Sony WH-CH730N wireless headphones are now available globally — $129.99 in the US, ₹9,990 in India, with no official UK or EU pricing confirmed in the sources. They’re positioned squarely as Sony’s new budget over-ear option, slotting below the WH-1000XM6 and aiming directly at buyers who want ANC, app control, and Sony’s tuning tools without paying flagship prices. The price lands them within shouting distance of the Nothing Headphone (a) and well under the $249 WH-1000XM6, making them the cheapest Sony cans to ship with active noise cancellation since the WH-CH720N was discontinued. But don’t mistake ‘budget’ for ‘basic’. These ship with DSEE upscaling, multi-point Bluetooth, transparency mode, a 50-hour ANC battery life, and full EQ customization via the Sound Connect app. Features that were once reserved for premium tiers. The trade-offs are real, though. Out of the box, the sound is unbalanced: vocals and treble feel recessed, the soundstage narrow. TechRadar’s reviewer fixed it in seconds using the Clear EQ preset, a tweak that unlocks far more openness and detail. That dependency on software tuning is unusual at this price, but also tells you something: Sony didn’t cut corners on the hardware foundation. It just shipped a raw, flexible platform instead of a polished, one-size-fits-all profile. ANC performance is competent but not class-leading. Four mics handle office chatter and traffic roar, but keyboard clicks and video audio still bleed through at 50% volume. Enough for casual use, not deep focus. Call quality, however, is strong: voice clarity held up across video calls and playback tests. There’s no LDAC. No wear detection. No USB-C audio passthrough. But there is a 3.5mm jack, Bluetooth LE options, background music mode, and battery conservation settings, all accessible in an app that TechRadar says ran flawlessly during testing. Battery life stands out: 50 hours with ANC on, 75 hours off. That’s double what the WH-1000XM6 offers, and more than most rivals in the sub-$150 segment. Except, per TechRadar, the Nothing Headphone (a), which edges it slightly. What’s missing from the reporting? Any mention of launch timing beyond the review date (October 14, 2026), regional availability beyond US and India pricing, or retailer-specific deals. No leaks, no rumors, no certifications cited, just a live, shipping product being reviewed. So who’s it for? Not the audiophile chasing LDAC or studio-grade separation. Not the commuter needing absolute silence. But the student, the remote worker, the gym-goer. Anyone who wants Sony’s build quality, app depth, and bass-forward energy without the XM6 tax. And who’s willing to tap ‘Clear EQ’ once.