Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless Noise Canceling Earbud Headphones with Alexa Built-in, Bluetooth Ear Buds Compatible with iPhone and Android, Black
Original price was: $199.99.$128.00Current price is: $128.00.
Price: $199.99 - $128.00
(as of Jan 05, 2025 04:10:22 UTC – Details)
SMART SOUND- Smart features and settings learn from your behavior and automatically adjust sound settings to provide the right sound for the moment.Specific uses for product : Audio.Communication system : Bluetooth Specification version 5.
NEVER OFF- Automatically switches between superlative noise canceling or optimized ambient sound for listening without distractions. Sony’s best transparent ambient sound in truly wireless headphones (As of May 9th 2022. Excluding Open style.)
ULTRA SMALL & LIGHT- These bluetooth earbuds fit comfortably in your ear.
IMMERSIVE SOUND QUALITY- With the Integrated Processor V1.
ULTRA-CLEAR CALL QUALITY- Advanced Voice Signal Processing lets sound come in clear. Sony’s best ever call quality in truly wireless headphones (As of May 19th 2022).
MULTIPOINT CONNECTION- Connect two devices at once (Available via firmware update)
LONG BATTERY LIFE & QUICK CHARGING: Up to 6 hours of battery life and up to 20 hours with charging case. Quick charging gives up to 60 minutes of playback with a 5 minute charge.
IPX4 RATING-Protects against sweat and splashes on these wireless ear buds.
TOUCH CONTROLS- Pause, play, skip tracks, control volume, activate your voice assistant, and answer phone calls on these bluetooth headphones.
Customers say
Customers find the earbuds comfortable and well-fitting for smaller ears. They can adjust the sizing, stay in place without hurting, and have a nice textile feel to them. However, some customers have issues with connectivity. Opinions vary on sound quality, battery life, functionality, value for money, and build quality.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
8 reviews for Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless Noise Canceling Earbud Headphones with Alexa Built-in, Bluetooth Ear Buds Compatible with iPhone and Android, Black
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Original price was: $199.99.$128.00Current price is: $128.00.
James –
The best true wireless earphones for everyone
The Sony Linkbuds S are a shrunk-down, improved version of the already excellent WF-1000XM4. I wasn’t expecting this. Given the “Linkbuds” moniker I was expecting them to prioritize ambient sound features over all else, just like the original Linkbuds, but that simply isn’t the case here.Build: the Linkbuds S are impossibly small compared to the WF-1000XM4, Sony’s previous noise canceling earphones. They actually resemble the Samsung Galaxy buds 2 in overall size and shape. They also sport a nice large touch sensitive area that no one should have trouble missing. The only gripe I do have is that the outer surface is textured and this can cause some discomfort if it rubs against the crus helix.Case: the case is definitely one of the more pocketable out there. It’s about the same size as the Airpods Pro case, but slightly shorter and narrower, albeit a bit thicker. However, it also has a textured surface which can make it a little difficult to slide in and out of pockets.Fit: the Linkbuds S fit very similar to the Galaxy Buds 2 and deeper than the WF-1000XM4. They are a little fiddly to fit. In my case I have to rotate them back and forth to get them to seat correctly. Although Sony instructs users to rotate the buds backwards to get a good fit I actually found this uncomfortable because the buds would rub against my Crus Helix and cause discomfort. Rotating them forward slightly fixed the issue. Once the buds were in place I found the fit to be secure and that, combined with their light weight, meant that it was easy to forget they were there. My one complaint about the fit is that the buds are so small that it’s very difficult to insert them without either accidentally hitting the touch area or rubbing a finger against the noise canceling microphone, resulting in some static noise.Noise canceling: the noise canceling on the Linkbuds S is fantastic. Although the Linkbuds S are advertised as being open I actually found them to be more isolating than the WF-1000XM4s without noise canceling on. With noise canceling on I actually found the Linkbuds S to be slightly superior to the WF-1000XM4 in terms of blocking out background noise and they certainly blow the Galaxy Buds Pro/2 out of the water. I haven’t had chance to test the Linkbuds S with very low frequency sounds (e.g. public transport, planes) but for blocking out office and household noise they’re the best true wireless earphones I’ve tried.Sound: I saved the best to last. I was very pleasantly surprised with the sound quality of the Linkbuds S. The WF-1000XM4s were a big disappointment in this regard, with an overly dark presentation for my taste that led to recessed mids and lackluster treble. The Linkbuds S by comparison adopt a Harman-like tuning that presents mids and treble brilliantly with a satisfying bass boost that doesn’t dominate the overall sound. The Linkbuds S definitely beat the WF-1000XM4s for overall sound and they’re up there with the Galaxy Buds Pro/2, which are the reigning champs. Comparing the Galaxy Buds side by side with the Linkbuds S I honestly can’t pick a favorite amongst the three, which I think is a very good thing.Other: in my limited tests the transparency features are great, as with the WF-1000XM4s. The only other thing that I think is worth noting is that the Linkbuds S struggle to maintain LDAC connectivity more than the WF-1000XM4s. This isn’t surprising, given the small size, but is worth considering for anyone who wants to use LDAC in challenging environments or on the go.Wrap up: previously if I wanted to recommend a pair of true wireless earphones for someone I would have to include a ‘but’. The Airpods Pro have great noise canceling but the sound isn’t top tier and they don’t play well with Android devices. The Galaxy Buds sound fantastic but the noise canceling isn’t great and they don’t play well with iOS. The WF-1000XM4s have top tier noise canceling and work well with both iOS and Android devices, but their sound isn’t the best. The Linkbuds S on the other hand have top tier noise canceling, work excellent with both iOS and Android, and have excellent sound. These are now my default recommendation to anyone looking for new True Wireless earphones.Alternative picks: If it wasn’t for the better Bluetooth connectivity of the WF-1000XM4s and the improved battery life the Linkbuds S would have made the XM4s redundant. Whether the increased price is worth it for those things will be up to the individual. I think there’s still a case to be made for getting the cheaper Galaxy buds over the Linkbuds S if noise canceling isn’t a priority. However, I think the only reason to pay more for the Airpods Pro would be if you really like the design and/or the enhanced integration with iOS is really important.
T. Tozawa –
Perfect budget earbuds
I enjoy good quality audio and have spent more than Iâd like to admit on headphones. I wanted to get a pair of earbuds with good quality when going outside cause who wants to bring their full size headphones outside.I researched a bunch and didnât want to spend too much but still wanted quality. Iâve tried cheaper model from different brands and they all sounded muddy to me. I came upon these on sale and immediately jumped on them.The audio quality is awesome and I can definitely say theyâre good when comparing to my full size headphones. Of course different people have different preferences but these provide awesome clarity and good bass for my liking after adjusting the EQ though the app. Love the simple sleek design and relatively small size. Noise cancellation works really well and easily toggled with a tap on the left earbud. It feels really comfortable in the ear with the OEM tips but Iâd recommend Azla ones for pure comfort.I donât use these for calls so unfortunately canât comment on the mic quality. Battery lasts plenty long for my use and charging is nice and quick. No other issues with connecting and has been working flawlessly for me. Overall, if youâre into audio quality and donât want to break the bank, these are a great choice. Definitely recommended.
Javier Ruiz –
Not for me
Starting with the good: these are good looking Ear buds, feel well built. The sound quality is also good, as is the ANC, which works very well. I also really like the touch controls. They work very well, and they can be modified from the Sony Headphones app.Now for the bad:They do not fit my ears very well. I recognize that this is very subjective, but for me, even with the largest tips in place, it feels like the buds are not very secure in my ears, meaning any strong movement of my head would be enough to dislodge them. This feeling is amplified by the fact that depending on how I put them in my ears, they feel more Or less secure. Most earbuds I have owned are designed to be secure when inserted. These.. not so much.The other big thing I donât like is the app. It does work, for setting the modes (normal, transparency and ANC), as well as EQ settings and you can also set it up to work with Alexa (but not Siri for some reason). But what bothers me is that in order to use it, you have an agree to a lot of tracking and data collection. This is ostensibly to make some features work (like the ability to set profiles for different locations, like work; home, etc.) however, it make me think of his is a thinly veiled way to collect data of your movements. That is not something I care to do, so I declined it. But it is a shame that to unlock all the features of a device, you must consent to be tracked.UPDATE JULY 2023:I have downgraded my review from 3 to 1 stars, because in the short (and I mean really short) time that I have owned them, I find that they keep disconnecting from my phone at oddtimes. Today, for example, I was on a FaceTime call and my buds decided to disconnect halfway through it. Mind you, they were fully charged. This is unacceptable. The earbuds I had before stayed connected the entire time I was using them, not to mention their ANC and battery life was about on par with the Sonyâs, but they were half the price of these!Another reason to dislike these: you will NOT get any notifications from Siri on these . The only assistant that will work with them is Alexa. At first it did not seem like such an issue because I usually activate Siri from my phone. But not being able to get actual, verbal notifications from Siri through these earbuds is amazing, considering the price. Again, my old buds did this too. I only replaced them because I lost them And stupidly, I thought these would be an upgrade. Goes to show that price is not always an indicator of quality. It used to be that when you bought something from Sony you knew you were getting a quality . But more and more these days, what you are paying for is the brand name recognition. Thatâs it.As for me, I think I will keep these for limited uses for the next year or two, and then I will dispose of them like the e-waste that they are. Seriously. Over $150 with taxes for a device to have such glaring omissions and poor quality, when other companies produce much better devices for a lot less? Thatâs unconscionable.
mark bloxham –
I was skeptical, given that I have always worn external earphones.The Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbud Headphones have completely transformed my listening experience. From the moment I put them on, their cutting-edge technology and exceptional comfort blew me away.First and foremost, the noise-cancelling feature is nothing short of incredible. Whether I’m commuting on a noisy train, working in a bustling café, or simply relaxing at home, these earbuds effortlessly block out unwanted background noise, allowing me to immerse myself fully in my music, podcasts, or calls.The sound quality is truly top-notch, delivering crisp highs, rich mids, and deep, punchy bass that elevate every listening session. I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the clarity and detail in every note, making even my favourite songs sound better than ever before.What sets the Sony LinkBuds S apart from other earbuds on the market is their innovative design. The unique ring-shaped earbud design not only looks sleek and stylish but also ensures a secure and comfortable fit that stays in place, even during intense workouts or long listening sessions. Plus, the compact charging case is incredibly convenient for on-the-go use, providing additional battery life whenever I need it.The touch controls are intuitive and responsive, allowing me to quickly adjust volume, skip tracks, or answer calls with a simple tap or swipe. Integrating with voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant is seamless, adding another layer of convenience to my everyday life.Overall, I can’t recommend the Sony LinkBuds S highly enough. They combine state-of-the-art technology with unparalleled comfort, delivering an exceptional audio experience that surpasses all expectations. Whether you’re a music enthusiast, a frequent traveller, or simply someone who appreciates quality craftsmanship, these earbuds are an absolute must-have. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
Paulo Cesar da Silva –
Utilizo o Sony Linkbuds S no home office, academia e nas corridas (longões) de final-de-semana. A qualidade dos microfones, som, ANC e som ambiente são excelentes, as funcionalidades de speak-to-chat e aprendizagem dos ambientes são muito divertidos e úteis, os LinkBuds S são confortáveis e muito estáveis, fixam bem e não caem durante os treinos de corrida. O únicos ponto que precisa melhorar e uma proteção maior conta água, suor e poeira, ele vem com IPX4.
El compras –
Pros:Su Carga (la bateria promete lo que cumple)Buena App En iOS se comporta mejor y es mas estable, aunque en Android me funciono bien tambien pero aveces se desconectaban (use un iPhone 13 Pro Max y Un s22 Ultra)El sonido es bueno, tiene exceso de bajos, a mi me gusta mas planos, por que soy ingeniero de audio, pero con el ecualizador no tuve problema, ademas se sincroniza con mi cuenta, asi que si uso los auriculares en mi iphone o ipad recuerda la ecualizacion en la app.La Supresion De Ruido Es Magnifica (Mucho mejor que Airpods Pro) suprimen igual que los airpods pro pero no sacan ese ruido blanco molesto que aveces me sacaban los airpods pro, aunque no suprimen todo el ruido es decente.Para hacer ejercicio funcionaron bien, no se cayeron, quedaron fijos y no se movian.Cosas que no me gustaron:El material si bien es reciclado, tiene un tacto extraño, no es liso, parece mas un carton corrugado, se siente arenoso, y los audifonos tambien, es cuestion de gustos pero a mi me hubiera gustado que se sintiera listo y no arenoso y extraño.Los controles tactiles son buenos, pero solo te deja cambiar los predeterminados por la app para cada auricular, por ejemplo si elijes que con un auricular quieres cambiar el modo ambiente y el de supresion de ruido puedes hacerlo tocando un clic, pero si presionas dos clics no pasa nada, (la app no te permite pesonalizar), asi que al final tuve que optar por tener en el izquierdo la supresión y el modo ambiente, y del lado derecho el control de volumen, sacrificando cambiar de cancion o pausar (una lastima por que la podria poner del lado del control de ruido con dos clics)cuando se cierra la tapa se pierde la conexion, si quieres conocer el estado de bateria no basta con abrir la tapa, tienes que sacarlos para ver el estado en la app y se conecten los auriculares.No permite la conexion multidispositivo de forma rapida, es decir cuando tenia mis airpods podia pasar de mi iphone a mi mac, a mi ipad y los detectaba sin tocar nada, aqui no es asi tienes que irte al apartado de bluettooh y buscarlos (claramente primero tienes que emparejarlos, ya despues de eso se queda registrados pero tienes que buscarlos si cambias de dispositivo)El Modo Ambiente funciona bien, tiene una opcion para escuchar a las voces mas claras, pero no esta a la altura de otros del mercado, tu propia voz no se oye clara, se oye acartonada, tambien tiene mucho ruido blanco, aunque me gusto que se pueda controlar el nivel de ambiente o de sonido que quieres oir.vengo de unos airpods pro por que no me quedaban y me lastimaban la oreja, estos me quedan muy bien, se moldan perfecto a la estructura de la oreja, pero despues de una hora si me empezo a doler la oreja, si tienes la parte de la oreja donde va la forma circular del auricular muy pequeña puede que te moleste como ami, apesar de eso se sienten solidos y ergonomicos.Extras:los auriculares ofrecen extras en la aplicacion de sony, como el audio 360 que funciona bien pero solo funciona con ciertas aplicaciones, o el DSEE Extreme que optimiza los archivos digitales de música comprimida en tiempo real con Edge-AI (Se oia normal nada destacable), sin embargo ningun de estos extras le dan un plus a el auricular, haciendo que no destaquen mucho.los microfonos son pasables, no son geniales, pero te sacan del apuro no esperes lo mejor.Conclusion:Son buenos si tienes cualquier sistema operativo, recomiendo que se usen solo si los piensas escuchar en un solo dispositivo, ya que la interconectividad entre dispositivos es tediosa, por el precio creo que esta bien, la calidad del sonido me gusto y el modo de supresion de ruido es muy bueno, sin llegar a sentir tu oido taponado, cancelando un buen porcentaje de ruido.
Bijoy K B –
I got this for 7.6k during the great Indian sale which is a steal!!! This comes very close to Sony’s flagship tws, WF-1000XM4. The audio quality is mind blowing. The ANC is really good. You can say that it comes to about 90% of XM4’s ANC capability. The battery life is decent but it doesn’t matter to me much as I don’t wear it continuously for more than 2 hrs and I put it back in the case after use. The comfort is great unlike the XM4 and you can wear it for a long time. It has a quick charge feature where a 5 min charge gives you 60 mins of playback. As mentioned by another reviewer, don’t use the Equalizer in the Sony Headphones app. Install the Wavelet app and use its auto equalizer for Linkbuds S. The difference in quality is huge. Another useful feature is that you can connect to 2 devices at the same time.Do note that the right earbud is the primary unit and it consumes more power than the left one. There will be a slight difference in the battery to about 2 to 6% between both the earbuds. If you see a huge difference to about 12 to 20% or more, one of the earbuds is defective and you need to get it replaced.The only drawback I felt in this device is that during phone calls, the voice sounds mechanical and not natural. When I called my friend via the earbuds, he immediately asked me if I’m using some earphones or headphones as the clarity wasn’t great. So if you are buying this device for calls, I will not recommend it. You can look at other premium devices like Samsung Buds 2 Pro, Airpods Pro 2, Bose QC 2, Oppo Enco X2 and the OnePlus Buds Pro 2. The latest Sony flagship, WF-1000XM5, is the best version of the XM4 and the Linkbuds S as it has incorporated all the positives from both devices. If you have the budget, then definitely go for the XM5.
Tony –
Como todo produto SONY na atualidade, a embalagem é econômica e sustentável. Nas duas primeiras semanas, eu estranhei um pouco o formato dos fones no meu ouvido, que sempre esteve acostumado com os AirPods. Então, antes de mais nada, esclarecendo: comprei o Linkbuds S, mas sou usuário Apple. Me recuso a comprar novos AirPods Pro porque já tive 2, e os dois deram problemas com menos de 1 ano após saÃrem da garantia de 1 ano, com ruÃdos e estalos passando através do sistema de cancelamento de ruÃdos. Por isso, depois de pesquisar muito, cheguei ao Linkbuds S. Não optei pelo primo rico dele (o XM4/5) não apenas pela diferença de preço, mas também pelo peso: o linkbuds S é muito mais leve que os fones da linha premium da Sony. Depois das duas semanas iniciais, meus ouvidos se acostumaram ao formato dos fones. Eles são muito leves e acabam servindo a um propósito maravilhoso e nobre: usar o fone para dormir. Eu sei, não é recomendado. Mas, como o fone tem a parte externa pouco protuberante e homogênea (diferentes do AirPods, que é sinuoso), se você tiver um travesseiro macio, consegue dormir com ele numa boa. Isso por si só já é um PRO maravilhoso, porque, se você tiver um sono leve e vizinhos barulhentos como eu, trata-se de uma mão na roda e de um recurso milagroso, porque o cancelamento de ruÃdo dele é bom o suficiente para calar o grilo-cigarra mais alto, o vizinho mais barulhento, o barulho externo mais chato.Isso por si só já demonstra o quão bom é o cancelamento de ruÃdo dele. Supreendentemente, o modo transparência é MUITO bom também. Melhor que o do AirPods Pro 1, um pouco pior que o 2. Eu lembro que havia situações em que, mesmo com a transparência ativa, eu tinha de tirar o AirPods Pro 1 do ouvido pra conseguir realmente entender o que as pessoas estavam falando. Isso não acontece com o Linkbuds S. Quando eu pauso a música e tô com a transparência ativa, eu não preciso tirar o Linkbuds S do ouvido para nada. Então, modos cancelamento e transparência do Linkbuds S superaprovados.O que nele deixa um pouco a desejar para não receber a nota máxima: bem, primeiramente, tem a bateria, que é muito módica. Acho que a propaganda dele dizia 6 horas, mas, realisticamente, no melhor cenário possÃvel, são 4⦠mas, na real, na prática, nem isso. Com cancelamento de ruÃdo ativo, volume alto e o pau torando, deve dar umas 3 hrs no máximo. Em segundo lugar, vêm os recursos extras para os quais eu não notei sentido ou diferença. O fone tem um modo âprioridade conexãoâ e outro âprioridade qualidade sonoraâ; sinceramente, não notei diferença alguma entre eles. Pra piorar, (aqui já não sei se é problema da Apple ou da Sony), em alguns momentos (1x/mês), o fone parece se embananar e se confundir quando há 2 conexões ativas (iPhone + iPad), sem que nenhuma das conexões consiga mandar áudio pro fone. Quando isso acontece, eu tenho que manualmente desativar o bluetooth de um dos aparelhos pra que ele volte a reconhecer a entrada de som. Esse é um problema que eu não tinha com os AirPods Pro, ainda que a transição de áudio entre múltiplos dispositivos também não fosse lá perfeita com o fone da Apple. Um último ponto negativo: a ausência de carregamento por indução na caixa de carregamento, que, por sinal, também não aceita carregamento rápido, ainda que cabeado. O bom é que, com cerca de 10-15 mins com os fones dentro da caixa, você já tem bateria pra 1 hora de uso pelo menos.Concluindo, alguns outros pontos de que não falei: a qualidade sonora é muito boa. O BASS é rico; o equalizer no app da SONY te dá inúmeras possibilidade de configuração do som ao seu estilo, inclusive dentro do ecossistema da Apple. O som também é claro⦠eu consigo identificar batidas, vozes de fundo e instrumentos musicais em músicas com muitas batidas diferentes. Em alguns momentos, eu me senti redescobrindo algumas músicas antigas, tamanha a clareza do som. Mas, no geral, é um fone que agrada mais aos amantes de BASS; enquanto os AirPods são para aqueles que buscam claridade sonora acima de tudo, ainda que sacrifiquem um pouco o BASS. Não me arrependo de tê-lo comprado e recomendo a todos, porém é inegável que há espaço para melhora.Quando eu comprei estava na faixa dos 800. Vi que agora subiu um pouco de preço. Pra mim, o melhor custo-benefÃcio do mercado é o Galaxy Buds Pro 2, da Samsung, mas ele é contraindicado se você é apenas usuário da Apple. O preço dele é imbatÃvel pela qualidade que entrega e frequentemente está em promoção e é um MUST-BUY pra usuários Samsung. Se você, como eu, gosta da Apple mas quer um fone que funcione bem tanto em aparelhos Apple quanto não Apple, o Linkbuds S é ótimo (melhor que o Beats Fit Pro, também da Apple).