Video sound and call quality are impressive with the Sony LinkBuds and they are loud enough
Active Noise Control (ANC), one of the trending features with premium wireless earbuds now, cuts off the external noises completely. But, at times this feature is detrimental as it blocks some serious messages also from the outer world. So, what if you can continue hearing what’s going around you while you are listening to music or attending to a call? If it sounds good for you, LinkBuds, the latest offering from Sony, is the wireless earbuds that you can try.
It’s unique open-ring design, with the centre of the diaphragm open for audio transparency, allows it to easily fits into your ears. The circular main body fits well at the beginning of your ear canal. The ring-shaped speaker sits outside your ear canal. The ear buds that come with a 12mm ring design driver weigh only 4.1 gm each and are kept in place by silicone wings in one of the five available sizes.
Video sound and call quality are impressive with the LinkBuds and they are loud enough at 50 to 60 percent of volume. The gadget comes with 360 Reality Audio with wide area tap that provides control without touching the buds.
Sony LinkBuds Sport Amazing Features
The earphones are IPX4 splash, sweat proof and come with an eco-friendly packaging. When playing music, there’s good separation of instruments, balance and detail, treble and mid-bass, with a full equaliser to adjust. However, the ring speaker struggles on deeper notes, making them better suited to pop, rock and songs that don’t rely on thumping bass.
Playback, volume and other options are customisable with LinkBuds. You can either tap twice or thrice on the earbud or even just on the side of your head to get the effect. Each earbud can have different controls but, the selection is a little restrictive when compared some of the competitors.
The earbuds support standard Bluetooth 5.2 and the universal SBC and AAC audio formats. It also has Fast Pair with Android and Swift Pair with Windows PC. They only connect to one device at a time but can seamlessly switch between them. You can configure the earbuds to resume Spotify playback with just a couple of taps, without touching your smartphone. It has a decent wireless range as the buds maintaining a strong connection up to 10 meters.
Pricing and Availability
The earbuds last up to 5.5 hours of music playback. Its case can store an additional 12 hours of charge for a total of 17.5 hours. When low on battery, a 10-minute charge will be enough for up to 90 minutes of playback. The charging case is really small but Its plastic quality is not up to the mark.
There is a USB-C port for charging, however, you don’t get a wireless charging feature with the LinkBuds. It costs $179 and are available in white or grey.
The LinkBuds, with a new design that ensures full awareness of the outside world while playing music along with a hand-full of goodies is a great Bluetooth device for those who are engaged all the day. You can remain connected to your Sony LinkBuds and still be aware of announcements on a metro train, office, airports, etc.
How about laying your hands on these wearables from Sony? If you already have tried it out, do not hesitate to tell us more on them and what they lack in. Also, if you are planning to own them, do tell us too what all you would expect in the Sony LinkBuds.
