Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)
✓
Sony LinkBuds S ✓
ANC utilises advanced kind of tech to reduce ambient sounds. ANC works when, it listens to the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and then inverts the soundwaves to counter it. In simple terms, it's like having +1 (sound from your surrounding) and adding -1 (inverted noise) to make zero resulting in a reduced level of noise.
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have Active Noise Cancellation allowing you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue as you don't have to crank up the earbuds volume to overcome background noise.
The Sony LinkBuds S too have ANC making both devices ideal for flights and rush hour commutes. The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) and Sony LinkBuds S operate with different noise cancellation modes, pick the setting that you prefer for travel or that enhances your chill time.
Has Passive Noise Reduction
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)
✓
Sony LinkBuds S ✓
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) stay well in place, creating a sound covering that tones down your environment sounds and also prevents the earbuds voice audio from leaking out at the same.
Both Sony LinkBuds S, and Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have passive noise reduction this implies that both reduce ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out.
Driver Unit Size
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)
11mm
Sony LinkBuds S 5mm
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) driver unit is 11mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, therefor producing better bass.
A driver unit is basically a mini speaker that produces sound in the device, its size determines the sound produced by the earbuds.
Sony LinkBuds S driver unit is 5mm in diameter,
which implies that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) by 6mm
, many people have a misconception that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.
However, large drivers usually have difficulty producing high frequencies so yes, larger drivers can generate louder sound, but this does not mean that they produce better quality sound.
Lowest Frequency
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)
10Hz
Sony LinkBuds S 20Hz
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)'s lowest frequency is at 10Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well a particular audio component generates low frequencies that can be heard, and if it alters the signal while at it.
Sony LinkBuds S's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this implies that
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) can make sound with a juicier bass than the Sony LinkBuds S
Highest Frequency
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)
20,000Hz
Sony LinkBuds S 40,000Hz
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)'s highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response indicates how well a particular audio device generates high human frequencies and if it makes any adjustments to the signal on its way through.
Sony LinkBuds S's highest frequency is at 40,000Hz, this implies that
Sony LinkBuds S can produce a clearer and crispier treble than the Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)
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