Sony’s innovative open air LinkBuds have a sequel and so do the closed LinkBuds S. The new models are simply called LinkBuds Open and LinkBuds Fit. There is a speaker too (which makes a lot of sense, we’ll get to it). The Sony LinkBuds Open have been redesigned for a more comfortable fit with the Air Fitting Supporters that allow you to wear them all day. Their open design allows you to hear ambient sounds and conversations instead of faking it with the ANC system. Not having your ear canal plugged up with a rubber tip also helps with long wear comfort.
Sony redesigned the open ring driver. It’s
an 11mm circular driver with neodymium magnets that hooked up to Sony’s
Integrated Processor V2, which was previously featured on the premium
WF-1000XM5. The Open support DSEE and Adaptive Volume Control, which adjust the
sound level based on your surroundings. Connection is handled by Bluetooth 5.3
with multi-point connectivity and support for AAC and LC3 audio codecs. The
buds support voice commands, but that doesn’t involve the usual cast of digital
assistants (Siri, Google Assistant, etc.). With head tracking available, these
also support 360 Audio.
The LinkBuds Open have much improved
battery life and can last up to 8 hours continuously and up to 22 hours with
the charging case (up from 5.5/17.5 hours on the original LinkBuds). The case
is pretty tiny at 46 x 46 x 29.4mm and 30.6g. The buds are rated IPX4, so you
can go out in the rain and not worry about them.
The Sony LinkBuds Fit are the sequel to
the LinkBuds S and have a closed design. These also have Air Fitting Supporters
and Earbuds Tips – Sony sells replacements in different colors, so you can
customize your style. Speaking of style, Sony has partnered with Olivia Rodrigo
and is offering her signature violet colorway (but only in the US, more on
availability later). Additionally, case covers are available for even more
customization. The Fit have also been designed to be worn for long periods of
time and Sony has put a lot of work into making them comfortable. They also
offer excellent noise cancellation – like the Open, these have the Integrated
Processor V2 – and also Auto Ambient Sound mode for when you need to hear your
surroundings.
The Fit also have better audio codec
support with LDAC and LC3 and are certified for Hi-Res Audio Wireless. Both
Open and Fit buds support simultaneous Bluetooth transmission, meaning that the
left and right bud have their own connection to your phone (the old-fashioned
way is for one bud to connect to the phone and to send audio to the other bud).
In addition to voice control, the new LinkBuds also support Wide Area Tap – the
usual tap gestures can be performed by tapping your cheek instead of having to
aim for the buds themselves. The Fit are also rated IPX4. The Fit, Open and
Speaker use recycled plastics, while their packaging includes no plastics.
These gestures, plus equalizer settings
and more can be configured with the new Sound Connect app. You can set up quick
access to your favorite music player, be it the phone’s own app or Spotify.
This app also supports the new LinkBuds Speaker. The LinkBuds Fit can last up
to 5.5 hours with ANC on or up to 8 hours with it off. With the case, the
listening time goes up to 21 hours (an hour longer than the LinkBuds S lasted).
The Fit case measures 47.2 x 47.2 x 32.6 mm and weighs 41g.
The idea of the speaker is that it
integrates with the LinkBuds Open and Fit (the old LinkBuds S are supported
too), allowing you to seamlessly switch between listening through the
headphones or through the speaker. Imagine coming home, taking out the
headphones and your music or podcast just continuing to play on the speaker.
The speaker normally lives on a charging dock, but has a built-in battery that
can last as long as 25 hours at a reasonable volume or up to 6 hours at full
blast.
The Speaker has a tweeter and a woofer
(X-Balanced Speaker), plus passive radiators. You will find a 5-band equalizer
and a Clear Bass setting in the Sound Connect app. The Quick Access button
offers the same easy access to your favorite music services as the buds have.
The Sony LinkBuds Open are available for pre-order now and cost USD 200 / CAD
300. You can find them on Sony.com, Amazon and Best Buy, along with select
retailers. The Open will be released on October 11. As noted above, the violet
color is available only in the US (for now), the same goes for accessories like
the case covers and Air Fitting Supporters.
The Sony LinkBuds Fit are on pre-order now
and cost the same: USD 200 or CAD 300. Check them out on Sony.com, Amazon and
Best Buy, plus select retailers. The Fit will be released on November 1. These
have their own case covers and Air Fitting Supporters, which cost USD 20 and
USD 10, respectively. The Sony LinkBuds Speaker will be available only in the
US for now. You can pre-order it from Sony.com and Amazon for USD 180. The
speaker will be out on October 11.
