If you recall, Sony's "Thousand" line started with three products: full-size headphones, a TWS form factor model, and a "necklace" that Sasha Pobyvanets and I love so much. Reviews of all of these things are on our website and you can read:
But over time, reformatting happened - according to Year 22, there were the big "thousands" and the Sony LinkBuds S. The necklace was dropped due to lack of demand, but complicated names like the Sony WH-1000XM5 were replaced by the neat LinkBuds S.
It's my understanding that the "Thousand" series will probably be gone next year, and we'll be left with some LinkBuds Pro -- and, I'll tell you, killing your own brand isn't great.
On the other hand, we need to move on. Let's continue it and learn something new.
design, construction
When I reviewed the Sony WF-1000XM4 last year, I had only one complaint: The headphones sound great, but why make such a large case? They literally fell out of my ears and other colleagues complained.
I know Sony listened to consumers and decided to radically revise the design approach. Have any complaints about the size? OK, now we're going to build you the smallest and lightest TWS on the market. Well, maybe not the smallest, but the impression is exactly the same.
For Sony, eco-friendly packaging has become a tradition, a lightweight and unobtrusive case with no identifying marks - the logos on the lid and cup are barely visible. This material is recycled plastic that was formerly used in cars.
If you pull out one of the earpieces, playback stops - but what's the main function of Thousandths, when you press your palm against the cup and turn on transparency mode? Here it works differently: you pinch the left touch panel with your finger, answer or ask a question, or just listen to the message, remove your finger, and resume playback. Very comfortable.
Overall, to be honest, I have a lot of feelings for these headphones. It's just that the LinkBuds S are done right away - I had nothing to complain about for a while. They fit perfectly in my ears - I walked peacefully for two hours without the slightest discomfort. They are light and look beautiful - although it was my will, I opted for the white ones (but thanks a lot to the guys from Big geek - I don't understand how they managed to get hold of the new items).
In the harsh reality, the LinkBuds S might not work for the claimed six hours, but they can't fly to Los Angeles for twelve hours straight. And for normal use, the battery life is sufficient.
Sony's apps are traditionally multifunctional, but for Russia, some chips don't make sense -- "surround sound" 360 Reality Audio doesn't work, and quick access to Spotify doesn't make much sense. But they added quick access to Endel - I really like the app and I recommend it to everyone.By the way, its creators are our compatriots, here great interview.
I really live with Endel: I turn it on on the way to work to reduce stress, I turn it on on the way home, and I listen to different stereos in the car and at home. Wow, I highly recommend trying it out. A one-year subscription costs about 2000 rubles. I don't get tired of repeating: this is one of the best investments. By the way, because of the size and shape, the Sony LinkBuds S are perfect for meditation, yoga classes - turn on the Endel and sit back and relax. Or lie down and sleep.
The USB-C is for charging, the nozzles are mediocre, I recommend trying different sizes - well, again I recommend that you buy nozzles that meet. I took the first link I came across, you can look elsewhere.
Yes, there's another nice touch: the touchpad can be configured to adjust the volume, which is handy. The lights on the chassis are pleasant, not annoying.
noise suppression
I compared all of the small noise-cancelling headphones to the Apple AirPods Pro - it's just that the differences between the modes are very noticeable here. This is noise reduction - like a pillow against your ear. It's transparent mode - I immediately heard Kazakov's voice in the next office as if I were standing nearby. Here, everything is turned off -- you know, everything is turned off. I remind you again: don't forget to install the Sony app to control various functions, it's very useful.
The Sony LinkBuds S don't have the same effect. Transparency mode does a great job here - really cool, no problem. The noise reduction is almost invisible, and when it is turned on, the surrounding sound does not change much. It's quite logical that the quality of the music changes slightly when switching from mode to mode.
I tried listening in the subway - alas, the noise canceller can't handle loud sounds, it just seems to flatten them out a bit. Again, this isn't AirPods Pro level.
sound
The headset supports the usual set of codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC, Bluetooth 5.2 profiles. The operating range is the usual, about five or six meters in an office in the center of Moscow. The headset's equipment doesn't raise any issues either, a custom 5mm driver works in tandem with the Sony V1 processor, which handles the operation of the noise cancelling/transparency system, sound quality, equalizer settings - and in general, everything.
Lightweight and compact headphones shouldn't seem like they should cause pleasure, but I've been experiencing them for two days. Great sound! I listened a lot on Apple Music, played Diablo phones, opened Vox with a Flac file, connected headphones to the Fold 2 - everything was fine. The drivers inexplicably created a scene where all sorts of little things were heard and the music was deep and beautiful. Overall, the impression is like big headphones - but when you look at my face from the front, the LinkBuds S are almost invisible!
As for the quality of the voice transmission, there is no problem: I hear it well and they hear it well. Walking down the street, it is possible to communicate without raising your voice.
judgment
What we end up with are headphones that are chic, lightweight, comfortable, and sound great. I'm surprised. Noise reduction is implemented at the C-Class - maybe it helps you in a quiet office, but on a plane it's unlikely to save you from crying next to the child (this isn't a Bose QC, and it's not a big "thousand" fraction") Sony). In the US, the earphones cost $198, and the LinkBuds S haven't officially launched yet, and it's unclear if they'll launch in the foreseeable future.
If you have the chance, should you buy it? If you want to try something new and other TWS sit still, definitely give it a try. Somehow, the LinkBuds S were unknowingly replaced in my AirPods 3 bag, and they took root and I think I'll be driving all summer. In my opinion, in terms of sound, they are more pleasing than AirPods, and even more expensive earphones - a good case, drivers, software. Sony did their best and it turned out great - I'd like to try listening or doing some other audiophile perversion with some kind of hi-fi player.
friends, with the guys at Big Geek We're developing an audio direction for the store - looking to add the top jobs currently on the market to the store section. Don't forget to use promo code WYLSACOM for audio and other items at the big geek store.
.
0 Comments