Sony Linkbuds are a pair of very different headphones, both in appearance and function. Where most other headphones nowadays do everything they can to shut out external sounds, Sony Linkbuds does just the opposite.
And it must be said straight away, these are not headphones for everyone, especially not for you who prioritize a top quality and undisturbed sound for listening to music. With Linkbuds, Sony is instead aimed at you who need to be more or less accessible to the outside world during your listening, whether it is music, podcasts or audiobooks.
Rating 3 out of 5
Opinion
The idea with Sony Linkbuds is good – a pair of headphones for you who, in parallel with your listening, must be aware of the outside world. This contact with the outside world works very well, not least thanks to some smart features in the app. But the sound quality when listening to music is too low and the price is too high for Linkbuds to get a top rating.
–
Positively
- New and creative idea
- Comfortable fit
- Works great for the right target group
–
Negative
- Poor sound quality when listening to music
- Occasionally lets in too much outside noise
- Too expensive
— As the pictures show, Sony Linkbuds has a hole in the middle of the headphone, a hole that lets in external sounds both when you listen to something or when you have paused playback.
The idea is that in the first mode you should be aware that someone / something calls for your attention and that in the second mode you should not have to take out the headset to hear the person / who wants something from you.
In other words, the target group is, for example, a parent who is out for a walk with the pram and wants to be able to hear if the child is sounding, someone who is at work and needs to be available to their colleagues and so on. In short, those who need to divide their attention between listening and the environment.
Small, light and comfortable
In its marketing, Sony talks about a “Never off wearing experience” and that Linkbuds are meant to be worn continuously throughout the day. This is not true, but Linkbuds are in any case small enough, light (only 4 grams each) and comfortable to be worn for the 5.5 hours that the battery lasts (and then another 12 hours with charges in the box). The box is also very small and light with the dimensions 4.5 x 4.0 x 3.0 centimeters and a weight of 33 grams without the headphones.
Sony Linkbuds also works very well in practice as intended. It is no problem to hear the surroundings, even when listening at a fairly high volume. And it’s perfectly possible to have a conversation with someone with the headphones left in their ears.
There are also several smart features that facilitate contact with the outside world. For example, an adjustable volume control (headphone volume increases automatically if the ambient sound is loud) and “talk-in-chat” that stops playback when you start talking and then resumes when you have been silent for a while.
Another smart feature that Linkbuds has is “Wide area printing”. This allows the area that detects the prints to be expanded from just the headphones themselves to include the area between the cheeks and the ears. We were honestly a little hesitant about this one, but it turned out to work really well in practice.
In addition to these functions, Linkbuds also has in its all-Swedish app such as an equalizer, quick access to Spotify, the ability to select functions for the touch controls and more.
Not good for listening to music
So far, so good with Sony Linkbuds. But unfortunately there are also some minuses.
The first and biggest minus is not entirely surprising sound. Sony repeatedly emphasizes that Linkbuds is its own and unique product and that it should not be compared to, for example, the flagship WF-1000XM4. And after listening to them both to compare (no, we could not help it) we can only conclude that they are right.
Linkbuds are simply not a pair of headphones that do music justice. Not because the sound is lousy (it is not), but it is too thin, too low bass, too canned and too mushy to give a music lover what he wants and demands.
For audiobooks and podcasts, however, Linkbuds works really well. The same goes for phone calls that are clear, interference-free and clear. At least as long as you are in the right place.
Another problem is that the headphones occasionally let in too much external noise. A busy street in the city, a subway car filled with people talking or when you walk past a schoolyard filled with loud children are examples of occasions and places where the ambient noise becomes too disturbing.
And there is no possibility to turn off the sounds in these modes, as Linkbuds for obvious reasons are not equipped with any noise reduction. The only option then is the most basic of all; to put your fingers in your ears and plug the holes in Sony Linkbuds.
However, the biggest minus sign is the price. Had Sony Linkbuds cost around SEK 500, we could have recommended them as a smart, flexible and affordable product for you who belong to the target group.
But since they have a price tag of SEK 2,200 (basically as much as the flagship WF-1000XM4), we can not do that. It’s crazy too expensive for what Linkbuds is and does. So while waiting for a (substantial) price reduction for those who settle for a 3rd in grades.
Specifications
Product: Sony Linkbuds
Tested: February 2022
Manufacturer / contact: Sony, sony.se
Connections: Bluetooth 5.0
System requirements: IOS or Android
Associated app: And
Active noise reduction: No
Hands-free function: No
Voice control support: And
Colors: Gray and white
Weight (two headphones): 8 gram
Weight charging box without headphones: 33 gram
Total battery life: Up to 17.5 hours
Battery life per charge: Up to 5.5 hours
Wireless charging of the box: No
Approximate price: SEK 2,200
–
