Sony LinkBuds Speaker: Two-minute evaluate
Sony has launched a good few audio system in its day however the brand new LinkBuds Speaker is the primary to be launched below its LinkBuds branding; the unique Sony LinkBuds have been novel for having open-ring designs so you possibly can hear your environment whereas additionally streaming music, however the identify now simply appears to be used for a variety of life-style audio choices as a substitute of making use of to that individual open design, so right here we’re.
I usually having to get identify whingeing out of the best way early once I evaluate merchandise just like the Sony LinkBuds Speaker, as a result of I need to save the remainder of the evaluate to deal with compliments on the machine (and since I like an excellent name-whinge).
Don’t make the error I did once I first began utilizing the speaker – in contrast to many different entries into our annals of the best Bluetooth speakers, this creation isn’t designed for home events or loud gatherings. As an alternative, it’s a svelte house-trained pet that does its finest work if you hold it home.
That’s most evident from the charging cradle, which was my favourite facet of all the speaker. It prices the speaker if you’re not utilizing it (or if you end up), performing as a hub which you can simply whisk the speaker away from if you’re marching into one other room.
However there’s extra proof as to the LinkBuds Speaker’s introverted state. Its understated design means it suits snugly into your property decor, but it surely’s not as rugged because the best waterproof speakers. Its microphone means you should use it as an ersatz dwelling assistant (through your cellphone, at the very least) and a variety of different options reminiscent of a programmable musical alarm clock and hourly time alerts all point out that it is a housebound gadget.
That doesn’t imply you’ll be left within the lurch for those who take it exterior, particularly with a surprisingly massive 25-hour battery, however you won’t discover the audio suits events or summer season cookouts. That’s doubly the case with audio which proves fairly directional, and doesn’t fairly equal some rivals in the marketplace by way of power and vibrancy – for those who’re on the lookout for a celebration speaker, the Sony will disappoint.
I used to be pleasantly stunned with the function set provided by Sony, with its Sound Join app boasting fairly a couple of useful options – some are ones I haven’t seen on rival gadgets, which is a neat contact. Admittedly a few of these options are hidden deep within the app – I nonetheless don’t know how I enabled the aforementioned hourly notification – and never all of them work wonders.
However it’s one other illustration of how the Sony gives brains over the uncooked brawn of a few of its rivals. It’s no slouch within the audio division, but it surely’s discovered a unique technique to finest the likes of the JBL Flip 6: the options.
I ought to cap this intro by saying another factor for those who just like the concepts of those additional options: solely purchase this for those who use Spotify, Amazon Music or Endel. A great deal of the additional options require a subscription to considered one of these three streaming companies so you are not going to have the ability to use all of the options for those who use Tidal, Apple Music or YouTube Music.
Sony LinkBuds Speaker evaluate: Worth and launch date
- Launched in October 2024
- Formally priced at $179.99 / £139 / AU$249
The Sony LinkBuds Speaker was introduced in October 2024, alongside two new earbud additions to the model: the LinkBuds Fit and LinkBuds Open.
You should purchase the speaker for $179.99 / £139 / AU$249 so it prices a bit greater than rivals within the space such because the JBL Flip 6, Final Ears Growth 4 or Bose SoundLink Flex, but it surely roughly matches the Sonos Roam 2 which we charge because the best Bluetooth speaker.
I ought to level out that on the time of testing, three months after the LinkBuds Speaker’s launch, it’s already on supply from some retailers, so it’s value searching round to discover a low cost as they’re simple to search out.
Sony LinkBuds Speaker evaluate: Specs
| Weight: | 520g |
| Dimensions: | 8.4 x 11 x 9 cm |
| Battery life (quoted): | 25 hours |
| Connectivity: | Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Drivers: | 1x tweeter, 1x woofer |
| Aux in: | No |
| Charger port: | USB-C |
| Microphone: | Sure |
| Waterproof score: | IPX4 |
Sony LinkBuds Speaker: Options
- A 25-hour battery life
- A lot of options because of Sound Join app
- Many instruments require Spotify, Amazon Music or Endel
The Sony LinkBuds Speaker gives a surprisingly admirable 25 hours of battery life, which laps most of its shut rivals – you possibly can count on between 10 and 15 hours of listening time on its rivals.
Because of how the aforementioned charging cradle suits into my real-world expertise, I by no means truly needed to take a look at this determine the exhausting method, however that’s not the tip of the world – it simply goes to show that you just’ll by no means have battery nervousness with the LinkBuds Speaker.
You will get many extra options from the LinkBuds Speaker through the use of Sony’s Sound Join app – till not too long ago referred to as Headphones Join.
One helpful function is auto-play, so you possibly can set your speaker to start out auto-playing from Spotify, Amazon Music or Endel at sure instances on sure days, principally like an alarm clock. In my testing, I used to be unable to decide on which playlist Spotify auto-played from, and it default to carrying on no matter I final listened to, however the writing within the app means that I ought to be capable to decide them. Hopefully a software program replace will change this.
As I am going to talk about within the Design part of this evaluate, the speaker has a fast entry button. Utilizing the app, you possibly can map this to make use of two of: Spotify Faucet, Amazon Music Play Now or Endel Fast Entry (all three deliver up a curated playlist from the app of selection). As you possibly can inform, these are the one three apps supported by Sony’s app – sorry, Tidal followers – however you should use different streaming platforms for traditional speaker playback. You simply can’t use the additional options.
Audiophiles may also be happy to listen to that there’s an in-app equalizer. It’s a five-band one with an additional Clear Bass dial to extend or lower bass prominence between -10 and 10. It can save you two totally different customized EQs, and there are not any presets. In my expertise I didn’t discover that the equalizer made a lot of a distinction on the sound high quality.
Sony’s auto-EQ mode is again, however I’ve not beforehand been impressed by this, and the LinkBuds Speaker didn’t change that. The best way it really works is that the app presents you with 5 totally different EQ mixes and it’s a must to select your favourite; you do that twice and the app creates a customized combine for you. The issue is that the mixes it suggests to you’re usually so vague that I can by no means inform the distinction between them, so it’s not a great way of gauging my precise tastes.
I used to be impressed by a couple of of the quality-of-life options Sound Join gives. You’ll be able to select the auto-power-off size, toggle on a battery-saving mode that stops you overcharging the speaker, join two a number of gadgets (together with LinkBuds earbuds, which may mechanically swap your music from the buds to the speaker if you get close to) and may allow a Sony-made audio decompression function to enhance the sound of music on lossy streaming companies. All of them simply enhance the best way you employ the speaker in small however significant methods.
A function I received actually near liking is the flexibility to set hourly reminders. This was surprisingly handy to assist mark the passage of time by way of the day, reminding me that it was lunchtime or that my working hours have been completed… besides there is not any method within the app to silence it for sure hours. I used to be woken a number of instances by the speaker asserting that it was 2am or 3am and so turned this otherwise-handy function off.
I’ll briefly contact on pairing: once I first began utilizing the LinkBuds Speaker, I merely couldn’t hook up with it through Bluetooth pairing. Nevertheless as quickly as I opened the Sound Join app, it instantly acknowledged and paired. So for those who’ve simply purchased this gadget and may’t get it to attach, obtain the app now!
Sony LinkBuds Speaker evaluate: Design
- Black or grey squoval
- Has a hook for hanging; charging pad in field
- A good vary of buttons
The Sony LinkBuds Speaker principally appears like a small furry squoval. (It is an actual phrase! A portmanteau of sq. and oval!) In comparison with a lot of different transportable audio system it’s a bit plain trying, however I appreciated the way it blended into the background of my dwelling greater than different audio system I take a look at. Generally nondescript is nice. The material cowl additionally offers it a premium look that many different rivals lack.
It’s not an enormous speaker, measuring 11cm tall and with physique dimensions of 8.4 x 9cm, but it surely’s a bit heavier than you’d assume at first look at 520g.
The ‘again’ of the speaker – a phrase I exploit as a result of the sound is fairly directional, as I’ll get into within the sound high quality part – has its energy button in addition to the USB-C charging port (which you should use as a substitute of the included base plate, one other function I’ll clarify in a while). It additionally has a hook that you should use to hold the speaker on a hook within the toilet, on the again of a chair or wherever works – but it surely’s not that massive so it was exhausting to clip onto sure objects, plus the best way the speaker hangs has issues with the directional sound (one more tease a few future level to debate).
On prime of the speaker are buttons: quantity up, quantity down, play/pause/settle for cellphone name, and the fast entry button. There’s additionally a small mild: white when the speaker is on and purple when it’s off, and purple typically… for some purpose? If there’s a method of turning the LED off, I couldn’t discover it, which was a bit annoying at night time.
I’d be remiss to not embody point out of the LinkBuds Speaker’s base plate, as a result of it grew to become an integral a part of the expertise throughout my testing. Included within the field is a charging cradle, which you plug right into a USB-C charger, and it holds the speaker agency and slowly prices it up. As soon as I set this up in my workplace, it grew to become a ‘dwelling’ of kinds for the speaker – once I was listening throughout work, it could energy up in order that there was cost for once I was taking it out and about. Tremendous handy, two thumbs up from me.
You should purchase the speaker in black or mild grey, and your selection will have an effect on the bottom plate in addition to the speaker itself. It has an IPX4 score so it’s protected towards splashes of water however not strong jets or submersion, so it is probably not at dwelling at a pool social gathering.
Sony LinkBuds Speaker evaluate: Sound high quality
- Good, not nice audio high quality
- Quantity superb indoors however not loud sufficient for outdoor
- Directional audio poses an issue
The Sony LinkBuds Speaker combines a tweeter and woofer in a traditional two-way system; I couldn’t discover a lot data on both part from Sony’s supplies.
There’s no use beating in regards to the bush; the LinkBuds Speaker doesn’t fairly sound as nice as rivals I’ve examined at this value level from Final Ears and JBL. It gives a balanced audio combine, however lacks the ‘oomph’ that transportable Bluetooth audio system usually want.
For instance: there’s ample bass, however not as a lot as you’d get on an outside speaker; clear treble, however a definite lack of shine to some devices; the identical lack of soundstage that you just get on smaller audio system like this because of mono audio. The utmost quantity is enough for those who plan to make use of the speaker completely at dwelling or in your backyard, however in wider open areas, it would show exhausting to listen to. Not like its rivals, Sony hasn’t turned anyone factor as much as 11.
The mono audio downside may be fastened, in keeping with the Sony web site, by merely shopping for a second speaker and pairing them collectively to get stereo sound. That can, after all, double the quantity you’re paying to pay attention.
My principal concern once I began listening to the LinkBuds Speaker was merely that audio didn’t sound as energetic or thrilling as on many different transportable audio system I’ve examined; a lot of rivals are designed as social gathering gadgets and getting in with the identical expectations right here will go away you disenchanted.
This was underlined once I used the LinkBuds Speaker to play music at a gathering; after a couple of drinks, balanced audio is not as essential as vibrant bass. Nevertheless as soon as I discovered that the Sony is designed for a unique use case – specifically dwelling listening – I may admire it a bit extra.
The LinkBuds Speaker’s sound relies upon quite a bit on the course you’re to it – that’s not unusual in audio system, as 360-degree audio is a uncommon deal with. However it makes a marked distinction within the LinkBuds Speaker, and it’s doubly annoying for 2 causes.
Firstly, attributable to its design, it’s fairly exhausting to glean which method the entrance is from a look – shut up, you possibly can see the best way the buttons are going through and the place the hook is. If the speaker is within the nook of a room, you’ll should guess for those who’re getting the complete expertise. Secondly, if you use the hook to hold the speaker up, its positioning implies that the tweeter and woofer level downwards – the one particular person getting optimum audio is the downstairs neighbor.
Sony boasts about its Sound Diffusion Processor within the LinkBuds’ net put up, which is meant to unfold sound from the speaker out into a large space, however I can solely assume this itemizing was written on reverse day as a result of my expertise was that music sounded so significantly better when the speaker was going through you.
Sony LinkBuds Speaker evaluate: Worth
I am unable to go as far as to say that the Sony LinkBuds Speaker is excellent worth for cash, but it surely ticks all of the bins that you really want if you’re paying this a lot.
The vary of options, the audio high quality, the design; I am fairly certain I might be capable to precisely predict the LinkBuds’ value as a result of it is in keeping with expectations.
That adjustments a bit if you will discover the speaker discounted, although, and for those who discover it nearing the $100 / £100 / AU$180 mark, it could tip extra into ‘must-buy’ territory.
Ought to I purchase the Sony LinkBuds Speaker?
| Attributes | Notes | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Options | A variety of helpful options units the LinkBuds other than rivals. | 4/5 |
| Design | It has an understated design with a couple of neat prospers and touches. | 4/5 |
| Sound high quality | Whereas it would not fairly match rivals, the Sony nonetheless supplies strong audio. | 3.5/5 |
| Worth | It is priced fairly, if not fairly competitively. | 3.5/5 |
Purchase it if…
Don’t purchase it if…
Sony LinkBuds Speaker evaluate: Additionally think about
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Sony LinkBuds Speaker | JBL Flip 6 | Bose SoundLink Flex (Gen 2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 520g | 550g | 590g |
| Dimensions: | 8.4 x 11 x 9 cm | 17.8 x 6.8 x 7.2 cm | 9 x 20 x 5.2 cm |
| Battery life (quoted): | 25 hours | 12 hours | 12 hours |
| Connectivity: | Bluetooth 5.2 | Bluetooth 5.1 | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Drivers: | 1x tweeter, 1x woofer | 1x tweeter, 1x woofer | Not specified |
| Aux-in: | No | No | No |
| Charger port: | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
| Microphone: | Sure | No | Sure |
| Waterproof score: | IPX4 | IP67 | IP67 |