In a world where we have been looking to eliminate the noise around us, Sony has decided to take the reverse route; provide us with a way to enjoy our music and the ambient sound. For exactly this experience, the company has brought to us the new LinkBuds truly wireless earbuds in India. With an open ring design, these earbuds urge you to let the background noises in while you groove to the new BTS track. So, is the new combination we need? Is it bye-bye ANC? Read on our review of the new Sony LinkBuds earbuds to know more.
In this review, I will talk about the design, the fit, how the earbuds performed, and a few more things. In case you want to jump to any specific section, check out the table below.
- What’s in The Box?Spec SheetDesign and BuildComfort and FitConnectivitySound QualityMicrophone QualitySony Headphones Connect App and More FeaturesBattery LifePros and Cons
What’s in The Box?
The Sony LinkBuds come in a small, eco-friendly box, which refrains from using plastic in the packaging. To further promote a sustainable outlook, Sony has used recyclable plastic materials for the earbuds and their charging case. The box contains:
Spec Sheet
Design and Build
In a market that isn’t low on TWS earbuds that look more or less the same, I didn’t see a reason to say no to a unique proposition like Sony LinkBuds. The new LinkBuds try to be that offering and don’t really fail to do so. The new open ring design does stand out and so does the whole concept of staying connected to the world.
These different-looking earbuds are a mixed bag, though. While I love myself a new, unique design, this isn’t the best for my comfort. More on this in the section below. Now, if you are wondering how will these weird-looking earbuds fit your ears, the ring part goes at the bottom part of the ear (Antitragus) and the circular part with the Sony logo stays near the ear canal.
The build quality is fairly decent. Although, having used previous Sony TWS earbuds, I feel Sony could have done a better job. There aren’t any silicon tips to go into your ears but a rather unique design that you just place to begin listening to music. And these earbuds are really small too. With a weight of just 4 grams, they won’t feel bulky.
Comfort and Fit
A unique design doesn’t necessarily speak comfort. And this is where my disappointment reached its peak. While trying to stand out, Sony forgot how important comfort can be for people. And the LinkBuds is just not that. When you first try to wear the earbuds, they would feel intriguing, but wait, for the earbuds will soon become annoying.
Initially, I just couldn’t get a grasp of how to wear the LinkBuds. There’s a tutorial on the Sony Headphones Connect app and even on the website and while the first round of trial made me confident, I soon got a reality check. These earbuds feel like a locker with different password combinations each time you want to open them. Every time I tried using them, at least 15 minutes were spent trying to get the hang of plugging them in your ear the right way.
Even when I did wear the LinkBuds right, they never felt too comfortable. Usage for a long duration caused pain, and all I wanted was to reach out to my daily driver, the AirPods 2. This is also a reason why the volume levels can feel low when it is totally fine if you get the fit right.
The Sony LinkBuds support Google’s Fast Pair and Swift Pair, making it easier to pair them up with an Android or iOS device or a laptop. I mainly used the earbuds with my iPhone and the pairing process was a cinch, exceeding my expectations, to be honest.
I may not be a fan of the fit, but I certainly like the audio quality. The LinkBuds offer a balanced music experience and don’t overdo anything. I juggled between multiple genres: Bollywood, Rock, and even EDM. Each time, the earbuds brought out the details. So, be it the guitar sequence of the famous Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns & Roses or the dreamy vocals of Jhoom by Ali Zafar, all appear delightful.
There’s hardly any distortion and the sound stage is fairly wide. Listen to Thriller by Michael Jackson, and you will be able to hear the footsteps approaching and the howling in the background just right! Mind you, these earbuds boast an open-ring design and aren’t bass-centric. So, while the thumping effect is there and noticeable at times, don’t expect a crazy output while listening to your favorite EDM tracks. I have mostly found myself drawn toward a balanced treble/ mid /low audio output. So, the Sony LinkBuds ticked the box for me!
The LinkBuds is meant to provide a noise-free calling experience and trust me when I say this, this is an area hard to cover. However, the LinkBuds more often than not passes! My calling experience with the earbuds on has been smooth and I hardly encountered any voice breaks or a muffled voice. The person on the other side didn’t face issues either.
Sony Headphones Connect App and More Features
The Sony LinkBuds come with a companion app for you to control certain functionalities that are offered. The Headphones Connect app is available on both Android and iOS and lets you choose the EQ settings of your own. There are multiple options to choose from,
While I was intrigued by the choices I got, I couldn’t find major differences between similar modes like Vocal and Speech or Mellow and Relaxed. The Bass Boost did amp up the thumping effect but it wasn’t too drastic. I found myself using the Bright mode more often than not and for those who like an output of that sort, it is recommended.
The app offers a lot of options to try out, thus, giving you more control. But, it can be overwhelming for people if they don’t require all these options at their disposal. The app also notifies you when the battery of the case is low, but Sony, here’s some feedback; multiple reminders are not what we want!
One thing to point out is that while the LinkBuds has a model number, WF-L900, my review unit has the model number WF-H800.
Besides providing good sound quality, the Sony LinkBuds’ battery life is appreciated. I usually tend to start my day by listening to music on my commute and then spend more hours with the earbuds on while I write. In fact, I wrote this article while using the Sony earbuds.
The earbuds lasted for around 5 to 6 hours on a single charge and with the case in play, the audio accessory went on for more than 2 days. This, I feel is pretty decent. This was while the DSEE feature was enabled, which tends to decrease the playback time. So, there will be more juice if you disable these features.
Sony LinkBuds: Should You Buy or Skip?
Throughout my review period, I struggled to come to a conclusion about whether or not the Sony LinkBuds is an attractive option right now. While it will definitely turn some heads owing to the new form factor and the thought of letting in the ambient sounds, I don’t see the purpose here.
For me, the earbuds are awfully uncomfortable, and allowing noises into my “music time” isn’t what I look for. Plus, at Rs 19,990, they stand at the expensive end of the spectrum, which not many would want to dive into. Again, some might like the whole idea, and if they are willing to spend this kind of money, the LinkBuds is your link to the world around and your music streaming apps.
