We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-17 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want longer battery life, lighter weight and deeper app-based sound control, choose Sony WH-CH720NL; if you need a folding, travel-friendly pair with built-in tracking and an extra charging cable in the box, choose Skullcandy Hesh ANC.
• Sony WH-CH720NL — biggest strength: A 192 g lightweight build paired with up to 35 hours of battery and Sony's Integrated Processor V1 for noise cancelling and sound tuning.
• Sony WH-CH720NL — biggest trade-off: It does not fold flat, so it takes up more room in a bag, and the plastic enclosure feels more functional than premium.
• Skullcandy Hesh ANC — biggest strength: A flat-folding, collapsible design with Tile finding technology and a bundled extra USB-C cable — genuinely built around portability.
• Skullcandy Hesh ANC — biggest trade-off: Up to 22 hours of battery is noticeably shorter than Sony's, and the ANC uses a 4-mic setup without the app-level ambient adjustment Sony offers.
• Pick Sony WH-CH720NL if you listen for hours at a stretch and want the most control over sound and noise cancelling.
• Pick Skullcandy Hesh ANC if you're on the move, lose things easily, and want a pair that packs down small.
The WH-CH720NL is the more "engineered" of the two. Sony builds it around the Integrated Processor V1 — the same processing family used in its higher-end noise cancelers — and adds Dual Noise Sensor technology, so the active noise cancelling is doing real work rather than acting as a token feature. If you ride transit, work in a shared office, or just want the drone of a plane engine pushed down, this is the pair that leans harder into that job.
Sound is where Sony gives you the most room to play. The Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) is designed to bring compressed files closer to the original recording, and the Sony | Headphones Connect app lets you tune EQ to taste. You also get 360 Reality Audio certification, which analyses your ear shape through the app for a more immersive presentation. Ambient sound is adjustable across 20 levels — a genuinely useful range if you want to hear a platform announcement without pulling the headphones off.
The practical side matters too. At 192 g it's light for an over-ear pair, and Sony pairs that with comfortable earpads and up to 35 hours of battery with noise cancelling on, plus quick charge when you're low. Multipoint connection lets two Bluetooth devices stay linked at once, and there's Swift Pair and Fast Pair for quick setup. Calls get Precise Voice Pickup Technology, beamforming mics and a wind noise reduction structure, so conversations hold up better outdoors.
Who should buy it: long-session listeners, commuters, remote workers on calls, and anyone who wants app-based control over both EQ and noise cancelling.
Who should skip it: travelers who need headphones to fold down to nothing, and anyone who wants a hard case and a spare cable included rather than buying accessories separately.
The Hesh ANC takes a different angle: it's a bundle-first, portability-first headphone. The flat-folding, collapsible design is the headline for anyone who throws gear in a backpack — it takes up far less room than a fixed-frame over-ear. Skullcandy also includes a second USB-C to USB-C cable (1.6 ft, 15-watt) on top of the standard charging cable, so you can leave one at home and one in your bag.
Noise cancelling here is a 4-mic active system. That's a solid approach for blocking steady background noise, but it's a simpler proposition than Sony's processor-driven, app-adjustable setup — you get ANC on or off rather than a sliding scale of ambient sound. Battery is rated up to 22 hours, and Rapid Charge gives you roughly 3 hours of listening from a 10-minute top-up. That's a genuinely handy trick if you're the type to forget to charge overnight.
Two features stand out for real-world use. First, Tile finding technology: once you register the product in the Tile app, you can locate the headphones if they go missing — a real quality-of-life win for anyone who has ever lost a pair under a seat. Second, the controls are physical buttons for calls, volume and track skipping, which many people prefer over touch panels because they work with gloves and don't misfire.
Build-wise it's a plastic over-ear at roughly 0.54 kg, with a dynamic driver, 20 Hz–20 kHz frequency response and 99.63 dB sensitivity. Skullcandy backs it with a 1-year manufacturer warranty.
Who should buy it: students, gym-goers, frequent travelers and anyone who wants foldable, trackable headphones with buttons and a spare cable in the box.
Who should skip it: marathon listeners who hate charging, and people who want fine-grained control over how much outside sound gets in.
• Best for battery life → Sony WH-CH720NL. Up to 35 hours with ANC on versus up to 22 hours on the Hesh ANC.
• Best for lightweight comfort over long sessions → Sony WH-CH720NL. 192 g with an ergonomic build and comfortable earpads.
• Best for portability and packing → Skullcandy Hesh ANC. Flat-folding, collapsible design that shrinks down in a bag.
• Best for not losing your headphones → Skullcandy Hesh ANC. Built-in Tile finding technology once registered in the Tile app.
• Best for sound customization → Sony WH-CH720NL. EQ tuning, DSEE processing, 360 Reality Audio and 20 ambient sound levels via the app.
• Best for call clarity outdoors → Sony WH-CH720NL. Precise Voice Pickup Technology, beamforming mics and a wind noise reduction structure.
• Best for quick top-ups on the go → Skullcandy Hesh ANC. 10 minutes of Rapid Charge yields about 3 hours of playback, plus an extra USB-C cable in the box.
• Best for simple physical controls → Skullcandy Hesh ANC. Push-button media controls for calls, volume and tracks.
• Best for connecting to two devices at once → Sony WH-CH720NL. Multipoint connection plus Swift Pair and Fast Pair.
In my opinion, the Sony WH-CH720NL is the stronger buy for most people. It lasts longer per charge, weighs less, and gives you far more control over both sound and noise cancelling — the things you actually notice every single day. I'd only steer you to the Skullcandy Hesh ANC if folding it small, tracking it with Tile, and having a spare cable in the box matter more to you than battery life and tuning depth. Both are honest, capable over-ear headphones; the Sony simply does more for the long-session listener, while the Skullcandy is the better travel companion. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the one variable that can flip this decision.
FAQ
Sony rates the WH-CH720NL at up to 35 hours with noise cancelling on, with quick charge support. Skullcandy rates the Hesh ANC at up to 22 hours, plus Rapid Charge giving about 3 hours from a 10-minute charge.
The Skullcandy Hesh ANC folds flat and collapses, includes an extra USB-C cable, and supports Tile finding technology — all travel-friendly. The Sony wins on battery life and adjustable noise cancelling but doesn't fold down as small.
Yes. Sony uses Precise Voice Pickup Technology, beamforming mics and a wind noise reduction structure for clearer calls. Skullcandy provides built-in microphone and push-button call controls, so you can answer or reject calls directly on the headphones.
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