First came earbuds, designed to immerse us in music and calls, creating a personal bubble wherever we went. Then came noise-cancelling technology, perfecting that bubble by muting the outside world. But as true as silence may be bliss, real-world scenarios often demand a more balanced approach, prompting companies to develop features like ambient modes that bring some of the outside world back in.
But then there are some who have and should be aware of their surroundings all the time? Imagine cycling or riding a bike through a busy street, crossing a crowded intersection, athletes playing an outdoor sport, or even working in an office where staying aware of your surroundings matters. Understanding the complexity and specific needs, Japanese audio company Sony has addressed this challenge with what the company calls as Open-Ring design, letting the outside environment sound in, even when listening to music or on calls.
Unlike the traditional earbuds flooding the market, Sony has chosen a unique approach with this model, featuring an eye-catching, see-through hole in each bud. To achieve this ergonomic design, Sony utilised ear-mould data from individuals across various countries, followed by extensive testing with people of different ear sizes to refine the shape for an optimal fit.
The result? This new open-style model is notably compact, with a 2mm reduction in length compared to the Sony LinkBuds launched in 2022. Additionally, a soft support is now attached next to the round casing, which houses the battery and other components, enhancing the snug fit.
Though initially sceptical, I found the customised design truly effective; the buds were surprisingly comfortable to wear. However, before jumping in, it’s worth spending a moment to review the fit guide. Unlike most earbuds, which either dangle from the ear or rely on a soft tip to press into the ear canal, these are designed without an ear tip. Instead, the open circular section, which contains the driver, rests over the lower part of the ear opening, with the circular housing fitting securely within the ear groove and gently holding at the top. Following these steps, I achieved a secure, comfortable fit that stayed put even during a morning jog. The buds come neatly stored in a compact case that resembles two shiny black pebbles stacked atop one another, making for a sleek, portable package. More importantly, Sony has ensured smooth functionality with touch-sensitive controls, which work across the wide area on either ear for music playback and more. These controls are customizable through the app.
The LinkBuds Open seamlessly paired with my iPhone over Bluetooth and were ready to use right out of the box. However, I opted to install the Sony Sound Connect app to unlock additional features and customisation options, including equaliser settings, customising controls, firmware updates, and more.
Be it over-ear headphones or earbuds, Sony has been focusing on delivering immersive, high-resolution sound, a goal the company has successfully achieved with these 11mm drivers. To test out the buds, I used my diverse playlist, including tracks like 'Afreen Afreen' by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, ‘Roja' by A.R. Rahman, 'Something Just Like This' by The Chainsmokers & Coldplay, and 'Nuvole Bianche' by Ludovico Einaudi, to name a few. The audio output was crisp, with distinct vocal clarity and a nicely balanced treble, creating an immersive experience that allowed me to get lost in my favourite music. However, across genres, I did miss that signature Sony bass punch, which is typically more pronounced. This is where the app comes in handy, as I was able to tweak the audio using the equaliser, which offers preset options like vocals, treble boost, bass boost, and speech, along with the ability to create custom profiles for a personalised listening experience. However, the open design did compromise some of Sony’s signature bass performance.
As these buds are designed to let environmental sounds in, they do not support active noise cancellation. However, for situations where you do feel like blocking out outdoor noise, the app offers an adaptive voice control option that increases the volume when the environment becomes noisy and returns to the original volume when it becomes quiet.
In addition, there is a speak-to-chat feature for having conversations. When activated from the app, the music pauses as soon as I start a conversation and resumes afterward. The buds also support voice control.
These compact buds also score high on battery life, offering a total of close to 20 hours of listening time—about six hours from the buds themselves, plus an additional 14 hours of backup from the case. What’s impressive is the quick charge feature, where just 3-5 minutes of charging provides an hour of playback.
The Sony LinkBuds Open allows you to stay in tune with both the world around you and the music or calls you’re enjoying, all without missing a beat.
