If you want long battery life and a sound profile built around deep, accurate bass, choose Audio-Technica ATH-M50XBT2; if you need active noise cancellation and a lightweight design for flights, choose Sony WH-CH720N. For flights, I’d make the choice based on whether battery endurance or managing cabin noise matters more to you.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50XBT2 vs Sony WH-CH720N at a Glance
• Audio-Technica ATH-M50XBT2: Its standout strengths are up to 50 hours of battery life, 45 mm drivers, and multipoint pairing. Its main trade-off is that the listed noise control is sound isolation, not active noise cancellation.
• Sony WH-CH720N: It adds active noise cancellation, adjustable Ambient Sound, and a lightweight 192 g design. Its trade-off is a shorter stated battery life of up to 35 hours.
• Choose the Audio-Technica if long stretches between charging and deep, accurate bass are your priorities.
• Both are over-ear Bluetooth headphones with multipoint pairing, so either can connect to two devices at once.
The Audio-Technica ATH-M50XBT2 is the more compelling fit if you want over-ear wireless headphones with a clear emphasis on sound and battery endurance. Its 45 mm dynamic drivers and dedicated amplifier are paired with a sound description that highlights clarity and deep, accurate bass. That combination points toward listeners who want weight in the low end without giving up detail across the music they play.
Battery life is its strongest practical argument. Audio-Technica specifies up to 50 hours on a full charge, plus up to three hours of use from a 10-minute rapid charge. That gives you more room for long trips, daily listening, and stretches when charging is inconvenient. The headphones use USB-C for charging, and an included audio cable provides another listening option when you want a wired connection. The listed connectivity details do not specify a headphone jack, so I would treat that cable as a supplied accessory rather than assume a particular wired setup.
Multipoint pairing lets the ATH-M50XBT2 connect to two Bluetooth devices at once. That can be useful if you move between a phone and another device during the day; you do not have to make single-device pairing the center of your routine. The A-T Connect app also provides EQ adjustment and low-latency mode, among other controls. Dual microphones with beamforming are intended to improve voice pickup for calls.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-21 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
Sony WH-CH720N: Who It's For
The Sony WH-CH720N makes its case with features aimed at managing the listening environment. It has active noise cancellation with Dual Noise Sensor technology and an Integrated Processor V1. It also offers Adjustable Ambient Sound mode, described with 20 settings, so you can choose to hear more of what is around you rather than shutting out the outside world completely. That flexibility is useful when you want music or a movie but still need to notice announcements or nearby conversation.
The battery is specified at up to 35 hours, with quick charging that can provide up to 60 minutes of playback after three minutes of charging. That is less stated runtime than the Audio-Technica’s 50 hours, but it still gives the Sony substantial use between charges. Multipoint pairing supports two Bluetooth devices, and its beamforming microphones and Precise Voice Pickup technology are intended to make hands-free calls clearer. Sony also describes balanced tuning, natural vocals, and DSEE processing for compressed music files.
Who should skip it: Skip the WH-CH720N if your priority is the longest stated battery life or you specifically want the Audio-Technica’s deep, accurate bass emphasis.
• Best for the longest stated battery life → Audio-Technica ATH-M50XBT2. It offers up to 50 hours, compared with Sony’s up to 35 hours.
• Best for active noise cancellation → Sony WH-CH720N. Its noise control includes Active Noise Cancellation and Dual Noise Sensor technology; the Audio-Technica lists sound isolation.
• Best for adjusting how much outside sound you hear → Sony WH-CH720N. Its Ambient Sound mode has 20 settings, while no equivalent adjustable ambient mode is listed for the Audio-Technica.
• Best for a bass-forward listening preference → Audio-Technica ATH-M50XBT2. Its sound description specifically calls out deep, accurate bass and 45 mm drivers.
• Best for a lightweight design → Sony WH-CH720N. Its specified weight is 192 g, giving shoppers a concrete reason to consider it for longer wear.
• Best for fast emergency charging → Sony WH-CH720N. Three minutes of charging is specified to provide up to 60 minutes of playback; Audio-Technica specifies up to three hours from a 10-minute charge.
• Best for moving between two Bluetooth devices → Either. Both support multipoint pairing with two devices, so this feature alone does not separate them.
• Best for calls with beamforming microphones → Either, with a slight feature-description difference. Audio-Technica specifies dual mics and beamforming; Sony describes Precise Voice Pickup with beamforming microphones.
I would choose the Sony WH-CH720N for flights because active noise cancellation and adjustable Ambient Sound give it the more travel-focused feature set. Its 192 g weight also makes it the one I’d favor for long listening sessions when carrying and wearing comfort matter. I’d choose the Audio-Technica ATH-M50XBT2 instead if maximum stated battery life and its deep, accurate bass description outweigh noise cancellation for you. My flight pick is Sony, but the stronger battery case belongs to Audio-Technica.
Before deciding, separate noise control from battery life. The Audio-Technica’s stated advantage is runtime: up to 50 hours, with a 10-minute rapid charge said to add up to three hours of use. Sony’s listed runtime is up to 35 hours, but its three-minute quick charge is specified to provide up to an hour of playback. Those charging claims use different time windows, so think about which situation is more useful to your routine rather than comparing them as if they were the same test.
For a flight, noise features can matter as much as playback time. Sony lists active noise cancellation and an adjustable Ambient Sound mode, while the Audio-Technica lists sound isolation. If hearing transport announcements or nearby people is important, Sony’s ambient settings give you a stated way to balance outside sound with listening. If your priority is long listening stretches without reaching for a charger, Audio-Technica’s longer specified battery life is the clearer match.
Also consider what kind of product you actually want. These are over-ear headphones, not earphones for flights, true wireless earbuds for flights, or neckband headphones for flights. If you are specifically shopping for one of those smaller or differently worn formats, neither model fits that category. If over-ear headphones are what you want, both offer Bluetooth multipoint pairing and beamforming microphones, so calls and switching between two connected devices need not decide the comparison by themselves.
Finally, sound preferences are personal. Audio-Technica’s description calls attention to deep, accurate bass and clarity; Sony emphasizes balanced tuning, natural vocals, and DSEE processing. The sheets do not establish that one will sound better to every listener. I’d use those stated sound priorities as a starting point, then weigh them against Sony’s noise controls or Audio-Technica’s longer runtime.
FAQ
Active noise cancellation is not listed for the ATH-M50XBT2. Its listed noise control is sound isolation, so it does not match the Sony WH-CH720N’s stated noise-canceling feature set.
The Audio-Technica ATH-M50XBT2 is specified for up to 50 hours on a full charge. The Sony WH-CH720N is specified for up to 35 hours, while offering a different quick-charge claim: up to 60 minutes of playback from three minutes of charging.
Yes. Both can connect to two Bluetooth devices at once, and both describe beamforming microphones for voice pickup. Audio-Technica specifies dual microphones; Sony names its voice-pickup feature Precise Voice Pickup.
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