We recently wrote about the new headphones from Sony, the photos of which excited the Internet and raised a number of questions. The donut-like Sony LinkBuds (WF-L900) have finally been officially unveiled, and we’re excited to share the details.

Sony LinkBuds

The novelty can be called the opposite of the popular Sony models with active noise reduction. As intended, the hole in the center of the new ring driver is designed to let in ambient sounds and allow the listener to “combine their online and offline worlds”. The idea is that you can work, listen to music or play while remaining aware of what is happening around you. 

There is no active noise cancellation when listening, but for clear speech transmission during calls, an algorithm is used that was developed with AI machine learning (more than 500 million voice samples were used). The adaptive volume control technology automatically increases/decreases it depending on the ambient noise. Familiar with the brand’s flagship headphones, Speak-to-Chat stops playback when you hear your voice and allows you to talk without removing your headphones.

Sony says the LinkBuds are optimized for all-day comfort. The earbuds weigh just 4.1 grams and are 51% smaller than the flagship WF-1000XM4. Wing attachments (5 sizes included) are used for additional fixation. Fans of in-ear headphones will certainly be satisfied, but time will tell how comfortable LinkBuds will be for fans of in-ear models.Another original feature of the model is control. It’s touch-sensitive, but since the earbuds are so small and it can be difficult to hit them, Sony has provided Wide Area Tap technology – double or triple taps on the area in front of either of your ears to control playback and calls. 

The battery life is about 5.5 hours from the headphones themselves, plus another 12 from the case. A 10-minute quick charge provides up to 90 minutes of playback. The earphones are resistant to rain or exercise thanks to IPX4 water resistance. The same V1 chip as in the Sony WF-1000XM4 is responsible for audio processing in LinkBuds. Supports Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE), which improves the sound of compressed files and immersive 360 ​​Reality Audio. 

For fast connection with Android and PC, there is Google Fast and Swift Pair. Spotify Tap lets you quickly resume music/podcast playback without taking your smartphone out. In addition, the new Microsoft Soundscape technology is integrated into the model, which uses 3D audio for navigation.In addition, Sony has not forgotten about the environment – there is no plastic in the packaging of the headphones, and the design of the LinkBuds uses plastic recycled from automotive parts.