About the Sony Linkbuds S
On-the-go earbuds that adapt to your surroundings
The ultralight LinkBuds S play music wirelessly and let you adjust the amount of noise you let in or keep out.
On-the-go earbuds that adapt to your surroundings
Sony designed the Linkbuds S for you to wear for long stretches, as you move throughout your day. These streamlined, lightweight true wireless earbuds can learn your preferences and adjust the amount of noise cancellation or ambient sound. They aren't the "open-air" LinkBuds. Instead, these earbuds rely on Sony's advanced internal circuitry — namely, their V1 processor chip — to allow external noises in or keep them out.
That's the same state-of-the-art chip found in their flagship WF-1000XM4 earbuds. Now, you shouldn't expect the XM4's level of noise cancellation or sound performance in these smaller earbuds. But you do get some of Sony's most convenient features. Like the ability to customize the level of noise cancellation or ambient sound based on your task, movement, or even location.
High-quality Bluetooth streaming and clear calls
Music plays wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.2, a newer version of Bluetooth that's stronger and more reliable than previous iterations. It also makes for a stronger connection to most phones for music and calls. Sony uses special algorithms to clear up background noise for calls, so that voices come through clearer.
A small, yet powerful 5mm driver works in concert with Sony's V1 processor chip for clear-sounding music, podcasts, and calls.
Sony's free mobile app lets you fine-tune the sound and noise cancellation
Download Sony's Headphones Connect mobile app for even more control over noise cancellation and more. You can customize the sound characteristics and tell the app to prioritize either connection stability or sound quality. (The former is helpful when competing with other wireless signals in a high-traffic area like an office or mall.) You can also reconfigure the touch controls or set up Alexa or Google Assistant to activate via voice command through your paired phone.
A convenient way to hear others
With the earbuds secured in place, there are other ways to quickly hear outside sounds. A single tap of the left earbud toggles between noise cancellation and "Ambient Sound" mode. The built-in mic system will pick up external sounds and voices while your music continues to play. Hold the left earbud to activate Sony's "Quick Attention" feature that will temporarily turn off all audio and noise cancellation circuitry.
Each earbud has a snappy touch-sensitive panel. You swipe and tap your finger on the earbuds to control music, calls, and noise cancellation.
Earth-conscious packaging
Like most Sony headphones these days, the LinkBuds S arrive inside a low-key, yet substantial carton made of a recyclable blended material. Sony has told me that this sustainable packaging is made "from bamboo, sugarcane fibers, and post-consumer recycled paper, all of which are available around the world's largest manufacturing hubs in Asia." It's refreshing to see big companies like Sony becoming mindful of their packing materials — and trusting their products to do the talking.
Product highlights:
- 100% wire-free headphones with active noise cancellation
- no connecting cord between left and right earbuds
- streamlined, lightweight design for extended wear
- Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless music listening and phone calls
- LDAC decoding provides high-quality music streaming from a Sony High-res Walkman or other compatible devices
- 5mm dynamic drivers tuned for clear
- IPX4 water-resistant
Adaptive Sound Control:
- active noise-canceling circuitry adjusts to your activity and the level of external sound
- ambient sound allows lets you hear external sounds
- includes Sony's Integrated Processor V1 chip
- helps strengthen noise cancellation, audio quality, wireless connection, and battery life
- free Sony Headphones Connect app for Apple® and Android™ lets you adjust settings
- customize the sound and manually choose the level of noise cancellation or ambient sound
- immersive Sony 360 reality audio playback with select music services
Easy controls and voice functions:
- touch controls on each earbud let you answer calls, control music playback, and toggle noise cancellation
- Quick Attention lets in external sounds without removing your earbuds
- quickly turn off noise-canceling circuitry by holding the left earbud with your finger
- summon Alexa or Google Assistant by voice (on your smartphone)
- ask questions, dictate texts, and control music by voice
- available for Apple and Android
- requires one-time setup with the Headphone Connect app
- built-in mic for phone calls
- optical sensors automatically pause music when earbuds are removed
Charging case, battery information and accessories:
- built-in rechargeable batteries offers 6 hours of listening with noise cancellation
- compact charging case banks up to 14 hours of power to wirelessly recharge headphones
- 5-minute quick charge provides enough power for 60 minutes of listening
- wireless charging available with compatible Qi chargers (not included)
- USB-C cable included for charging case
- includes 3 sizes silicone of ear tips for a secure, comfortable fit
General info:
- sustainable packaging made from recycled "blended paper"
- weight: 0.34 ounces (both earbuds)
- warranty: 1 year
- Our 60-day money-back guarantee
- MFR # WFLS900N/W
What's in the box:
Sony Linkbuds S owner's manual
- Left and right wireless ear buds (white)
- 4 Pairs of hybrid silicone ear tips (1 pair installed)
- 7" USB charging cable (Type A USB on one end and USB-C on other end)
- Charging case (white)
- Reference Guide
- Warranty sheet
- 360 Reality Audio promo sheet
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More details on the Sony Linkbuds S
Features & specs
| General | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fit Style | True Wireless | |
| Earcup Type | Closed | |
| Earcup Width x Height | 0.708" x 0.906" | |
| Noise-canceling | Yes | |
| Bluetooth | Yes | |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | |
| Single-earbud Operation | Yes | |
| Mic For Taking Calls | Yes | |
| Voice Assistant Access | ||
| Amazon Alexa | Yes | |
| Google Assistant | Yes | |
| Siri | Yes | |
| Connectors | ||
| 3.5mm | No | |
| 1/4" | No | |
| Lightning | No | |
| 4.4mm balanced | No | |
| XLR4 balanced | No | |
| 2.5mm | No | |
| Other | None | |
| Specs | ||
| Frequency Response | 20-40k Hz | |
| Sensitivity | N/A dB | |
| Impedance | N/A | |
| Weight | 0.34 ounces | |
| Cord Length | N/A | |
| Parts Warranty | 1 Year | |
| Labor Warranty | 1 Year | |
Product Research
Features
Overview: Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless earbuds feature high quality noise canceling to help you focus on the music or podcast you're listening to. In addition, the Ambient Sound setting can adapt to your surroundings and current activity. The LinkBuds S have Bluetooth version 5.2 for high quality sound and clear, reliable wireless performance. The LinkBuds S come with a compact charging case, and 4 pairs of hybrid silicone ear tips to assure a good fit for any sized ears.
Drivers: LinkBuds S utilize a new 5mm driver with a high-compliance diaphragm that produces clear audio with rich bass. Coupled with Sony's Integrated Processor V1, the Link Buds reduces distortion while enhancing sound quality and improving noise cancellation.
Ear Tips: The LinkBuds S come with 4 pairs of hybrid silicone rubber earbud tips in sizes SS, S, M, and LL. The silicone tips stay in place, and provide all-day comfort.
Bluetooth 5.2: The LinkBuds S are equipped with Bluetooth 5.2, the latest version of the wireless technology. Your wireless connection is stable with fewer dropouts, lower latency, and high quality sound. The Bluetooth signal is transmitted to both ears at the same time, instead of the convention left-to-right relay transmission. You can choose either the left or right LinkBud if you only want to use a single ear bud instead of both. The LinkBuds S support SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs, as well as A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, and HFP profiles. Bluetooth range is approximately 30 feet (10 meters).
Note: A firmware update, released in November 2022, allows you to simultaneously connect 2 devices to the headphones, and switch between them. See Sony Support for more information.
Sound Quality Modes: During Bluetooth playback, you can select the priority setting of the wireless signal. If you have a strong wireless signal, and you want the best possible sound quality, you should select "Priority on Sound Quality." If your Bluetooth connection is unstable, with frequent dropouts, you should select "Priority on Stable Connection" setting. The sound quality settings can be changed in the Sony Headphones Connect app.
Hi-Res Audio Wireless: Sony's LinkBuds S support High Resolution Audio Wireless through the LDAC™ codec. By transmitting approximately three times more data than conventional Bluetooth audio (990 kbps vs 328 kbps), LDAC lets you enjoy high quality wireless audio up to 96kHz/32-bit sampling. LDAC is compatible with a wide variety of devices, including smartphones and digital audio players.
Voice Assistant: The Sony LinkBuds S allow you to use your favorite Voice Assistant. You can set up and use the default Voice Assistant from your phone, including Siri (iPhone) and Google (Android). The LinkBuds S also work with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
Control: LinkBuds S can be controlled with simple taps to the touch sensors on the left or right ear buds:
| Action | Left Earbud | Right Earbud |
|---|---|---|
| Tap | Switching between Noise Cancelling and Ambient Sound Mode | Play or pause music |
| Double tap | Receive or end call | Skip to next track Receive or end call |
| Triple tap | --- | Skip to beginning of previous or current track during playback |
| Touch and hold | Activate the Quick Attention Mode | Use or cancel the Voice Assist function (Google App or Siri) |
Sony Headphones Connect: The Sony Headphones Connect app enhances your LinkBuds S experience with additional features and sound enhancements. The app serves as the central location for configuring the operation of your LinkBuds S. The app lets you keep your LinkBud software up to date, and view the Bluetooth pairing and battery charging status of the ear buds and charging case at a glance. You can use the Ambient Sound Control function to change the Noise Cancellation and Ambient Sound Modes. The 360 Reality Audio, DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine), and built-in EQ lets you set the sound quality to your liking. The app is compatible with iPhone and iPod touch with iOS 11.0 or later, and Android devices with version 5.0 and up.
Noise Cancelling: The LinkBuds S feature premium Noise Cancelling which electronically shuts out external noise so you can hear your music or phone calls more clearly and without distraction. Microphones on the outside of each LinkBud pick up ambient noise and mixes it with an identical but opposite signal to cancel the noise. The Ambient Sound Mode uses the same microphones to allow the ambient noise to be heard through the ear buds. Tapping the touch sensor on the left ear bud switches between the Noise Cancelling and Ambient Sound Modes. The settings of these modes are adjusted in the Sony Headphones Connect app.
Adaptive Sound Control: Activated in the Sony Headphones Connect app, Adaptive Sound Control analyzes the ambient noise and automatically adjusts the sound settings. It senses where you are and what you're doing to adjust the ambient sound settings for the best sound quality. Adaptive Sound Control recognizes locations you frequently visit (workplace, restaurant, home), and learns your behavior and automatically changes to the optimal sound settings.
Speak-to-Chat: Featured in the Sony Headphones Connect app, Speak-to-Chat uses voice pickup technology to automatically pause your audio when you speak so you can have a conversation without having to remove the LinkBuds S. The feature must be enabled in the app. Once your conversation is over, the music will resume approximately 15 seconds after you finish speaking. You can customize the resume time in the app, if desired. You can also deactivate Speak-to-Chat by tapping either the left or right LinkBud.
Precise Voice Pickup: The built-in microphones have Precise Voice Pickup technology to ensure your voice is clear to your callers, even in noisy environments. Advanced voice signal processing and Sony's noise reduction algorithm brings out your voice in a wide range of environments.
360 Reality Audio: The LinkBuds S are compatible with Sony's 360 Reality Audio, which immerses you in sound. 360 Reality Audio places vocals, instruments, and effects on a 360° sphere that surrounds you, instead of only two speakers. It is compatible with many of the popular premium music streaming services, including Amazon Music Unlimited, Deezer, TIDAL, and nugs.net.
Water Resistance: The Sony LinkBuds S have an IPX4 water-resistance rating, providing protection against splashing water from any angle (except the ventilation holes, microphone holes, and sound exit tube). The charging case is not water resistant.
Battery: Each LinkBud has a built-in 3.85V Lithium-ion rechargeable battery that charges when placed inside the charging case. The amount of music playback and communication time depends on the mode and codec selected (see table below). The charging case's built-in battery stores enough power for two additional full charges. The LinkBuds S charge in the charging case in about 2 hours. Fully charging the LinkBuds S and the charging case together requires about 3 hours. A 5-minute quick charge gives you approximately 60 minutes of playback time. The case has a USB-C port for charging, and includes a 7" USB-A to USB-C cable. You should use a commercially available USB charging adapter that supplies an output current of 0.5A (500mA) or more, up to 2.6A (13 watts). The available operating times of fully-charged LinkBuds S are as follows:
| Codec | Selected Function | Music Playback Time | Communication Time | Standby Time |
| LDAC™ | Noise Canceling ON | 3.5 hours max. | 3.5 hours max. | 8.5 hours max. |
| Ambient Sound Mode ON | 3.5 hours max. | 3.5 hours max. | 8 hours max. | |
| OFF | 4.5 hours max. | 3.5 hours max. | 16 hours max. | |
| AAC | Noise Canceling ON | 6 hours max. | 3.5 hours max. | 8.5 hours max. |
| Ambient Sound Mode ON | 6 hours max. | 3.5 hours max. | 8 hours max. | |
| OFF | 9 hours max. | 3.5 hours max. | 16 hours max. | |
| SBC | Noise Canceling ON | 6 hours max. | 3.5 hours max. | 8.5 hours max. |
| Ambient Sound Mode ON | 6 hours max. | 3.5 hours max. | 8 hours max. | |
| OFF | 9 hours max. | 3.5 hours max. | 16 hours max. |
Recycled Materials and Packaging: The Sony LinkBuds S are designed with the environment in mind. Aesthetic parts, such as the LinkBuds S' exterior housing, use recycled plastic materials from automobile parts. In addition, the packaging material is made with no plastics to reduce the environmental impact.
Specifications:
- Drivers: 5mm driver
- Frequency Response (Bluetooth):
- 44.1kHz sampling: 20Hz - 20kHz
- LDAC (96kHz /990kbps sampling): 20Hz - 40kHz
- Operating Temperature: 32° F to 104° F
- Dimensions:
- Headphones: Width 0.708", Height 0.916", Depth 0.91"
- Charging Case: Width 2.36", Height 1.687" Depth 1.09"
- Weight:
- Headphones: 0.34 ounces (0.17 each)
- Charging Case: 1.24 ounces
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Customer Q&A
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Loved everything about these including the fit and that they arent obviously dangling from one's ears. Only thing is I wish they had a volume control in addition to play/skip and call answer so that one could do all 3 things at once. They have it, but can only choose 2 out of 3 at a time.
Kurush from New York, NY