Sony LinkBuds Clip Open-Ear Truly Wireless Earbuds, Comfortable & Secure Fit, Lightweight Clip-On Design, Touch Controls, Ambient Sound Awareness, Water Resistant, Up to 37 Hrs of Playback, Lavender

Arguably the best sound yet in this form factor as long as you aren’t listening through iOS
My original impression of these was largely negative, noting that they were very quiet and had very poor bass and treble extension. However, this appears to be a quirk with how they interact with iOS. On Android and Windows these sound great; fuller sounding than the Shokz OpenDots One, better treble than the Soundcore AeroClip, and more clarity than the Bose Ultra Open. Plenty of volume and bass. There is more control customization than the Shokz and Soundcore, but less than the Bose and frustratingly grouped into very flawed and arbitrary sets that you have to pick from. They clamp a bit harder than the Shokz and Soundcore, but are far more comfy than the Bose. It’s a bit of a bummer than they don’t have wireless charging or interchangeable units, though to be fair only the Shokz have either. Very nice overall.

Low volume on my iPhone and not very comfortable after 30 or so minutes.
These earbuds are just “ok”. They’re easy to clip onto your ear like any other brand. They look compact and relatively discrete. I would say that the bend part of the ear buds is a little stiffer than I’d like, the trade off being though that if they were looser, they would probably fall off easier.Pairing was easy enough. When I took them out of the package, they were already in pairing mode. Opening up the Bluetooth settings on my iPhone showed the LinkBuds right away. I selected them and they were paired. Opening up the Sony Sound Connect app will prompt you to either sign in or create a Sony account. I already had an account so after logging in, the LinkBuds showed up. The app allows you to set a few options like the equalizer and listening modes. It defaults to Standard mode while the Voice Boost boosts voices (obviously) and the Sound Leakage Reduction mode is supposed to contain most of the sound to your ear so that it doesn’t bother others around you. In my testing, this meant modifying the equalizer so that the sound seemed more “muted” and dull. There are also other features such as the option to start playing your music when you start running.Sound-wise, the clarity is decent though not anything “wow” inducing. However, my biggest gripe here is that I have to have the volume on my phone way up, sometimes almost max to hear anything at a “normal” level. I played around with the equalizer/sound options on the phone as well as within the app. What I noticed is when I select “Voice Boost” in the app, the sound got noticeably louder. However, in that mode, music did not sound great (since the mids were being boosted while the highs and lows were more muted). But volume-wise, I wished the “Standard” mode was at the same level as the “Voice Boost”. Or maybe they should just add a “Standard Boost” because that’s what these REALLY need!Comfort-wise, they felt comfortable when I first put them on. After a couple minutes, I didn’t even know they were there. However, after about 30 minutes, I noticed my ear did not feel comfortable and I HAD to take them off. I had my spouse try them as well. At first, she said they felt comfortable. However, after about a minute, she said they started to become “very noticeable” and she had to remove them. The design of these are very similar to competitors in that the parts that touch your ear are hard plastic. However, it would seem logical to put little tiny foam pads to spread the pressure over a slightly larger area. Being hard plastic, the pressure all gets focused on 1 spot on each side.Overall, I wanted to like these earbuds. The comfort issue is subjective as it depends on the person who is wearing them (everybody has different shape/sized ears and has different levels of pressure sensitivity). However, my biggest issue is that I have to basically max the volume on my iPhone to hear anything but counter-intuitively, setting the “Voice Boost” option raises the volume to wear I think they should be. Maybe this is just a software issue that Sony can fix in an upcoming patch? For the price though, I think there are better options, maybe just not in the ear clip version.

Low volume, terrible battery life
I own many open ear style earbuds. The sound these create is undeniably great for open earbuds. I also found these quite comfortable when adjusted to fit properly. Unfortunately, this is completely marred by very low volume and terrible battery life. I need to turn the volume up much higher than other open style buds to get the same effect. Also, after about 3 hours, I receive a low battery warning in the right bud. Overall I much prefer the Shokz Open Ones. The sound is comparable with much better volume and 3 times the battery life.

Best open-ear buds available.
These open-ear linkbuds are AMAZING!! I’ve had the Bose version and the previous Sony models, sound is more clear and clips are very comfortable.

I’ve had several pairs of open earbuds but it’s the first time I try clip type ones. These are also my most expensive open earbuds so I had high expectations especially since they are Sony. Honestly, I was very underwhelmed with these LinkBuds Clip.The case is small in length and width but quite thick. It’s very easy to open with nice curves that naturally fit your grip. No need to look for a small notch or try to figure out where the lid opens, it just works. The Sony branding is very discreet and I appreciate that. Note that leaving the case open will deplete the batteries so don’t leave it open on your desk and also don’t leave it open while it charges because it will slow down the process.The earbuds themselves are quite bulky. There are other clip on earbuds that are much smaller than these. They are comfortable for short periods of time but after a while, there is some soreness and heat felt in the back of the ears. I have small ears and I have tried the buds both with and without the “cushions” that came with them. Comfort-wise the cushions did not change much. However, the buds felt slightly more secure with the cushions on. It should be noted that I never felt like they would fall off with or without the cushions. They feel very secure no matter what.Installing the Sony Sound Connect app is required to access most features of the earbuds. You need to create an account to access the totality of the features but most of the features do not require an account. You can choose different EQ settings or create custom ones, even some specific to your hearing. I have to say that I was a bit disappointed here. I own earbuds that cost half the price of these LinkBuds with much better adaptive EQ features. Another disappointment was the lack of touch control customization. You can choose different presets but you can’t really make your own. I have 10 pairs of earbuds from different brands and prices ranging from $60 to $170 and all of them allow me to fully customize touch controls. All these earbuds have the same control scheme that I was allowed to create via their apps so that I don’t have to remember how to use them when I switch. I was shocked to see how limited Sony’s customization is. The touch controls are responsive enough although they take a little while to get used to. I set them to high sensitivity and I still feel like that I have to tap a bit too hard for comfort.On iOS the volume is very low compared to all my other earbuds. It is very noticeable. I hope Sony releases a firmware update to fix the issue. I found the sound clarity to be lacking when listening to music (and changing listening modes made it worse). Of course, these LinkBuds lack bass since they are open ear but I’m not a bass head at all so it’s not what bugged me, the sound is just muddy. Some of my cheaper open earbuds from different brands sound much clearer. With podcasts and audiobook, the sound was good. I had a couple of phone calls in quiet environments and I could be heard clearly. I’m not going to talk much about the listening modes as I mostly left the buds on Standard mode, Voice Boost and Sound Leakage Reduction felt way too gimmicky for me and drastically reduced/distorted sound quality.If you are a big Sony fan, have the budget, listen mostly to audiobooks or podcasts and want an open ear option that lets you be aware of your environment, these might be for you. Otherwise, I would wait for Sony to release the successor of the LinkBuds Clip.

I’ve been testing these Sony LinkBuds Clip for several days now across different environments and can provide detailed assessment of their capabilities and limitations. The open ear architecture represents Sony’s latest approach to situational awareness audio, utilizing a clip-based mounting system that attaches to the outer ear structure rather than inserting into the canal. This design philosophy prioritizes environmental connection while delivering audio content, though it introduces specific considerations regarding optimal placement that affect overall experience.The 10-millimeter driver configuration delivers frequency response that exceeds typical expectations for open ear designs, particularly in lower frequency reproduction where sealed earbuds traditionally dominate. Bass presence registers with more authority than comparable open ear alternatives I’ve tested, maintaining definition without overwhelming midrange clarity or high frequency detail. The standard listening mode provides balanced presentation across the spectrum, while voice boost and sound leakage reduction modes alter tonal characteristics in ways that compromise overall fidelity, consequently I’ve maintained standard mode for consistent performance. The DSEE audio enhancement processing compensates reasonably for the absence of high-resolution codec support, though audiophiles accustomed to LDAC transmission may notice compression artifacts during critical listening sessions.Physical comfort achieves high marks once proper positioning is established, the featherweight construction disappears during extended wear periods without generating pressure points or fatigue. However the clip mechanism requires intentional adjustment to locate the acoustic sweet spot where driver output aligns optimally with ear canal geometry, this necessitates occasional repositioning particularly after physical activity or head movements. The included air fitting cushions provide additional sizing options for smaller ear structures, though I haven’t required them personally. The IPX4 moisture resistance rating accommodates workout scenarios and weather exposure without concern, while tap controls respond reliably with audible confirmation feedback that eliminates guesswork during operation.Voice pickup technology combining beam-forming microphones with bone conduction sensors and AI processing delivers clear call quality that isolates speech effectively from ambient noise interference, tested during various background conditions including wind and crowded environments with positive results from conversation partners. Battery performance reaches the advertised nine hours on individual charges with case providing additional 28 hours reserve capacity, quick charging delivers usable runtime from brief connection periods. The absence of wireless charging capability at this price point represents minor inconvenience rather than fundamental limitation. Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity maintains stable connections across dual device multipoint scenarios, the Sound Connect application offers comprehensive EQ customization including automated hearing profile generation through comparative testing sequences. The compact flip-top case features magnetic seating that secures earbuds reliably during transport, available color options and customizable case covers enable aesthetic personalization.For users prioritizing open ear awareness with premium audio quality, these justify their positioning despite requiring more deliberate fitting procedures than hook-style alternatives.