The Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless are an updated version of the Sony LinkBuds Truly Wireless. But even though all of the LinkBuds are made with ambient sound in mind, the S model is more like the Sony WF-1000XM4 Truly Wireless than it is like the original LinkBuds. Instead of an open-ear enclosure, they fit in the ear and have an active noise cancelling (ANC) system to help block out background noise.
They look a lot like the XM4 but are mostly made of recycled plastic, making them lighter and more comfortable. Even though it’s not a complete change, Sony has moved away from the trend of making sounds that are too bassy and boomy.
With the new 5-millimeter driver in the LinkBuds S, Sony has gone back to a more traditional design for wireless earbuds. This means that the headphones have eartubes and silicone eartips that fit inside the ear. Sony has also added active noise cancellation (ANC) to help keep the outside world out.
Even though Sony changed the design and added this new technology, the earpieces are still small. Very little. Sony said that when the earbuds came out, they were the smallest noise-cancelling wireless earbuds in the world. Sony says they are 41% smaller and 33% lighter than its WF-1000XM4. They can feel it in their hands and in their ears.
They are easy to slide and twist into place and make a good seal (four different sizes of tips are provided in the box). They are also water resistant up to IPX4, so you can wear the Sonys to the gym and on your normal commute to work.
The LinkBuds S came out in three colours: white, black, and a beige-ish colour called “Ecru.” Since then, Sony has made a “Earth Blue” pair that is made from recycled water dispenser bottles and is more environmentally friendly. This gives the outside of the buds and case a marble effect that is “one of a kind” and reminds me of Global Hypercolor t-shirts.
Sony is selling the LinkBuds S (WF-LS900N) as a cheaper alternative to the flagship WF-1000XM4, and it does have almost all of the same features as the WF-1000XM4. But there are some big differences that explain why the prices and positions are different.
The sound quality is the biggest of these differences. The Sony LinkBuds S (WF-LS900N) have 5mm drivers instead of the WF-1000XM4’s 6mm drivers. Even though the size of the drivers may not mean much, the sound of the WF-LS900N is definitely different from that of the more expensive and better-sounding WF-1000XM4.