Sony LinkBuds - NOT what I Expected!
When I previously covered the launch of the Sony LinkBuds, there was a lot of hype around them because we’ve never seen anything like them in the open-fit category. The most striking thing about them is definitely the “donut drivers”. They are designed not to block any ambient noises, as the idea is for you to stay in touch with your surroundings while you work or relax. However, back then I was very sceptical about its audio performance because they don’t seem like they’re gonna deliver any bass at all, but that is something we will discuss later.
Design
One of the reasons the AirPods are so popular is the size of its case, as a smaller case makes it so much easier to carry all that extra battery around. In this area, the LinkBuds aren’t too far behind. Its case is also pretty small, although they aren’t as flat or as discreet as the AirPods. However, its earbuds are definitely a lot more discreet than the AirPods. They’re extremely small, and they sit quite flush so they don’t stand out, not even a little bit.
In terms of fit, it really depends on what size of rubber loops you’re using. If the loops are too small, these will not stay in your ears at all, since it’s totally relying on those loops to prevent them from falling out. I had to go all the way and use the XL sized ones as I have very big ears. Sony provides five sizes so it should cover even the cutest ears. Even so, these fins are very flimsy so at some point, the LinkBuds could slip out. Thicker fins would have been a lot better.
Features
In terms of specs, there is nothing to shout about. We’re looking at 5.5 hours of battery in the earbuds and up to 17 hours of battery with the case, which is not very impressive, especially given the competition and what Sony is charging for them. In an ideal world, the LinkBuds would have 8 hours in the buds and 24 hours with case. Since these are designed to be worn all day, more battery is always a good thing. It also has IPX4 water resistance and touch controls on the earbuds.
However it does have some special features, like Adaptive Volume. Depending on how loud your environment is, the earbuds will adjust an appropriate volume so that you can still hear your audio. It didn’t really work that well for me because the volume seems to shift randomly, so even when I’m not in a particularly noisy place, it ramps up the volume to max volume when I don’t need it, so I turned that off.
Another feature is Wide Area Tap. You don’t have to tap on the earbuds to control them, just tap on the side of your face to get the same controls. It would have been better if the extended control surface can be used for something other than the tap panel’s controls. But if it’s something you find useful, you can activate that in the Sony Headphones Connect App where you can customize the LinkBuds just like how you would with the other Sony headphone products. You can tweak the graphic EQ or the included EQ presets, it’s touch controls can be customized as well, and the app also delivers firmware updates. It’s also quite interesting that the app would warn you that if you enable too many enhancements, like having DSEE with Adaptive Volume and Wide Area Tap at the same time, it will have an impact on battery life. So it’s very likely that Sony’s stated 5.5 hours of battery in the buds is nothing but the best estimate.
Sound Quality
Coming to sound quality, I was surprised that the LinkBuds do not sound as thin as I thought. Now, you may not be able to feel the low notes, but you can still hear some low end, as in, bass. So the LinkBuds still sounded quite full, although they don’t sound as bass heavy as the AirPods 3. You can try to make it sound more bass-heavy by maxing out the ClearBass dial and that does help to bring back some punch and impact, but it’s still nowhere near what you can get from Sony flagship WF-1000XM4 earbuds or the AirPods. I like that their midrange sounds clean and skillfully straddles the line between clarity and warmth. Its treble sounds crispy and airy, yet also quite smooth. Instruments are well separated, and its soundstaging is pretty wide and spacious which is what you’ll expect from most open fits earbuds anyway.
Now, I have to say that its sound signature may not appeal to certain groups of listeners. For example, bassheads and audiophiles may either feel that it’s too short on bass or that they don’t sound as dynamic or as exciting as the AirPods 3. Now, is it possible to make them sound better? Absolutely. They do support DSEE which is a feature that upscales your music to make them sound cleaner, but due to the fact that this is the most basic version of DSEE, and because of the way these earbuds are designed, you’re only gonna get limited results. But if you’re not a critical listener, you’ll find that these sound pretty decent for what it is. If we’re talking about volume, I find these to be pretty loud. Even in noisy coffeeshops I was able to hear my music. However when I’m watching videos, for some reason, videos didn’t have as much volume as music.
Mic Quality
I think overall the AirPods captures my voice a bit louder and clearer whether it be in quiet or noisy condition, but the LinkBuds seems to perform quite well too. My voice wasn’t as sharp or loud but it was quite intelligible even in noisy conditions. The LinkBuds seems to have better wind noise rejection than the AirPods, also in terms of overall mic pickup, the LinkBuds are actually better than the flagship WF-1000XM4. Listen to the mic test here.
Bluetooth Lag
Compared to the AirPods, the Sony LinkBuds got a bit more lag on iOS, while on Android, the difference is much smaller. But whatever the case, there is going be some lag especially when you’re playing competitive mobile games. However if you’re watching videos using apps like YouTube or Netflix, you won’t be getting much or any lag at all, as you’re about to see, as these apps have their own latency correction that automatically delays the video to sync up better with the audio. Listen for yourself here.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Sony LinkBuds are groundbreaking, and not only because they look so different, but it’s because it signals a change in mindset at Sony HQ. There seems to be a lot more innovation that went into making these earbuds. These are also the first Sony earbuds in recent memory that actually has a name instead of just a confusing set of numbers like WF-1000X. Seems like Sony just got better at marketing, but putting aside all that marketing, the LinkBuds is a mixed bag.
To start off, one of the main appeals of the LinkBuds is the collaborations Sony has formed with brands like Microsoft, Spotify and Niantic (the guys behind Pokemon Go). So you can use the LinkBuds for immersive audio experiences that blend the audio with the real world in ways that could be useful for work, wellness or gaming, which is something that other brands tried and failed to do.
Second, in terms of basic features and performance, there was a bit more that I hoped to see from it. For example, I had wish the LinkBuds sound a bit more dynamic and bassy. I also wish it had more battery, and its Adaptive Volume feature, while it sounded good on paper, didn’t quite hold up in real world usage. We’ll just have to see if future software updates will improve this product, but as of now, the LinkBuds still needs some work. But if you are using these for working from home or someplace quiet, these are quite suitable because they are loud enough and got decent call quality. All of that while being small, lightweight, discrete, and very comfortable to wear. You may check its latest price in the Amazon links below.
Sony LinkBuds - https://amzn.to/3C2czCs
Sony WF-1000XM4 - https://amzn.to/3zbNN12
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