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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-26 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Sony WH-CH720N — biggest strength: proper over ear design with Dual Noise Sensor Technology and an Integrated Processor V1 for active noise cancelling, plus up to 35 hours of battery life.
• Sony WH-CH720N — biggest trade-off: it's a renewed, manufacturer-refurbished unit with a 90-day limited warranty rather than a standard new-unit warranty, and it fully covers your ears, so you won't hear traffic or announcements unless you switch to Ambient Sound mode.
• AOTONOK Open Ear Headphones — biggest strength: open-ear ear-hook comfort with IPX7 waterproofing, Bluetooth 5.4, and up to 50 hours of total playtime thanks to the charging case.
• AOTONOK Open Ear Headphones — biggest trade-off: these are ear-hook earbuds, not over ear headphones, and their "noise-canceling" claim refers to 4 ENC microphones for calls — there's no active noise cancelling for your music.
• Who each is for: Sony WH-CH720N for commuters, office workers, and home listeners who want immersion and quiet; AOTONOK for runners, cyclists, gym-goers, and anyone who needs to stay aware of their surroundings.
The Sony WH-CH720N is the pick here if "over ear noise cancelling headphones" is literally what you're shopping for. It uses Dual Noise Sensor Technology paired with an Integrated Processor V1, and that combination is the whole point of the product — it's built to reduce the outside world so you can focus on what's playing. The ear cups sit over your ears rather than in them, and Sony restructured the headband to be slimmer and lighter with more space around the ears. The listed weight is 0.1 kg, which is remarkably light for an over ear model, and that matters if you wear headphones for hours at a desk or on a long flight.
Battery is the other headline. Sony rates it at up to 35 hours of playback, and the charge time is also listed at 35 hours — a full top-up is a once-or-twice-a-week chore, not a daily one. Ambient Sound mode gives you 20 levels of adjustment, so you can dial in exactly how much of the outside world you want back: enough to hear a train announcement, not so much that you lose the music. Connectivity is Bluetooth 5.4-class wireless with a 10-meter range, and there's a 3.5 mm jack as a wired fallback plus a USB Type-C charging cable in the box. Controls run through touch and voice, with Alexa built in.
AOTONOK Open Ear Headphones: Who It's For
The AOTONOK Open Ear Headphones are a different category of product entirely, and that's the honest framing. They're ear-hook style earbuds that sit outside your ear canal, with soft silicone hooks holding them in place. Nothing blocks your ears, so you hear your surroundings naturally while music plays — which is exactly why runners, cyclists, and outdoor athletes like this format. IPX7 waterproofing means sweat, rain, and splashes aren't a problem, and that rating is the reason these make sense for workouts in a way that fabric-and-foam over ear cups generally don't.
Sound comes from 14.2 mm dynamic drivers with acoustic tuning aimed at reducing leakage, and AOTONOK lists the impedance at 32 ohm with a stated audio latency of 0.1 ms — a figure aimed at people who care about lip-sync on video. Bluetooth 5.4 is the current generation, and the listed range is 10 meters (about 33 feet), same as the Sony. The "4 ENC noise-canceling mic" setup is about call clarity, not about muting your environment, so be clear on that distinction before you buy: these reduce background noise on your voice during calls, they don't cancel noise for your ears.
Battery is where AOTONOK pulls ahead on paper. You get 8 hours per charge plus 42 more from the charging case, for up to 50 hours total, and a 15-minute quick charge buys 2 hours of listening. Touch controls handle play/pause, track skipping, volume, calls, and voice assistant activation. The warranty is listed as 1 month return for quality problems plus a 2-year warranty, and the package includes a USB-C cable. Age range is listed as kid, teen, and adult.
Buy these if you're training outdoors, cycling to work, or want earbuds you can wear for hours without pressure inside your ear canal. Skip them if your main goal is blocking out engine noise, loud offices, or airplane cabins — that's not what open-ear earbuds do.
• Best for active noise cancelling → Sony WH-CH720N. Dual Noise Sensor Technology plus the Integrated Processor V1 is real ANC built for immersion.
• Best for battery life → AOTONOK Open Ear Headphones. Up to 50 hours total with the case versus up to 35 hours on the Sony.
• Best for situational awareness → AOTONOK Open Ear Headphones. Open-ear design keeps traffic, announcements, and training partners audible without touching a setting.
• Best for commuting and office focus → Sony WH-CH720N. Over ear cups plus adjustable Ambient Sound mode let you choose between silence and selective awareness.
• Best for sweaty workouts and rain → AOTONOK Open Ear Headphones. IPX7 waterproofing versus no water-resistance rating listed for the Sony.
• Best for call clarity in wind and street noise → AOTONOK Open Ear Headphones. Four ENC microphones are specifically aimed at voice pickup.
• Best for wired listening → Sony WH-CH720N. The 3.5 mm jack is a genuine backup when Bluetooth isn't an option.
• Best for durability confidence → AOTONOK Open Ear Headphones. A 2-year warranty is listed, versus a 90-day limited warranty on the refurbished Sony.
In my opinion, the right answer depends entirely on which job you're hiring these for. If you want over ear noise cancelling headphones — the thing this comparison is really about — I'd buy the Sony WH-CH720N. The ANC hardware, the over ear fit, the 35-hour battery, and the Ambient Sound mode make it the more complete listening tool for commuting, working, and traveling, and the lightweight 0.1 kg build means you can wear it for long stretches. I'd only push you toward the AOTONOK Open Ear Headphones if your priority is staying aware and staying dry during runs and rides, where its open-ear fit, IPX7 rating, and 50-hour total battery genuinely win. Check the current price on Amazon before deciding.
how to on noise cancelling headphones
On the Sony WH-CH720N, noise cancelling is active — the Dual Noise Sensor Technology and Integrated Processor V1 reduce surrounding sound, and you adjust how much you let back in using Ambient Sound mode's 20 levels. On the AOTONOK Open Ear Headphones, "noise canceling" refers to the four ENC microphones that improve your voice on calls; they don't cancel noise for your ears.
what is the best over ear noise cancelling headphones
For my money, the Sony WH-CH720N is the one to look at in this pairing, because it's the only true over ear model here and the only one with active noise cancelling. It pairs that with up to 35 hours of battery, a light 0.1 kg build, and a 3.5 mm wired option. Whether it's the best for you still comes down to fit and how much you value the refurbished warranty terms.
which over ear noise cancelling headphones
If you specifically want over ear, the Sony WH-CH720N is the match in this comparison — over ear cups, active noise cancelling, and 35-hour battery. The AOTONOK model is an ear-hook open-ear design, so it belongs to a different category even though its listing uses "over ear" wording.
what are the most comfortable over ear noise cancelling headphones
Comfort is personal, but the Sony WH-CH720N was restructured with a slimmer, lighter headband and more space around the ears, and it's listed at just 0.1 kg. That combination usually means less clamping pressure over long sessions. The AOTONOK earbuds are comfortable in a different way — nothing enters your ear canal — but they aren't over ear headphones.
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