Better than expected 🤔 Sony LinkBuds Fit, Open Review (vs WF-1000XM5, LinkBuds S)
In this review, I will be comparing their performance to the classic LinkBuds S and the flagship WF-1000XM5. We’re going to cover their sound, noise cancelling, mic pickup, as well as some quirks I’ve noticed about them so that you can make a better purchase decision.
LinkBuds Fit vs Open vs LinkBuds S vs WF-1000XM5
The main difference between the LinkBuds Fit and the Open is obvious. The Fit is noise isolating, while the Open has a ring shaped driver like the first LinkBuds, and doesn’t block any noise. So it doesn’t have noise cancelling or transparency mode.
What’s less obvious is that the Fit is Hi-Res certified, supporting LDAC codec streaming for more serious listening. It also has the better AI-powered DSEE Extreme audio upscaler which improves the clarity of compressed audio, whereas the Open uses regular DSEE and doesn’t support Hi-Res.
What’s new about the new LinkBuds is not just about the case now looking like macaroons, but they now come with silicone wings, what Sony’s calling Air Fitting Supporters. These wings are designed to lock into your ear cartilage to keep them in place, something that I wish the original LinkBuds had because those had very flimsy strips of rubber, couldn’t stay in at all. They’re still very small but as far as the LinkBuds Fit is concerned, they have a much shorter nozzle than the LinkBuds S or XM5 earbuds. The tips are also more tapered, allowing them to plug just outside the ear canal. This design is intended to provide a more comfortable approach.
Personally, I prefer the deeper fit as it just locks in better for me. That’s why even without the stability fin, the LinkBuds S and XM5 earbuds stay in better. But what the LinkBuds Fit offers is a less intrusive, comfortable fit.
The Fit seems quite identical to the LinkBuds S in terms of features, but it has a few new features that really stood out. Background Music Effect converts your audio into a more diffused experience, similar to Spatial Audio but with its own unique twist. It’s designed to make whatever you’re playing sound more like cafe background music. And it works very well.
Among the three degrees of spaciousness, I prefer the cafe setting which sounds the most diffused. While you do lose that audiophile quality and your custom sound settings, but it sounds more relaxing, more laid back, great for focusing your attention on something else like working or studying. Obviously, this effect sounds even more natural with the LinkBuds Open because, having no noise isolation at all, they’re 100% transparent to begin with.
There’s also Auto Ambient Sound which applies to the LinkBuds Fit only. It switches to various degrees of transparency depending on the noise level. If the environment becomes too noisy, it will dumb things down, but in quieter condition, it will default to your preset transparency level. These are some of the features that sets the new LinkBuds apart from the older one.
However, I know you’re more concerned about how their microphone pickup, noise cancelling - for the LinkBuds Fit, and sound quality compares to the LinkBuds S and the flagship XM5.
Microphone Comparison
In terms of mic pickup, the LinkBuds Fit is very good. I find it even better than the XM5 earbuds because in noisy conditions it can filter my voice quite well, while the background is just as quiet. It also sounds less gritty than the LinkBuds S.
On the other hand, the Open falls short in voice filtering, so the noise gating is just cutting into my voice wholesale. It did perform quite decently during the food court test, so you may get different results depending on how loud your environment is. For more consistency, the LinkBuds Fit might be a better choice than the Open.
👉 Have a listen to the mic pickup samples.
(Mic pickup comparison in both quiet and noisy conditions using really loud cafe noise and wind noise from a fan.)
Active Noise Cancelling Comparison
In terms of the LinkBuds Fit’s active noise cancelling, I have to say on the outset, it’s not the most powerful noise cancelling from Sony. It’s definitely not a step up from the LinkBuds S, let alone the XM5. But for general noise reduction, it can deliver a good level of silence. Another thing is, the Fit has similar adaptive noise cancelling to the XM5 headphones, the over-head ones.
XM5 headphones
Depending on the noise level, the LinkBuds Fit will adjust the intensity of noise cancelling, so you will feel the ANC fade in and out. Also, it’s not possible to turn this off. I’m fine with noise cancelling not being as powerful, but I’m not so okay with it being adaptive without a way to turn it off if we want. That being said, with the WH-1000XM5, there were firmware updates later that made the switching more subtle and more gradual. Let’s see if Sony will do the same with the LinkBuds Fit.
👉 Have a listen to the ANC samples.
Transparency Mode Comparison
In terms of the Fit’s transparency mode, it’s rather good in the sense that you don’t get much blockage or occlusion in the mids. However, it amplifies ambient surroundings quite loudly, and you will get background hissing, so it doesn’t sound so natural.
In comparison, I think the LinkBuds S sounds a bit more cleaner and natural in this area. The Fit will sound a lot more natural if you set it to a lower level, like level 7 in my case, but at the same time it’s less transparency. So pick your poison.
However, the LinkBuds Fit does sound less occluded in the vocal range than the flagship XM5 earbuds, making it easier to have verbal exchanges with people without feeling like you’re wearing earplugs.
I set the ambient sound at level 7
Sound Quality Comparison
The LinkBuds Open sounds pretty great for what it is, particularly in terms of bass. The Open fit earbuds don’t typically perform well in that area, and while the Open can’t deliver LFE or gravity bombs, music will still sound meaty and full because it’s still producing that 150 - 250hz.
Apart from that, track separation is decent, not the cleanest, but acceptable. Vocals are clear and crisp, but it does have a bit of sibilance in the upper mids. This is easy to address with manual EQ by cutting the 6.3khz band to -4, also added more meatiness by pumping up the Clearbass dial to +3.
The LinkBuds Fit definitely sounds thicker and fuller than the Open in terms of bass response, and because these are noise cancelling, I was able to hear more detail from them. Its soundstage is more compact and intimate compared to the Open, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing because it infuses more energy and excitement to listening experience.
Out of the box, I do prefer the Fit as I don’t have to raise the volume as much. 50% is plenty loud already. In my opinion, I prefer the Fit’s sound to the LinkBuds S, because it has more emphasis on vocals, and more energy in the bass. Also the LinkBuds S sounds a little metallic in the upper mids, so sometimes vocals can sound quite sibilant. For example, when I listen to podcasts, Ben Shapiro sounds a lot more annoying on the LinkBuds S than the Fit.
That said, the best sounding ones in this comparison is still the flagship XM5 earbuds. It’s a great blend between energy and clarity, crisp vocals, thick and juicy bass, cleaner track separation, overall just smoother and more hi-res.
👉 Have a listen to the sound samples.
LinkBuds Fit Cons...
The LinkBuds FIt is a decent pair of earbuds overall. It sounds good, decent mic pickup, it’s just as full featured as Sony’s best earbuds, and that Background Music effect is awesome. Only issues I have with them is the noise cancelling being auto-variable and not as strong. Additionally, it is not able to stream over LDAC codec while using multipoint pairing at the same time.
Another challenge is the controls. The ability to tap in front of the ears to control them is great because these buds are quite small, so when you’re on the move, it can be quite challenging to operate them. However, it doesn’t support single tap or long press, which makes operating the earbuds a bit more challenging to use because you only have access to two gestures at any given time.
For example, playback controls only allow you to play/pause, and skip track forward, whereas the LinkBuds S and XM5 earbuds allow skip to previous. If you do want ‘skip to previous’ on the Fit, you have to assign it to the other side, which means no noise cancelling toggles at all. This limitation exists because the Fit doesn’t have touch sensors. Instead, they rely on the mics to pick up tapping. This is why you can also tap in front of the ears to operate them, the mics can pick up those taps too.
LinkBuds Open Cons...
As for the LinkBuds Open, my biggest problem with them is their fit. These ring drivers simply don’t make great anchor points. The Fitting Supporters do help to mitigate that, but they still slip out of my ears rather quickly. Keep in mind that fit is a very personal thing, so it could be different for you. Unfortunately, the Open doesn’t fit my ears well. On top of that, they don’t have noise cancelling nor do they support Hi-Res streaming or DSEE Extreme.
Considering Sony is charging just as much for them as the LinkBuds Fit, its hard to justify the cost. For me, the Fit model is a much better choice, because it feels like a more complete product for the same price.
LinkBuds S Still Worth Buying?
But what about the older model, the LinkBuds S? Is it still worth buying? Well, although it doesn’t have new additions like background music effect or head gesture controls, it’s still very full featured. The noise cancelling is fantastic, the mic pickup is decent, and they fit super snug, extremely tiny. Personally, I like them but would I still recommend them?
Not really…
There have been reports about the LinkBuds S having the same battery drain issues that plagued the WF-1000XM4. These issues tend to occur after a year or so. And while Sony has been quite responsive to complaints about this issue, even having a liberal exchange policy out of warranty in some territories, this has failed to allay customers’ concerns about the LinkBuds S.
LinkBuds S
As for how the LinkBuds Fit and LinkBuds Open compare to other earbuds in the market, yes, there are other products out there that offer better specs for the price, but it’s not that simple. If you want me to do a comparison, let me know in the comments what earbuds you want me to compare them to.
If you want to check the latest prices of these earbuds, I’ve got Amazon links below.
Check latest price:
Sony LinkBuds Fit - https://amzn.to/4g0uGvT
Sony LinkBuds Open - https://amzn.to/4iysf5c
Sony LinkBuds S - www.loudnwireless.com/linkbudsspricecheck
Sony WF-1000XM5 - https://amzn.to/4g3dXaJ
Wondering whether the XM5 earbuds are still worth buying? Click here to read on!
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