We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-02 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want headphones that double as hearing protection while you work around loud machinery, choose PROHEAR 037; if you need a lightweight everyday music and call headphone with long battery life and sound you can tune, choose Sony WH-CH520.
• PROHEAR 037 — biggest strength: Bluetooth 6.0 with a rated 80 ft wireless range plus a genuine SNR 30dB noise-reduction rating, so it plays music and guards your ears in loud environments.
• PROHEAR 037 — biggest trade-off: It's a full earmuff, not a slim street headphone — bulkier, 11.52 ounces, and designed around work sites rather than walking around town.
• Sony WH-CH520 — biggest strength: Up to 50 hours of playback, USB-C quick charging (3 minutes for roughly 90 minutes of listening), DSEE processing, EQ Custom, and dual-device pairing.
• Sony WH-CH520 — biggest trade-off: No hearing protection at all (noise control: None), no wired jack, and touch-based media controls instead of physical buttons.
• Pick PROHEAR 037 if you listen while mowing, snowblowing, woodworking or running loud equipment and want your ears protected.
• Pick Sony WH-CH520 if you mainly want all-day music, podcasts and calls with comfort and customization.
The PROHEAR 037 is built around one idea: you shouldn't have to choose between music and protecting your hearing. It carries an SNR 30dB rating, which is the part that matters most here. That number means it's engineered to reduce loud noise reaching your ears, not just sit politely on your head. Pair that with Bluetooth 6.0 and a rated 80 ft wireless range, and you can leave your phone on a bench or in a pocket and keep listening while you work. PROHEAR specifically calls out a more stable connection than Bluetooth 4.0, and the spec sheet lists a Bluetooth 5.3 chip alongside the 6.0 branding — either way, the intent is clearly "don't drop the signal while your hands are busy."
Buy it if you spend real time around loud equipment — mowing, building, landscaping, woodworking, snowblowing — and you want music and phone calls to come along without sacrificing protection. Skip it if you want a discreet headphone for commuting, the gym, or casual listening on the couch. This is a work tool that happens to play music, not a lifestyle headphone.
Sony WH-CH520: Who It's For
The Sony WH-CH520 is the opposite philosophy: a light, comfortable, all-day listening headphone. The headline number is battery life — up to 50 hours — and USB-C quick charging gives you roughly 90 minutes of playback from a 3-minute top-up. That's the kind of thing that makes a difference on a road trip or a long weekend away from a charger. It's an over-ear design with soft earpads, an added head cushion and silent joints, so Sony has clearly prioritized wearing comfort over several hours at a stretch.
Sound is where the customization lives. The EQ Custom feature in the Sony Headphones Connect app lets you pick presets by genre or build and save your own, and DSEE is there to boost the quality of compressed music files while streaming. The frequency range is listed at 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. There's a built-in microphone for hands-free calls, and the headphones can pair with two Bluetooth devices at once — so you can jump from a song on your laptop to a call on your phone without repairing. You also get voice assistant support ("OK Google" or "Hey Siri") and a swivel design for compact carrying. The bundle includes a wood display stand, and the set carries a Sony limited warranty.
Two things to be clear about. First, noise control is listed as None — these don't reduce loud environmental noise or cancel it, so they're not a substitute for protection around machinery. Second, there's no headphone jack; this is wireless-only over Bluetooth, and controls are touch-based rather than physical buttons. Buy it if you want comfortable, long-lasting wireless listening with tunable sound and easy switching between devices. Skip it if you need hearing protection or a wired fallback.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for hearing protection → PROHEAR 037. SNR 30dB is the whole point; the Sony has no noise control at all.
• Best for loud-jobsite music → PROHEAR 037. Bluetooth 6.0, an 80 ft rated range, and glove-friendly raised buttons.
• Best for everyday music and podcasts → Sony WH-CH520. EQ Custom, DSEE, and a comfortable over-ear fit built for long sessions.
• Best for calls and multi-device life → Sony WH-CH520. Built-in mic plus simultaneous pairing with two Bluetooth devices.
• Best for wired flexibility → PROHEAR 037. It includes a 3.5mm connector; the Sony has no jack.
• Best for portability → Sony WH-CH520. Swivel design for compact carrying; the PROHEAR is bulkier at 11.52 ounces.
• Best for touch controls → Sony WH-CH520. Media control is touch-based; the PROHEAR uses physical buttons you can feel.
In my opinion, the right pick comes down to what "music headphones" means for you. If your listening happens against engine noise, saws or blowers, I'd buy the PROHEAR 037 — the SNR 30dB rating, physical glove-friendly controls, 3.5mm option and long battery make it the more capable tool for that life. If your listening happens on the couch, on a commute or across a workday, I'd buy the Sony WH-CH520 for its comfort, app-tunable sound and dual-device convenience. For most people who just want music headphones, the Sony is the more natural everyday choice. For anyone who works loud, the PROHEAR is the one that earns its place.
how to make headphones music louder
Check the volume on both the source device and the headphones themselves. The PROHEAR 037 has on-earmuff volume buttons you can adjust without removing them, while the Sony WH-CH520 uses touch media controls — and its EQ Custom app lets you shape the sound profile to your taste.
how to fix stereo headphones
Start with the basics: confirm the Bluetooth connection is stable and the battery has charge. The PROHEAR 037 can also run through its included 3.5mm cable, which is a useful way to isolate whether a problem is wireless or in the headphone itself. The Sony WH-CH520 is wireless-only, so re-pairing and recharging are your first steps.
how to test stereo headphones
Play a track you know well and listen for balanced output in both ears, then check that volume, track skipping and call controls respond. On the PROHEAR 037 the buttons have a raised marker you can locate by feel; on the Sony WH-CH520 the controls are touch-based, so test each gesture deliberately.
how to make stereo headphones
You can't build these from scratch, but you can tailor how they sound. The Sony WH-CH520's EQ Custom feature and DSEE processing let you adjust and improve playback in the app, while the PROHEAR 037 gives you straightforward on-device volume and track control plus a wired 3.5mm option.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: BMHOLU Earbuds vs APETOO 3.5mm: HIFI Stereo Earbuds, JLab Work Buds in-Ear vs PARAMITA R8, Juroicessry Orange Retro vs Tnyvm 2: Portable on Ear, WYZE Noise Cancelling Headphones vs KLIM Nomad Transparent