If you want comfortable everyday listening and easier hands-free calls for children, choose Sony WH-CH520; if you need open-ear headphones for swimming and active outdoor use, choose Monster Open Ear BC300. For most children using headphones for music, videos, and calls, I’d choose Sony: it has a built-in microphone, a long stated battery life, and a straightforward on-ear design. Monster is the more specialized pick when water resistance, awareness of surroundings, or phone-free listening matters most.
• Sony WH-CH520: On-ear design, built-in microphone, multipoint connection, and up to 50 hours of battery life; the trade-off is that its on-ear cups cover the ears, and it has no water-resistance rating in the provided specifications.
• Monster Open Ear BC300: Open-ear bone-conduction design, IPX8 waterproof protection, and built-in 32GB MP3 storage; the trade-off is a shorter stated battery life of up to 10 hours and the need to use MP3 mode underwater.
• Choose Sony for everyday listening, calls, and switching between a phone and another Bluetooth device.
• Choose Monster for swimming, workouts, and situations where hearing some surrounding sound is important.
• For children, Sony is the more practical everyday choice; Monster makes more sense when its swim-ready and open-ear features solve a specific need.
The Sony WH-CH520 is an on-ear Bluetooth headphone built around everyday listening. Its soft earpads, additional head cushion, lightweight design, and swiveling construction suggest a set intended to be comfortable to wear and easier to carry. The stated battery life is up to 50 hours, with USB Type-C quick charging that can provide up to 90 minutes of playback after a three-minute charge.
The built-in microphone supports hands-free calls, while multipoint pairing lets the headphones connect to two Bluetooth devices at once. That could be useful for a child moving between a tablet or laptop and a phone, or for a parent who wants a pair of with mic over ear headphones for children—though the WH-CH520 is on-ear, not over-ear. Sony also offers sound presets and custom EQ through its Headphones Connect app. A hard carrying case is included in this bundle.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-18 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
I’d choose Sony for a child’s regular music, videos, and calls, especially if long stretches between charges matter. I’d skip it for swimming or other water-focused use: the provided information lists no waterproof protection, and the headphones have no noise-control feature. The on-ear fit may also be less suitable than an open-ear design for someone who wants to keep their ears unobstructed.
Its headline distinction is water use. The BC300 is rated IPX8 and is described as suitable for submersion up to two meters for two hours. Bluetooth streaming is not suitable when the headphones are fully underwater; swimming requires MP3 mode. The built-in 32GB storage supports phone-free playback, and wireless Bluetooth listening is available out of the water. Its stated battery life is up to 10 hours, with a full charge taking about two hours through the magnetic charging cable.
I’d consider Monster for a child who swims or needs an open-ear design for active use, while checking that the fit and controls suit that child. I wouldn’t choose it as the default for everyday calls: the supplied details don’t list a built-in microphone or multipoint pairing. It also has no noise-control feature. For families mainly looking for simple earphones for children for videos and conversations, Sony’s listed features are a clearer match.
• Best for longer stated battery life → Sony WH-CH520. It lists up to 50 hours, compared with up to 10 hours for Monster.
• Best for swimming → Monster Open Ear BC300. It has an IPX8 rating and supports underwater listening through its built-in MP3 mode.
• Best for hands-free calls → Sony WH-CH520. Its built-in microphone is specifically listed; the Monster information provided does not list a microphone.
• Best for hearing your surroundings while exercising → Monster Open Ear BC300. Its open-ear bone-conduction design is intended to leave the ears uncovered.
• Best for switching between two Bluetooth devices → Sony WH-CH520. It supports multipoint pairing.
• Best for music without carrying a phone during a swim → Monster Open Ear BC300. Its 32GB of MP3 storage is designed for offline playback.
• Best for quick charging → Sony WH-CH520. Three minutes of USB Type-C charging is stated to provide up to 90 minutes of playback; Monster lists a two-hour full charge.
• Best fit for everyday calls, videos, and music for children → Sony WH-CH520. Its microphone and long battery life make it the more versatile everyday option based on the listed features.
One point worth separating from the feature comparison: neither product lists noise control. Sony’s on-ear design and Monster’s open-ear design differ in how they sit on or around the ears, but the supplied specifications don’t establish how much sound either blocks. I wouldn’t choose either on the assumption that it will isolate a child from surrounding noise.
My Verdict
For everyday use, I would buy the Sony WH-CH520 for children. In my opinion, its up-to-50-hour battery life, built-in microphone, and two-device pairing make it the more useful all-round choice for music, videos, and calls.
I’d choose the Monster Open Ear BC300 instead if swimming or an open-ear fit is the main reason for buying. Its waterproof rating and offline MP3 mode serve that use far more directly.
For children who don’t need those specialized features, Sony is my pick.
For everyday listening and calls, I’d choose the Sony WH-CH520 because it lists a built-in microphone, multipoint pairing, and up to 50 hours of battery life. Monster is the more suitable option when swimming or an open-ear design is the priority.
No. For swimming, use the BC300’s built-in MP3 mode instead.
Sony’s WH-CH520 has a built-in microphone for hands-free calling. The Monster BC300’s provided specifications do not list a microphone, so I wouldn’t select it specifically for calls based on the available details.
Monster is the only one with a stated waterproof rating: IPX8, with underwater playback in MP3 mode. The available product details don’t establish gaming-specific features for either model, so I wouldn’t treat either as a confirmed gaming headset.
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