WH-CH520

So I actually wanted these for gym use but they were out of stock everywhere, so I ended up getting Spigen ones (I think you guys know the story 😭). PS: this is not a paid promotion haha! Then randomly saw them back in stock and just ordered them without thinking… again 😭 Been using them for a few days now and yeah… didn’t expect to like them this much. Sound quality: This is the best part. I genuinely didn’t expect this kind of sound at this price. Bass hits clean and punchy, vocals are clear, and the overall tuning just feels right. I’ve been using the stock bass boost EQ and it makes everything more fun without ruining clarity. Soundstage and separation aren’t XM4 level, but definitely better than most stuff in this range. Tried multiple genres and they handle everything really well. ANC & Transparency: ANC is decent — cuts fan/room noise and general chatter. Not complete silence but good enough. Transparency is just okay, works but nothing special. (Spigen still wins here ngl) Comfort & Build: Very comfortable and lightweight. Clamp is well balanced (slightly lighter than Spigen but still secure). Used them for long sessions and didn’t face any discomfort. Earcups are slightly small though, so might be an issue for bigger ears. Build quality is actually a strong point. They don’t feel cheap at all — the plastic feels solid and more premium than most in this range. The rubberised buttons add a nice touch and overall it feels like a properly built product. Definitely doesn’t feel “budget”. Battery / Daily use / Extras: Battery has been solid — used around 25–30 hours (mostly ANC on) and still at \~40%. No connection drops so far. Dual device switching works really well, switching between my Mac and iPhone smoothly (even better than my XM4s for me). Mic is fine for calls, nothing crazy. In wired mode it’s better. Volume is slightly lower compared to some others, but at 100% it’s loud enough and still sounds clean. Used them in the gym as well — no slipping, no sweat issues. Clamp is enough. Final thoughts: After the initial excitement, they still genuinely hold up. What surprised me the most is how “complete” they feel. Nothing feels like a major compromise. The sound alone makes them worth it, and everything else just adds to the experience. If you’ve got the budget around ₹4k, there’s honestly no point looking elsewhere. Easy 9–9.5/10 for me. Edit: Quick update after a week of gym use no major sweat issues, and they work fine for running and general workouts. Only issue I’ve faced is during bench press. The clamp force feels a bit loose (or maybe it’s just the angle), so they don’t stay in place while lying down, even on the tightest setting.

Thanks man, really appreciate it (especially coming from you, your IEM reviews are crazy good). Bro imo Spigen is a really solid deal at 2.5k, but if you can stretch, there’s honestly no comparison between the two. Sound quality is where you’ll see the biggest jump. For me it was almost day and night. The sound is wider, clearer, better separation (not XM4 level, but still way ahead of Spigen). I tried all kinds of music — Bollywood, Punjabi, hip-hop, pop — and the JBuds handle everything really well. Bass is clean, not muddy, and overall tuning feels more balanced. ANC & transparency are kinda average on the JLabs. I actually think Spigen has a better overall experience there, especially transparency — it’s surprisingly good (even better than some more expensive stuff I’ve tried). Build & comfort are also a step up on the JLabs. They feel more premium, lighter, and really comfortable. Only thing is the earcups are slightly smaller, so might be an issue if you have bigger ears. So yeah, if budget is tight just stick with Spigen, you won’t regret it. But if you can stretch, JLabs are definitely a step up.

Bro honestly just trust me, since you can stretch to 4k just go for the JBuds. They’re actually amazing. Super comfortable for long lectures, sound really good, and the build feels almost XM4-level premium for the price. Just one thing—the earcups are slightly on the smaller side. They’re fine for average ear size, but if you have bigger ears they might feel a bit uncomfortable over long use. They work great with my Mac and iPhone, ANC and transparency are decent (not the main thing but they do the job). And you get 2 years warranty which is rare at this price. For 4k you really can’t ask for more.

Yeah so for the first one, it’s because of multi-device/auto reconnect. If Bluetooth is on, they’ll try to connect to your Mac even if it’s closed. You can just turn off Bluetooth on Mac or disconnect once to stop that. For wired, you actually don’t need Bluetooth. The headphones just stay powered on by default. Wired mode is mainly useful for zero latency and yeah, I also felt the mic is better in wired mode.

Yeah gx7pro might be solid for gaming all But JBuds are more all-round. Better for music, daily use, and overall experience. So it only comes down to one’s preference for serious gaming GX7 Pro might be okay but for daily use there’s honestly no comparison to JBuds imo

Haha!! bro that was a whole story 😭 I first ordered the green one but Amazon messed it up in transit. Then a few days later it came back in stock so I ordered it again… and literally the night before delivery, one black piece popped up. I instantly ordered it and canceled the green one 💀 proper luck scene.

Good question bro. Yeah they do have wired mode, but it’s through Type-C instead of a 3.5mm jack. You can just plug them directly into your laptop or phone and use them like normal. It’s actually pretty nice because Type-C gives you a cleaner digital signal and zero latency. About the Soundcore Space One — yeah they’re a bit better overall (especially ANC), but they’re also more expensive. At around 4k, the JBuds already feel like a very complete package, so spending more doesn’t feel like a huge jump (not like Spigen → JLabs level jump). So if you want best value go JLabs, if you specifically want stronger ANC then you can consider Soundcore.

Glad it helped man 🙌 just go for them, you won’t regret it. If you care about VFM, they’re one of the best in this range. Plus JLab support is pretty solid and you get 2 years warranty, which most brands don’t offer at this price. Do share your thoughts once you use them.

I haven’t personally used CMF ones, but from what I’ve seen and heard (even from friends), they’re just… okay. Nothing bad, but nothing that stands out either. Space One is definitely the more complete headphone overall — better ANC and features. But in terms of value, JBuds still make the most sense. You’re getting really good sound and overall experience for the price, without paying extra just for features.

Personally didn’t notice any creaking till now, even tried running with them on treadmill around 18 kmph and they were fine. And yeah sweat is kinda expected since these are over-ear. What I meant was I didn’t face any excessive sweating or discomfort. I actually sweat more with my XM4s than these.

Honestly both are good, but it depends on what you want. JBuds are more of a vfm pick better sound for the price and overall a really complete package around 4k. Soundcore Space One is a bit better in terms of ANC and features, but it’s also more expensive. So yeah, if you can get Space One around 4k in a sale, then it’s a great deal and worth considering. Otherwise, at current prices, I’d say just go for JBuds you won’t feel like you’re missing out.

I haven’t really faced this issue tbh. What I’ve done is I’ve turned off calls on my Mac, so I only take calls on my iPhone (and usually not using the headphone button). That avoids the random switching. For the video call thing what I do is just play any sound on my Mac once or twice and it switches back automatically.

Yeah LDAC sounds good on paper, but it doesn’t automatically mean better sound — tuning matters more. Realme is decent, but not really comparable to proper 10k headphones. And Spigen isn’t amazing, but calling it sub 1k level is a bit too harsh imo. That said, everyone has their own preference. But imo overall VFM-wise — JBuds at 4k are the best, then Spigen at 2.5k, and then Realme. Purely for sound — JBuds are still the best. Realme is slightly better than Spigen, and Spigen comes last.

Bro I have both. Buds 4 definitely have better sound quality and JBuds are more comfortable. That said, and I know this sounds weird, I still end up using the JBuds more. Even though Buds 4 sound better, for actual listening I always go back to JBuds… idk why but I just love their feel, the immersion and the overall experience.

CH520s are decent but they really can’t be compared to these. JLABs sound fuller with better bass, and the build feels more solid. Sony feels a bit flimsy in comparison. Plus JLABs are proper over-ear, while Sony are on-ear, so comfort and immersion are better too.