The new open earphones from Sony have a striking ringed design that can cause you to pause and take a second look. Are they, therefore, superior to Apple’s AirPods? Talking about Apple AirPods Pro Vs. Sony LinkBuds, although the Sony LinkBuds are the strangest true wireless earbuds. The manufacturer calculated a gamble by developing a set of in-ear headphones worn continuously. While intelligent controls and a great companion application appeal to techies, a roomy soundstage should satisfy audiophiles. Bass heads, however, should search elsewhere.
An improvement over the Apple AirPods is the Apple AirPods Pro Wireless. Even though some people may find this form less pleasant, their in-ear fit helps improve them. And they have substantially enhanced their audio output. They are excellent for wearing when travelling or at work because of their active noise-cancellation feature. Which also performs exceptionally well. Due to their shorter stalks, they are smaller than earlier models. But they also have a longer life of batteries and a more straightforward touch control system.
In this context of our Apple AirPods Pro Vs. Sony LinkBuds, we’ll get to know various fascinating comparable features of both products very well, so let’s dig into it!
What will you see here?
Overall Review
4.7
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3.7
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$179.98
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$178.00
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Although the sound quality of the AirPods Pro falls short of that of the top true wireless noise-canceling earphones in their class, the user experience and unmatched levels of comfort nevertheless make them a very competitive option. Apple has produced a pair of earbuds that are equally at home on a long flight as they are on a quick jog around the block by combining that great noise-canceling with a transparency mode which feels almost as natural as donning non-isolating earphones. The Pro model might be the last pair of headphones many people ever need. Three microphones, six sensors, and the renowned H1 chip fit inside the diminutive, redesigned AirPods Pro case. This time around, Apple incorporated eartips as well. |
Thanks to the strange doughnut-shaped speakers with a hole in the center, you can enjoy music without closing your eyes. The LinkBuds are the first of a new range of Sony earbuds designed to allow you to listen to music while being aware of your surroundings. They work well for activities like running and others that call for being aware of your surroundings, but individuals who wear earphones to drown out noise should go elsewhere. However, because the battery cannot be changed, they are ultimately disposable and lose a star. So these earbuds perform at a high level when making voice calls, which is remarkable. These open earphones have a unique design that makes them challenging to make well. They are not only easy to wear, but they also fit very well. |
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Although the sound quality of the AirPods Pro falls short of that of the top true wireless noise-canceling earphones in their class, the user experience and unmatched levels of comfort nevertheless make them a very competitive option. Apple has produced a pair of earbuds that are equally at home on a long flight as they are on a quick jog around the block by combining that great noise-canceling with a transparency mode which feels almost as natural as donning non-isolating earphones. The Pro model might be the last pair of headphones many people ever need. Three microphones, six sensors, and the renowned H1 chip fit inside the diminutive, redesigned AirPods Pro case. This time around, Apple incorporated eartips as well.
- Extremely comfortable to wear, ultra-compact, light, and sweatproof (IPX4)
- More snug fit than normal AirPods thanks to the noise-isolating design
- It provides superior bass and sound quality compared to the original AirPods.
- Ambient noise is considerably reduced via active noise cancellation.
- Excellent headset performance when making calls
- iOS 14 will have a virtual surround sound feature for spatial audio this fall.
- A secure and comfortable fit.
- ANC performed admirably.
- High-quality construction design.
- Superior transparency mode
- Characteristics of a new charging case
- Long-lasting batteries
- Timing is impacted by noise cancellation
- Sony’s competition sounds more interesting.
- Despite having good sound quality, several rivals have superior audio.
- Relatively Expensive
- Inadequate customizing possibilities, particularly on Android.
- Still not a good idea to put controls on the stems.
Thanks to the strange doughnut-shaped speakers with a hole in the center, you can enjoy music without closing your eyes. The LinkBuds are the first of a new range of Sony earbuds designed to allow you to listen to music while being aware of your surroundings. They work well for activities like running and others that call for being aware of your surroundings, but individuals who wear earphones to drown out noise should go elsewhere. However, because the battery cannot be changed, they are ultimately disposable and lose a star. So these earbuds perform at a high level when making voice calls, which is remarkable. These open earphones have a unique design that makes them challenging to make well. They are not only easy to wear, but they also fit very well.
- Expansive sound
- Shrewd controls
- Small design
- Fit securely and comfortably thanks to a lightweight, creative design.
- Excellent audio for open earbuds
- Open architecture enables you to hear the outside world
- High-quality voice calling capabilities
- Splashproof IPX4
- Some unique add-ons are Speak to Chat & Wide Area Tap.
- Some listeners might find the volume too low, especially in noisy situations.
- A transparent design lets outside noise in
- No Bluetooth multipoint pairing
- Bass may be more powerful
- Lack of wireless charging
Hard to Choose? Compare now!
- When talking about wireless gaming, the apple Airpods have significant performance over the Sony LinkBuds.
- Both pairs of headphones are well-made, but the Apples are cushier, provide a more impartial sound signature that some users might prefer, and have ANC that can block out more background noise.
- The battery life of the LinkBuds is up to 6 hours, compared to the meagre 4.5–5 hours for the AirPods Pro.
- Weight, comfort, and a small form factor initially made the AirPods Pro a big deal. No matter how much of a punk rocker or metalhead you are, the AirPods Pro’s tiny 5.4-gramme weight combined with their stick design made them almost impossible to lose in your ear.
- The fit and performance of the Apple are much more stable and comfortable, and they have a much more neutral sound profile.
- The LinkBuds S have the advantage if you want more customization, although, in the Apple ecosystem, the AirPods consistently triumph due to characteristics like fast switching and automatic linking.
- They require a solid app and DSEE upgrading, which you’re probably already aware of and which restores additional detail to the compact audio sent wirelessly, which are just a couple of the things Sony is known for.
- Both the AirPods Pro and the LinkBuds offer comparable noise cancellation. It’s difficult to say which is better because they both do an excellent job of isolating outside noise.
Specifications
Sony LinkBuds | Apple AirPods Pro |
20000 Hz | 40000 Hz |
Wireless (In-Ear Canalphone) | Wireless (In-Ear Canalphone) |
Brand: Sony | Brand: Apple |
Model: LinkBuds S | Model: Airpods Pro |
Design: Closed Back | Design: Closed Back |
Min Frequency Response: 20 Hz | Min Frequency Response: 10 Hz |
Weight: 1.2 gm | Weight: 4.5 gm |
Dimensions Overall :169 x 236 x 109 mm | Dimensions Overall :30.9 x 21.8 x 24 mm |
Design
Apple created the AirPods Pro as just a best-of-all-worlds product by fusing the enchantment of the initial AirPods with active noise-cancelling. While they aren’t the best-sounding earphones for the money, they are still a delight to own and use. The AirPods Pro is Apple’s first wireless open-design model with a noise-isolating design, with silicone ear tips that push into the ear canal and active noise cancellation, which automatically cancels out background noises like the hum of an air conditioner or jet engine.
The LinkBuds won’t stay in place unless fins hook underneath the tissue that folds in the centre of your ear, so Sony supplies a variety of fins in various sizes in the box. Sony included a handy tutorial in the Headphones Connect app to get you to begin if you’re unsure how to wear the LinkBuds.One must put these considerations at risk if one wants a pair of earbuds that can be used for taking calls, listening to audiobooks, working out, or just listening to music while working all day.
Battery Performance and Charging case
The earbuds’ claimed battery life is 5 hours, and the charging case’s battery life is an additional 19 hours. The casing is wider than the standard AirPods’, but it’s also smaller, making the overall package not much more significant in terms of volume. Five minutes back in the box will offer you an additional hour of listening if the earbuds run out of juice. If you do not have a Lightning cable, you may put the AirPods Pro case on a Mophie Pad to charge it wirelessly. Additionally, the new charging case sets in just 5 minutes and provides an hour of battery life.
The earbuds have a playback time of up to 5.5 hours and clip into a compact, portable case that can hold an extra 12 hours of charge for a total playing time of 17.5 hours. A 10-minute charge will provide up to 90 minutes of playback when the battery is low. Since the battery cannot be changed and the LinkBuds cannot be repaired, they must be discarded. When you push a small button on the charging case’s front, the lid flips out to reveal the earphones and an LED light that indicates how much battery life is left.
Sound Quality
Apple’s sonic strategy with the Pro is the same as its other products: it favors brightness and a balanced tonal balance over many hefty basses. Few other in-ears can match The Pro’s ability to mix the directness inherent in the design with an open-airiness, which is far more challenging to produce. While you aren’t entirely tricked into thinking you’re listening up loud, there’s a spacing that enables instruments to breathe, and the sensation of the sound being poured directly into your head is significantly less powerful here.
However, the midrange is where the AirPods Pro excels, reproducing vocals with a tonne of richness and detail. The Treble also has outstanding sparkle, but there is no glimmer of brightness.
While intelligent controls and a good companion application appeal to techies, a roomy soundstage should satisfy audiophiles. Bass heads, however, should search elsewhere. Thanks to the excellent audio quality and vast soundstage, every component in your favourite songs have the space to shine. Additionally, good is the level of clarity, precision, and rhythm. Similarly, the sound leaking we anticipated would annoy anyone around isn’t nearly as awful as it is. In the companion application for iOS and Android, you can slightly adjust the sound, but doing so doesn’t significantly alter the sound profile. For instance, turning on the bass boost only slightly increases the bass. But the Sony LinkBuds is worth a go if you want something different.
Extraordinary features
Active Noise Cancellation.
You can listen in peace with the AirPods Pro powered by H2, which have up to twice as much noise cancellation as its predecessor. You can listen to songs and podcasts while deciding what to hear and what to ignore. Noise-cancelling sensors and a back vent are strategically placed to detect sound entering the vehicle and cancel it out before it reaches your ears. With the help of an updated driver and acoustic algorithms, Active Noise Cancellation reduces unwanted noise so that nothing gets in the way of listening on the road or when you need to focus.
Transparency Mode
Redesigned for even more incredible audio experiences is AirPods Pro. Adaptive transparency and advanced active noise cancellation significantly decrease external noise. Spatial audio takes immersion to a startlingly personal level. Now that you have touch control, you can swipe to adjust the volume. Additionally, a bump in power enables a 6-hour battery life on a single charge.
Adaptive EQ
The listening experience is elevated to a new personalization with AirPods Pro. Utilizing dynamic head tracking and personalized spatial audio, your gadgets can help you become more fully immersed in the sounds around you. Additionally, Adaptive EQ considers the fit with AirPods Pro so that every frequency is heard strictly as intended.
Better mobility through technology
Sony and Microsoft have teamed up to create technology that allows humans to travel worldwide. LinkBuds provide support for Microsoft Soundscape. A full heads-up & hands-free experience is made possible by the revolutionary integration, which makes use of LinkBuds’ embedded sensors and transparent, accessible audio design to provide novel experiences for deeper 3D audio-based navigation.
Talk and hear only ambient sound.
When speaking to someone, Speak-to-Chat can automatically stop the music, allowing you to hear only background noise and carry on a conversation5. This feature is helpful if you wish to keep your earbuds on or your hands are occupied. Your music also automatically resumes playing after your talk ends. This utilizes sophisticated audio signal processing based on accurate voice pick-up technology.
Alexa Voice Control
Get hands-free assistance. The voice assistant of your choice can be activated by saying “OK, Google” or “Alexa.” Take advantage of entertainment, social interaction, information, music, notifications, reminders, and more. Even the functionality of your headphones, like checking the battery life, is voice-activated. Additionally, you can use Google Assistant or Siri to join Microsoft Teams and listen to and engage with your messages in Microsoft Outlook.
Comfort
For in-ear headphones, the Apple AirPods Pro is comfy. They have silicone tips in three different diameters and don’t go into the ear canal. They are hardly noticeable because they are so light and don’t put any pressure on your ears. Apple AirPods Pro is a good sports option because it doesn’t cause heat buildup in your ears. When wearing them, you won’t feel any temperature difference and won’t perspire more than usual.
When they fit correctly, they snuggle in your ear and are pretty comfy. They are much more securely held in place as true wireless than the first AirPods. However, some users might be able to shake them loose. Fins and hooks from outside sources that further secure the fit are also very common. Apple includes only three pairs of tips, two concealed behind a flap at the bottom of the box. The takeaway is that most people can use the pre-attached, medium-sized pair, and you should only experiment with the other sizes if something is wrong.
They are held in place by silicon wings in one of five different sizes that tuck under the creases just at the top of your concha. They only weigh 4.1g each. It takes some getting accustomed to it because it’s such a strange, low-profile fit. The instruments are distinguished, the highs, treble, and mid-bass are balanced, and there is a full equalizer to customize the sound to your preferences.
On the other hand, the ring speaker finds it challenging to generate deeper notes, which results in specific recordings sounding a little hollow and better suited to pop, rock, and other music that doesn’t rely on heavy bass. Talking about Apple AirPods Pro Vs. Sony LinkBuds, LinkBuds are open earbuds discrete when set to low listening volumes, but turn them up loud enough to drown out nearby conversations so that nobody can hear your music but you.
Performance
These headphones function well, with pretty level and even peaks and valleys. A minor rise in the low-mid slightly muddles vocals and lead instruments, unevenly divided across the left and correct drivers. A slight drop between the low and mid-treble ranges also dulls sibilants, but most listeners shouldn’t be too aware of this. In-ear headphones’ soundstage is viewed as narrow and confined inside your skull because they entirely bypass the outer ear. The graded harmonic distortion performance of the Apple AirPods Pro is excellent. The outcome is a clear and pure audio reproduction, and most listeners shouldn’t be able to hear the spike in the treble seal band. Under larger weights, there isn’t a significant jump either, which would be excellent. The same H1 chip found in the second and third-generation mode AirPods powers the entire system. This is already well known for making pairing incredibly speedy and enabling faultless wireless performance.
The performance of the Sony LinkBuds wireless earbuds has acceptable peaks and valleys. A peak in the mid-to-high-bass provides punch and boom after a significant dip in the low-bass decreases the thud and hum in your audio. The left driver has a more prominent midrange peak, which gives instruments a slightly harsh or boxy sound. Uneven low treble makes it challenging to understand vocalists and leading instruments or makes them sound extreme. Due to the left driver’s inconsistent mid-treble, sibilant noises like cymbals might sound dull or brilliant. So these earbuds perform at a high level when making voice calls, which is remarkable. These are the compromises you must make if you need a pair of earbuds that you can wear all day long lot and use for various activities, including receiving calls, listening to podcasts, exercising, or just listening to music while working.
How to switch between all three noise control modes in Apple AirPods Pro?
In our Apple AirPods Pro Vs. Sony LinkBuds, highlighting the AirPods feature of “noise control modes, is outstanding. As well as the unique features of these AirPods. Three noise-cancelling settings are available on AirPods Pro: Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, and Off. Control Center or Settings can change between the three noise reduction settings.
Your AirPods Pro alternate between Transparency and Active Noise Cancellation mode by default. Pushing can change the noise control modes of the press-and-hold action. Then, place the force sensor on the left or right AirPod’s stem.
Steps to Enable Noise Control Modes
- Go to Settings > Bluetooth while wearing your AirPods and having your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch connected. A different option is to go to Settings > AirPods.
- When your AirPods are listed among the devices, tap and More Info icon.
- Select Noise Control by tapping Left or Right under Press & Hold AirPods before continuing.
- Using push and hold, choose the two to three noise reduction settings you want to employ. The other AirPods are affected when the press-and-hold action parameters on one AirPod are changed. Both include switchable noise-cancelling settings, and you can set up the press-and-hold gesture to call Siri. Select Siri by tapping Left or Right on the AirPods Pro settings page. You can use one set of AirPods for Siri and another to swap between noise-cancelling settings.
How to set up the “Speak to chat” feature in Sony Linkbuds?
In our Apple AirPods Pro Vs. Sony LinkBuds, highlighting the Linkbuds feature that is “speak to chat” mode, is a fantastic feature of these earbuds. When the headset detects a user’s voice, the Speak-to-Chat mode opens. It starts the Speak-to-Chat mode. The headset also recognises the user’s voice. The vibrations from items like electric shavers, massagers, or toothbrushes can activate it. Along with actions like yelling, humming, and brushing your teeth. If the Speak-to-Chat mode frequently activates by accident, set Speak-to-Chat to “L Sensitivity.”
The Speak-to-Chat feature pauses any audio or video content. Even after you disable the Speak-to-Chat feature, music may still be playing.
However, the connected device or the playback app you use may not support these functions.
Steps to Enable Speak-to-Chat feature
The procedures discussed to activate the speak-to-chat feature are as follows:-
- Before using the Speak-to-Chat mode, Speak-to-Chat must be activated.
- Speak-to-Chat is not available by default.
- Change the setting using the “Sony | Headphones Connect” app to activate.
- You have finished turning on this feature.
Conclusion
Here in our Apple AirPods Pro Vs. Sony LinkBuds, we have seen various features of these two great products. And their customers immersively like them. There is massive competition between Apple and Sony in this case. Choosing the best among these is difficult when you know every feature provided. If we look at the price factor, there isn’t much difference between the two. To choose between these two, you should consider several other factors. Think about the most worthwhile purchase that will increase your music’s audience and provide you with a pleasurable audio performance that won’t hurt or hurt your ears!