Sony LinkBuds Speaker review: Meet Sony's basic new portable speaker

Sony has a huge collection of portable Bluetooth speakers to choose from, and now the LinksBuds Speaker has joined the group. It is part the revamped LinkBuds lineup, which is built around the LinkBuds Fit and LinkBuds Open wireless earbuds.

Despite some issues, I genuinely appreciate the attention Sony put into the Speaker, from the compact packaging to the clear, well-balanced sound. It also has proprietary Auto Switch technology to seamlessly change audio output from the speaker to your current Sony headphones.

That said, however, the high MSRP and minimal personalization options should make you second-guess the investment, especially when there are other, lower-priced competitors like the Beats Pill ($150) and UE Wonderboom 4 ($89) that offer more for less.

Sony LinkBuds Speaker review: CHEAT SHEET

· What is it? A new wireless speaker that is part of Sony’s range of LinkBuds products, which also includes the LinkBuds Fit and LinkBuds Open earbuds.

· Who is it for? Anyone invested in the brand’s wireless audio ecosystem or those who want a portable Bluetooth speaker that works with current Sony headphones.

· What does it cost? $179 / £147 / AU$291

· What do we like? It sounds better than its size suggests and holds a charge longer than most luxury wireless speakers.

· What don’t we like? The call quality, current price, and scarce feature set.

Sony LinkBuds Speaker review: Price and availability

You can purchase the Sony LinkBuds Speaker for $179 / £147 / AU$291 on Sony’s website or popular retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Only two colors are sold: black and white/gray.

This speaker is more affordable than the category-leading Sonos Move 2 ($449) and Bose SoundLink Home ($229). It’s also pricier than the Beats Pill ($150) and bargain gems like the UE Wonderboom 4 ($89) and sibling Sony SRS-XB100 ($58).

Sony LinkBuds Speaker review: Design

• Adequate craftsmanship
• IPX4 water resistance
• Serviceable accessories

Sony’s LinkBuds Speaker looks clean and is well built. The exterior is covered in soft woven fabric and sturdy plastic that houses the 16mm tweeter and 48x56mm balanced mid/bass driver. IPX4 certification means it can handle water splashing, but the speaker can’t be submerged like some inexpensive waterproof speakers (e.g., Tribit Stormbox Micro 2). Size-wise, it is tiny enough to bring anywhere and rests handsomely on any surface. There is a built-in rubberized lanyard to latch the speaker onto objects with a carabiner.

The bundled charging dock with marble design is chic. It will spice up your home or office décor, plus it makes for a more convenient charging solution. A USB-C to USB-A charging cable is also in the box for standard wired charging, though you can use any USB-C to USB-C cable as well.

Sony LinkBuds Speaker review: Features

• Very few features
• Responsive controls
• Intelligible voice assistance

Many of Sony’s key features are tied to the Sound Connect app (previously Sony Headphones Connect), and the LinkBuds Speaker only supports a handful. On the list: a customizable EQ, DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine), power settings, Quick Access, and Auto Play app compatibility. The latter is used to set up routines that automatically play music from select streaming services (Amazon Music, Endel, Spotify) at specific times.

Although that seems like a lot at first glance, this pales in comparison to what the best Sony headphones and other Sony speakers offer (e.g., ULT Field 1, ULT Field 7).

On a more positive note, the speaker has an extensive control scheme to enable numerous functions. This includes call management, digital assistance, playback, power/pairing, volume, and Auto Play activation. Each button produces solid tactility and responds to single/multi-press commands with precision. Google Assistant and Siri grant reliable voice assistance.

Sony LinkBuds Speaker review: Sound quality

• Articulate soundstage with versatile frequency range
• Effective omnidirectional presentation
• Bass could be stronger
• Underwhelming audio customization

The LinkBuds Speaker caters to casual listeners who enjoy warm, neutral sound. Its 360-degree design projects lively audio from all angles. Listening at max volume won’t create any distortion, making for a pleasurable listening experience.

Salsa tracks were a standout. The instrument separation on orchestral masterpieces like Tito Puente’s “Mambo Gozon” was phenomenal. I could tell the difference between each brass instrument during the layered horn sections, and each one sounded vibrant over the percussive background.

Electronic dance tracks like Miami Horror’s “Real Slow” sounded a lot clearer on this speaker than I've heard on other similarly priced rivals. I was loving the infectious bop created by the catchy piano notes and disco-y synths. Other elements in this track shined, like the silvery guest vocals, which were the most transparent I’ve ever heard them. That says a lot about the speaker’s exceptional midrange.

The boom levels on Run the Jewels’ “Out of Sight” weren’t as energetic as I would have liked. Nonetheless, I was still satisfied with the punchy lows that radiated through the speaker grilles.

I’m also digging the LinkBuds Speaker as a desktop speaker. The subtle sound delivery is more pleasant in confined environments and won’t impose on others when played at moderately low volume (30 percent).

Where the speaker loses points is sound personalization: It simply lacks the expansive feature set of other Sony speakers. The 5-band EQ is mediocre and the Clear Bass slider below it to increase/decrease bass doesn’t work well. In addition, the Find Your Equalizer setting that tailors sound to your hearing test barely enhances the soundstage. I would have preferred Sony’s preprogrammed presets that complement many music genres.

There is no bass-boosting mode. The Sound Field Optimization setting featured on certain ULT speakers is not available; it automatically scans your environment for ambient noise and dynamically adjusts sound. Lastly, Sony’s LDAC codec is missing, so you can’t play music at a faster bitrate for high-quality playback on compatible Android devices.

The lone bright sound feature is DSEE upscaling that boosts clarity on the best music streaming services, though it's not as powerful as the DSEE Extreme technology we've seen on Sony's flagship headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM5.

Sony LinkBuds Speaker review: Battery life

• Lengthy playtimes
• Charging dock is useful for cable-free charging

A full charge nets you up to 25 hours of battery life. Loud volume and special features decrease it by about 3 to 5 hours. That is enough for a week’s worth of moderate listening. My unit came 60% charged and, without recharging it yet, 20% remains in the tank after using it for 3 hours per day of listening over a 5-day stretch.

Quick charging is promoted on the LinkBuds Speaker’s product page, but no specifications are shared. My testing saw the speaker gain close to 1.5 hours of listening time on a 10-minute charge. Both charging solutions (dock, USB-C cable) provide the same charging time.

Sony LinkBuds Speaker review: Call quality and connectivity

• Not recommended for voice and video calls
• Bluetooth 5.2 runs smoothly
• Multiple connectivity technologies

Speakerphone functionality was disappointing. Everyone I spoke with complained about how loud and sharp my voice sounded, though I felt like performance was fine on my end. Despite that, I wouldn’t ask anyone on the opposite end to deal with my harsh-sounding vocals on voice or video chats.

Wireless performance is some of the category’s best. Connectivity holds up well when your audio source is within 40 feet of the speaker. Stepping out of range creates unwanted stutter. That's par for the course with Bluetooth 5.2.

Auto Switch technology will automatically send audio from your Sony headphones to the speaker, and it works with the following headphone models: LinkBuds Fit (WF-LS910N), LinkBuds Open (WF-L910), LinkBuds S (WF-LS900N), WF-1000XM5, and WH-1000XM5. The feature operates without a hitch, so points to Sony there.

One wireless technology that isn’t advertised much is Bluetooth multipoint, which lets you pair the speaker to two media devices simultaneously. This came in handy when I needed to jump off FaceTime chats on my MacBook to answer voice calls on my Android smartphone.

Sony LinkBuds Speaker review: Verdict

The LinkBuds Speaker mostly met my expectations, but rarely surpassed them. Several brand hallmarks were on full display, including long battery life, strong connectivity, and a stylish, sturdy design. Sonically, it’s better balanced than any UE Wonderboom model and has wider frequency range. Just don’t expect the head-rattling bass response that other Sony speakers deliver.

Unfortunately, extended functionality isn’t the LinkBuds Speaker’s greatest strength. Niche features like Auto Switch and the charging dock don’t have the same drawing power as Sony’s other upscaled features. In my opinion, anyone spending $180 on a portable speaker deserves a more expansive EQ and LDAC codec support.

The good news for Sony is that a price drop will fix some of the issues mentioned above. If executed, then the LinkBuds Speaker can be a worthy option for consumers wanting a tiny speaker that sounds fantastic in all environments. Until then, the LinkBuds Speaker has limited appeal to anyone who lives outside of Sony's ecosystem of audio products.

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