Any links to online stores should be assumed to be affiliates. The company or PR agency provides all or most review samples. They have no control over my content, and I provide my honest opinion.
360 Reality Audio
I find spatial audio or virtual surround sound to be something that’s highly subjective. I am not personally a huge fan.
These require you to take a photo of your ears, but it is a much more simple process than the head mapping on Creative SXFI products.
For these earbuds, they don’t apply fake spatial audio to everything like Anker does.
You have to use a spatial audio-compatible app such as Tidal or 360 Reality Audio Live. I tested it briefly with Tidal, and it is superior and more enjoyable than the virtualisation that competing products use.
Noise Cancellation
Noise cancelling is superb, easily as good, if not better, than other earbuds I have reviewed at this price point.
For day-to-day noises, it eliminates all ambient noises. As I type this, I can only hear my mechanical keyboard clacking away.
Using my normal synthetic test of an airplane cabin noise with my Edifier S3000 Pro speakers dialled up to 80; these eliminated all the low-end noise leaving just the highs. The performance seems to be better than the Huawei Freebuds Pro 2, Freebuds 5i and Anker Soundcore Liberty 4, which I have reviewed recently and been impressed was impressed with the ANC on all three.
The excellent passive seal also helps these outperform alternative options.
Battery
These claim to have a battery life of 6 hours with the ANC on. I haven’t timed it exactly, but I would say this is roughly accurate.
LDAC and its higher bitrate will reduce the battery. I have this on as standard, and I have used them for roughly 4 hours without them dying on me.
It is not the best battery life out there, but I would say on the upper end of the spectrum.
Sadly, there is no wireless charging. At the current price of £120-139, I’d say that is a reasonable trade-off.
Price and Alternative Options
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones -... |
£139.00 | Buy on Amazon |
The Sony LinkBuds S are available from Sony for £139, which I think is very reasonable. However, you can buy them from Amazon for under £120 and, at the time of writing, as low as £112.96 for the Black earbuds. That’s a bit of a bargain.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony WF-1000XM4 True Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones -... |
£126.20 | Buy on Amazon | |
| soundcore by Anker Liberty 4, Noise Cancelling Earbuds, True... | £104.00 | Buy on Amazon |
It seems like these did launch at £180 / $199, and at that price point, they are good but much less attractive as they start competing against most premium-priced earbuds (including the WF-1000XM4).
The flagship Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds are £199 from Sony and around £185 from Amazon. At the time of writing, Selfridges has them as low as £179.
The Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 are the most recent earbuds I have reviewed and are not far off in price, being £140.
At the £120 price point, I am struggling to think of anything else I’d recommend over the Sony LinkBuds S.
Overall
I have to admit I have been somewhat biased against Sony earbuds in recent years. The Sony WF-1000XM4 may be the gold standard in noise cancelling, but I always assumed the more affordable earbuds wouldn’t compete with all the superb options coming from brands like Anker and Edifier. I believed that you are paying for the brand, and the performance won’t match the price.
For the Sony LinkBuds S, it appears I was wrong. Even at the current RRP of £139, I think they are superb earbuds with a wide range of features many other brands can’t compete with. Plenty of earbuds will be better than these, including the Sony WF-1000XM4, but I think you will struggle to find many, or any, options that are as good as this at this price point.
Originally posted on mightygadget.com – Follow on Twitter – Instagram – Facebook – Mighty Gadget Latest Reviews
Sony LinkBuds S Review Rating
Summary
The Sony LinkBuds S are superb earbuds with a wide range of features that many other brands can’t compete with. Sound quality and ANC performance are outstanding in relation to the current pricing.
Overall
95%-
Overall - 95%95%
Pros
- Superb sound quality and ANC for the price
- Excellent fit with small and lightweight buds
- Extensive range of features including 360 audio and Google Fast pair
Cons
- App isn’t the most intuitive
- Launch price was a bit high
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
