Sony doesn’t want you to call its new wireless headphones by their real name. Broadly they’re called the LinkBuds S but in India Sony would much rather you approach them by their rather less exciting and somewhat hard to get used to brand WF-LS900N. It’s easy to say why. These headphones look nothing like the original LinkBuds, not even remotely. These are some of the craziest headphones on the market. The LinkBuds S are relatively ordinary.
The “S” in the name might suggest it’s some kind of watered down version. Spoiler alert: they are not. Like the original LinkBuds, the LinkBuds S – where ‘S’ stands for smart(s) – are theoretically designed to be worn all day, but that’s where all the similarities end.
The LinkBuds S are instead inspired by the WF-1000XM4, the earphones that not too long ago we called the “new benchmark in wireless audio”. That’s a good base, but it also means the LinkBuds S have a lot to prove. Their price is a good start. They come with a sticker price of Rs 13,990, which is around $30 less than their US price. (There’s an inaugural cashback of Rs 3,000 available – between November 21 and 30 – with select bank cards, so you can get them for even less.) Ultimately, Sony rated these headphones very well.
Smaller, lighter
As impressive as the WF-1000XM4s are, their size and weight can be a deterrent for extended use. Those big, beefy dimensions have their benefits, including bigger drivers and better battery life, but have you ever imagined how things would look if they were smaller? Well, now you know.
The LinkBuds S aren’t page-by-page copy, but they (can) come close together, making their smaller footprint a USP feature killer, in effect, a feature that’s been a long time coming. Sony has followed the adage bigger is better quite religiously over the years, though rivals like Apple and Samsung have struggled on comfort (and ultimately gotten better when it comes to sound). With the LinkBuds S, Sony is fighting back with a vengeance.
At around 4.8g per earbud, the LinkBuds S are lighter than the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and Apple AirPods Pro Gen 2, both of which weigh over 5g. This is far from the 1000XM4 where each earbud can exceed 7g. Their charging case is also quite compact and pocketable (35g versus over 50g in the case of the AirPods Pro 2 and 43g in the Buds 2 Pro).
The plastic material Sony uses – most of which is recycled, it says – has a coarse, almost earthy texture that picks up no fingerprints and is an absolute pleasure to hold. You can also get it in a choice of colors including black, white and beige. Like most Sony headphones, the LinkBuds S are IPX4 rated, bringing some degree of resistance to sweat and water.
High on features
Visibly reduced dimensions come at the expense of driver size. It’s 5mm. But as we’ve come to realize, over time, rider size isn’t always everything. What’s impressive is that despite the smaller size, Sony isn’t cutting back on Hi-Res audio support (and other smarts).
The LinkBuds S support the LDAC codec, just like Sony’s more expensive earphones/headphones. Although not quite CD quality, LDAC can carry up to 3 times more data (up to 990 kilobits per second) than typical Bluetooth audio. It works with Android (they support AAC on iPhone). Their DSEE Extreme feature can upscale compressed audio in real time to something close to high resolution. They also support Sony’s 360 Reality Audio for a more immersive sound experience with supported content (although Sony still doesn’t have a proper answer for spatial audio which is becoming increasingly common thanks to Apple and Samsung). As a bonus, they are launching in India with multipoint Bluetooth which was missing at the time of their global release. That means you’ll be able to connect them to two devices simultaneously and automatically switch between them on the fly.
Sony’s proprietary V1 chip, also seen inside the XM4s, is essentially responsible for actively canceling higher frequencies while ensuring a stable low-latency connection. Although not as efficient as the XM4s, the LinkBuds S are no slouch and are able to reduce background noise better than any other competing product on the market. On a scale of 1-10, we’d give it a solid 7.5, which, given the low price, is a home run. Voice calls are also pleasant and natural most of the time. Each ear cup has a mesh covering the built-in mics to prevent cases of wind distortion. It does the job.
Transparency or ambient mode is available when you need to be aware of your surroundings. You can assign either earbud to monitor ambient sound. You can choose to turn on and off with a single click, or press and hold to activate “quick attention” to briefly reduce playback volume (without pausing). The LinkBuds S can do this automatically through a feature called “talk to chat”. They are smart enough to analyze the shape of your ear and guide you to an optimal fit. They can detect your actions and the places you frequent the most to adjust settings such as how to pick up ambient sound, for example, when you want to focus on voices. This all works through Sony’s headphone connection app.
Again, we’ve seen these features on the XM4s before and they work great here too. Credit where it’s due, it’s nice to see these features trickle down to lower prices.
Sound-wise, the LinkBuds S lack some of the low-end punch that the XM4s can naturally pull off, but, given their driver size, that was mostly expected. That’s not to say they’re disappointing or anything. Where they lack bass, they more than make up for in clarity, especially in vocals. The soundstage could be a little wider though.
Battery life is on par with the size. Sony claims up to 6 hours of use with ANC on and a total of 20 hours with the case on. These stick closely to those numbers in the real world. Fast charging is available, although a curious omission is wireless charging.
Sony LinkBuds S (WF-LS900N) | Should I buy?
The LinkBuds S resemble the WF-1000XM4 in more ways than one. It’s actually a big deal. The only difference is that they are much smaller and more affordable. This combination makes it a no-brainer, even more so in India, where Sony has always been bad at pricing, generally speaking.
These are some of the most comfortable headphones Sony has ever made. They sound great, handle voice calls well, and offer satisfying cancellation. The battery life is also on par with the competition. All of this, coupled with their huge feature set, makes the LinkBuds S the best value-for-money wireless headphones you can get under Rs 15,000.
Read also | Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones review: Still brilliant
| Advantages | The inconvenients |
| Premium design, comfortable fit | The soundstage could be wider |
| Good sound, voice calls | Absence of low-end noise |
| ANC, ambient mode works well | No wireless charging |
| Good autonomy | |
| Low price | |
| Great value |
