Two designs, one clear champ

Sony’s line of LinkBuds merchandise has served two key functions. First, it gave the corporate a playground to introduce wildly completely different designs just like the donut-shaped first-gen LinkBuds. It additionally allowed Sony to develop the LinkBuds S, a extra conventional set that supplied a style of its flagship 1000X merchandise for $100 much less. That mannequin was definitely extra compelling than the corporate’s fundamental fashions that go for $120 and beneath.

Two years after the LinkBuds and LinkBuds S, Sony is again with an all-new mannequin and a revamped model of the unique. With the LinkBuds Match ($200), the corporate has developed a full-featured, cozy set of earbuds with spectacular sound. And on the LinkBuds Open ($200), Sony tweaked its distinctive open-wear components by updating some instruments. Then there’s the third member of the 2024 LinkBuds trio, the LinkBuds Speaker ($180), which is designed to combine seamlessly with the 2 new pairs of earbuds if you return dwelling or to the workplace. Since Sony launched these all collectively, I’ve reviewed them that approach, so buckle up since you’re about to get three opinions for the worth of 1.

LinkBuds Match

Sony’s LinkBuds S have been a low-key hit in 2022. They’ve a few of the nice options from the 1000X line, with the same general form, too. Small and cozy, they provide considerably extra when it comes to sound and instruments than most $200 earbuds. With this yr’s LinkBuds Match, Sony has debuted the subsequent development in its lively noise canceling (ANC) LinkBuds.

That is the choice for individuals who want a closed design and a safe match. Sony fully redesigned the LinkBuds Match, aiming for the optimum form for most individuals. To get there, the corporate made the primary housing lots smaller, as the entire thing tucks nearly fully into your ear. There’s a so-called Air Cushion silicon assist wing that’s hole as a substitute of strong. This permits extra flexibility, and actually it’s extra snug since you possibly can tuck it into the ridges of your ears nevertheless you must. The mixture of the smaller measurement and the Air Cushion make the LinkBuds Match a few of the most cozy in-ears I’ve examined. Despite the fact that they plug your ears closed, they by no means turn out to be a burden, even after hours of fixed use.

Probably the greatest issues concerning the LinkBuds S was the spectacular sound high quality for the worth. That continues on the LinkBuds Match as Sony presents balanced tuning proper out of the field. There’s crisp highs, ample mid vary and snappy bass all through most genres, even with extra restrained, country-tinged rock like Jason Isbell’s Reside from the Ryman, Vol. 2. Plus, the corporate’s DSEE Excessive upscaling can assist restore some audio high quality misplaced over compression for Bluetooth streaming. Audio presets and a 5-band EQ are right here for changes, however I didn’t even consider using them.

The sonic skills of the LinkBuds Match are on full show with BONES UK’s Delicate. The crunchy guitars, droning bass traces and punchy kick drum present a full, deep soundstage for the textured vocals to drift throughout. And for a bass-heavy expertise, the synth-heavy tune “Generator” from Justice’s Hyperdrama is a loud, pulsing observe with a giant low-end thump whereas the keys nonetheless reduce by on high. Curiously, there’s nuance to the bassy beats on the LinkBuds Match, somewhat than only a one-note rhythm. All of those sound enhancements are due partly to the earbuds inheriting the Dynamic Driver X and Built-in Processor V2 audio chip from the 1000X. There’s extra enveloping sound on the WF-1000XM5, however not by a lot, as Sony has closed the hole between its flagship mannequin and the LinkBuds line – for now.

Options like Adaptive Sound Management, multipoint Bluetooth and Communicate to Chat make their return on the LinkBuds Match from the LinksBuds S. However Sony has gone nicely past these with a bunch of latest conveniences. The corporate took a web page from Apple’s e-book and now permits you to reply or reject calls by nodding or shaking your head. There’s additionally a built-in voice management that doesn’t require your cellphone’s assistant, one thing akin to what Bose presents on the brand new QuietComfort Earbuds. And since the earbuds are so small, there aren’t onboard contact controls. As an alternative, Sony employs the Huge Space Faucet gestures from the unique open-design LinkBuds. They work very well, however I’ll by no means be snug tapping my higher cheek to make changes.

Maybe the one space the place the LinkBuds Match fall nicely wanting the WF-1000XM5 is ANC efficiency. I’d name this lively noise discount greater than cancellation. You’ll get some aid from fixed sources like white noise machines or a raucous fan, however these earbuds don’t silence them. In addition they wrestle mightily with human voices, so for those who sit close to a chatty coworker, you’ll should crank up the quantity to compensate.

For calls, the LinkBuds Match gives you better-than-average voice readability, which suggests you’ll sound higher than for those who’re on speakerphone. The earbuds additionally do a good job of blocking background noise, though I observed a slight delay in them choosing up sounds that started throughout calls. Sony additionally boasts that this mannequin has its “best ambient sound,” and whereas I’m not able to bestow that honor, the audio mode does have a pure high quality that makes it nice to make use of. Plus, a brand new Auto Ambient Sound function can routinely alter the extent of transparency if you encounter a loud atmosphere.

With the LinkBuds Match, Sony says you possibly can count on as much as 5 and a half hours with ANC on and 21 hours whole if you issue within the case. There are quite a lot of superior options at work right here, and people have an effect on energy consumption. With the quantity at a cushty 75-80 p.c, I solely managed round 4 hours and 45 minutes. That’s with noise-canceling lively in addition to Voice Management, Communicate to Chat and DSEE Excessive all enabled. The excellent news is that Sony presents a software known as Auto Battery Save that may disable the latter three instruments, in addition to any EQ tweaks, to preserve energy. It will lengthen issues past the 5.5-hour mark, however not by a ton.

The LinkBuds Match are a large development over the LinkBuds S. The truth is, they’re a few of the greatest earbuds Sony has ever made. However they aren’t and not using a few vital faults. My main gripe is ANC efficiency, and although it is the one one, it’s a biggie. Prefer it normally does on the 1000X line, Sony has packed in a ton of options right here, and for probably the most half they work as marketed. It’s clear the corporate is taking notes from the competitors with the Apple-esque head gestures and automated sound changes, along with the Bose-like built-in assistant. However, in some way, Sony managed to innovate and preserve the worth tag precisely the identical because the LinkBuds S.

LinkBuds Open

Sony

The LinkBuds Open present development from the first-gen mannequin, however they’re nonetheless uncomfortable.

Execs

• Improved sound high quality
• Extra options than the earlier model
• Distinctive design

Cons

• Dearer than their predecessor
• Nonetheless uncomfortable
• Good sound requires some tweaks

$200 at Sony

The unique LinkBuds have been splendidly bizarre. After years of very normal-looking earbuds (apart from the Xperia Ear Duo), Sony took a giant swing in early 2022 with the donut-shaped, open design mannequin that sought to supply all-day put on whereas holding your earbuds unobstructed out of your atmosphere. They have been completely different, however they have been distinctive, with their very own drizzle of Sony’s particular sauce. Nevertheless, general consolation was a giant challenge, and one the corporate sought to treatment on the follow-up with the LinkBuds Open.

To start out, Sony decreased the general measurement of the IPX4-rated LinkBuds Open. Just like the LinkBuds Match, this mannequin additionally has the Air Cushion silicon assist that’s extra versatile. That’s a giant enchancment from the small hump meant to stabilize the primary model that didn’t provide a lot added assist. Sadly although, the casing for the ring-shaped driver that sits in your ear continues to be laborious plastic. After about 45 minutes, it turned uncomfortable, and after a number of hours it was downright insufferable. On the brilliant facet, the cheek-based Huge Space Faucet controls are again they usually’re dependable, if not barely awkward.

Sony made two key changes to enhance the sound high quality on the LinkBuds Open. First, it constructed a revamped ring-shaped driver and paired it with the Built-in Processor V2 chip from the 1000X line. These two adjustments make for louder sound and richer bass, based on Sony. And the declare holds up. You’ll solely want round 65-70 p.c quantity, except you endure from some extent of listening to loss. And there’s extra pronounced low-end tone, although you’ll should coax it out with an EQ tweak.

By default, the inventory tuning is closely reliant on treble, which suggests vocals are inclined to overpower many of the combine. Nevertheless, Sony’s EQ instruments truly assist stability issues out, and including extra mids and bass makes the LinkBuds Open’s sound profile extra well-rounded. After this adjustment, the kick drum thumps underneath vocals and guitars, an enchancment over the default sound profile for Higher Lovers’ thunderous, crunching single “A White Horse Covered In Blood.”

Prefer it did with the LinkBuds Match, Sony introduced over quite a lot of the useful instruments from the 1000X earbuds to the Open. These embody multipoint Bluetooth and Communicate to Chat, however Adaptive Sound Management automation isn’t right here. Sony did add its voice assistant, Adaptive Quantity Management and head-gesture recognition for answering calls. The corporate additionally presents a match verify by way of your cellphone’s digital camera, one thing it is executed for different merchandise to verify your positioning for 360 Actuality Audio. Most of those work nicely, although in my expertise Communicate to Chat continues to be tripped up after I coughed or cleared my throat. And it appeared to be much more delicate on the LinkBuds Open than different fashions I’ve examined.

Because of the design, the LinkBuds Open are good to put on throughout calls since, nicely, you possibly can hear your self. Nevertheless, the standard of your voice on the opposite finish isn’t as clear as what I encountered on the LinkBuds Match. It would get the job executed, however I did sound barely muffled. And background noise, whereas subdued, is noticeable at instances after I’m speaking.

Sony says it’s best to have the ability to eke out eight hours of use on the LinkBuds Open, a big enchancment over the 5 and a half hours on the primary LinkBuds. Certainly, I had no bother hitting that quantity throughout my checks with DSEE Auto and different power-taxing instruments enabled. If you end up in a pinch, Sony devised a quicker fast cost resolution that offers you an hour of use in three minutes. What’s extra, Auto Battery Save from the LinkBuds Match is in play right here, routinely disabling superior options if you hit 20 p.c battery to increase listening time.

The LinkBuds Open provide some enhancements over the first-gen mannequin, however Sony hasn’t addressed an inherent challenge with the design. Merely put, they aren’t snug to put on for longer than a couple of minutes and that can be an issue for lots of people. I perceive the outer shell across the ring driver must be sturdy sufficient to guard it, however there must be even the slightest little bit of cushioning to alleviate the strain. If Sony fixes that, it’ll have a extra compelling product somewhat than a novelty.

LinkBuds Speaker

Sony

The LinkBuds Speaker is designed to be a stationary companion to Sony’s earbuds and headphones, however it doesn’t provide something greater than that.

Execs

• Tiny however loud
• Charging dock is included and handy
• Auto Play routines are useful

Cons

• Expensive for the dimensions
• Restrained bass, absent mid vary

$180 at Sony

The LinkBuds Speaker is an surprising a part of the brand new LinkBuds lineup. It’s a small Bluetooth speaker that’s designed to be your go-to machine if you’re stationary, and is supplied with a number of options that sync with the LinkBuds Match and LinkBuds Open in a bid to make your life simpler – at the least when it comes to listening to music or podcasts.

The LinkBuds Speaker received’t win any design awards, however that’s par for the course with small Bluetooth audio system. Up high are quantity and playback controls which it’s also possible to use to start out music from choose streaming providers with one faucet (Amazon Music, Spotify and Endel). There’s additionally a microphone for calls, for those who’re okay with a no-frills speakerphone choice. Round again, the facility button sits on the backside simply above a USB-C charging port. There’s additionally an connected loop right here so you possibly can hold the LinkBuds Speaker on a hook or carabiner. That USB-C port is technically the backup charging technique although, for the reason that IPX4-rated speaker comes with a charging cradle that connects by way of steel contacts on the underside.

Inside, Sony paired one among its X-balanced woofers with a single tweeter and a passive radiator. The corporate says this combo gives “well-balanced” and “pleasant and clear sound” that’s tuned so it isn’t exhausting to hearken to for lengthy intervals of time. Ultimately, the LinkBuds Speaker suffers the same destiny to comparable Bluetooth units with an absence of general constancy. Whereas it’s true the treble is brilliant, clear and punchy, the bass is restrained and the mid-range is missing proper out of the field. There are not any audio presets to help you there, however Sony does provide a full 5-band EQ for changes, together with a separate Clear Bass slider. It can save you adjustments as customized settings for future use, for those who hit on one thing you want.

After I made the required tweaks to handle the sonic shortcomings, the speaker sounded barely higher, however there was nonetheless an absence of crisp element a few of the competitors presents (just like the Beats Tablet). The one place you’ll discover respectable readability is within the vocals and high finish of the EQ. And for out of doors use, you will be glad the excessive finish is extra pronounced so you possibly can higher perceive the lyrics within the open air.

The LinkBuds Speaker works with Sony’s new Sound Join app for entry to numerous settings. There’s one key function I’ll talk about because it’s distinctive to this machine. First, the app permits you to arrange routines in order that your music begins at particular instances in the course of the day. There’s additionally an automated switching aspect to this that works with the LinkBuds Match and LinkBuds Open, together with further assist for the LinkBuds S, WF-1000XM5 and WH-1000XM5. All of that is managed within the Auto Play part of the app.

When you sync a set of earbuds or headphones with the LinkBuds Speaker, Sony’s app walks you thru the method of establishing morning and bedtime routines. Proper now although, these are the one two choices, which is irritating since I would like to regulate issues all through the day too. You possibly can set them to any time you need, however they’ll nonetheless be labeled “Get Ready” and “Bedtime.” Oddly sufficient, Apple Music is listed on Auto Play, however Amazon Music isn’t – which is completely different from the one-tap play setup. Right here, you possibly can have the speaker choose up the place you left off out of your chosen music service or you possibly can have a particular playlist or album set for these two instances.

After a routine is about, any music will routinely swap from the speaker to earbuds or headphones if you put them on, and vice versa if you take them off. It really works very well, shortly making the change and regularly growing the quantity on the speaker so that you’re not blasted from the beginning. Within the mornings, the speaker will even announce the date, time and climate if you need it to (and grant it actual location entry). You may as well have the machine inform you the time on the hour. Lastly, the speaker stays in low-power mode when it’s not in use, which is what permits you to swap the audio if you’re in vary.

Sony guarantees as much as 25 hours of battery life on the LinkBuds Speaker, when you have the quantity set to “level 23.” Since that’s 23 out of 100, that’s probably not a viable situation. For snug, informal listening, you’ll need one thing round 60 p.c – or degree 60 in Sony-speak, I assume. At most quantity, which is deafening, the speaker supposed to last as long as six hours. I wouldn’t suggest something above about 80 p.c although, as a result of the pronounced treble begins to cancel out every little thing else within the combine from that time upwards.

I can see avid customers of Sony’s earbuds and headphones having fun with the LinkBuds Speaker’s routines and automated switching. Nevertheless, there’s significantly better audio high quality from the competitors, and in a couple of circumstances it’s obtainable for lower than the $180 Sony is asking for. I’d prefer to see Sony incorporate this sort of hand-off function in a speaker designed to your front room or workplace. With one thing that’s greater and presents higher sound efficiency, the corporate would have a extra compelling bundle for a LinkBuds sidekick.