THE DEFINITIVE Sony LINKBUDS S Review & Comparison by an AUDIO ENGINEER
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 มิ.ย. 2024
- As an Audio Engineer, this is the definitive, in-depth, and experiential review of the Sony LinkBuds S and a comparison with the Sony WF-1000XM4, Apple AirPods Pro, and the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro Bluetooth TWS ANC earbuds 🖼 Skip the waitlist and invest in blue-chip art for the very first time by signing up for Masterworks: masterworks.art/thisistechtoday Purchase shares in great masterpieces from artists like Pablo Picasso, Banksy, Andy Warhol, and more (ad)
CORRECTION: The Sony LinkBuds S DO allow you to use each earbud independently. We originally thought this was a bug with LDAC, but it appears to be a limitation of the "Auto Play (Beta)." I personally don't think this feature is worth losing the ability to use each earbud independently, so I would not enable it.
-- WHERE TO PURCHASE -
▶ Sony LinkBuds S: shop-links.co/chgLZ3ZTDeR
▶ Sony WF-1000XM4: shop-links.co/chcKWi6T45U
▶ Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro: shop-links.co/chcKSTlWU9n
▶ Apple AirPods Pro: geni.us/139wrtB
▶ AKG N400 (my favorite for sound): geni.us/LqbHnW
-- WATCH MORE --
🎧 Sony WH-1000XM5 Definitive and Immersive review and comparison: • THE DEFINITIVE Sony WH...
▶Sony Home Theater and 360 Spatial Sound Mapping Video: • Audio Engineer Tests S...
▶Comparing every Samsung Galaxy Bud: • Audio Engineer Reviews...
▶Google Nest Audio Review: • Is the New Google NEST...
▶My Favorite Home Theater Audio System that is Lossless and Wireless: • The FIRST WIRELESS THX...
▶Two Audio engineers Try AirPods Pro for the First time: • APPLE AIRPODS PRO: 2 P...
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0:00 Intro
0:27 What an Experiential Review is
1:02 SONG SAMPLE: Electronic (Sub Frequencies & High-end Sizzle)
1:47 Build Quality Comparisons
2:56 SONG SAMPLE: Female Vocals (Electronic)
3:36 Fit & Feel Comparisons
4:30 SONG SAMPLE: Female Vocals (Warm, Midrangey, Soul)
5:22 Interactions
6:43 SONG SAMPLE: Acoustic (Singer-Songwriter)
7:28 ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) Comparisons
9:14 SONG SAMPLE: Reverby Surf Rock (Check the Bass Guitar)
9:52 Transparency Mode Comparisons
12:04 SONG SAMPLE WITH TRANSPARENCY: String Ballad with Piano
13:01 SONG SAMPLE: Epic Cinematic (support my friend www.hannahparrott.com/)
13:44 Mic & Call Quality
16:52 SONG SAMPLE: Male Vocal (Funky, Warm Bass)
17:29 BLUETOOTH
18:15 SONG SAMPLE: Epic, Dramatic, Commercial Rock
18:57 Gaming Comparisons
19:41 SONG SAMPLE: Epic Arena Stomper (Lots of low end and high-highs)
20:34 Which One Should You Buy?
21:53 SONG SAMPLE: 80s Synth Vibe (The bass line is so good)
22:36 My Preferences
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I utilize affiliate links and may receive a commission from them, and at times may receive items for review from various brands. Despite that, I promise to always provide an honest & an unbiased as possible review because you deserve the best. All sponsorships will be clearly stated because transparency & trust are important to me! - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
CORRECTION: The Sony LinkBuds S DO allow you to use each earbud independently. We originally thought this was a bug with LDAC, but it appears to be a limitation of the "Auto Play (Beta)."
🖼 Skip the waitlist and invest in blue-chip art for the very first time by signing up for Masterworks: masterworks.art/thisistechtoday Purchase shares in great masterpieces from artists like Pablo Picasso, Banksy, Andy Warhol, and more (ad)
▶ Buy the Sony LinkBuds S: shop-links.co/chgLZ3ZTDeR
▶ Buy the Sony WF-1000XM4: shop-links.co/chcKWi6T45U
▶ Buy the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro: shop-links.co/chcKSTlWU9n
▶ Buy the Apple AirPods Pro: geni.us/139wrtB
-- WATCH MORE --
🎧 Sony WH-1000XM5 Definitive and Immersive review and comparison: th-cam.com/video/6WTHBCZBt_E/w-d-xo.html
▶Sony Home Theater and 360 Spatial Sound Mapping Video: th-cam.com/video/UUuJEGWrY8s/w-d-xo.html
▶Comparing every Samsung Galaxy Bud: th-cam.com/video/xAnxYpyaQTE/w-d-xo.html
▶Google Nest Audio Review: th-cam.com/video/6ZRE8Pb81nM/w-d-xo.html
▶My Favorite Home Theater Audio System that is Lossless and Wireless: th-cam.com/video/CXWLIWFLNg0/w-d-xo.html
▶Two Audio engineers Try AirPods Pro for the First time: th-cam.com/video/aoSFrUhSgCI/w-d-xo.html
BECOME A CHANNEL MEMBER FOR EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: th-cam.com/users/thisistechtodayjoin
How Masterworks works:
-Create your account with your traditional bank account
-Pick major works of art to invest in or our new blue-chip diversified art portfolio
-Identify the investment amount
-Hold shares in works by Picasso or trade them in our secondary marketplace
See important Masterworks disclosures: www.masterworks.io/about/disclaimer
You should try the akg n400nc, IMO best sounding wireless earbuds and only $48
@@NotGoodAtTH-cam someone didn't watch all of the video 😝
@@ThisIsTechToday hehe true 6:17
How the im i suppose to test the fitness to my self. Im i suppose to buy them all and then pick 1?
I got a message when turning on Service Link saying that the R earbud need connection and so can’t use the L earbud alone. LDAC will be disable also. So I just turn the Service Link off.
This is undoubtedly THE ABSOLUTE BEST channel to go to if you want highly constructive comparisons between audio products. I am continually impressed by the sheer amount of efforts put into these videos, it definitely shows. Keep up the fantastic work, Brandon.
Thank you so much! It's A LOT of work......lol
^^^^
Brandon is one of the undisputed best Benji
Agreed!!!
TFW you remember Crinacle is on TH-cam
Songs
1:02 - Tides by Alexander Lewis
2:56 - Bloodstream by lolite
4:30 - My reason by Jamie
6:43 - Autumn’s Song by Stephen Day
9:14 - Get Away by Surfclub
12:04 - Photograph by Cody Fry
13:01 - Flight by Hannah Parrott
16:52 - Hey Marjorie by Jon Mero
18:15 - Overdrive by Will Champlain
19:41 - Earthquake by Ryan Taubert
21:53 - It would be You by Ben Rector
THAAAAAANK YOU!
The playlist was excellent
Yeah
sank iu!!!
Thank you 🙏🏼
Doing the ad read like that was ingenious and evil. One of the few times I didn't fast forward through it on any channel. Amazing job
Lol. It's a win-win for all. I still gotta do an ad read, so instead of wasting people's time by throwing an extra 1-minute ad read in the video randomly, I get to fulfill what I need to pay the bills and provide the value that everyone wants from the video and it's how the mics sound, lol. We all win.
I promise it wasn't evil. The video is already long and I didn't want it to be any longer. It was to save people's time, lol
Also, holy cow! Thank you so much for the super thanks on top of that!!!
Yeah this was amazing, well done
This is really how a headphone review supposed to be. It’s so funny how tech channels sharing their experience and perspective over a audio product but as a customer we want to know how they really sounds like. Of course not everyone are audio engineers to buy these expensive gear for a youtube video. Thank you so much for making this review 🥹👍🏼
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you appreciate it!
You can't hear how they actually sound only how they through whatever device you are using
@@AndrewB23 that's why I say"comparative differences"
Totes agree. This is a great format for reviews for those of us who are a bit more technical or quantitative oriented in addition to ‘feeling’ oriented.
And that is because the sound you heard comes from your freking headphones. Unless you are listening through a couple of high-end monitors with a tunning as flat and borring as possible, this kind of tests is pointless
Wow, man... you just take earbud reviews to a whole new level!! That's so detailed and informative. The comparisons are super helpful for people like me deciding between similar product. Keep up the great work!!
Really love the effort you put in your videos, the amount of tests, the lack of any bias. This is exactly how I would personally want to review products. Subscribing!
really glad i stumbled across this video and your channel. THE ABSOLUTE BEST audio review / comparison i've ever watch on the internet. thanks for the effort man!
it'd be a crime not liking and subbing to this channel after all these meticoulous effort in helping us choose which wireless bud should we buy, man u rock!
I've watched plenty of reviews about different products but this one is at ANOTHER LEVEL! Thank you so much for taking the time to do it. It's the first time I've had this kind of immersive experience to test earbuds without actually having them in my ear. I did hear the video with headphones and it makes a such a huge difference! Now I need to make a decision 😅 But just wanted to say THANK YOU! I've subscribed, liked the video and will purchase thorugh one of your links 😉
This is the first audio equipment review I've watched on this channel and already maybe the best I've seen anywhere, period. Concise, informative, superbly organised and helped me make a purchasing decision. Thank you and just subscribed 👍
Same! The sound samples are great for me, nice and simple.
This comparison is soo good and detailed, exactly what I needed!! Pls do more of these!
This is such a good review. I think this is one of the best reviews I’ve stumbled here in YT. I’m not really familiar with the terms and just usually go with the brands I liked, but after watching this video, it clearly helped me to decide. Your review is very entertaining, easy to understand, the effort you exerted in creating this video. Thank you so much!!
Absolutely fantastic review! I hope that as more earbuds come out (cough...Pixel Buds Pro), you follow the same review framework and keep adding to this list ❤️
Your review was AMAZING. Your input of the songs throughout the reviews was genius. You're awesome at this. Keep it up.
Oh my Brandon, you have outdone yourself with this one! Great song choices too to hear all the frequencies! Makes me wanna rethink how I do my reviews! 👏
haha, thank you so much for the kind words. It means a lot coming from you. Thanks for watching 😊
honestly what i got most from this video were the song recs 🙉 i had already bought the linkbud S so this video was a comforting one
I'm struggling with finding the right words to describe this comparison/review. This is THE most thought out, thoroughly done comparison review I've seen on the internet period.
This is only the second video I've seen from "This is Tech Today" and I'm already hitting that subscribe button.
One of the best testing methods I've seen for these sort of things, well done man!
Honestly, i was looking for good comparisons and found it, such amazing videos, well explained !
Having watched your comprehensive comparison, quite a relief for me to have GBP. Love them up to now. Great video as always. Cheers!
They're still great! Glad I could help. Thanks for watching.
Can we get a playlist of the music on Spotify or apple music or even both .
Huge thanks and well done . This is by far the most organized youtube videos ever . Keep up the good work 🙌🏻
I saw this video and 2 hours later I bought the Galaxy Buds Pro and already love them! I think this is the best choice I have done so far in terms of fitting since I have big ears and almost all other kept falling off easily. I have an S22 Ultra so I am getting all the features along with it which is cool, thank you!
Glad I could help!
Always looking for your headphones and Budd reviews!
What an amazing way to do reviews, keep it coming!
Great review as always! You did help me decide on which earbuds to buy when you did a review of Galaxy buds pro and Galaxy buds 2. I have the Buds Pro now and so far I have been enjoying using it. For my case, it fits perfectly on my ears. Sound Quality is superb as well. I chose to go with Samsung since it makes it easier for me to use it across the Samsung ecosystem
I found Sony xm4 1000 has most advanced tech and the sound quality was great
What an amazing video! I was going back and forth between the wf1000xm4 and the galaxy buds pros, and you made an outstanding comparison of both of them. Hats off to the effort you put into making this video!!
Hi, which one did you end up going for? 🙂
@@aulinjake Got the galaxy buds pro in a sweet deal of just $90
First time viewer and all I can say is thank you for the high value you provide, been able "to hear" each ear buds was mind blowing.
Your hard work does not go unnoticed. Great video!
That's a genius move to play the sponsor content while we are focused on how the mic quality is lol. Either way great video mate!
Lol, it's the way to make everything work and everyone wins without taking up more time 😅
Wow, this was an incredibly informative video! I think the only thing you didn't cover is whether the headphones have Bluetooth multipoint connectivity or not. Anyway, I hope you do a similar one for the Pixel Buds Pro come out next month.
This is so far, the best ad placement ever on a TH-cam video, well done!
Haha. Thank you
The best earbud comparison i ever see. Nice and fair tool been used to get the best result, keep it coming bro.
Brandon, I really appreciate your time and effort to make this video - I'll definitely be checking out more of your channel.
I've got the WF-1000XM4 recently and found for music they suit my preferences really well (especially Ultra and spatial audio), however for voice audio such as phone calls, podcast and audio books where there a higher pitch, I experience a tinny "ting" - almost like a ricochet (don't know how else to describe it) - I was wondering if you've experienced the same w/ the 1000XM4?
Seems like the Sony buds are both very warm, a little muddy/muffled, and intimate. The airpods are on the other end sounding a little thin, but open and airy. The samsung buds sound like a happy middle ground with a full rich sound
So much effort went into this review. Great job!
EXCELLENT technical review, haven't seen this anywhere. Congrats. Only to have in mind to do some test with movie sound if possible. Keep up this kind of reviews, very helpful for the audiophiles.
Great review as always. I do love the polished and wider stereo sound of the Galaxy Buds Pro better though.
Absolutely amazing how you test these. I work for a company that installs large audio systems like Luke Oil Stadium, Note Dame, etc. I'm just mentioning this because I work with amazing engineers and equipment all the time. I recognize the amount of effort you've put into testing these and it's stunning. Great job!
Aw, thank you so much. That's greatly appreciated!
WAOOO what a remarkable 👏 review of the best earbuds out there. Very professional and good and easy to understand. I think that all the cool equipment used is also a huge plus ➕️ it's different from other reviews and this review should be given a reward 😃
How this video doesn't have 10 million views, I don't understand. Stellar, stellar, STELLAR work! Also, that song by your friend Hannah Parrott is really beautiful.
I just bought Linkbuds S. A few corrections/additions to your review:-
1. Multi point in new firmware
2. Single earpiece works
3. LDAC is NOT a wash for BT. There is a switch between audio quality & audio stability in Sony app. Chosing quality changes from SBC to LDAC, and that mode has a hugeeeeee difference. Not small, hugee. Up until then I was on the verge of killing myself closer and closer as I compared to my last wired piece.
4. Fellas, S is way wider than it sounds here, any more is way outside the original. So keep that in mind.
5. Case feels cheap though, the material feels cheap. I think it's made with recycled stuff I think that's why.
6. ANC and transparency is good, but the review is correct here, trebles/highs/chatter NC is not good on S.
7. Flat equ is not good. Bumb up the high, a tiny bumb on the mid and low. Then it is good. It's a tiny driver, so don't expect it to be booming like a 12mm though.
8. Try it out, always check with different tracks, if a earphone has too much wide effect & surround effect without fiddling with app, then don't buy one.
It's hard to reduce salt, you can add salt as required later.
Suggestion:- Try "If you were the rain" by Stephen Day
Is this worth more than samsung bud pro 2s?
The case for the white linkbuds s doesn't feel as cheap as the black pair. I've had 4 different pairs of the linkbuds s i like them and for only 69.99 on Amazon you can't beat it. I've over 40 pairs of earbuds all over 75 and only like 10 under 100. My jabra 10 are my favorite. They surprised me a lot. I also have the jabra 8 which almost identical sound quality to the 10 only difference is the 10s angled ear tip makes them fit amazing . I love the 8 because most durable earbuds can wear in dust swimming anything.
This is one of the best reviews I've seen for audio qa in general and with every single use you could have. Bought my WF-1000XM4 and comparing it to other headphones in such detail I feel better for the $279 I spent. Thanks for such detail!
You’re most welcome!!
Hey I've had mines for about a year but just know they have a battery drainage issue currently.
So make sure you check your firmware for updates 😁
Mine got the battery screwed thanks to Sony's horrible 1.4.2 software update.
This should be the best headphones reviews channel. Please continue with your work!
Wow. U definitely do a top notch job on making reviews. Hands down great job man.
Really well done. I'm in the market as my WF1000XM4 were stolen at university recently. Now that the linkbuds s are out, they may be preferable to me for their size and fit. However, I'm also drawn to things like the 1more evo buds and pixel buds pro, which have multi point connection. The ANC is really important for me though, so it's tough. I'd like to see more earbuds on your channel like the Pixel buds because the ANC comparison (and all comparisons) are very helpful and not just anecdotal. Great job!
This is where the TH-cam algorithm got it right. I stumbled on your channel a couple of nights ago. The ability to take such detailed information and with great equipment make it possible for the average listener to understand. I have a better understanding of the different soundstages of each device. I currently have the wf-1000xm4s as my favorite buds but i see how you would like the galaxy buds especially in that last example. I have the pixel buds a as well (I have too many options for sound. I recently bought the xm5s and the link buds s. The link buds are to use while working. Wanted something with some noise cancelling but with good transparency mode just to listen out for things like a baby crying. I was going to sell my pixel buds A which I use for sleeping but now not so sure that will be the cause (neither have been delivered). Not having the headphones operate independently is also a potential L for those. The xm5s were just an upgrade from the xm4s. Wondering if you have an eq for the WF Xm4s but i understand if you couldn’t find one you truly liked.
Not to mention the xm4s work for me as I’m usually listening to hip hop or podcasts with them.
None the less, this is some amazing work here and easily the comparison videos id recommend to anyone trying to make a decision.
Thank you so much! I do appreciate your kind words. Yes, please share it with others. It helps more than most people know! You also have quite the lineup!
Just a heads up, the single earbud thing appears to be a bug with LDAC. We were able to get it to work after a factory reset and it works on iPhone and android but the moment we turn on LDAC it stops working. I’m going to talk to Sony and see what’s up.
@@ThisIsTechToday oh good to know! I wonder, were you using it with the Pixel 6? They have not had the best time with LDAC especially when set to the highest bitrate. It's about 90-95% fixed in the latest 12L beta. Regardless that is a relief.
I intentionally used the Galaxy S22 Ultra because it had the Galaxy Buds Pro benefit and because of what I've heard swirling around about Pixels.
PS: thanks for being a channel member!
Hey, I was actually thinking about getting the XM4's since I have the headphones equivalent and I love them. But from this video the Galaxy Buds just sounds so much better, richer, and natural, so now idk. If you happen to pick up the Galaxy Buds, could you come back here and give your opinion on them?
@@alexliebach not sure if you meant for me but on my end it comes down to how much you need the ANC and what type of music you listen to. I love my xm4 buds especially when going to the grocery store. But I'm usually listening to hip hop and I use the ANC to shut everything out. I did like the buds pro as well but I ended up giving them to someone with a galaxy device just because it's slightly better suited for them.
Amazing work! Thank you for doing this for us. Can't imagine how helpful everything is.
Greatest review possible. We actually get to hear what they sound like without having them, amazing! I would appreciate it if you could compare the latest airpods pro 2 and galaxy earpods 2 pro.
6:20 Actually you can use them independently. You just have to turn off the Google assistant button functionality. You will still be able to use assistant, just that you won't have a dedicated tap pattern for it. Once you turn it off. You can use the left or right one as u please.
This was fun Brandon! I'll be waiting to see how the new Pixel Buds Pro work out! Currently I'm still the Jabra 75Ts mostly for multipoint and heavy bass profile. I was also surprised how much I like the Pixel Buds A that came free with my Pixel 6 Pro!
I'm VERY excited about the Pixel Buds Pro. I hope they are good.
At last a really professional test of the earbuds. Congratulations for your work!
never stop make this kind of video... this is great review
Love the fact that you put a lot of effort to give us a first person experience on these devices. I do have a complaint tho. (Sorry)
I believe the Sony's are the only buds that support LDAC. To get full advantage of the codec you must enable audio priority in the Sony app ( also can be done through android developer settings) at the cost of range and some EQ settings.
I personally see a noticeable difference with LDAC 990kbps specially when playing hifi audio. It sounds great on Tidal.
Also, I feel that this review may be somewhat limiting as it didn't mention which codec settings were selected in the Sony app when samples were recorded.
Thank you for including the gaming/audio latency tests. It's really hard to find reviewers that actually test those. The linkbuds S will sopposedly have Bluetooth LE update coming later which sony claims to reduce audio latency as long as the device also supports Bluetoothe LE, so maybe you have an updated review once the update hits?
This guy's videos are always top notch. Quality of content, thought and effort put into the video---its art.
this is, hands down, the best video I've ever seen reviewing any type of product or whatsoever.
Congratz bro
Listening on my Buds Pro ☺️ love how bassy and crisp they are
The LinkBuds S are something that I am definitely keeping in mind. Currently I have to wear earbuds that are the shape of the airpods as my ears (as opposed to my ear canals) are too small for the Sennheiser momentum true wireless earbuds that I currently have to wear them comfortably.
Amazing review! Really like how you measure with mic. By far best review on ear buds!
One of the best earbuds review I've ever seen! Subscribed!
Testing the LinkBuds S with their default EQ does them a hell of a disservice. When set to the Treble Boost EQ preset in the Sony Headphones Connect mobile app (which gets saved to the LinkBuds S and applies across all devices), they sound extremely close to the Harman Target. Absolutely incredible mix of comfort, sound quality, ANC performance and price.
I have both the galaxy pros and the linkbuds s. I can't believe how well the soundstaging is in this comparison, I should check that.
But the linkbuds are so comfortable, the galaxy buds have made my ears bleed literally
@@XepptizZ have tried any other settings on Linkbuds. Did it make it any better ?
@@tanu5401 you can mess with the eq and some people have found decent eq settings. And by itself they sound fine with proper eq. But side by side I could easily tell that the galaxy buds pro just sound more lively. For music it's just more of a fun listening experience, for everything else I'm good with the linkbuds.
@@XepptizZ sounds good. What about the ANC on Linkbuds S? I heard some reviews there seems to be a wind like sound when ANC is on. Did you face anything like that?
@@tanu5401 i didn't find any significant difference with the anc on either earbuds. The tech just isn't quite there, it's noticeable when it's on, but plenty of the high and treble still get through.
It's like, yeah, it works, but cupping my ears with my hands or a cheap pair of construction earprotectors blocks twice or thrice as much. Now that is a powercombo, construction earprotectors and the buds with anc, I have sat through my upstairs neighbour taking out a concrete wall with that.
Have you ever tried creating a true flat EQ setting for each pair to get an even more accurate comparison. You could do a freq sweep and adjust each EQ to get as close to flat as possible. I realize the eq isn't exactly broad on these apps but it was just a thought. The ipods sound crisp and the Sonys a bit boomie. I can guarantee these are not flat. They are way too diffrent. I know the XM4s are extremely impressive for IEMs especially Bluetooth. I also know they sound better than AirPod Pros but you can't tell here. AirPods can't go as low or as smooth but are easier to wear. Just a thought. Again, the effort you've already done here is amazing!
nice comparison and certainly appreciate the soft music comparing these devices....nice selection of songs... the comparison was so much fun to watch... 👍
very powerful review..it is compact with everything we need to know about a product.thanks for this quality content! congrats team!!!
I just bought my XM4s two weeks ago and I had to put the medium ear tips on in order for my ears to stop hurting (smaller tips allowed the earbuds to go further into my ear), so the earbuds are not as snug as possible. Now, these look really cool because the sound seems to be the exact same as the XM4, but are smaller, which means more snug-ness. I'll go ahead and keep my XM4s, but I am glad Sony created a pair of buds that are smaller and has pretty much all of the qualities that the XM4 does (except charging capabilities and needing both earbuds to be on instead of just one).
Actually, I feel like rhe Galaxy buds pros have better anc in most situations than the airpods pro. I totally agree that they sound better too and are very compact and portable. Great review, as always!
Hands down the greatest comparison video I have ever watched🙏🏻
Excellent review! I just bought some Sony LinkBuds S on sale specifically for work (Zoom and calls). Appreciate the thoughtful work behind this review! Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
As an AirPods Pro user, I was so surprised how much wider the sound got between the Sony buds and the Samsung and Apple buds. The Sony’s sound rich, but compared they sound very squeezed! Fascinating stuff!
Yeah, it's really crazy. It all depends on if you want that focused warmer sound or the wide open and "polished" sound.
Airpods pro have never been the best sounding, as you can hear in this review
@@shaunbrady15 They aren’t the best sounding, but I have yet to find a wireless iem that is as convenient, portable, and easy to use as AirPods.
@@gibby3350 Galaxy Buds offer the same experience if you are a Samsung user
@@gibby3350 todos los auriculares inalambricos son portables 🙄🤦♂️
I really really want to buy the Sony Linkbuds S, but the Galaxy Buds Pro just sound so much better to me, they sound clear more armonic with every instrument and the bass complement just right.
Meanwhile at least for me, can't tell the difference between Linkbuds S and the XM4 both sound more bass and you lose some clarity, maybe the XM4 sound a bit deeper darker but I think is because of the fomi plug.
So I want to ask, if with the EQ you can make the Linkbuds S sound similar like the Galaxy Buds Pro or more clear, hell even with LDAC or DLSS Extreme can get something similar.
I have a Poco F3 so is support LDAC.
Also I really wanted them for the ANC.
keep up the good work.
Really appreciate your work your test method is one of the most professional thumbs up
Great test! Love how you do that!
Great comparison! In my opinion my pick for best sound quality to least is 1st is Sony xm4, 2nd is Sony linkbud s, 3rd is the Samsung Galaxy buds, last is apple airpod pro. xm4 was the nearest sound quality to the tracks played. I'm using planar head phone with dac listening to this. I never thought that xm4 sounds so good. I tested them on Sony store but didn't like the sound, maybe the stock eartip was not good, idk, I might go back to test it with different ear tip. 🤔
Here's my pick
Samsung bud pro, sound stage is cleanest, but I did notice little distortion when high volume.
Sony xm4, bass and rich sound
Apple, fits good
Sony link, too much bass, sometimes higher bass will ruin the music, especially acoustic, jazz, and piano sounds.
Thanks for the good reviews!!
Phenomenal video man, gave me the info I needed. Subbed.
wow sooo many great thing to say about this video. Was so helpful and very descriptive (a really important thing to mention on this kind of videos. Thanks for showing us good quality content.
Sony WF-1000xm4 is a bad ass when it comes to the bass
Buds pro also joins the competition too
I'm proud to say this from a galaxy fan
Nice
I appreciate your method which allowed us to experience each device for ourselves along with the reference source for comparison. It was very helpful in seeing your results. I happened to agree with you on the Samsungs with AirPods Pro the second best in terms of sound quality.
WOW. What an amazing video. I have always surfed the internet for a perfect audio review over such earphones. And you Brandon killed it. This channel is going to be my go to channel moving forward. Cheers.
This is definitely the definitive comparison - thanks for the great review :)
Thanks for the super detailed review! Just a quick note: I got the linkbuds s and I can use the earbuds individually... getting a good EQ setting definitely took a bit of time but for a non-audiophile like me, I managed to get a sound profile that I really like :)
Wait, how were you able to get them to work independently? I can't for the life of me get them to do that 😭
@@ThisIsTechToday That's weird! I have them paired to an Iphone Mini 12 and the earbuds work independently without any problems 😅
@@ThisIsTechToday I think it might be a result of having Google assistant on. The same happens with the XM4 if you have Google assistant activated. Turn that off and you should be able to use either independently.
I say I think so because I have the xm4 but not yet have the linkbuds S, but if they're anything like the xm4 that is probably it
@swayz I agree with Brandon here. I can use the right side by itself, but not the left. As soon as the right one goes into the charge case the bluetooth connection is cut. I would also love an explanation as to how you are able to use them both.
@@ELJefeReviews I must have some magic earbuds or something xD I just tried it again. Opened the case, took the left earbud out and put it in my ear, closed the case again with the other earbud inside the case. played a song on my iphone and could listen without problems. Repeated the same process with the right earbud and same result. If I have both earbuds in my ear and I take one out while listening to something, the playback stops due to out-of-ear detection but as soon as I place that earbud in the case and close it, I can continue to listen on the earbud that is still in my ear and stayed connected. So I really have no clue why it doesn't work for you🤔 There's nothing I did with the settings except for the usual stuff like touch controls and EQ. btw, also love your reviews El Jefe! :)
This is a great idea to give us choices and help us understand what we care about. I do find that it was different to understand because the headphones we use have their own response curves. Wish I had a good baseline pair with a flat sound profile. Would be cool if you made a link only video with your preferences and observations in each category/song type. Since you probably would be able to hear it on a good pair of headphones and without TH-cam compression.
I'm listening to this video on a set of Sony XM4s. I could tell a big difference between the original recording and the XM4 recording. I understand why but it's still a little strange. Listening to that comparison it made it sound like the XM4s had a muddy tone to them. But I heard the original a second earlier on my actual XM4s and it didn't sound muddy.
It's because you're compounding the sound profile 2x because you're listening on the headphones that's shown, lol. It's a comparative difference. It doesn't magically change your headphones to neutral ones without the coloring and tuning of your headphones 😅
Amazing review! I was so excited about these earbuds but no independent connection is a deal breaker for me! Thank you for saving me from buying then finding that out 🙌
Correction to review stating not @6:10. The options allow Right side standalone if you turn off Service link in the app.
I read in Sony online Help Guide that if you leave the Right in the case, the Left bud will work by itself. Haven’t yet tried that and don’t know if Service Link will interfere. Too bad the The Linkbuds WF-L900 charge isn’t lasting more than 5 hours. You will get an audio message announcing low battery. I’m wearing both right now. Message came 1st on right. I did notice a few minutes ago, audio mostly in left ear. Still listening to music as I write this.
Really suprised that the Buds Pro came out on top. Good to know, I just ordered some for cheap :D
Thanks for the detailed comparison, appreciate these kind of tests
Hi Brandon. Amazing review. I have a thought that I think only your skills could help us with. Could you please do a LDAC manually set to 990Kbps (max audio quality) vs aac/sbc on the exact same earbuds or headphones. It would be really nice to see what is missing in the readings/charts/Harmon on the same track. Is LDAC at 990Kbps really that much closer to listening to the song on a wired headphone (90% of wired I hear). You might have to set the phone's overdrive mode to on to prevent stuttering
LDAC only makes sense when you like your earbuds' sound signature. Even if AirPods Pro supports LDAC you still wouldn't like it.
@@newkid7 for sure and I assume that if you did like your airpods pro/max and they supported LDAC or some equivalent 990Kbps tech one day that they would sound much more open and clear compared to AAC/SBC at 100kbps but perhaps not perceivable by some. I only play BT music with LDAC 990 turned on myself
13:24 very surprised by how well presented this track is on galaxy buds pro
Been trying to find a pair of earbuds to upgrade and so far this been one of the best videos to discover the difference between different ear buds.
Definitely Getting Sony WF thank u for making my decision much easier
And Def getting my sub
you're an absolute lad - the quality of your content is fantastic. Thank you.
Listening to this video on flat IEMs, tells me that Galaxy Buds Pro are the best sounding. All the frequencies sound natural, nothing overpowering. The vocals sound forward and clear. The best outstanding feature out of all the earbuds, was the soundstage on Galaxy Buds Pro. Apple and Sony do not even come close in terms of Soundstage. Someone who cares about sound and sound only, should definitely get Galaxy Buds Pro.
They do follow the Harmon curve a lot better, yeah.
After owning a few and then listening to samples on this video. Definitely the Samsung Pro it the reason why they are my daily drivers. Thankfully fit in my ear fine. The Sony WM4 tried and found lower treble lacking and makes electric guitars sound booming and etc a Yes did play with EQ and they sound better but still lacking and narrow sounding. Not sure why audiophiles phase and hype them up? The Samsung Buds pro's are definitely better sounding out of the bunch sometimes a little harsh but does overall well for most genres of music..
@@thetechgenie7374 i agree with you,i have both samsung pro n wf1000,sound quality buds pro more2 better than wf1000,already tuning eq sony but still cant beat sound quality buds pro.
and after update i just hope it Samsung buds not having issue, im using ex- Galayx Buds+ who Samsung claims can hold 11 hours battery ,first time i use not yet update still good ,battery can hold at least more than 7 hours ,but after update it coming new issue battery left 70% and right 95% unbalanced,too much difference, and only a week i never use battery dead, need to plug in & out everytime until the Buds battery boost up from 0%, im not sure does Samsung software make this issue or i get defect product. Due to that issue i move to Wf-1000xm4 ,till today no issued even after update still doing good, battery is beast when use SBC audio , 2 hours continuous playing music only decrease 5-10%.
I felt the same but in my case was listening to this in the Redmi bids 3 pro. I felt that the Galaxy buds pro were the best every time
Its incredible that the Airpods Pro has an incredibly good transperency and ANC modes almost 2 years after it came out
I liked my Galayx Buds Pro but the Transperency is really terrible, any loud noises causes pops
Trully ahead of their time! Apple does this time to time, then they get stagnant for a couple of years. Been rocking AirPods Pro since release date, and tried a plethora of different earbuds (I'm on the Samsung ecosystem), but the practically perfect transparency Mode and solid ANC on the airpods don't let me replace them! Man, hope the Buds 2 Pro crown themselves over the Airpods Pro 2 since using Airpods with my samsung it's not recommended at all (poor AAC connection only).
Transparency mode of airpods pro is unbeatable
best review video on youtube! and awesome selection of songs!
Such a great set up for comparing earphone, the best and probaby the only one out there! An instant subsribe, but i think It would be great if you could make this kinda video comparing budget in-ear earphone such as QCY, soundpeats and high ends that are in this video so that the general crowd can anticipate what to expect when buying those earphones.
Looking forward for your next audio-related videos!
I own basically every earbuds he tested and what I can say is Galaxy Buds Pro (ehem, even the plus) is the superior among all the test samples here. It is definitely a bang for the buck. The sound quality us great even with just the default EQ. Now, if you switch it to Dynamic is where it stomps all of the earbuds available in the market.
Easily the best sounding.
but, you totally fucked them with the awful EQ. Don't use that.
@@Wylie288 Why? That's the EQ that i've been using and it sounds great
I never thought I would ever say that a Sony audio product had great audio calls....but I stand corrected. Linkbuds S definitely seem to highlight the bass a bit judging from the audio sample. Is the one earbud issue due to the Google assistant integration? I know from previous models turning off Google assistant allows for single bud use
They have INSANE mic quality! I'll have to double check, but I think I had the same issue on the iPhone.
@@ThisIsTechToday that's how it is with the xm4s when you have a voice assistant enabled. Keep us posted.
@@ThisIsTechToday hello. What is your equalizer settings for the WF 1000xm4 please?
it's because of auto play
I love your hard work with logical review, Bro. Keep the good work and keep inspiring...!
Thanks a ton
Geez, one of the BEST review I have ever come across, though. You nailed it, mate.
I absolutely love the sound of the Galaxy Buds Pro, by far the best sound stage and just really true to life sounding of the 4. But I have narrow ear canals so that makes it hard!
The WF1000XM4s (seriously Sony needs to find a new name for them) sounded good but we're a bit hollower and less true to real life. I love ANC so they'd likely take my money.
The Linkbuds S were pretty hollow tbh honest although the base was nice and punchy. Great mics though.
The Airpods were my least favourite - it really sounds like Apple has tuned them for voice and vocal ranges more than anything else as they were very vocal-forward but it absolutely blows out the mids and bass.
Listening back on my Etymotic ER2 my preference between these buds in descending order in terms of sound quality would be XM4 ≥ Buds Pro > APP > LBS.
The XM4s are a bit dark, and have some excess warmth, but it maintains a punchy low end without being too overbearing. They don't sound the closest to the original recording, but in isolation they still sound quite natural, just lacking some air and bite. I personally find its sound signature the most pleasant out of the bunch.
The Buds Pro sounded the most neutral of the roundup which makes sense since they're tuned somewhat to the Harman target, but I heard a bit of treble weirdness at times that threw the timbre off which I found distracting. Otherwise they're pretty dang good, and beat out the rest of the buds if you want a "correct" sounding pair of tws earbuds.
The Airpods seemed to be going for a leaner, more referencey diffuse field type signature, reminiscent of my Etymotic ER2SE, but again, some weirdness going on in the treble, and they could stand to have a bit more bass. (Went and referenced some FR graphs, and on firmware 3A283 they do graph quite similarly to my Etys, just with some low/mid treble emphasis)
The Linkbuds S sounded like a worse XM4 to me. Less clarity, less punchy, less everything.
Also I peeped you wearing Blessing 2s in this video. Any plans on reviewing/comparing wired IEMs, or is it too niche of a product type for it to be worth it for the channel?
this take is interesting at etymotics are one of my favorites :) but rn Im looking for a tws buds
Great review! Thanks for all of the insights.
Amazing review as always!! The go to channel for sound 👌
Much appreciated!