Sony’s LinkBuds Clip mark the company’s drive into the open-ear, clip-on space. These "C" shape buds had no trouble clinging to our ears and stayed put during workouts. In spite of the IPX4 rating and nine hours of battery life, sound quality was the real winner here. Or maybe it's the guy who can afford to drop R6,000 on Sony's latest buds, even when there are sonically better options out there for a couple grand less.
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Design
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Audio
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Features
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Battery
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Value
It’s not often that Sony finds itself competing in the consumer headphone space. Its WH-1000 series is still considered world-class, even all these years later. But when it’s the newbie of a new market — say the open-ear, clip-on segment — it tends to try a little harder. Nowhere is that clearer than in the company’s new LinkBuds Clip. We’ve spent the past few weeks in the Clip’s company and came away not altogether surprised by what we heard.
If you aren’t familiar, open-ear clip-on buds ditch the tight seal that manufacturers have cultivated for so many years. These sacrifice the tighter fit you’re used to — and better audio — to allow the user to stay cognisant of the world around them. Whether that’s the gym or a busy road, it’s a form factor that’s become a must-have for some. Stuff included, particularly after we got our hands on the all-too-comfy Beyerdynamic Amiron Zero last year.
Fits the bill
Instead of driving those tips in as far as they’ll go, the LinkBuds Clip go a different direction. Utilising a “C” shape, these buds clip onto your ears, with the speaker grille blasting into your canals from a little further back than you’re used to. The result is a surprisingly comfortable one that doesn’t disappoint where it matters most.
When we first saw the pill-shaped battery that Sony expects to sit behind the ears to keep upright, we were nothing short of sceptical. That changed after we threw them on. Not only were they uber-comfortable (for the most part, anyway), but we had real trouble in shaking them off during a workout in the gym or simply walking on the streets. The LinkBuds Clip proved up for just about anything, except a dip in the pool. Don’t do that.
Considering Sony’s goal here, that’s entirely fair. These have an IPX4 rating attached, meaning they can withstand a bit of sweat and rain — and did without issue. The silicon band connecting the plastic casing around the battery and the grille should make this an easy fit for anyone, but extra cushions are included, too.
Casing the joint(s)
It wasn’t all dandy. We had our issues with the simultaneously too-matte and too-glossy charging case, even if it did hold a lot of juice. It’s a pretty bare affair — with a pair button and a USB-C hole sitting on the case’s back, while a Sony logo dominates the top. It’s a little bigger than we’d have liked, too, conflicting with our keys when stuck in a pocket. Whatever you do, Sony’s ensured that the LinkBuds Clip won’t dodge fingerprints or scratches.
As for the buds themselves, it wasn’t smooth sailing all the way. As comfortable as these are, prolonged use — around four-and-a-half hours or so — was enough to make our ears a little uncomfortable. A quick break and readjustment heals all, however. It can’t quite heal the dodgy touch controls, which were hit-or-miss at best.
Playing it by ear
Sony can throw all the bells and whistles at this thing (risking some pretty heavy-handed scratches on the case), but it’ll never beat a premium pair of in-ears — which can usually be picked up for half the price. Still, we were surprised by the quality we got right out of the box, delivering a rather natural and clear soundstage. Better yet, it had more than enough volume tucked under its sleeve, which was close to a dealbreaker in the Amiron Zero.
Much of the quality you get depends on how they cling to your ear. It’ll take some getting used to before you find the position that works best for you. We preferred sticking these further down our ears, allowing the speaker the least amount of room between it and the ear canal. Doing it wrong may lead you to think the LinkBuds Clip possess a rather underwhelming sound. Hook it up right, and you’ll see what it’s really capable of.
We got by best on the ‘Standard’ EQ, though ‘Voice Boost’ bump to the volume and midrange was essential when loading up a podcast or an audiobook. Give it something more traditional, like Clocks from Coldplay, and it’ll live up to the hype, albeit with the added kicker of ‘only being good for a pair of open-ears’. You’ll hear that a lot.
Read More: Beyerdynamic Amiron Zero Sport review – Built for sweat, sets, and superb sound
Blasting these at their full volume in an office did attract a couple of strange looks. ‘Sound Leakage Reduction’ mode seemed custom-built for our situation, and worked well. It comes with a cost, however, resulting in a slight deterioration in the quality. For us, we found simply reducing the volume in ‘Standard’ mode worked best.
The LinkBuds Clip fall flattest when it comes to tackling just about anything with bass at the forefront. It’ll get lost amongst the rest of the melody, making you wonder whether LCD Soundsystem has lost its touch, or if the buds just aren’t reciprocating. It’s the second option. Thank God. Give these buds something with a little less… bass, and they’ll handle it admirably. Give it something messier, and it’ll spit it right back out at you again.
Overall, though, these surpassed our already high expectations. Casual listeners likely won’t appreciate the little intricacies that help these stand out from the competition, however, meaning they can get away with spending less. A trained ear, though? If the clip-on format is vital, these will fare better than the rest. For a price, of course.
Keep the beats a-flowin’
Decent audio isn’t the only thing to consider here. Gym-goers in particular are looking for a pair of buds that won’t tap out before they do. We can’t honestly say we never worked out long enough to even threaten the LinkBuds Clip’s battery life, which was nothing short of impressive. Sony claims at least nine hours of life. We eked out about that much, and perhaps a little more. With no ANC to worry about, it’s all about the tunes.
And that’s before you stick them in the case, where it’ll inject another 28 hours over the course of three additional charges. That’s a 37-hour-long battery life — impressive in a regular pair of buds — and really impressive for a pair of clip-ons like these. If you somehow let these drain to zero, a three-minute charge nets an hour of life.
We were a little bummed by the lack of wear detection here, especially at such a high price. It won’t take long to get into the habit of stashing these in their charging case before trekking off without ’em, but the first time you make that mistake isn’t a fun one. Gotta leave something for the more expensive sequel, right?
Sony LinkBuds Clip verdict
As good as the LinkBuds Clip is, we simply can’t ignore that outrageous price. Sony’s seeking a rather steep R6,000 (via Cape Town Guy) — assuming you can even find one. You’ll find a listing on the company’s local site, but buying one is another matter entirely. But for the folks who have R6,000 burning a hole in their pocket, they can’t go wrong with Sony’s superior audio. Everyone else? Beyerdynamic can probably help.
