Customer Ratings & Reviews

The LinkBuds Clip combines a great fit with a rich sound from earbuds that just don't fall out!!! Design I like the sleek easy to work with design of the case. The case is very easy to open and close. I've had earbud cases where sometimes it was hard for me to tell which direction it opened. The Sony logo on top, while sort of small and subtle, makes it easy for me to see which way to open it. The top half of the case is ultra-glossy. The bottom half is a smooth, matte, finish. There is a USB-C port on the back to charge it and a button on the back for pairing. The way the earbuds fit in the case makes it very easy to put them in and take them out. They fit in magnetically, going into position easily. The battery life is great, I'll talk more about that later. The earbuds clip over my ears very well. The part that goes behind the hear and the thin piece that attaches the two parts together are both touch sensitive. So both of those make one "button" on each ear piece. Everything is very rounded, the part in the ear, outside the ear, and the piece that connects them. They are all very smooth and rounded all over. They can be paired to two devices at a time. The app will show which devices they're paired to and which is active. It seems to switch gracefully between the two. I've included two pictures showing the earbuds and the case with a quarter next to them, to give you an idea of the look and size. One picture has the case open and one has the case closed. Fit and Comfort I'm loving the clip-around-the-ear design! I'm still getting used to putting them on, not because it's hard, it's just different. But they're not hard to put on and they stay on very well. I was even able to wear them for shoveling snow! I've never had earbuds that stayed in this well. These feel like they would never fall off, but they're also extremely comfortable. Once in a while they shift into a position that is not comfortable, but that doesn't happen often and then I can move them back into place easily, and even so, they've never been close to coming out. I think they would be excellent for sports, though I haven't been able to do much recently other than shovel. Controls The controls work as you would expect any capacitive touch controls to, like a phone screen. No swiping on these though, just tapping. It takes at least two taps for an action, which I think is good because it makes it harder to do things by accident, if you're just trying to put them in or out for example. To give you an idea of the controls, to Pause or Play you tap the right earbud twice, Next Song is three taps on the right, and Volume Up is four or more taps on the right. Two taps on the left side changes the Sound Mode. It's a three way toggle between "Standard", "Voice Boost", and "Sound Leakage Reduction". I'll talk about those more later. Three taps on the left side does nothing by default, for some reason. Four or more taps on the left is "Volume Down". You can use the app to customize the controls a little but it's kind of rigid. For instance I can't keep the default settings but set three taps on the left for "Previous Song". It also has a "Quick Access" option that sounds cool at first because it's configurable, but you can only set it to Amazon Music Play Now, Endel Quick Access, or Spotify Tap. To get Previous Song on three taps I have to select an option that also replaces the sound mode double tap with Next Song. Anyway, I do like the way the controls work and it's rare that I need to use "Previous Song". So while I would like to see some changes to the app, the controls work very well and I really like the defaults, I just wish it had "Previous Song" as a default for three taps on the left where it does nothing. Sound Being a new type of earbud, at least for me, with the way it clips around the ear, I was interested to see how good they would sound. I've been very impressed! I think the sound is excellent! I think that conventional in-ear buds can do slightly deeper bass, but these have still have very good bass and everything else is excellent! I think the biggest downside is also a design function. Because you're able to hear what's going on around you very well, since it isn't down in your ear, it's just not possible for them to do noise cancelation. So there is no option for that. But, it's great that I don't need to take them out/off to talk with people and I can hear well while driving with them in. So just some things to keep in mind. But yes, the sound is great. I've used them for listening to audio dramas (theatrical production of a book), podcasts, and different styles of music. Sounds are reproduced in a very full and rich way. There is a "360 Reality Audio" setup that in the app that has some test samples of surround audio. It sounds incredible! You can really hear the positional audio moving around you. And actually, one thing I noticed with these earbuds as opposed to some others, is the audio really sounds more like it's room filling. That may sound odd but I'm not sure how to describe it. It feels like there's extra depth to it. Anyway, it sounds great. There are EQs in the App and you can customize them. I noticed a little difference with them but not a lot. Everything still sounds great though. It will also take you through some steps to create a custom EQ for you. I wasn't very impressed by that, but I don't really care because the sound is excellent anyway. There is also a DSEE mode that I turned on (actually set to Auto) which is designed to improve the quality of compressed audio, which is what most people listen to most of the time. I also have them set to use a wireless connection that prioritizes sound quality over the connection stability. Both that and the DSEE can impact battery life but it's still been great. I do want to mention that they worked very well for voice calls also. The person I was talking with could hear me well and I could hear them loud and clearly. Also, the three sound modes are very noticeably different. "Standard" works great and, as you would guess is for general use. "Voice Boost" does just that, boosting the volume of vocals very significantly. If you're on a phone call in a noisy room, this could make a huge difference in you hearing the person talking to you. "Sound Leakage Reduction" sort of muffles the sound, you can still hear clearly, though that doesn't really make sense, but it's the best way I can describe it. It's designed so that people near you can't hear as much of what you're listening to. Battery Life The battery life has been excellent. I charged it (the case with the earbuds in it) one time, after unboxing. Since then I haven't had to charge it. The case is at 50% and the earbuds are at 100%. I don't know how long I've used them but I've used them a lot for phone calls as well as listening to various types of audio. They advertise 9 hours of battery life for the earbuds and an additional 28 hours by recharging in the case. That seems very possible to me. I was disappointed that the case doesn't support wireless charging, but as great as the battery life is and as easy as it is to find a USB C charger, I don't think I care. Summary To me, this was a new type of form factor. On one hand, I don't think there is one design that's best because different designs can allow for maybe a little better bass or add noise canceling, for instance. But if I could only pick one design, it would probably be this clip on design. The sound is excellent, they're so comfortable, and they just don't fall out! Sony has done a great job of with the LinkBuds Clip! If you're in the market, give them a try!

After testing these earbuds out for a few days and using them daily, I can definitely say I am not disappointed with them. But I also have some gripes that could be deal breakers for some. For me, the negatives are just a nuisance but I still like the headphones overall. THE GOOD: Right off the bat I have to mention the unique design. These aren’t exactly “standard” wear (for the time being at least). Putting them on was a little challenging the first few times, something I never thought I would say about headphones, but once I got used to how they fit and feel, I could put them on pretty easily. The unique design allows your ears to still hear your surroundings and talk/chew without hearing yourself in your head like ear plugging headphones can do. I have a similar style of headphones from a different brand I won’t name but would not be shoking if you guessed it. They go with the larger ear clip design, sort of like the end of a pair of glasses, and I think both styles are comfortable but oddly these Sonys actually seem to stay put better, despite having less material. I think the clip design helps hold the headphones tighter in place, but at the cost of a little more pain in long term wear. At first, these headphones did not cause me any pain and I would wear them around the house and forget I had them on. Especially if the music was off. But after a few continuous days of wear, I did notice a slight soreness on my ear lobes. It was like fatigue from the weight and or pinch. It’s not ideal, but also came with a LOT of wear as I was testing them out. So I think there’s a happy medium. I also found there are different ways to wear these buds that result in better or worse audio quality as well as comfort. With a slight twist, I can get a better sound but it does pinch my ear lobe more. So again, perhaps the comfort is situational. The bottom line is I can wear them for a few hours no problem. Something I cannot do with my in ear noise canceling headphones from 4 other brands and Sony too. With these linkbuds, I could run and they would not fall off or even feel loose, but I could still hear the street noise and traffic. The audio quality is actually pretty good for the design. I actually wasn’t expecting such a clear and full sound. There’s still a noticeable bass and vocals come through clear. Again, I was able to move them around a bit and actually get a better sound by angling the speaker more directly into my ear, but this would sacrifice comfort and the ability to hear around me a little. But for sources like phone calls or podcasts, audiobooks, etc, the quality is plenty good. I also wanted to mention the case real quick. It’s not always the center piece but it’s worth noting this case is nice and small, although a little boxy. It still fits in a pocket fine, but may be a little tight in small pockets. But I love that it has a pair button so I don’t have to try to remember what magic pattern or LED light combos mean just to pair it. The case also gives you more charges like most wireless headphones these days, and I found the battery life to be very good out of the box. When listening at low volumes, I had no issues going a full work day with these on. The app is familiar to me as I’ve used many Sony headphones, but I think it’s pretty straightforward and has never really had major bugs over the years. Honestly, I don’t use it much unless I need to pair or adjust EQ. THE BAD: Like I said, there are a few negatives to come along with these, and it’s up to you to decide if you can deal with them or not for the price. Which is one negative. I know headphones are getting more and more expensive and I think these are worth the cost, but it’s still asking a lot for no noise cancelling (obviously by design), a unique target audience, and limited features. I can say, the much cheaper headphones that target the same needs are much worse quality too. I think that makes the price understandable, but I still wish it was under 200 at least. (230 at time of review) I already mentioned the comfort issues I had earlier, but to recap, I mostly think they are comfortable, but I have noticed more irritation over multiple day use. I also have ears that get sore from wearing a tight fitting winter hat too long, so if most people are saying these cause no pain, I would bet that’s more the average. Now, AFTER I wore these for a few days and was going back to the packaging to read over the paperwork included, I only then found the comfort tips hidden in the box. I was excited! “This should help!” I thought. But I quickly realized I was wrong. They’re useless. I’m just going to say it, most people will probably accidentally throw them away, some will not bother and the rest will actually like them but lose them because they slip off SO easy. I took one bud out and didn’t realize the rubber pad fell off and was on the floor. I stepped on it later. So yeah, not sure what the idea was there, but it’s not working for me. Not a big deal since I’m not having comfort issues in that area anyway. So one last negative that got to me. The tap settings. Like SO MANY headphones these days, there are commands for tapping the ear bud. One tap two tap three tap four, I feel like I’m on sesame street. None of the brands follow the same rules and it’s always a nightmare trying to remember what does what on which headphones. I wish they would just give us a list of commands available and let us decide which tap on which ear does what. Sony got halfway there with these buds, you can sort of decide how you want the taps to work. The app allows you to change from sets of commands. It’s a start I guess. But I’m still annoyed. I can key my video game controller to any command but headphones can’t. Like I said in the intro, these negatives are noticeable but not bad enough for me to say I don’t like these or I won’t use these headphones. I have yet to find a pair of headphones that can do everything, much like my closet full of clothes, I have headphones for different occasions and needs. Which seems like something that would blow my mind if I told 5 year old me that. OVERALL: I think the best way to describe these headphones is that they are not going to be your end all be all go to pair of headphones. They are designed for a very specific need, and when you’re in that need, these are the best headphones you can grab. They won’t make you happy if you’re trying to drown out plane noise, or crowds, or dudes grunting at the gym; but if you wish you could have a quiet soundtrack playing throughout your day while still being able to talk and interact with others around you, or you want to listen to podcasts while still being able to hear your kids scream from the other room that the internet is still slow, these are perfect. You can wear them all day comfortably, the battery lasts just as long, and you can still hear everything going on around you. I loved being able to put a playlist on at very low volumes and still be able to have conversations with others around me. For those looking to add audio to their life without subtracting noise around them, grab the Sony Linkbuds!

My first impression was and is really positive! The case looks okay, it’s kind of like a jewelry box in this cream color. A little too feminine looking for my tastes, but the design itself is nice. It’s small and very pocketable, and despite the ear buds looking the same you can’t put them on the wrong side. The bottom of the case is a soft touch plastic, and the top is a harder glossy finish. I don’t know exactly why that is, but my hunch is the bottom is more scratch resistant. Set up was super easy, it was easier on my Android device than it was on my iPhone. With my iPhone, I had to push the button to get it to recognize. On Android, it just popped up and then told me to download the app after it paired to it and took me right there. The sound, arguably the most important part of this review, was surprisingly good! I’ve used open earbuds before and I was underwhelmed by the sound. I didn’t feel that way with these! This could be a placebo, but it also sounds better on Android. Perhaps it’s just YouTube Music itself sounding better on Android than iOS. Or just my imagination. Either way, it sounds really good! It has really full sound, and can get loud enough to block some of the ambient sound. I took them on a walk and felt so comfortable and aware of my surroundings. I had my wife try and see if she could hear it, she said she could when it’s super loud. There is a feature to stop that. It seemed to work, but if you were in a library, I think you’re just gonna have to turn it down. The LinkBuds Clips are also super comfortable. My ears are kind of prone to getting earbud fatigue fairly quickly. With these not being fully in my ear, that isn’t quite a concern for me. On another day I decided to go jogging and I had zero worry of them falling out of my ears. That said, the tap controls are kind of confusing to me, not hard to get used to, but it’s a mix of numbers of taps to do things. When you’re jogging it’s annoying to do ‘that many’ taps to change tracks. I would have liked some swipes to change things. That said the important ones (play and stop) are super simple. And I’m glad that a single tap is nothing. Lastly, the battery life is nice as well. I had a really hard time making them die in normal use. Would I recommend them? Yeah I think I would. I wish the design of the case was different. What would be super cool is if they could disconnect the hook part and become in ear buds and the app and buds just knew and changes the audio profiles. That would be the best of both worlds.

Clip-on ear buds are reasonably new compared to headphones and earbuds. Headphones typically cover your ears. Earbuds go inside your ear. Both are great but one disadvantage is that they prevent you from hearing what’s going on around you while you’re listening to something. The Sony LinkBuds Clip are part of that newer category of devices that clip onto your ear lobe area. They don’t cover your ear or sit inside – they sit ON the ear, clipped on to stay secure, so that the sound is directly into your ear, but also leaves your ears open so you can hear your surroundings as well. Definitely a lot safer when walking/jogging or driving (although use caution regarding local laws with anything around your ear when driving). The LinkBuds Clip come with a charging case that charges via USB-C, and they fit nicely inside onto the charging pins. A fully charged set of LinkBuds can go approximately 9 hours, give or take, and with a fully charged case, you can top them off enough to get around 37 hours total use time before everything needs to be charged again. If you’re in a crunch, you can charge the Buds for just 3 minutes and get around another hour of listening time. Volume levels do play a roll in battery time to a degree. The case is small and sleek and fits pretty much anywhere you need it to in order to carry it around. The LinkBuds clip onto your ear lobe area around midway down your ear. Everyone’s ears are shaped a bit different, so you may need to rest them down a bit. They are rated at IPX4, meaning that they should be able to handle some sweat if you’re using them during a workout, but not really rated to be dunked in water or worn during a heavier rain. Controls are on the half of the buds that rest on the back half of your ear, and via taps, can control playing and pausing music, adjusting volume, answering calls, and switching modes. With the Sony “Sound Connect” (Apple or Android) you can adjust Equalizer settings, balances, and more advanced settings – the app is not necessary for basic functions, though. You can also connect the buds to two devices at the same time. There’s a voice boost mode that in loud settings will boost your voice so phone calls are clearer, and a mode that helps adjust the amount of sound that others around you can hear while stilling letting you hear what you’re listening to, if you are in crowded places. So far, I really enjoy these. The sound is deep enough to get music and TV shows coming through well, as I use these on my phone and with my TV at night when I have a relative visiting, so I can listen to the TV louder without them hearing it in another room. I haven’t had any disconnects, do the Bluetooth seems really solid. Pairing was simple. The advanced controls work but so far I’ve mostly been fine with the default settings with just some tweaking here and there. Calls are good coming in; people on the other end can tell I’m using buds, and I do have to speak a little louder then if I were face to face with them so they can hear me in the same manner, but nothing obnoxious. They can still hear me fine. My only one issue so far is that I do have to wear them lower on my lobe, and I feel if I were jumping around, they might fall off, but then I have oddly shaped ears, and as I said earlier, everyone’s ears are shaped differently, so for a lot of folks this isn’t going to most likely be an issue. I definitely recommend these. They are not among the least costly of the clip-on type buds out there so while I give them 5 stars for their build and function, overall due to the price I give them 4 stars for affordability, but as always, look for them to go on a sale which will make them an excellent value for the money. Recommended.

Great fit, fantastic comfort. I have struggled with in-ears staying in my ears when active. I tried "hook over and around the ear" buds but even those slide out (but at least that style doesn't fall out and get lost). Clip-on, like the Sony LinkBuds Clip, offer a comfortable, snug fit even when very active or sweaty. Being an audiophile with fairly large ears, however, there is "depth of sound" loss especially when compared to earbuds that fit INSIDE your ear or headphones that completely COVER your ear. If I smoosh them into my ear canal a bit, they actually sound great. Nonetheless, the idea behind the clip-on earbuds is to get a great, comfortable fit that doesn't slide around or fall off while still hearing the ambient noises around you. These buds do that very well. I immediately tweaked the EQ on the Sony App (critical to achieve maximum satisfaction) into a V-like pattern. I tried the "find my sound" feature and was reasonably satisfied, but I also know that I tend to favor a modified V on my other headphones and home receiver for the music I listen to--grunge, rock, 80s rap, hip hop, classic rock, metal, and alt rock/punk. I flipped through Standard, Voice Boost, and Sound Leakage Reduction settings and believe Voice Boost will be very helpful if watching videos on your phone or while participating in a phone call. I think a double-tap by default on the "crossbar" of the left ear cycles you through the Standard, Boost, Leakage settings. Helpful if you have to switch from music to a call. Not certain I understand when/where I would need "sound leakage" mode, perhaps in a library environment--or maybe while watching a game on your phone at a wedding. :-) Leakage mode does seem to mute the overall tones, however. (i.e. cuts some of the treble and, for lack of a better way to describe it, muffles the overall tone.) I like that the app shows remaining battery on each clip independently...and the juice left in the case (which does all the charging through a usb-c cable--not supplied). Battery life is decent at 9hr for the buds. The case, which is nice and compact, can hold 37hrs of charging power. I wish the case had a small clip or hook eye to be able to thread a carabiner or wire cable through. I wish Sony included Google Find Hub capability since these buds and their case are so small. If there is a way to do that, it was not intuitive. My Sony Ult Wear noise canceling over-the-ear headphones are Find Hub capable. I cannot comment on the Scenic Listening feature. For whatever reason, even after modifying all the settings the app asked me to change, I kept seeing a request to update the software but it appears that there is nothing to update. Maybe I need to subscribe to or use a 360 Reality Sound service? For the record, I use YouTube Music. Dunno, don't much care as I don't think I need more AI in my life. Overall, I like these clips. My wife has a different brand of clips and honestly, the only real difference in my opinion is loudness between her "whatever" brand and my Sonys. Regardless, I would still recommend these clips for comfort and quality, plus the EQ and the ability of the case to charge the buds up to 37 hours (9 hours at a time up to 4 times) are better than average.

TLDR: very comfortable ear buds, with the best transparency i felt wearing any kind of ear buds, they stick to the ears while running or working out or doing physical work, but the sound quality leave a lot to be desired. The good: - seriously comfortable: I wore them for about 4.5 hours today as I was assembling some furniture we bought, and then went out for a run. - can connect to 2 devices at the same time. - transparency is genuinely good. - light weight. - great battery life: charged to 100% used for 4.5 hours, and now the buds are at 100% and the case at 80%. very good! the Bad: - sound leaks out. I was listening to music at 80% volume and my wife was able to hear it one room away! this is troublesome if you are using it in an office setting or in a small gym or if you don't want people close to you to know what you are listening to. in calls its like you are on speaker phone. - sound quality isn't great at all. bass and treble leave a lot to desire. so if you are a pure audiophile, these are not for you. - No ANC at all. because there is no true seal. its something to think about. before buying. - you need to install Sony sound app to be able to customize the experience and use equalizer. i don't like installing apps for something as simple as earbuds. my original PIxel buds pro from 4 years ago connect directly and allow me to customize and change sound profiles with ease. - the app is nice and has features that are good, it also supports Spotify and Amazon music out the box to launch when you put the buds in, but no Apple Music or Youtube music support in the app. all in all- i see the use case for these but they won't be my only pair to use. they would be a secondary pair for running, or when I need spacial awareness (like mowing the lawn). the price is really high for what you get. finally, i found that wearing these buds tilted down suits my ears better and the sound is much stronger.

Setup was easy with the QR code. Everything requires an app now. The Sound Connect app works well. Note – a charger for the case is not included. Earbuds haven’t been my favorite because they become uncomfortable pretty quick, especially when it is hot outside. Since we are below zero at the moment, I cannot test that. I did wear them while working and exercising and still comfortable after a long day. Plus, I love the color. The first time you use them they are a bit awkward to figure out the position. After I put them on/off a few times it is much more natural. Super comfortable open ear design. They also are solidly constructed. Little cushions are included to adjust the fit for smaller ears. No sound isolating on these. There are 3 listening modes. Standard Voice boost – good for noisy areas Sound leakage reduction – for quiet areas With standard mode you also have the equalizer function, but not with the other 2 modes. Sound quality is great. Tweak it in the app to hear your preference. What I don’t like are the touch controls. They are glitchy and tapping on each bud doesn’t always produce the desired effect. Volume up/down, play, pause, switch modes don’t always work as intended. Battery life was at least 10 hours with moderate use. You can pair the buds with two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. If you are using the app with the buds then these are very good but the on ear controls are lacking.

There are a host of options of earbuds on the market today. On-ear, over-ear, in-ear and so on. From premium to basic options, it’s difficult to find a good pair of earbuds that fits every category I’m looking for. Enter the Sony LinkBuds Clip. I wanted to see if they could check all the boxes of everything I needed in a pair of earbuds. The most important factor for me is fit. How does the Sony LinkBuds Clip fit and will I experience any ear fatigue wearing? Since my ears are on the smaller side, I struggle with finding the perfect fit. After wearing the buds for multiple listening sessions and days, the fit is so comfortable, I literally forget they are on my ears sometimes. Just from the overall look of the earbuds, I didn’t expect to have such a great all-around fit. To get the absolute most out of the earbuds Sony recommends downloading the Sound Connect app. This is a must have to unlock additional settings and features. Since I have an Android phone, I was able to test the Fast Pair option. My phone gave the option right away to pair the earbuds. Another neat feature is the muti-point connection. It gives the ability for the headphones to be connected to 2 devices at once. However, it doesn’t give the ability to hear audio from both devices simultaneously though. The charging case is compact in size and weight. It’s about the size of the average wireless earbuds case. The case can be charged with a USB-C cable. No USB-C cable is included in the box. This is fine as most phones today use USB-C charging wires to charge. There is no option to wirelessly charge the case. This is something I would have like to see especially since no usb wire was included in the packaging. Performance and Options The Sony LinkBuds Clip are feature packed and well-rounded when it comes to sound. Since the earbuds have an open-ear design, you may sometimes feel like others around you can hear whatever you are listening to. This is not the case at all. The is an awesome feature to have. Having 3 distinct modes while listening allows you to take the earbuds anywhere. I mostly use the standard listening mode as this mode goes well with my surroundings. Voice Boost does just what the name indicates. The audio is pronounced, but the clarity suffers somewhat. The sound seems more muffled. The sound leakage mode works well however, the earbuds do a great job at directing audio to your ears without much sound leakage. In order to test this feature, I allowed several family members to wear the headphones while listening to music and taking phone calls in a quiet space. I could barely hear anything to my surprise. Moving over to the controls, they took a bit of learning curve initially. The playback controls are assigned to the right earbud by using multiple taps to the earbuds. Also, the volume raises after 4 taps. I find this method to be hit or miss. It’s easier for me to use my phone or my watch to raise or lower the volume. Battery Life is really good. I’ve gotten all day usage out of my LinkBuds. I’ve even used them individually to test each earbud. The battery life lasted a full workday with multiple calls and music listening sessions. Even with the open ear design, the quality is solid. In comparison, these are much better than in-ear buds for me, but sound quality is little behind only due to the tight seal that in-ear buds provide. With that said, I’m still getting a second pair of the LinkBuds Clip as I can wear these without the fear of them falling out my ears. I recommend these based on comfort, fit and sound quality.

The Sony Link Buds Clip are open earbuds. And while I’ve tried open earbuds before, I just haven’t been satisfied. That is until I got these from Sony. The whole point of open earbuds is to be able to listen to music or podcasts while simultaneously being completely aware of your surroundings. With most earbuds like this, you are certainly aware of your surroundings, but they often fail as headphones you can really listen to music with. Now, these new Sony LinkBuds Clip aren’t like any open earbud I’ve ever used before. The music remains audible even in somewhat noisy environments. Now, I wouldn’t recommend them for a long airplane journey, but if you want to use them at the gym, a coffee shop or running in public, they work better than any open earbuds I’ve used before. The LinkBuds Clip come nicely packaged as you’d expect from Sony. In the box is the charging case where the LinkBuds are stored and charged, an Air Fitting Cushion for each LinkBud and the requisite warranty and environmental pamphlets. The Air Fitting Cushion would likely work best for people with smaller ears and is intended to make them more stable when worn. I tried them, but they didn’t work well with my sized ears. The good thing is they are easily put on or taken off if you don’t need them. When you open the box, you see a QR Code to take you to the App on your iOS or Android Phone, which lets you pair them and set them up. I charged them before doing anything and was a tad disappointed the charging case is not wireless charging capable. And you don’t get a USB C cable, so you need to own one (I have several) and charging plug. The first charge took a couple hours. Pairing them was simple but you must download the Sony Sound Connect App first to pair them. The App is pretty-simple and straightforward to use. The home page of the app lets you choose between 3 different listening modes: Standard – Voice Boost – Sound Leakage Reduction. Standard sounds the most balanced. Voice Boost does just what it implies. If listening to vocals, it emphasizes the mid-range and human voice. And Sound Leakage Reduction, limits the amount of sound others who may be in very close proximity may hear as you’re listening. Again, these are open earbuds. They are not sound isolating earbuds. There’s also an equalizer with preset settings and custom options. To be honest, I found they sound fine without any equalization. But there are loads of options if you feel they need to be optimized. The LinkBuds offer touch controls, but this is an area, where Sony fell a little short, in my opinion. To adjust volume up for example, you need to tap the strap of the LinkBuds FOUR times and the left side FOUR times to turn the volume down. It would be easier to just use the volume buttons on your cell phone. On the left LinkBud, if you tap it twice, it will take through the three different Listening Modes. A double tap on the right LinkBud pauses or starts play. And a triple tap advances to the next track. There’s no way to start a track over or go back, which is unfortunate. The charging case is nice and compact and feels solid and well made. It has a master reset on back side of the case, which lets you also pair them to another device as these feature Multi-Point Connectivity and you can have them connected to two devices at the same time, so you can easily move from one device to another. In terms of charge, the LinkBuds offer at least 9 hours of listening outside the case, and the case offers an additional 28 hours, so 37 hours in total, which is awesome. If you forget to charge them, a one minute charge in the case will get you about an hour of play time which is pretty-amazing as well. In terms of Codec, they offer AAC and SBC, which work fine with Apple or Android devices. They feature Bluetooth 5.3. They are also IPX 4, which is dust and sweat resistant. They are not waterproof but should be fine at the gym or a light rain if outside. These are the most comfortable open earbuds I’ve ever worn. You could wear them for hours on end and NEVER feel any listener fatigue. Compared to in-ear earbuds, you will honestly forget they’re attached to your ears. Another thing I was completely blown away by is call quality. Sony says they’re using Artificial Intelligence to make the call quality greatly enhanced and let me tell you, it’s simply amazing. Even in a loud environment, like a coffee shop with people talking, no one I was speaking with while using these LinkBuds had any idea I was in a loud environment. I have earbuds costing significantly more, which can’t hold a candle to these puppies. Sound is far better than I would have expected from Open Earbuds. I have listened for hours to all types of music, such as classical, rock and jazz. The LinkBuds are balanced and natural sounding. They never sounded sibilant (harsh). Do they have the same deep bass you’d get from premium in-ear earbuds? No, that would defy the laws of physics, but for their intended purpose, these are really, great sounding earbuds. Highs are nice and crisp. Human voices sound real and warm. All in all, I think Sony has advanced the art of open ear earbuds with the LinkBuds Clip. They brought a lot of customization to the table, long battery life, sublime comfort and honestly good sound. If Sony had just made the charging case wireless charge capable, they’d be perfect. For the price of admission, they honestly should have.

The Sony LinkBuds Clips are absolutely amazing and are the first earbuds I’ve had that don’t go inside the ear canal. This is great for me since some earbuds can cause pain after a while. I just clip them onto the side of my ear and I’m good to go. The fit is also one of the features I really like because they stay on and don’t fall out. They also come with fitting cushions if you want a snugger fit, which is great for when you are exercising or doing intense movements. Upon opening the box, you’ll notice a cute case. It’s nice and small and can easily fit in your pocket. I did notice that there is no charging cable included. I already own several cables, so for me it wasn’t a big deal. But if you don’t have one, you’ll need to purchase one separately. The sound quality is clear, clean, and crisp. There are three listening modes: Standard, Voice Boost, and Sound Leakage Reduction. Each mode provides a different level of sound depending on what you are listening to. I really love how they sound and how easy they are to use. The controls can be reset and customized to your liking, and the touch controls are very responsive and precise. The app is also great to have, especially for updates and other settings. Overall, the Sony LinkBuds Clips are outstanding and provide a great listening experience. They are super comfortable, and I definitely recommend them.

Typically not been a fan of the “Open Ear” headphone as the ones I have tried in the past don’t deliver enough sound and/or the quality and fitment was lacking. The Sony LinkBuds sound as if I have a traditional earbud in and are weighted excellent! While the color I was sent is not my preferred choice, they definitely look good on the Misses! The companion Sound Connect app was easy to setup with the buds and gives you a lot of settings and additions to change. The capacitive button though takes some getting used too to get the taps just right to respond. Volume change I have found to be the hardest skill to unlock. I let my wife give them a try as she has never been able to find an earbud that fits right, doesn’t fall out, or hurt her ear after a short time of wearing, When she does need to privately listen, she will use full over the ear headphones, also not her favorite choice, but they do the job. The Sony Clips though never gave her any ear fatigue from wearing them for a little over 3 hours. She was just working on the computer and normal movement, however, when bending forward or looking down, they didn’t feel like they would fall out. We each tested the different sound profiles and in our home where we have been snowed in for a few days, we didn’t really notice any differences in the Voice Boost setting, however the Sound Leakage does quiet the sound, but it still comes through crisp and clear. Even in the Standard setting we didn’t feel the sound leaked out at all when set to a loud enough volume that would make you speak louder than would be necessary when talking with someone. As for Battery Life, out of the box the buds were fully charged and the case was at 97% so with on and off usage, still in the upper 70’s. On a side note, my daughter came home from college for the weekend and saw them and is now trying to manipulate herself into a pair…so this household gives them 6 Thumbs Up!

Sony Sound Link Buds Clip Wireless Headset has become one of my favorite clip-on earbuds. Not only are clip earbuds comfortable, but the sound is amazing! I love the open ear design as it is not noise cancelling and I’m fully aware of my surroundings while walking. There are three listening modes that you can control just by tapping on the LinkBuds clips: Standard, Voice boost, Sound leakage reduction. I use the Standard mode for everyday use, Voice Boost mode for noisy places, and sound leakage reduction for quiet places. A simple tap will control music and calls. I like to sleep with music, and this pair of Sony Buds Clips allow me to achieve a good night's rest without disturbing my partner. You will not have to worry about losing the Bud Clips as they stay securely on your ears. I have the Sony LinkBuds Clip in the color Lavender. I love this light purple color; to me, it’s a feminine color. There are three other colorways available: Black, Greige, and Green. Included in the box were earbuds, charging case, and fitting cushions. No charging cable is included in the box. A QR Code to connect to the Sony Sound Connect is located on the packaging in the box. Pairing the Sony LinkBuds and Sony Sound Connect is very simple via Bluetooth. The app is very easy to use. You may have two devices connected simultaneously, while other devices are added to your list. You can switch the two devices back and forth using the Sony Sound Connect App. Within the app you can adjust the EQ settings and customize controls. There are other features within the app, such as: LinkBudsTutorials, Your Listening History, Picked For You, Screen Based Listening, Back up and restore. Highly recommend.

Sony recently released the LinkBuds Clip and I was thrilled to pick up a copy. The Clips are an open ear design that allows you to hear the world around you. No muffling of surrounding sound with in ear or over ear designs of other headphones. The Clips consist of an assembly for each ear with a headphone speaker and an electronics assembly connected by a flexible link. You stick the speaker in your outer ear and clip the electronics on the back of the ear. They leave the ear canal open so you can hear your environment. The electronic part of the bud is touch sensitive for inputting tap commands. The buds store in a separate charging case that contains a battery of it's own. The clip style earbud is nothing new. There are a few companies that offer them (I also own the comparable ShokZ version) so I was interested to see what Sony could do to differentiate themselves amongst the pack. The Clips use Sony's new Sound Connect App. Fire up the app, remove the buds from the case and the App walks you through the set. It was pretty clean and easy. The App then allows you to adjust an equalizer, switch modes, customize the tap functions, and link to a couple music services. The stability of the app was impressive compared to other company efforts. The good- The Clips sound terrific. Rich, deep sound and available 360 audio. For buds not sitting in your ear canals or blocking outside noise, they really sound great. They are comfortable to wear once you figure out the best location on your ear to clip them. If they are too loose, there are additional slip guards in the box to tighten things up. I wore them all day long without any problem. I got about 8 hours from the battery and the case supposedly hold an additional 28 hours. The App is highly functional with some customization of tap features, modes such as standard, voice prioritization and noise leakage isolation. The call quality was really good as well on both ends of the call. The Tap functions work OK, but I did have a few issues. The bad- Tapping was a bit hit or miss. It always worked when tapping the electronics end of the bud. You are able to tap the stem between the speaker and electronics as well. This only worked maybe 50% of the time. Just use the body instead of the stem and you'll be fine. The tap customization was limited to some pre-canned pairings. They're OK, but you can't truly customize everything to your own liking. You end up having to compromise a lot. Volume up/down for example is stuck at 5 taps on the bud to increase or decrease. 5 taps is a LOT. Finally, the price is an issue as well. For what they are charging, competitor earbuds are cheaper, offer better customization, and sound almost as good. I wish these were cheaper. I fully recommend these Buds if they fit into your budget. They sound incredible and being able to hear the world around me was important.

I recently picked up the Sony LinkBuds Clip looking for something comfortable, lightweight, and safe for outdoor use—and they’ve delivered on all fronts. The Sony’s LinkBuds Clip open ear earbuds are a clever evolution of the open audio category, blending situational awareness with Sony’s signature DSP and app ecosystem. In my opinion, they are designed for people who want to stay connected to their surroundings without sacrificing clarity in calls or casual listening. Comfort & Fit The clip on design is surprisingly secure and extremely comfortable. They sit on the outside of your ear, so there’s no pressure or fatigue even after hours of wear (see photo). I thought they were going to be a bit uncomfortable, but surprisingly I don’t even notice them after about 5 min. they also fit under a stocking hat just fine for when I’m out shoveling! They stay put during runs, workouts, and daily movement, and they don’t interfere with glasses. Sound & Awareness These are open ear earbuds, so you won’t get deep bass, but the clarity is excellent for podcasts, calls, and casual music. The open design keeps you fully aware of your surroundings, which is perfect for outdoor activities or office environments. Sony Headphones Connect App Sony’s app adds a ton of value: • Customizable tap controls (volume, playback, voice assistant, etc.) • 5 band EQ with presets – and scenes that customize their operation (see picture) • Adaptive Volume Control that adjusts based on your environment • Quick Access options like Spotify Tap • Firmware updates and Find My Device support It’s one of the most complete app experiences you’ll find for open ear earbuds. Battery Life Battery life is solid—around 10–12 hours per charge depending on volume and features. The case brings total life to roughly a full day. Quick charge is handy when you’re in a rush. Other Features • Multipoint Bluetooth works smoothly between phone and laptop • Very good call quality thanks to Sony’s noise reduction mics • IPX4 water resistance for workouts and light rain • Auto pause when you remove them Bottom Line If you want earbuds that are comfortable all day, keep you aware of your surroundings, and still offer smart features and great call quality, the Sony LinkBuds Clip are an excellent choice. Perfect for active use, office work, or anyone who dislikes in ear pressure.

Verdict: I really wanted to love these… I was excited about a new form factor and of course it’s Sony – the most epic brand in sound! I have to admit that I am a little disappointed. The sweet spot for sound is small, so they have to be in the right spot. Lows are inexistant, even with “Heavy” bass mode. While I do not love the way they look on my ears, I really appreciate the continued attempt to innovate. Unfortunately, gravity works against these; they are not great for sweating and longer running as they tend to shift down moving the sound sweet spot so that you have to readjust the earbuds. The app is capable and adds to the experience. They are actually quite comfortable, almost to the point of forgetting they are there! These are not bad earbuds by any means, but at this price, I would purchase something else, such as ANC earbuds (for full immersion and high sound quality) or other open earbuds. Pro tip. When you want to wear the LinkBuds, it’s easier to align the earbuds to your ears if both your thumbs are side-by-side as you grab the earbuds. In this manner, you can put them on at the same time with just one hand each. Background. I am an eager music and podcast listener, using a variety of headphones and earphones. Sony happens to be my all-time favorite brand for sound, with my go-to headphones being from Sony and our home theater system also being from Sony. Interestingly, these are my first earbuds from Sony. Initial impressions. The case is VERY small for open earbuds, actually the smallest I have ever seen. The efficient shape of these earbuds is the reason why the case can be so small. I like the gloss on the case; it’s a nice touch to set it apart. The charging port and Bluetooth button are in the back of the case. The earbuds are indeed very light. The form factor is interesting and a bit confusing at first. While I am not a fan of how they look on my ears (my daughter noted they looked funny, like a wanna-be ear accessory), I really appreciate Sony’s willingness to break new ground. The package comes with a charging cable. Sound Part 1 – “normal” use. Using a mainstream music service to listen, the mids and highs are prominent and quite rich and enjoyable, but my overall impression of the sound is essentially two-dimensional… On some music, I almost completely lose the base track. During testing, when I started to listen to a song with the LinkBuds, I didn’t even notice there was a bass track… then switching to other earphones, the bass track was quite prominent and integral to the song. I recognize that I am bass-biased; I enjoy stronger bass and find that it completes the usual prominence of mids and highs. To be fair, you shouldn’t compare open earbuds with closed ANC earbuds; they just can’t compete in sound quality… so it’s a different capability for a different market. Nevertheless, I still feel that the sound of these earbuds underperformed other open earbuds I use. Of note, the Sony LinkBuds do better at managing surrounding noise, maybe from the shape or position of the buds. In overall sound level, I am close to max volume for both podcast and music listening, which is not the case for other earbuds and headphones. If I was rating on just normal sound, these would be at 3-star. Sound Part 2 – with 360 audio. I am VERY impressed with 360 audio… Maybe it’s gimmicky, but I was shocked at how well it works, and especially on these open earbuds. The quality of the sound while listening to 360 audio is wonderful, even for percussion and on the lower end – not quite enough to bring back deep base, but I mean good enough to not notice the mostly absent bass lines. Unfortunately, there weren’t many listening options on the app I downloaded for the purpose of 360 listening, so that’s something that will need to grow for this feature to have a future. Still, I am puzzled why/how these earbuds work well with 360 but disappoint in normal listening. App and features. Apps for headphones and earphones are important to me because they can significantly enhance the capabilities of the listening device, or on the flipside, be limiting and frustrating. In this case, the Sony app is strong, adding great features and convenience. The equalizer provides easy presets as well as full customization. The LinkBuds are pairable to two devices (three would be better). The sound leakage control is a great idea and actually works well. Without it, my wife said she could (barely) hear some sound leakage. On the other hand, with the feature on, she could not hear any leakage, even sitting right next to me. The app and controls facilitate three listening modes; I mostly use normal and voice boost for podcast listening. Voice boost is enough to maintain adequate listening while I make espresso in the morning. I love the option to prioritize sound or connection stability; thank you for giving us a choice to customize our situation. The 360 Optimization function is easy to use, but then requires a download of another app to better take advantage of this feature. I think that until this is on the mainstream music platforms, it is not a feature that is going to appeal to a lot of people. Tap controls worked for the most part. I have to note that I dislike the volume continuous tap as it tends to shift my earphones out of the sound sweet spot. Running / Exercising. These earbuds are not ideal for me since most of my running involves a lot of sweat, which eventually shifts the earphones from the repeated impact from running. On the other hand, they are great for the gym so that you can still easily interact with other people while listening to your music. Things I love: - They are indeed feather-light - More immersive than typical open earbuds - IPX4 water resistance - 37 hours of battery life (9 on buds and an additional 28 with the case) - Made from recycled material, thank you! - Nice looking case that is smaller than other open earbg - The app adds value and convenience to the experience - Connectivity to two devices Things I don’t like: - In my call testing, the other person said I sounded either staticky or muffled - Controls are customizable but within certain parameters. In my opinion, this is too restrictive. In the default controls, the triple tap is not assigned, which is unfortunate. I think they should have put “previous song” so that the default controls cover “play/pause” and “next song” on the right side, and “sound mode” and “previous song” on the left control. The ability to freely customize would be ideal - Continuous tap for volume was ok. Sometimes the earbuds didn’t respond, and following my continuous taping, the earbuds moved out of place - 360 Sound is great but content is limited - Like all open earphones, these are not for loud environments. Examples include running on the street or on a treadmill, or even air travel Overall, the Sony LinkBuds are good earbuds with a strong app and lots of features. Unfortunately, they leave me wanting more for sound quality and the form factor is no my favorite. I would rate these 3.5 stars – rounding up to 4-Star for all the features and continued innovation from Sony.

I’m not fond of in ear headphones as they start to be uncomfortable after a short amount of time! These are perfect as they rest on my ear instead! Not the best sounding headphone in world but they’re perfect to have while in social environments so you can still hear if you need too.

Sony does it again ❤️ these clip-ons work great. There's no worrying about them falling out anything like that. The sound is good. You can hear outside. Also just slide your finger and you can change anything outstanding.

8 have had so many earbuds and my go to was the airpods 4 but these are sooo much better comfort wise Always was worried the airpods would fall out these fit Soo much better Recommend these to everyone Sound is amazing

I love these headphones so much, although it’s weird at first you get used to them and I like how I can still hear everything around me while I’m wearing them, the battery like is great I haven’t charged them in 3 days and there still alive.

Easy to use and light weight. Love it! Pairing to apple devices takes a few extra steps everytime to reconnect.