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Get the Sony WH-CH730N while it's on sale under $150: reviewers call it the best-sounding, best-calling pair at this price once you change one EQ setting. Want LDAC and the most features? The Soundcore Space 2. Love bass? The Sony ULT Wear.
Updated November 4, 2026
Best for: Commuters who want good sound, clear calls and a light pair that folds
Catch: Nearby voices still get through.
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Best for: Long trips and Android phones that can use LDAC
Catch: Reviewers split on the sound.
Best for: Bass lovers who want a plush fit and a hard case for travel
Catch: Booming bass by default; turn the boost down.
Planes and trains reward strong low-frequency canceling. Offices need help with voices, which no pair at this price fully gives.
LDAC only helps on Android phones that support it. iPhones use AAC, which all three handle.
If you take a lot of calls, the WH-CH730N had the clearest microphones in the reviews we read. The ULT Wear's calls were patchy in one review.
Check the weight and cushions. Lighter pairs with soft memory foam are easier to wear on a long flight.
All three cut engine drone and air conditioning well. Voices and keyboard taps still get through on each, so for a noisy office the gap to a flagship is real.
The WH-CH730N sounds muffled until you switch EQ presets, and the ULT Wear booms until you turn its bass boost down. The Soundcore changes a lot between presets too. Spend five minutes in the app before you judge any of them.
Both Sony pairs only fit under $150 on sale. When they're back at full price, the Soundcore becomes the default pick.
Final buying advice: Buy the Sony WH-CH730N if it's on sale under $150 and you mainly listen to music and take calls. Choose the Soundcore Space 2 for features with an Android phone, and the Sony ULT Wear if you love bass and travel a lot.
| Model | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price level | Budget | Budget | Budget |
| Battery, noise canceling on (claimed) | Up to 50 hours | Up to 50 hours | Up to 30 hours |
| Weight | 207 g | 264 g | 255 g |
| Bluetooth codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Two devices at once | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Folds / case | Folds flat, no case | Folds flat, no hard case | Folds, hard case |
| Headphone cable | No | Yes, 3.5 mm | Yes, 3.5 mm |
| Shop | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ | Check price on Amazon ↗ |
Tom's Guide found it hard to recommend at the full US price, because Sony's older flagships sometimes sell for about the same. On sale under $150, reviewers agree it's very good value.
No. iPhones don't support LDAC and stream in AAC, which all three pairs support. LDAC only helps with compatible Android phones and high-quality music files.
Out of the box, yes for most reviewers. What Hi-Fi found the bass boost overbearing. TechRadar got a balanced sound with the lowest bass level and the Bright EQ preset, so it can be tamed in the app.
Partly. Reviewers found that all three tame hum and traffic, but voices and keyboards still come through. Flagship headphones handle voices better.
We shortlisted noise-canceling headphones that independent reviewers rate well and that we saw selling under $150 at a major shop, then compared them on the makers' specs.
We haven't tested these products ourselves. Our picks weigh independent expert reviews against each maker's published specs and the prices we checked. Opinions are ours; facts link to where they come from. How we choose.
Sources: Sony: WH-CH730N product page, What Hi-Fi?: Sony WH-CH730N review, TechRadar: Sony WH-CH730N review, Tom's Guide: Sony WH-CH730N review, Soundcore: Space 2 product page, Tom's Guide: Soundcore Space 2 review, What Hi-Fi?: Soundcore Space 2 review, Expert Reviews: Anker Soundcore Space 2 review, Sony: ULT Wear product page, TechRadar: Sony ULT Wear review, What Hi-Fi?: Sony ULT Wear review.
