Sony’s LinkBuds are unlike any other pair of earbuds you’ve ever worn, primarily because of a donut-shaped ring that sits on your ear. This design allows outside sound to persistently flow through, which is ideal for returning to the office, studying in a library, or strolling around the house.
Noise Canceling Earbuds
Whether you’re a student on campus, a worker getting ready to head back to the office, or at home with a group of family members, LinkBuds could be more useful to you than active noise-canceling earbuds. You’ll just have to weigh which features you value most.
The who, what and how
Who’s this for: Sony’s LinkBuds are best for those who don’t care about ANC and prefer to always hear their surroundings. They are ideal for those who work outdoors, avid runners, and parents who are at home working with children.
What you need to know: LinkBuds offer the best transparency mode we’ve tested and deliver exceptional audio quality for their small size. They have a unique design that may not fit all ears, i.e. those with smaller ear canals. You’ll want to take your time finding the right rubber tip that fits the best. And while these earphones deliver loud sound, they don’t provide a secure seal and there’s no active noise cancellation.
How these compare: LinkBuds offer a better transparency mode than other earbuds, as they have a physical hole in the design to allow for unfiltered conversations and ambient sounds. It’s a more natural ambient noise experience than Galaxy Buds Live and works better than AirPods Pro with Transparency enabled. Sound quality is on par with Sony’s more expensive WH-1000XM4, but since they don’t seal against the ear, it’s not the most immersive experience. Battery life is around five and a half hours, which lags behind similarly priced earbuds.
LinkBuds have a physical hole and it’s not there by accident. Sony calls this an “open ring design”, but we prefer to call it a donut.
It took me a few days to get used to this design. My ears are a bit smaller and I needed to play with the rubber tips, which rest around the main ear cup. This transparent elastic piece prevents the LinkBuds from swinging in the ear or, in the worst case, falling out. Sony includes five sizes in the box (extra small, small, medium, large, and extra-large), and I recommend trying them all. After about two days, I found the right fit, and for the most part, the LinkBuds stayed put. They even held up during indoor cycles in the Peloton and for running. The LinkBuds are also IPX4-rated, which means they can withstand a sweat-soaked shower and even light rain.
And like most true wireless earbuds, Sony’s LinkBuds live in a small combo charging and carrying case. It can easily fit into a relatively small pants pocket or even a breast pocket. You’ll need to charge it via USB-C, as Sony didn’t include wireless charging here. The buttons and casing are made from recycled plastic, which feels softer to the touch than typical plastic, but is still fairly durable. You can also choose between black or white for the LinkBuds.
Given the lack of touch space on the LinkBuds, Sony’s control situation is a bit unique and strange at first. Thanks to built-in sensors, the buttons’ wide-area touch function allows you to touch your cheek or the area in front of the earphones to control playback. It’s weird, but it’s also a good use of space.
You don’t need to be very forceful, but two quick taps on the side of my face paused or resumed playback. The earbuds emit a tone to let you know that they have recognized the command. You can also touch the top of the LinkBuds to control them.
It bears repeating, but the LinkBuds don’t completely seal the ear or offer noise cancellation. That’s because these earbuds are designed to keep you connected to the world around you.
After correcting the fit, I started wearing the LinkBuds at the start of my workday, taking them out during lunch and putting them back in for the rest of the day. They’re not as forgettable as the Beats Fit Pro or AirPods Pro, but they’re not heavy on the ear either, especially since they sit flush for the most part.
As I typed at my desk, I could hear someone knocking on my door, even with the volume around 70%. It’s pretty natural-sounding, too, considering the LinkBuds don’t use microphones to let in ambient noises. At times I could hear my upstairs neighbor’s dog running around on the floor, the HVAC turning on, and even the dishwasher cleaning a bunch of cups and plates. It gives you more awareness in your space and is an absolute joy to use at home, even more so while you work.
From a personal safety aspect, you might find this to be especially useful in circumstances where it pays to be extra vigilant, like walking at night, taking public transportation, or navigating new places.
However, there isn’t a way to block out these noises, and if that’s a must, you won’t enjoy or like the LinkBuds. Even with music at higher volume levels, you can still hear most ambient noises. You’ll also find more sound leakage at higher volumes, something to be aware of if you’re in a shared space.
Sony has an adaptive volume mode (which can be activated in the Earbuds Connect companion app), which intelligently adjusts the level based on where you are. It uses the microphones to hear the noise levels around you and sets the levels well in my tests.
The audio quality of the LinkBuds is robust, even for a pair of earbuds with a hole in the middle.
Driving the audio experience here is a custom 12mm driver with the V1 Integrated Processor that first debuted in the Sony WF-1000XM4. Audio is crisp and clear, with solid bass that doesn’t crackle.
With Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “The Waiting,” you get an accurate rendering of the track that pays equal attention to the maraca, drums, guitars, and Petty’s voice harmonizing over the top. On an equally dense track like Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run,” the LinkBuds don’t hesitate to bring out all aspects of the wall of sound, revealing various guitars, drums, piano, and saxophone.
Even with Olivia Rodrigo’s “Good 4 U” playing near full volume, the opening bass is rich and the rush of vocals coupled with rising drums and guitar is as loud as ever.
Solid Battery Life and Microphones
One area where we wish Sony would deliver more is battery life. The LinkBuds are small, providing only about five hours of battery life in one listen. I could stretch it closer to five hours and 45 minutes, but that was at lower listening volumes. It trails similarly priced Earbuds like the AirPods 3, which clock in at six hours and 10 minutes. Sony’s WF-1000XM4 beat them even further at 12 hours and 30 minutes. The charging case provides approximately 12 hours of additional listening time and 17 hours total, less than the AirPods 3 at 30 hours and the WF-1000XM4 at 24 hours.
The microphone quality is pretty solid and it works best when you’re indoors. LinkBuds feature built-in microphones and a custom algorithm that works to identify your voice, minimize distortion, and deliver a clear result. And since you can hear your own voice as you talk, calls feel a bit more natural than with other earbuds.
The Sony LinkBuds are the first efarbuds that don’t completely cut you off from the world around you. They are unique and offer some very rare use cases. Whether you’re a student on campus, a worker getting ready to head back to the office, or at home with a group of family, LinkBuds could be more useful than ANC-enabled earbuds.
Ultimately, you’ll need to weigh what you value most for this premium price. But if you want robust sound and the ability to hear the world around you, the LinkBuds are worth a look. Just be patient to find the right fit.
There are no reviews yet.