendering your headphones defective.

Shure Aonic 40 too have a cable designed to help prevent tangles.

Sweat Resistance

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

By sweat resistance we mean that the wireless earbuds are protected in the presence of low-pressure water jets at any angle, this is determined by the IP Rating of the earbuds. Based on the ingress protection rating of the Sony WH CH520 they do have sweat resistance

Has An Over-The-Ear Foam

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

Over-ear headphones have larger earpads that fit around your entire ear Shure Aonic 40 have a comfortable full-size form with earcups that fully enclose your ears. This design is loved for its increased sound isolation and the fact that it won't leak sound to your neighbors.

Has An On-Ear Foam

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

On-ear headphones have smaller earpads that sit on top of your ears, this Sony WH CH520 comfortably rests on top of your outer ears. As it doesn't block out everything from the outside world, it's preferred in places like office environments and recommended for outdoor activities.

Has Stereo Speakers

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH CH520 have stereo speakers, what this means is that Sony WH CH520's speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience.

The Shure Aonic 40 also have stereo speakers

Sony WH CH520
See price on Amazon

Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Anc)

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

Active noise cancellation uses more advanced technology to actively counter noise. How it works, it listens to the sound pattern of incoming noise and then inverts the soundwaves to cancel it out. In simple terms, it's like taking +1 outside (noise from your surrounding) and adding -1 inside (counter sound within the device) to make zero resulting in a reduced level of noise.

Shure Aonic 40 allow you to listen at lower volume levels, causing less ear fatigue as you don't have to crank up the volume to overcome background noise.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

Passive Noise Cancellation uses well-designed ear cups to seal out unwanted noise. This is used for both in-ear earphones and over-ear headphones where the headphone itself will keep surrounding noise out. The Sony WH CH520 sits tightly in place, creating an acoustic seal that reduces background noise and prevents your music from leaking out.

Both of these devices have passive noise reduction which means that also the Shure Aonic 40 isolates you from ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out.

Lowest Frequency

Sony WH CH520 20Hz
Shure Aonic 40 20Hz

Low-frequency response measures if and how well an audio device reproduces low audible frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal on the way through. Sony WH CH520's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, the lower the low-frequency response, the stronger and juicier the bass.

Shure Aonic 40's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this implies that both devices produce equal bass

Highest Frequency

Sony WH CH520 20,000Hz
Shure Aonic 40 20,000Hz

High frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio device reproduces high audible frequencies and if it changes to the signal on the way through. Sony WH CH520's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, the higher the high-frequency response, the clearer and crispier the treble.

Shure Aonic 40's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this means that both devices produce equal treble

Sound Pressure Level

Sony WH CH520 97dB/mW
Shure Aonic 40

Sound pressure is the average variation in atmospheric pressure caused by the sound, the sound level .i.e how loud something is can be perceived differently by different people so we need to have the means to get an objective measurement of sound level expressed in numerical terms.

The sound pressure level, SPL, is the pressure level of a sound, measured in decibels, dB, Sony WH CH520's measurement is 97dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.

Driver Unit Size

Sony WH CH520 30mm
Shure Aonic 40 40mm

The driver unit is the component that produces sound in the device, its size dictates the loudness of the headphone. Sony WH CH520 driver unit is 30mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful and can produce better bass.

Shure Aonic 40 driver unit is 40mm in diameter, making them have a larger driver unit than that of Sony WH CH520 by 10mm , many people have a misconception that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.

However, large drivers usually have difficulty reproducing high frequencies so it's true that, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not mean that they deliver better sound.

Impedance

Sony WH CH520 35Ohms
Shure Aonic 40

Impedance is the device's resistance to the electromagnetic current, when electricity flows through a conductor, it experiences electrical resistance that counters the flow of current. The resistance of a wire is measured in ohms. Sony WH CH520's impedance is 35Ohms, the lower the impedance, the easier it is to get higher volume and requires less power.

Has A Neodymium Magnet

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

Neodymium magnets when used in audio devices produce a higher sensitivity and substantial sound output using less power to do so. They can help produce music at quite a high sound pressure level, SPL, with the use of high magnetic flux. The Sony WH CH520 have this type of magnet.

Power

Battery Life

Sony WH CH520 40hours
Shure Aonic 40 25hours

If your headphones play wirelessly, cancel ambient noise, or enhance your listening experience with active features, their battery life will reduce over time. The device's battery life is given by the manufacturer, with longer battery life, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often. Sony WH CH520's battery life is 40 hours

Shure Aonic 40's battery life is 25 hours. Each time you recharge your headphones, they get a little less listening time. The effect is barely noticeable at first. But over a few years, you may find that your device, no longer plays for long like it used to.

Charge Time

Sony WH CH520 3hours
Shure Aonic 40

It takes 3 hours to fully charge the Sony WH CH520's battery. It is recommended to fully charge the battery before using the headphones for the first time or when they have been unused for extended periods.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH CH520 have a battery level indicator, an indicator shows you when the device has a low battery. The battery indicator lights indicate the charging status of your headphones.

Battery Power

Sony WH CH520 400mAh
Shure Aonic 40

Battery power, or battery capacity, represents the amount of electrical energy that a battery can store. Sony WH CH520's battery power is 400mAh, more battery power can be an indication of longer battery life.

Has A Rechargeable Battery

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

A rechargeable battery is a type of electrical battery that can be charged, discharged into a load, and recharged many times, as opposed to a disposable or primary battery, which is supplied fully charged and discarded after use. Sony WH CH520's battery can be recharged and used over again.

The Shure Aonic 40 too have a rechargeable battery.

Sony WH CH520
See price on Amazon

Connectivity

Can Be Used Wirelessly

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH CH520 can be used wirelessly, wireless devices allow you more freedom of movement.

The Shure Aonic 40 also can be used wirelessly

Bluetooth Version

Sony WH CH520 v5.2
Shure Aonic 40 v5

Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data transfers between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves. Sony WH CH520 has a v5.2

Shure Aonic 40 has a Bluetooth version of v5. Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Has Usb Type-C

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH CH520 support USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power on a single cable. The USB-C plug is now part and parcel of most current laptops, phones, and tablets, it features reversible plug orientation and cable direction.

Has Bluetooth Aptx

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

Shure Aonic 40 support APTX, a codec used for transmitting audio wirelessly with Bluetooth. It is developed by Qualcomm and supports 16-bit audio at a bit rate of 384kbps.

Has Aac

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH CH520 support AAC, a codec that is used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Because it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it can provide better results than other codecs at a similar bit rate.

The Shure Aonic 40 support AAC as well. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves higher sound quality than MP3 encoders at the same bit rate.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Sony WH CH520 10meters
Shure Aonic 40

Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances. The Sony WH CH520 can connect at a 10meters distance via Bluetooth or infrared to another device.

Has A 3.5Mm Male Connector

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

Being an industry standard audio plug, a standard 3.5mm male connector is suitable for use with all MP3 players and computer sound cards. This means that it is commonly used in stereo headphones to your phone or connecting your phone to an external amplifier, sound bars, your car radio, etc. Shure Aonic 40 has this connector giving it a wider range of connectivity with most of the sound devices out there. All plugs have at least a tip and sleeve with the number of rings that stand as a differentiating factor.

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Sony WH CH520 1only
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH CH520 have only 1 microphones, more microphones result in better sound quality and enable the device to filter out background noise.

Sony WH CH520
See price on Amazon

Extras

Multipoint Count

Sony WH CH520 2only
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH CH520 support multipoint, which allows you to link to more Bluetooth devices and switch between them. For example, you can easily switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

There is a control panel on the Sony WH CH520 body, so you can easily access the volume control or remote without having to interact with a cable or another device it's connected to.

The Shure Aonic 40 too have a control panel on them.

Can Be Used As A Headset

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH CH520 can be used as a headset. A headset is one headphone or pair with a built-in microphone. Headsets can be used for apps that require communication i.e. Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, games with voice chat, mobile phones, etc.

Shure Aonic 40 can be used as a headset. since they have a built-in microphone

Travel Bag Is Included

Sony WH CH520
Shure Aonic 40

Carrying headphones without a case, or putting them in bags without a casing can easily put them at risk of getting damaged. The Shure Aonic 40 come with their own special case or pouch, which is useful for safe transportation.

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