Two weeks ago we reported on a leak stating that Sony was about to expand its weird and wonderful LinkBuds headphone line. And now it’s official, and even more interesting than the leak suggested: in addition to two new sets of LinkBuds headphones, there’s also a LinkBuds speaker.
The new Linkbuds range includes the new LinkBuds Fit (replacing the Sony LinkBuds S), the new LinkBuds Open (replacing the original Sony LinkBuds) and the new LinkBuds Speaker. They’re all competitively priced, with the LinkBuds Fit and LinkBuds Open priced at $199.99/£179, and the LinkBuds Speaker at $179.99/£139.
All three products are available to order now and will ship in October. Here’s what’s new.
Sony LinkBuds Fit, LinkBuds Open: key features
Available in new colors and a wide range of custom cases, both pairs of LinkBuds earbuds are made with comfort in mind, with a teardrop shape and a soft ‘support’ to really keep them in your ear. The LinkBuds Fit also have new earbuds, which are slightly shallower than those in the Sony WF-1000XM5, which again improves comfort compared to many of the best wireless earbuds – something we praised the LinkBud S for.
The LinkBuds Open still have an iconic round design for their driver, making them closer to the best open-ear headphones, allowing outside sound to come in naturally.
As expected, the Fit is water and sweat resistant with an IPX4 rating. The Open earbuds have the same certification, although the cases are not IP certified.
Sony says the LinkBuds Fit have Sony’s best ambient sound and automatic adjustment, with an automatic noise cancellation optimization and a new app to configure everything. There’s a new transparency mode that’s more like what you get on AirPods Pro 2, where it adjusts exactly how much sound comes in depending on the ambient volume. Sony gave us the example that you want a lot of good sound when you’re in a quiet park and someone calls your name, compared to needing some control over the sound when you’re at a train station.
They also support a new Background Music mode, which changes the way music sounds so it feels more like a speaker at the back of the room, rather than pumping directly into your ears, with the aim of making it easier to listen to your music. to concentrate if that is useful. Bluetooth is 5.3 with multi-point and LDAC hi-res audio, plus DSEE upscaling.
The LinkBuds Open have the same Bluetooth 5.3 with multi-point, and Sony claims both louder sound and richer bass than before thanks to a new round driver. Battery life is longer – 8 hours via the earbuds and 22 hours via the case – and charging is faster than before. They also support Background Music mode and feature DSEE upscaling to improve low-quality streaming music. However, there is no LDAC support here.
Both the LinkBuds Fit and Open also have optional silicone covers for their cases and buttons, meaning you can add more colors than they initially contain, and mix and match shades. The covers cost a little extra: $10/£10 each for earbud covers, or $20/£20 for a case cover.
Sony LinkBuds speaker: key features
The LinkBuds speaker was designed based on the fact that 70% of younger headphone users also have a Bluetooth speaker, and many would like to be able to switch from one speaker to another without any hassle. So the centerpiece here is an auto-switching feature, which means your music will automatically go from the speaker to your headphones when you put them on, or switch back to the speaker when you get home.
This feature works with both new LinkBuds models, plus the LinkBuds S, the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds, and the Sony WH-1000XM5 over-ears. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work with the five-star Sony WF-C700N or the brand new and excellent Sony WF-C510.
The LinkBuds speaker is small and comes with a separate charging dock and a grippy design with a loop on the back. The speaker is IPX4 splash resistant and promises up to 25 hours of playtime with fast charging.
There’s a woofer and tweeter facing forward, with a passive radiator on each side for extra oomph. It has a 5-band audio equalizer, adjustable via the app. There is also a built-in microphone so you can use it for calls.