Sony WH-CH720N vs Soundcore Space One: Which to Buy
Sony WH-CH720N or Soundcore Space One? We compare price, noise cancelling, comfort, battery, codecs and calls to help you pick the right budget ANC pair.
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The Sony WH-CH720N and the Soundcore Space One are two of the most popular noise cancelling headphones you can buy for under $100. Both block steady noise well, last a long time on a charge and connect to two devices at once. They differ in weight, sound, extras and call quality, and those differences decide which one suits you.
Quick comparison
| Sony WH-CH720N | Soundcore Space One | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (late Oct 2026) | $88 at Amazon (list $179.99) | $84.99 at Target, about $100 elsewhere (list $99.99) |
| Weight | 192g | about 265g |
| Battery (claimed) | up to 35 hours with ANC, 50 hours without | up to 40 hours with ANC, 55 hours without |
| Quick charge | 3 minutes for about 1 hour | 5 minutes for about 4 hours |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Multipoint | Yes | Yes (not while LDAC is on) |
| Folds / case | Earcups swivel flat, no case | Folds, comes with a pouch |
| Wear detection | No | Yes (pauses when you take them off) |
| Wired listening | 3.5mm cable included | 3.5mm jack |
Prices are US prices from Amazon, Target, Walmart and Newegg in late October 2026 and change often, so check before you buy.
Price: almost a tie right now
The Sony’s list price is $179.99, but Amazon has been selling it for $88, less than half price. The Soundcore Space One has a lower list price of $99.99 and sells for $84.99 at Target, while Walmart and Newegg list it at about $100.
At these prices there’s only a few dollars between them, so the choice comes down to features rather than cost. If one of them is back at full price when you shop, the other is the obvious buy.
Noise cancelling: roughly equal
Both use adaptive noise cancelling that adjusts to your surroundings, and both are good at the steady, low sounds of planes, buses and air conditioning. RTINGS rates their noise isolation as comparable. GSMArena found the Sony’s ANC “very good” and a clear step up from older Sony budget models, while Trusted Reviews called the Space One’s ANC effective but said it struggles in very noisy places.
Neither matches premium headphones like Sony’s 1000X series on voices and sudden noises. If ANC is your only priority, you won’t go wrong with either.
Comfort and design: Sony for long days, Soundcore for travel
The Sony is the lighter pair by a big margin. At 192 grams, Sony says it’s its lightest over-ear noise cancelling headphone, and that matters on a long flight or a full workday. The Soundcore weighs about 265 grams, though Trusted Reviews still found it comfortable.
The Soundcore is easier to carry. It folds and comes with a pouch, while the Sony’s earcups only swivel flat and there’s no case in the box. The Soundcore also has wear detection, so music pauses when you take it off. The Sony doesn’t.
Sound and app: different tastes
The Sony has a warm, bass-heavy sound with a slightly dull top end, according to GSMArena, though you can fix much of that with the five-band EQ in Sony’s Headphones Connect app. The app also includes Sony’s DSEE upscaling and 360 Reality Audio.
RTINGS describes the Soundcore as having a more “excited” sound, with more EQ options in its app, although Trusted Reviews felt the EQ presets made little difference. The Soundcore also supports LDAC, a higher-quality Bluetooth codec, but only Android phones that support LDAC can use it. On an iPhone, both headphones use AAC, so LDAC makes no difference.
Battery: Soundcore lasts longer on paper
Soundcore claims up to 40 hours with ANC on, against Sony’s 35 hours. RTINGS also found the Soundcore lasts longer in continuous use. Real-world numbers vary: GSMArena got more than 47 hours from the Sony with ANC on, while Trusted Reviews measured about 30 hours from the Soundcore with ANC on.
Both will easily get through several days of commuting. The Soundcore’s quick charge is stronger, with about four hours of playback from five minutes on the cable.
Calls: Sony is clearly better
If you take a lot of calls, this is the deciding factor. RTINGS says the Sony has a much better microphone, and GSMArena found voices clear and easy to understand. Trusted Reviews called the Soundcore’s call quality disappointing.
Tip: If you use an Android phone and want LDAC, remember that turning it on disables multipoint on the Soundcore. You’ll have to choose between higher-quality audio and staying connected to your phone and laptop at the same time.
Which should you buy?
Buy the Sony WH-CH720N if:
- You wear headphones for hours at a time and want the lightest pair
- You take a lot of calls or video meetings
- You use an iPhone, where LDAC doesn’t matter anyway
Buy the Soundcore Space One if:
- You travel a lot and want headphones that fold into a bag
- You want auto-pause when you take them off
- You use an Android phone with LDAC, or want the longest battery life
If you can spend a little more, Anker’s Soundcore Space One Pro adds a more premium design and longer battery life, and it dropped to $129.99 in Amazon’s October Prime Day sale. With Black Friday on November 27, both of the headphones above may also get cheaper in the next few weeks.
Related reading: Best Noise Cancelling Headphones Under $100 in 2026 · Best Workout Earbuds Under $50 in 2026: Sweatproof Picks That Stay Put
The bottom line
The Sony WH-CH720N and Soundcore Space One cost almost the same right now and offer similar noise cancelling. Choose the Sony for lighter weight, better calls and a simple iPhone-friendly setup. Choose the Soundcore for travel, thanks to its folding design and pouch, plus wear detection, LDAC and longer battery life. For most commuters and office workers, the Sony’s comfort and microphone make it the slightly safer pick.
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