In early 2022, Sony took a gamble unique design for open design headphones. The company made small buds with a round, donut-shaped speaker designed to be worn all day. Then followed those with a more “traditional” set LinkBuds Sjust a few months later. This second model introduced many of the main features of the flagship WF-1000XM5but $100 less.
Now, Sony is expanding its LinkBuds line once again, adding three new options with very different designs. The second-generation version of the LinkBuds is now called the LinkBuds Open (pictured above), with an all-new design debuting alongside them in the LinkBuds Fit. Finally, there’s the LinkBuds Speakerphone, which lets you automatically switch between audio and the headset when needed.
LinkBuds Open
My main complaint with the original LinkBuds is that they aren’t very comfortable. Sony has done a good job of packing in a lot of features, including slapping your face in front of your ear for on-board controls (Wide Area Tap). However, the hard case was too stiff for the ring driver and the earcups didn’t stay in place at all. To solve this, the company redesigned the “matching supporter”. LinkBuds Openprefer a more general fit wing shape than the top edge. Sony also said it reduced the size of the second-generation model to help it sit more comfortably.
Inside, Sony installed a new 11mm ring driver that’s still open in the center for its unique transparency mode. According to Sony, thanks to a carefully selected high-compatibility diaphragm and a strong magnet, LinkBuds Open can better reproduce clear highs and mids with louder, richer bass. The company has also upgraded the headphone chip to the Integrated Processor V2, the same component found in the WF-1000XM5. Sony says this update should provide a more stable connection than the LinkBuds.
Sony has also extended the battery life on the LinkBuds Open, offering up to eight hours on a charge. That’s five and a half the price of the first model. What’s more, the quick charge function now gives you an hour of use in three minutes, as opposed to the original version’s 90 minutes of playback in 10 minutes. This time, Sony has included a compatibility checker in its new software that allows you to analyze the placement with a photo (Sony has done this before with other models). Other key features include an IPX4 rating and multi-point Bluetooth.
LinkBuds Open is available for pre-order today For $200It’s $20 more than the 2022 model. They’re available in black, white, and Olivia Rodrigo-collab purple (purple only in the US). Additional colors of case covers ($20) and additional matching backers ($10) are available to further customize your look. These are available in blue, green, pink, purple and black.
LinkBuds Fit
New LinkBuds Fit completely new design and successor of LinkBuds S. Based on a consumer survey, Sony found that compatibility and convenience were the top two concerns for its customers. So the company used “extensive ear shape information” analysis for the new curves. The earcups are smaller and shorter, and the new Air Mount Bracket is hollow to make it more flexible. Plus, a new ear tip is here to further enhance the overall comfort.
Inside, the new Dynamic Driver X handles the sound, powered by the WF-1000XM5’s Integrated Processor V2 chip, which helps with active noise cancellation (ANC). This component also launches a new Auto Ambient Sound mode that automatically adjusts transparent sound based on your surroundings and an Auto Noise Canceling Optimizer that adjusts ANC in real-time – all supported by dual noise sensor technology and multiple microphones. Sony called the surround sound quality on the LinkBuds Fit “best in class,” which is a tall claim considering the high bar Apple has set. AirPods Pro.
Battery life is slightly shorter than the LinkBuds S at five and a half hours. That’s 30 minutes less than the previous model. Other key features include an IPX4 rating and multi-point Bluetooth. Like the LinkBuds Open, you’ll touch the side of your face with your ear for the on-board controls (Wide Area Tap).
LinkBuds Open is available for pre-order today For $200The same price as the LinkBuds S was at launch. They are available in black, white, green, and Olivia Rodrigo purple (purple only in the US). Additional colors of case covers ($20) and additional matching backers ($10) are available to further customize your look. These are available in blue, green, pink, purple and black.
LinkBuds Speaker
The third member of the LinkBuds trio is not another set of headphones, but a speaker. The LinkBuds Speaker is a small, portable Bluetooth speaker with an IPX4 rating and built-in circuitry to hang it up. You can expect up to 25 hours of battery life, and a 10-minute rest on the charger will give you 70 minutes of use. The driver configuration includes a woofer, passive radiator and tweeter, and Sony says the speaker is tuned for “well-balanced … pleasant and clear sound that doesn’t tire the listener.” There’s a top-mounted microphone for calls, with volume and playback controls next to it. The Quick Play button allows you to play music with the press of a button.
The main feature of LinkBuds Speaker is Automatic switching with compatible Sony headphones. These include the new LinkBuds Open and Fit, but the LinkBuds S and WF-1000XM5 are also on the list. The speaker transfer tool will also work with the WH-1000XM5 headphones. As it turns out, this feature allows you to quickly switch the sound between the headphones or the headphones and the LinkBuds Speaker. You can also use the Sound Connect app to set up a routine for the speaker so that it happens automatically throughout the day based on your schedule. You can set Auto Switch to happen every day, for example, when you go to the gym or the office.
The LinkBuds Speaker is available for pre-order today For $180 in black and gray color options. A charger is included in the box, but the speaker is currently only available in the US.
Sound Connect software
With the launch of this new line of LinkBuds, Sony is replacing the Headphone Connect software with a new one called Sound Connect. Starting today, all headsets compatible with the old firmware will work with this new firmware. what else ULT speakers and the new LinkBuds Speaker will also work with Sound Connect. If Headphone Connection is installed, you’ll be automatically switched the next time the app updates.
Sound Connect delivers a much-needed redesign and a more modern-looking UI than Headphones Connect’s outdated aesthetic. All the main settings are directly on the main screen, and the app will provide tips for using headphones and earphones in the Discover tab.
The app for LinkBuds Open and LinkBuds Fit offers several unique features that will make your life easier. First, there’s a built-in voice control tool that lets you control your headphones with the “Hey Headphones” command. It’s like Bose’s new offering QuietComfort headphones. You can use it to control music, adjust volume, enable/disable ANC, and check battery life. Take a page From the Apple bookSony will also enable head gestures to answer or reject calls on the two new headsets. Auto Battery Saver will turn off features like EQ, DSEE scaling, Talk to Talk, and Voice Control to save power when the remaining 20 percent is reached. Finally, the Background Music Effect can simulate a less distracting sound, as if it were playing in a bedroom, living room or cafe.
Full review of LinkBuds Open, LinkBuds Fit and LinkBuds Speaker in progress. Stay tuned for this detailed assessment in the coming days.
