Sony LinkBuds: The strangest and most revolutionary True Wireless headphones on the market.

Sony LinkBuds are the world's first open-ring True Wireless headphones. This design leaves the ear canals completely free to listen to the external environment while enjoying your music, podcasts or answering calls.

They are also the company's smallest helmets. In fact, they are so small that Sony created new controls so you don't need to handle the small cups. You can touch the sides of your face to change songs, volume or answer calls.

These Sony wireless headphones escape from the two familiar designs for True Wireless: long like the AirPods or rounded that tuck into the ear. It is a new bet and we believe they will become a success. You can use them all day long without causing any disturbance in the office, home, etc.

The audio quality is also remarkable. The wide sonic spatiality allows all instruments to shine with good detail, clarity and excellent rhythmic fidelity. The open design does not protect you from external noise and the bass response is not as powerful, but the sound can satisfy demanding users.

Design

Sony LinkBuds headphones are the first True Wireless headphones to feature a fully open design. Leaving the ear canals exposed, each cup features a ring-shaped transducer that is connected to a round body that integrates the other technologies. The ring surrounds the ear canal, while the rounded shape of the cups remains at the top of the ear.

They are held in place by a kind of rubber hook that surrounds the body of the Sony headphones. This rubber band is placed under the cartilage that folds in the middle of your ear. If you are confused about the fitting process, you can watch the explanatory video that Sony includes in the Headphones Connect application.

They are available in white and gray. The Sony LinkBuds WF-L900 are the company's most compact True Wireless headphones, 51% smaller than the Sony WF-1000XM4. Likewise, each cup weighs only 4.1 grams. The case is also tiny and 44% lighter than that of the WF-1000XM4.

A small button is located on the front of the charging case. When pressed, the lid opens and an LED light indicates the battery status. On the back of the case is the USB-C charging port. The case is made from recycled materials. In addition, the Sony LinkBuds package does not include any plastic. The company scores points for its ecological concern.

The cups are IPX4 certified against splashing water and sweat. You can use them for exercising as they stay fixed and secure, as long as you use the right rubber hooks for you. Fortunately, Sony includes several of different sizes in the package.

Controls and installation

The controls of the Sony LinkBuds are innovative. Like other True Wireless In Ear headphones, you can touch the cups to control playback. That said, because the LinkBuds are so small, it can be a bit tricky to handle them properly.

To fix this, Sony implemented a new feature called Wide Area Tap. This technology allows you to touch the area of your face next to your ears to control the Sony LinkBuds. You can manage playback or change songs with ease by gently touching the sides of the ear, which is a great and unique feature of these headphones.

You can also change the controls to your liking through the Sony Headphones Connect app. For example, you can assign a double tap to change the volume. Like the Sony WF-1000XM4, the Sony LinkBuds integrate Speak to Chat technology. This feature automatically pauses playback if you start talking and then plays it when 15 seconds pass without you speaking.

To enjoy all the features offered by the Sony LinkBuds WF-L900 headphones you need to download the Headphones Connect application. Through the app you can access the Sony 360 Reality Audio format that gives you surround sound, view the battery status on the cups and case, access different equalization settings and adjust the tonalities to your personal taste.

In addition, it offers very useful functions such as Spotify Quck Access or the adaptive volume control. This control increases the volume if the glasses detect a noisy environment. You can also turn on DSEE technology that improves the quality of auto-compressed files and choose whether playback is paused when you remove a cup.

Sound quality

The open design of the Sony LinkBuds headphones offers a great spatiality, difficult to find in other In Ear headphones. Likewise, the details are remarkable, the accuracy of the rhythms excellent and the tonal balance is very well achieved. All instruments are perceived with clarity and space.

Each ring integrates a powerful 13mm driver, while the Sony V1 processor ensures faithful, distortion-free sound. On the other hand, open design also has its cons. They do not isolate you from ambient sound, so music details can be lost in external noise.

Likewise, they do not create a seal in the ear canal. This means that the bass response is not very strong. That said, these are acceptable cons for a Sony wireless headset that you can use all day and in any situation.

When we tested the Sony LinkBuds playing the Beatles we perceived all the harmonies flawlessly. Every vocal and instrument stands out in the mix. No matter how complex the rhythms or all the instruments that go into the song, these headphones deliver really great fidelity and detail.

Like the Sony WF-1000XM4 or the Sony WH-1000XM4, this model comes with the DSEE function that improves the quality of compressed files considerably. They sound almost like high-resolution formats. They also support the new Sony 360 Reality Audio format that allows you to enjoy high-fidelity surround sound.

Battery and connectivity

The batteries of the Sony LinkBuds Bluetooth headphones provide up to 5.5 hours ofcontinuous playback. In addition, the case gives you an additional 12 hours for a total of 17.5 hours. They don't offer the capability of the Sony WF-1000XM4, but it's pretty decent. In addition, they load very quickly. Only 10 minutes of charging is enough to enjoy them for 1.5 hours.

In terms of connectivity, they work with Bluetooth 5.2 technology. Android users can take advantage of Fast Pair technology for fast connections, as can Windows users with the Swift Pair feature.

It is also very easy to synchronize them with iOS devices. To connect the Sony LinkBuds to your iPhone or iPad you just need to press and hold the pairing button on the case, open the Bluetooth settings on your device and select the headphones.

Why do we like Sony LinkBuds?

They are perfect if you want a headset for all-day use: lightweight, very small and come with an equally compact case. They allow you to listen to your surroundings, have adaptive volume control, Speak To Chat and the controls are unique. Sound quality and spatiality are also excellent.

Why don't we like them?

Due to the open design the bass response is not the best. This model also does not isolate you from your surroundings, so the noise mixes with the music.

Conclusion on Sony LinkBuds headphones

Sony LinkBuds are unique True Wireless. This open design model can be used all day long and offers a sound that satisfies the most demanding audiophile. The controls and application are also excellent. However, if you want strong bass, we recommend that you opt for other helmets. Interested? Find the best price on Amazon.

If you are looking for over-ear headphones, we recommend you check out the excellent Sony WH-1000XM5. If you don't want to spend a lot of money the Sony WH-CH510 are perfect.

Sony LinkBuds reviews

The LinkBuds have a 3.9 out of 50 star rating on Amazon UK. It seems that some users were not expecting the unique open design that allows ambient noise to pass through. Below we have copied some varied reviews highlighted on Amazon so that you can be guided by their users.

• Marco: “Excellent product, I don't understand the negative comments. The sound quality is great and you can adjust the audio to perfection. I loved the design.”
• ___gvr: “The sound quality is very good and they are perfect for calls. On the downside I have to say that I found them uncomfortable.”
• Ontario: “I was disappointed, I was expecting more. The concept is different, but I regret that the bass is not as punchy or noise cancelling.”