Bluetooth headphones by cable: USB-C vs 3.5 mm

For a simple analog backup, the Sony WH-CH720N can play through its headphone cable even when switched off. For USB-C audio and calls while charging, the Beats Studio Pro offers a different capability. A USB-C socket alone does not tell you which kind of wired headphone you are buying.

Choose by the connection you actually need: a laptop USB port, a headphone jack, or a call setup that must carry your voice as well as the other person's. Then check which powered features survive that connection.

Two different meanings of “wired”

The cable question matters, but these two are complete headphones with different batteries, weights, box contents and platform behavior. Any row marked as a reviewer observation is exactly that — not a manufacturer specification.

Difference	Sony WH-CH720N	Beats Studio Pro
Weight (manufacturer spec)	Approx. 192 g	260 g
Rated listening time with noise cancellation on (Sony–Beats pair, manufacturer ratings)	Sony WH-CH720N: max. 35 hours	Beats Studio Pro: up to 24 hours
Rated listening time with noise cancellation off (Sony–Beats pair, manufacturer ratings)	Sony WH-CH720N: max. 50 hours	Beats Studio Pro: up to 40 hours
Quick charge (manufacturer rated)	About 60 minutes of playback after 3 minutes of charging	Up to 4 hours of playback after a 10-minute charge (Fast Fuel)
Full charge time	Approx. 3.5 hours (documented)	Not published as a figure in the reviewed Beats materials
Music through USB-C	Not supported: USB is for charging, and charging switches the headphones off	Supported USB audio with a compatible source, while charging
Calls over a wired connection (documented route)	Analog listening; answer on the phone and speak into the phone's microphone	USB-C calls with a compatible source
Microphone over an analog 3.5 mm cable	Not documented for either model (see the wired-microphone branch below)	Not documented for either model (see the wired-microphone branch below)
Staying connected to two devices at once (multipoint)	Documented: turn on "Connect to 2 devices simultaneously" in the Sony \| Headphones Connect app	Simultaneous multipoint is not documented; Apple advertises ecosystem switching instead (iCloud pairing, Android Fast Pair and Audio Switch), which moves between devices without staying connected to two at once
Documented Bluetooth codecs	SBC and AAC (manufacturer manual)	SBC or AAC observed in a purchased-unit lab test, not published by the manufacturer
In the box	Headphones, short USB-A to USB-C charging cable, 1.2 m headphone cable; no carrying case, no wall adapter	Headphones, carrying case, USB-C to USB-C cable (charging and audio), 3.5 mm cable; wall adapter sold separately
Platform extras	Sony \| Headphones Connect app (Android/iOS): EQ, DSEE, Adaptive Sound Control, multipoint toggle, software updates; Google Assistant, Alexa and Siri access; 360 Reality Audio	Apple: one-touch/iCloud pairing, hands-free Siri, Find My, over-the-air updates, Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking. Android: Google Fast Pair, Audio Switch across Android/Chromebook devices, Find My Device, Beats app for updates and customization
Fit note	No manufacturer fit claim beyond over-ear form; no rated fit limitation found	Foldable over-ear with UltraPlush cushions; a purchased-unit review warns the small earcups fit poorly with glasses or larger ears (reviewer observation, not a spec)

Beats USB audio and noise cancellation: what is actually established

Two purchased-unit reviews found the same limitation on the original firmware: SoundGuys, testing over five days on firmware 2B68, reported that noise cancellation and transparency are unavailable while USB audio is playing; The Verge reported the same behavior and wrote that it is "by design, according to Beats." The Verge confirms that noise cancellation and transparency do work over the 3.5 mm analog cable; SoundGuys documents the 3.5 mm TRS connection and the USB-audio limitation above.

What has changed since: in the reviewed materials, the single documented update is version 2C301 (August 2024), which added Audio Sharing; no reviewed source was found that ties a later change to USB/ANC behavior. No manufacturer statement and no newer purchased-unit retest was found that confirms or reverses the USB behavior on current firmware, so this page reports the limitation as launch-firmware evidence with no current-firmware confirmation, rather than as a settled present fact.

The honest limit of what is established: launch-firmware testing found no simultaneous USB audio and noise cancellation, and no newer manufacturer statement or retest was found to confirm or reverse that on current firmware — so treat that combination as unresolved for the Studio Pro rather than as a promised feature. If your desk setup only needs USB audio and calls while charging, the documented USB mode covers it. If you need noise cancellation at the same time as USB-C audio, the Studio Pro has no confirmed path for that combination — the Sennheiser branch below documents one.

Sony WH-CH720N: an analog fallback, with powered ANC

The Sony WH-CH720N suits someone who mainly uses Bluetooth but wants a headphone-jack backup. Its supplied analog cable lets you listen with the headphones off. Turn them on to use noise cancellation or ambient sound with that cable.

The practical distinction is between receiving sound and running the electronics. An empty battery need not end analog listening, but it does remove the powered noise-canceling option. For a trip where that feature matters, charge before departure rather than relying on the audio cable to power it.

There are also control changes. Sony's manual says Bluetooth cannot be used with the headphone cable connected, and the volume and playback buttons are unavailable in that mode. Adjust playback on the source device. For a phone call, Sony directs you to speak into the phone's microphone while listening through the headphones.

Do not buy this model expecting a USB computer headset. Its USB connection charges the battery; Sony says charging switches the headphones off and prevents active operation. The analog jack is its wired audio route.

Its honest costs: the USB port never carries audio and charging shuts the headphones down entirely, so there is no listen-while-charging of any kind. Wireless codecs are SBC and AAC only, with no higher option documented. The box has no carrying case and no wall adapter — just a short USB-A to USB-C charging cable and the 1.2 m headphone cable. Two-device multipoint exists but stays off until you enable it in the Sony app, and the manual warns the headset is not waterproof, so never charge it wet.

Cost context for the Sony–Beats choice: the Beats’ dated official-store figure is USD 349.99 (sale price, Black, observed 2026-09-11); the Sony’s exact-variant US listing exposed no seller-attributed new-unit price the same day, so check the live Sony listing price against that dated Beats figure before letting cost decide — the recommendation above rests on the analog fallback and the Sony–Beats ANC-on/ANC-off battery profile, not on price.

Beats Studio Pro: USB audio and charging together

The Beats Studio Pro is the relevant option here when you specifically want a supported USB audio connection. Beats documents both playback and phone calls over the included USB-C cable, with charging at the same time. That can be useful at a desk where Bluetooth is inconvenient and the source supports the headphone's USB audio mode.

This mode also offers three sound profiles: Beats Signature, Entertainment and Conversation. They are mode-specific options, not evidence that a USB connection automatically sounds better to every listener. Keep the ANC limitation above in mind when deciding between desk listening and a noisy journey.

Studio Pro also includes a 3.5 mm cable. Apple's guide says analog playback does not require battery power. That establishes a listening fallback; it should not be read as a promise that every microphone, control or noise-canceling feature works identically across USB, Bluetooth and analog.

Its honest costs: it is the heavier headphone at 260 g against Sony's 192 g, and its rated ANC-on battery life is shorter than the Sony WH-CH720N’s in the Sony–Beats pair (up to 24 hours versus max. 35 hours, manufacturer ratings). The wall adapter is sold separately, iPhones with a Lightning port need a USB-C-to-Lightning adapter that is not in the box, and no simultaneous two-device multipoint mode is documented — moving between Apple or Android devices relies on ecosystem switching (iCloud pairing, Fast Pair, Audio Switch), not on staying connected to two sources at once. The microphone story is split: USB-C calls are documented, but no wired-microphone path over the 3.5 mm cable is documented, and a purchased-unit review cautions that the small earcups fit poorly with glasses or larger ears.

Dated cost context: USD 349.99 sale price at the official Beats store (Black SKU MQTP3LL/A, observed 2026-09-11). A like-for-like Sony figure could not be stated the same day — see the cost section — so the Sony–Beats pick above turns on USB audio and calls while charging (Beats) versus the battery-free analog fallback with the longer Sony–Beats-pair battery ratings (Sony).

If your microphone must travel over an analog cable

Neither headphone above documents a microphone path through its 3.5 mm cable: Sony explicitly sends wired-call voice to the phone's microphone, and Beats documents wired calls only over USB-C. If your setup — a desktop with separate mic input, a console controller, or a laptop combo jack — requires the headset's own microphone to work over a 3.5 mm connection, neither model meets that requirement as documented.

The documented option for exactly that job is a different kind of product: the beyerdynamic MMX 300 PRO, a wired closed headset whose condenser boom microphone connects over 3.5 mm two ways — a detachable cable with separate headphone and microphone plugs for a PC's mic input, plus an included adapter for single combination jacks such as consoles, tablets and smartphones. It is sold directly by the manufacturer. Understand the trade before choosing it: it is wired-only with no Bluetooth and no active noise cancellation (passive closed-back isolation only), and at 314 g without cable it is heavier than either model above.

If you need USB audio and noise cancellation at the same time

The Studio Pro has no confirmed path for that combination — but a different manufacturer documents exactly it. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless instruction manual says connecting the headphones to a Mac, PC or mobile device over the supplied USB cable lets you select them as the default audio output and input, so music plays through the headphones and the microphone records, while the connection charges them. The same manual states that noise cancellation can be activated or deactivated while connected over Bluetooth or over the audio/USB cable, provided the battery is sufficiently charged. It is sold directly by the manufacturer.

Understand the boundary of that evidence before choosing it: the manual documents noise cancellation over USB, not transparency mode, and the simultaneous mode needs a charged battery — it is not a battery-free fallback like the 3.5 mm listening above. This page makes no wider claim about the MOMENTUM 4's sound, comfort or battery against the two models above; it is named here only as the documented answer to the simultaneous USB-plus-ANC requirement.

Beats Studio Pro vs Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless: which USB pick?

Both cover the core USB requirement — audio, microphone input, and charging over one USB-C cable. The documented difference is noise control over USB: Sennheiser's manual permits ANC while connected over Bluetooth, audio cable, or USB provided the battery is sufficiently charged, while Beats documents USB audio, calls, and charging but no simultaneous ANC. A dated purchased-unit test (firmware 2B68) found Beats ANC and transparency unavailable while USB audio was playing; whether that changed on current firmware is unconfirmed.

USB scope: Beats documents supported iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Android devices over USB-C (Lightning-port iPhones via adapter); Sennheiser documents Mac/PC/mobile devices with the headset set as the default audio output and/or input.
Battery, rated (Beats–Sennheiser pair, by operating mode): Beats up to 40 hours with ANC off / up to 24 hours with ANC or transparency on; Sennheiser up to 60 hours over Bluetooth with ANC on. An independent lab measurement reached 56 hours 21 minutes on the Sennheiser with ANC on — a reviewer result, not a specification.
Weight (spec): Beats 260 g; Sennheiser approx. 293 g.
Upkeep: Sennheiser documents user-replaceable earpads (spares sold by the manufacturer) and partner battery service under a 12-month warranty; no equivalent Beats maintenance documentation was found (a warranty card ships in the box; Apple offers paid out-of-warranty Beats service).
Sound and calls (attributed reviewer signals, not specs): SoundGuys found the Beats microphone "disappointing" (low sensitivity, weak noise rejection) in its dated firmware-2B68 review, and warned the small earcups fit poorly with glasses; for the Sennheiser it found ANC "commendable" though behind the nearest competitors, microphone performance "pretty well" with category-typical noise-rejection issues, and padding that accommodates glasses. Neither review is a sound-quality ranking, and driver/frequency numbers are specifications, not scores.
Dated store context: Beats Studio Pro (Black) USD 349.99 at the official Beats store; MOMENTUM 4 Wireless (Black) USD 299.95 at the US Sennheiser store — both observed 2026-09-11, not price guarantees.

Choose Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless when USB listening must coincide with ANC: it is the only one of the two with manufacturer-documented ANC over USB, with the longer rated battery of the Beats–Sennheiser pair (up to 60 hours over Bluetooth with ANC on, against the Beats’ up to 24 hours with ANC on) and documented earpad replacement. Choose Beats Studio Pro when the priority is USB audio plus calls on Apple devices with a call-tuned EQ profile — accepting that simultaneous USB audio and ANC remains unconfirmed on current firmware.

Will Studio Pro USB audio work with your device?

Apple and Beats document the scope positively, and this page stays inside it. Use the included USB-C cable with a supported iPhone, iPad, Mac or Android device: in practice that means an iPad or Mac with a USB-C port, an iPhone with a USB-C port, or a Lightning-port iPhone with a USB-C-to-Lightning adapter. Over that connection the headphones appear as a standard USB audio device, so audio and phone calls run over the cable while the headphones charge. Apple's guide adds two practical points: turn on lossless in your source audio (for example Apple Music) or there is nothing lossless to hear, and switch the source's Bluetooth off during USB playback to avoid interruptions.

What is not documented in the reviewed Apple/Beats materials: a Windows, Linux or ChromeOS compatibility statement, per-app calling behavior (Zoom, Teams, Meet and similar), USB hubs and docks, and any microphone path over the 3.5 mm cable. If your setup sits in one of those undocumented zones, treat USB audio as unconfirmed for it rather than as a promised feature.

Cost position and whole-headphone evidence

Dated cost snapshots, each observed 2026-09-11 and all in USD: Beats Studio Pro $349.99 (sale price, official Beats store, Black SKU MQTP3LL/A); Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless (Black) $299.95 (US Sennheiser store, with a stated 1-year manufacturer warranty); beyerdynamic MMX 300 PRO $379.99 (beyerdynamic North America store). Treat every figure as a dated snapshot, not a live price.

For the Sony WH-CH720N Black, the maintainable exact-model US price source is its exact-ASIN Amazon US listing (B0BS1QCFHX): the page confirmed the Black variant on 2026-09-11 but its buy-box new-unit price was gated (“To see product details, add this item to your cart”), and the only price-like string was an all-conditions “New & Used (50) from $56.26” floor with no seller bound to it — so no Sony figure is stated here and no price ranking is made. Manufacturer and major-retailer fallbacks checked the same day yielded no seller-attributed Sony figure. Check the live listing before buying: the Sony recommendation rests on its battery-free analog path and its Sony–Beats battery profile (max. 35 hours with ANC on, max. 50 hours with ANC off, manufacturer ratings), not on a price comparison.

On the whole headphone beyond cables, the documented specs are: Sennheiser lists a 42 mm dynamic transducer, 6 Hz–22,000 Hz response, 106 dB SPL and under 0.3% THD; Sony lists 7 Hz–20,000 Hz (JEITA) with SBC/AAC wireless codecs and warns the headset is not waterproof; Beats lists a custom 40 mm driver; beyerdynamic specifies a condenser cardioid boom microphone at 20–20,000 Hz. For calls, the documented routes — not quality proof — are the phone's microphone (Sony wired), USB-C calls (Beats, Sennheiser, whose manual also documents the USB microphone for recording), and the 3.5 mm condenser boom (beyerdynamic).

What this page does not establish: no laboratory sound-quality ranking, no measured ANC-effectiveness comparison, no call-quality test, and no durability test beyond the stated weights, materials and waterproof warning. Driver size and frequency-response numbers are specifications, not sound-quality scores. Where evidence ends, the recommendations above stay with the documented connection behavior instead.

Check the source before replacing the headphones

A headphone jack for music: either model has a documented analog listening route. Keep an existing pair if it already does the job.
Analog listening with noise cancellation: Sony explicitly documents that combination with the headphones powered on; The Verge's purchased-unit testing found noise cancellation working over the Studio Pro's 3.5 mm cable too. Plan battery charging around it.
USB audio and calls while charging: consider the Beats Studio Pro, inside the compatible-source scope above. Simultaneous USB audio and noise cancellation is unconfirmed for the Studio Pro on current firmware — for that exact combination, see the Sennheiser alternative above.
A microphone over an analog cable: neither the Sony WH-CH720N nor the Studio Pro documents one. For that exact job, the wired-microphone branch above names the documented alternative; otherwise select the computer or phone microphone separately in your calling app.

Compare your options

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Analog fallback with powered ANC

Sony WH-CH720N

Black

Lightest of the four at 192 g with the longer rated battery of the Sony–Beats pair in both ANC modes (max. 35 h ANC-on vs up to 24 h; max. 50 h ANC-off vs up to 40 h), but USB never carries audio and wired calls use the phone mic.

View on Amazon US →

USB audio and calls while charging

Beats Studio Pro

The only one of the pair with USB audio, but simultaneous USB audio and noise cancellation is unconfirmed on current firmware.

View manufacturer Beats US →

Wired microphone over 3.5 mm

beyerdynamic MMX 300 PRO

The documented analog-mic path, but wired-only with no Bluetooth or ANC at 314 g.

View manufacturer beyerdynamic North America →

USB audio with ANC available

Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless

The documented simultaneous USB-plus-ANC option; transparency over USB is not established and it needs a charged battery.

View manufacturer Sennheiser US →