Sony’s Newest Headphones Are Clip-on Headphones.
It took me a while to get used to wearing in-ear headphones. I grew up in the headphone era and never liked the idea of constantly having something in my ears. If that sounds like you, Sony has you covered. Their newest in-ear headphones, the Linkbuds Clip, attach to your ears with a clip.
Sony isn’t the first brand to bring this idea to market— Anker Soundcore has a number of more affordable options. But when it comes to premium over-ear headphones, they’re essentially these, the slightly more expensive Bose , and the slightly sportier Shokz .
Compared to its competitors, Sony’s new model looks like a worthy choice. These earbuds fit snugly in your ear thanks to adjustable ear cups and include all the benefits for which Sony Linkbuds are renowned. This includes an optional built-in voice enhancement mode, which helps you hear vocals better; adaptive sound, which can increase or decrease volume depending on your surroundings; a motion sensor for performing touch gestures (which can be performed directly near your ear, rather than on the earbuds themselves); and—new to this model—a bone conduction sensor.
Sony is positioning the latter feature as particularly useful for calls, as the bone conduction sensor will be able to accurately detect when you’re speaking and, working in conjunction with the AI-powered noise reduction feature, will be able to reduce background noise.
Battery life has also been improved compared to the previous Sony Linkbuds model, the Linkbuds Open . While the earbuds offered 22 hours of battery life with the charging case, Sony promises up to 37 hours. The earbuds themselves are supposed to offer up to nine hours of battery life.
Speaking of the Linkbuds Open, it’s worth noting that this model also had a unique design: the main part of the earbud was positioned at the top of the ear, while the sound-producing ring was positioned outside the ear canal. This design was intended to create a feeling similar to open-back headphones, meaning you could fully hear your surroundings without removing the earbuds, without the need for transparency mode.
The Linkbuds Clip earbuds strive to maintain the open-back feel while offering greater comfort and flexibility. Sony told me that the Linkbuds Open earbuds do sit closer to the eardrum when worn correctly, which may provide better sound quality, but due to differences in ear shape, some users found them difficult to use as intended. I was sent a pair of Linkbuds Clip earbuds for review, and while I haven’t had much time to test them yet, I can confirm that they fit quite snugly in my ears right out of the box.
Over the next week, I’m looking forward to testing the Linkbuds Clip both while walking around New York City and during workouts. Besides the increased comfort compared to in-ear headphones, you’ll be fully aware of your surroundings while wearing them, which should help with safety or any spontaneous conversations that might arise (Sony also markets them as headphones for parents who need to constantly keep an eye on their children). I sometimes feel like my in-ear headphones can block airflow during cardio workouts, making it harder to cool down, so I’m interested to see if these headphones can help with that.
The only drawback is that, as with open-back headphones, there may be some sound leakage, meaning others around you can hear what you’re listening to. I’ll have to test this over time, although Sony claims to have an additional sound leakage reduction mode.
There’s also no noise cancellation feature, but that’s to be expected given the goal is to stay aware of what’s going on around you at all times.
I’ve been a big fan of Sony audio products for years, especially their software and listening modes. My full review of the Linkbuds Clip will be out soon, but if you’re already convinced of their quality, you can pick up a pair for $230 on Sony’s website or at retailers like Amazon . The case comes in four colors, but you can also purchase a silicone case that covers half the case for a color-coordinated look on Sony’s website for $12.50. Additional air cushions in any color are also available with the top cases , and the bottom cases come with a key fob.