Hey there! I've been testing out Sony's new Link Buds Fit earbuds for a few weeks, and I'm ready to give you my full report on them. Let's jump right into the review. Okay, so Sony didn't upgrade any of its noise-canceling flagship headphones and earbuds this year, but its more mid-range Link Buds line got a couple of big updates. I've got here the Link Buds Open and the Link Buds Fit. Both cost $200 and offer improved designs and sound quality. While the Open features a slightly smaller version of the innovative ring driver found in the original Link Buds, they do play a little bit louder and serve up a little bit more bass. But of the two new Link Buds, the Link Buds Fit really are the standout model, so I'm going to focus on them. It does seem pretty clear that the Link Buds Fit are Sony's response to Beats' popular Fit Pro earbuds. The tip-off is probably in the name, and like the Beats buds, these are IPX4 splash-proof and

sweat resistant, weighing only 4.9 G per Bud. They're lightweight and compact while they're the noise isolating sibling to the link butts open. They seem more like a second cousin to the different-shaped link buds' noise isolating buds, which will remain in the link buds line. When in your ears, it's actually a little hard to tell the two new link buds models apart. Both feature Sony's new air-fitting supporters, which are essentially Sports fins. Sony is highlighting how you can swap those fins out for a set with a different color to customize the look of your buzz, and you can also buy optional case covers in those same color options. I don't know how great the two-tone look is, but you can't fault Sony for trying to create a new Revenue stream from link buds accessories, which start at 10 bucks for a new set of fins. I suppose it's also good that you can replace a fin should you lose it. Truth be told, in some ways, I like the new link buds better than

Sony's flagship WF-1000X Mark 5 noise-cancelling buds. They don't sound quite as good, nor do they have quite as good noise-cancelling, but they fit my ears comfortably and securely, and their sound, noise-cancelling, and call quality performance are all very good. They're powered by Sony's integrated V2 chip, which Sony says optimizes noise-cancelling in real time according to the user's environment for optimal audio performance. Plus, its dual noise sensor technology filters exterior sound using multiple microphones for greater immersion. The WF-1000X Mark 5 has the same V2 chip but pairs it with its HD noise-cancelling processor Q2E chip, which is supposed to further enhance noise-cancelling and sound quality. Of course, if you can't get a good fit and tight seal with your earbuds, sound quality and noise-cancelling performance will suffer, no matter what chips they have in them. I do think more people will be able to get a better fit with the Link Buds Fit than the XM5. Part of that

is due to those new air fitting supporters, but Sony's also redesigned its ear tips and included a wide range of sizes, including XL tips that fit my ears well. I can't get a tight seal with any of the tips that Sony includes with the XM M5 buds, but I am able to use Sennheiser's large ear tips to get a tight seal with those buds out of the box. The Link Buds fit feature Sony's signature sound profile. It's a tad warm, and by that, I mean it's a little bit bass-forward, but the sound is open and dynamic. If anything, it lacks a touch of clarity, but the profile works well with a variety of music genres, and most people should be pleased with it. I found the sound quality to be a tad better than the Beat Fit Pro sound, and the buds pack more bass punch than the AirPods Pro 2. You can tweak the sound a bit with the equalizer settings in Sony's new renewed Sound Connect app, which replaces the Sony headphones app. Sony has

streamlined the app a bit in an effort to make it seem less confusing to users. It does seem a little bit more user-friendly, but there still are plenty of settings to choose from. Sony says it's also improved the ambient mode from the link buds s, making it sound more natural, and I do think that's the case from my testing. As I said, the noise cancelling doesn't seem quite as good as what you get with the wf1000x mark 5, which features some of the best noise cancelling out there, but it's still very good overall. I thought the voice calling performance was impressive. Caller said they could hear almost no background noise when I spoke to them from the noisy streets of New York, and they said my voice sounded pretty clear with minimal glitches. Here's a sample call to check out. All right, I'm in the streets of New York doing a test call with our video producer Numi. Numi, I've got some traffic going on around me, I've got some birds chirping in the trees, and I got a

little little breeze. How do I sound overall? Overall, you sound great. Um, I do hear the birds chirping when you talk, but that's only when you are talking, so otherwise it's crystal clear and great. I'll finish up by quickly highlighting a few of the buds' key features. They're equipped with Bluetooth 5.3, have ear detection sensors, and support multi-point Bluetooth pairing. Like the link buds open, you get Sony's speak-to-chat feature that pauses your music when you start a conversation, and both models have voice controls built into the buds themselves, which is new for Sony. The voice control feature has to be activated in the settings menu, as does speak-to-chat, but once it's activated, you simply say, Hey headphones, play music. I thought the voice controls worked well, though I did sometimes forget the exact command. The link buds fit also have the gesture controls of the link buds S. You can nod or shake your head to accept or reject calls, and you get support for a variety of audio codecs, including SBC, AAC, and LC3.

and Sony's high-quality LDAC audio codec that's compatible with a lot of Android devices. The battery life is decent but not great. It's rated at 5.5 hours at moderate volume levels with noise cancelling on, and the charging case gives you an additional three recharges. The charging case doesn't have wireless charging, which is a bit disappointing considering the Bud's $200 price point, but it's not a deal breaker. I also thought the case was slightly bulbous; again, not a deal breaker. It's a little taller and bulkier compared to the cases you get with a lot of buds. That said, it's a little smaller than the Beats Fit Pro's charging case, so I can't complain too much. In the final analysis, I think Sony's done a nice job moving the Link Buds line forward with both design and performance improvements. Customizable accessories are a bit of a gimmick, and it's too bad that Sony's raised the price for the buds by $20 from their predecessors, but we've seen

similar price hikes with a lot of new premium earbuds these days, including new models from Samsung and Google. Unless you're someone who just can't stand having ear tips in your ears, the Link Buds Fit are going to be better for you than the Link Buds Open. They're among my favorite new earbuds of 2024 and superior to the Beat Fit Pro in some ways, particularly for Android users. As always, let me know what you think about the new Link Buds in the comment section. I'm particularly interested in what people think about the Link Buds Fit's design and the whole accessory situation. I'm David Conor for cet.com. Thanks for watching.

Sony LinkBuds Fit Review: The Sporty Sony Earbuds You Want

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