If you want long battery life and adjustable on-ear sound, choose Sony WH-CH520; if you need an open-ear design that helps you stay aware while running, choose Sudio B2. For running, I would choose the Sudio B2 because its bone-conduction design leaves your ears open and its IPX5 water resistance suits active use. The Sony is the stronger pick for long listening sessions, calls, and switching between devices.
• Sony WH-CH520 strength: Up to 50 hours of battery life, plus EQ customization and multipoint connection. Trade-off: Its on-ear design covers the ears, unlike an open-ear running option.
• Sudio B2 strength: Lightweight, open-ear bone-conduction design, with IPX5 water resistance and a fit intended for movement. Trade-off: Battery life is up to 7.5 hours at 50% volume.
• Sony WH-CH520 is for: People who want extended listening, adjustable sound, and convenient calls across two connected devices.
• Sudio B2 is for: Runners and other active listeners who want to keep their ears open to surrounding sounds.
• The core choice: Choose Sony for endurance between charges; choose Sudio for an open-ear approach to moving outdoors.
The Sony WH-CH520 is an on-ear wireless headphone built around comfortable everyday listening. Its lightweight design, soft ear pads, adjustable headband, and swivel earcups make it a sensible fit for commutes, desk work, podcasts, and long stretches of music. The headline figure is up to 50 hours of battery life. Sony also lists quick charging, with three minutes of charging providing up to 90 minutes of playback.
Sound flexibility is one of its practical strengths. The Sony Headphones Connect app lets listeners adjust EQ, use presets, or save their own settings. DSEE is also included to enhance the playback of compressed music files. For someone who moves between a laptop and phone, multipoint connection can keep both devices paired and allow switching between them. A built-in microphone supports hands-free calls.
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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-17 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
Sudio B2: Who It's For
The Sudio B2 takes a different approach: it is an open-ear bone-conduction headphone designed to leave the ears free. At 29 grams, it is light, and its band is intended to sit snugly around the head during activities such as cycling, yoga, and gym sessions. For running, that combination makes it the more purpose-aligned option if you want audio without sealing or covering your ears. It can help you remain aware of your surroundings, though the open design is not the same as noise isolation.
The B2 has Bluetooth 5.3, button controls, microphones, and a listed IPX5 water-resistance rating. Its battery life is up to 7.5 hours at 50% volume, and the stated charging time is 1.5 hours over USB-C. Those figures are enough to describe its trade-off clearly: it prioritizes a lightweight, movement-friendly form over the Sony's much longer battery life. The listed audio frequency range is 20 Hz to 20 kHz, and the product also includes spatial sound by Dirac Virtuo.
• Best for running while keeping your ears open → Sudio B2. Its bone-conduction design leaves the ears free, and its fit is intended for active use.
• Best for long battery life → Sony WH-CH520. It offers up to 50 hours, compared with the B2's up to 7.5 hours at 50% volume.
• Best for water resistance in this comparison → Sudio B2. It has an IPX5 rating; no water-resistance rating is provided for the Sony.
• Best for adjusting your sound profile → Sony WH-CH520. Its app supports EQ presets and custom settings, while no comparable app-based EQ feature is specified for the B2.
• Best for switching between a phone and laptop → Sony WH-CH520. It supports multipoint connection to two Bluetooth devices at once.
• Best for an open-ear alternative to noise-isolating headphones → Sudio B2. Its open-ear design does not block outside sound, but it also does not provide noise cancellation.
• Best for extended calls and everyday device use → Sony WH-CH520. It has a built-in microphone and multipoint connection; the B2 also has microphones, but multipoint is not listed.
• Best for a quick top-up before heading out → Sony WH-CH520. Its quick-charge details specify up to 90 minutes of playback from a three-minute charge. The B2 lists a 1.5-hour charging time, without a comparable short-charge playback figure.
The phrase best noise cancelling headphones for running points toward a different kind of product than either of these. The Sony data lists noise control as active noise cancellation, while the Sudio B2 lists no noise control. But the Sony's on-ear design is not the same as a purpose-built running fit, and reducing outside sound may not suit someone who wants awareness outdoors. The B2's open-ear design is the clearer match for that priority, though it does not cancel noise.
Likewise, someone searching for the best Bluetooth headset for running should decide what matters more: long battery life and adjustable listening, or an open-ear fit and water resistance. The Sony's Bluetooth 5.2 connection, 10-meter listed range, and multipoint feature suit general device use. The B2 lists Bluetooth 5.3 and a 10-meter range, but its distinct advantage here is the bone-conduction form.
I would choose the Sudio B2 for running because its open-ear bone-conduction design, light 29-gram build, and IPX5 rating fit an active routine better.
That is a specific use-case recommendation, not a claim that it is better for every listener.
For long days of music, customizable EQ, calls, and two-device switching, I would choose the Sony WH-CH520 instead.
My pick for running is the Sudio B2; my pick for battery life is the Sony.
For someone who wants an open-ear design, the Sudio B2 is the more direct fit. It uses bone conduction, weighs 29 grams, and has an IPX5 water-resistance rating. The Sony is an on-ear headphone with much longer stated battery life.
The Sony WH-CH520 is listed for up to 50 hours of battery life. The Sudio B2 is listed for up to 7.5 hours at 50% volume. Their charging information differs, so those figures should not be treated as equal-use test results.
The Sony product information lists active noise cancellation under noise control. The Sudio B2 lists no noise control and is open-ear. For running, consider whether you want reduced outside noise or prefer an open design that leaves your ears uncovered.
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