How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-27 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Skullcandy Grind — biggest strength: an IP55 sweat- and water-resistant in-ear design with an adjustable Stay-Aware mode and app-based EQ, so it works as hard on a run as it does on a commute.
• Skullcandy Grind — biggest trade-off: it's a true wireless earbud, so you're managing a charging case, tiny buds and a sealed in-ear fit rather than a simple over-the-head design.
• Sony WH-CH520L — biggest strength: up to 50 hours of playback on a single charge plus multipoint Bluetooth, which means fewer charging sessions and two devices connected at once.
• Sony WH-CH520L — biggest trade-off: it's an on-ear headphone with no water-resistance rating, so it's built for desks, trains and sofas rather than sweaty sessions.
• Pick the Grind if you want compact, gym-ready earbuds with awareness modes and a personalized sound profile.
• Pick the WH-CH520L if you want long-haul battery life, hands-free calling and an on-ear fit you can wear all day.
The Grind is a true wireless in-ear earbud, and its whole personality comes from that form factor. Skullcandy rates the battery at up to 40 hours total: roughly 9 hours in the buds themselves plus another 31 hours stored in the charging case. Rapid Charge tops you up fast — about 10 minutes of charging gets you around 2 hours of listening, which is the sort of thing that saves you on the way out the door. The buds use Bluetooth 5.2 with a stated range of around 10 meters, and there's no headphone jack, so everything runs wirelessly.
Where the Grind separates itself is durability and awareness. It carries an IP55 rating for sweat and water resistance, so it's designed to handle movement and moisture in a way that most on-ear headphones simply aren't. The Stay-Aware mode lets you dial in how much of the outside world you hear without pulling a bud out — genuinely useful if you run near traffic or want to catch a train announcement. Pair that with the Skull-iQ app, where you can set Personal Sound by Mimi and fine-tune the EQ, and you get a pair you can shape to your own ears. There's also built-in Tile finding technology once you register the product, which is a quiet quality-of-life win if you're the type to misplace small things. Sound isolation comes from the in-ear seal rather than active noise cancellation, and the 6 mm dynamic drivers cover a 20 Hz–20 kHz range.
Buy the Grind if you want earbuds for workouts, runs and commutes, you like the idea of adjustable ambient awareness, and you want to tweak your sound in an app. Skip it if you hate the feeling of sealed in-ear tips, you'd rather not keep track of a charging case, or you want one pair of headphones for long desk sessions where an on-ear band just feels easier. I'd also steer away if maximum battery life is your single priority — the Grind is generous, but it isn't the longest-lasting option here.
The WH-CH520L is an on-ear headphone, and Sony has clearly optimized it for endurance and everyday convenience. Battery life is the headline: up to 50 hours of playback on a charge, with a quick-charge function that Sony describes as giving you hours of listening from a short top-up. That's the kind of number that turns charging from a daily ritual into a weekly afterthought — the sort of thing you notice when you realize you haven't plugged in for days.
It's also a connectivity-friendly headphone. Bluetooth 5.2 with multipoint means it can hold a connection to two devices at once, so you can take a call on your phone while staying linked to a laptop. Sony's Swift Pair and Fast Pair make the initial setup quick, and you can control playback with the buttons on the ear cups or via voice. The built-in microphone with noise cancelling during calls is aimed squarely at people who take meetings and phone calls with headphones on — it records your voice and works to reduce background noise so conversations come through clearly even in busy places.
On comfort, Sony leans on an adjustable headband, soft ear pads and a lightweight on-ear design, and it's rated for all ages. The app side is covered too: the Sony Headphones Connect app gives you EQ settings, and DSEE works to restore high frequencies in compressed audio for a fuller sound. The 24-ohm dynamic drivers cover 20 Hz–20,000 Hz, and like the Grind, there's no headphone jack — wireless only. Note that the noise control here is sound isolation, not active noise cancellation.
Buy the WH-CH520L if you want one pair for long workdays, calls and travel, you value the longest possible battery life, and you prefer an on-ear fit to sealed in-ear tips. Skip it if you need sweat and water resistance for workouts, or if you want the compactness of something that disappears into a pocket. It's simply not built for the gym.
• Best for battery life → Sony WH-CH520L. Up to 50 hours versus the Grind's up-to-40-hour total that includes the case.
• Best for workouts and sweaty commutes → Skullcandy Grind. Its IP55 rating is the difference-maker; the Sony has no water-resistance rating in its specs.
• Best for portability → Skullcandy Grind. True wireless earbuds in a case are far easier to pocket than an on-ear headphone.
• Best for calls and meetings → Sony WH-CH520L. The built-in mic with call noise cancelling is a core design focus, and multipoint keeps two devices connected.
• Best for ambient awareness → Skullcandy Grind. Stay-Aware mode with adjustable levels is unique to the Grind here.
• Best for long listening sessions in comfort → Sony WH-CH520L. Adjustable headband and soft ear pads are designed for extended wear.
• Best for personalized sound → close call, slight edge to Skullcandy Grind. The Skull-iQ app with Personal Sound by Mimi and EQ is more personalized; Sony counters with DSEE and app EQ.
• Best for people who lose things → Skullcandy Grind. Built-in Tile finding technology is a real advantage for small buds.
In my opinion, the right pick comes down to where you'll actually use them. If your headphones live in a gym bag, go running with you, or need to be small enough to vanish into a jacket pocket, I'd buy the Skullcandy Grind — the IP55 rating, Stay-Aware mode and Tile finding make it the more versatile everyday companion. If your headphones live on your head at a desk, on trains and during calls, I'd buy the Sony WH-CH520L — 50 hours of battery, multipoint and a call-focused microphone are hard to argue with for that lifestyle. I'd only pick one; the Grind wins for active use, the Sony wins for stationary endurance.
The Grind. It's rated IP55 for sweat and water resistance, while the WH-CH520L has no water-resistance rating in its specs. For workouts, the sealed in-ear fit and durability of the Grind are the safer bet.
The Grind offers up to 40 hours total — about 9 in the buds plus 31 in the case — with a 10-minute Rapid Charge giving roughly 2 hours. The WH-CH520L is rated up to 50 hours on a single charge, making it the longer-lasting of the two.
The Sony WH-CH520L. It has a high-quality built-in microphone with call noise cancelling and Bluetooth multipoint, so it's built for clear conversations with two devices connected. The Grind does have a microphone for iPhone and Android, but calling isn't its headline feature.
No. Both list sound isolation rather than active noise cancellation. The Grind blocks sound through its in-ear seal, while the WH-CH520L relies on its on-ear fit. If you want ANC specifically, look elsewhere in either brand's lineup. And since prices shift, check the current price on Amazon before deciding.
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: EKSA USB Gaming Headset vs Skullcandy Hesh ANC Noise, iClever EM01 vs otinsile M97, Retevis RT22 vs BBTO Banded Earplugs: Ear Pieces, Dragon Wings True vs Catitru Earbuds