Home Wireless Earbuds Fiio Fw5 Vs. Sony Linkbuds S

A Review By Comparison of the Fiio Fw5 Vs. Sony Linkbuds S

Last updated on Mar 29, 2023   8 minute read
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Reasons why you might like the FiiO FW5

Overall Score 6.4 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 7 hours
  • Number Of Microphones of 4 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode
VS
Sony LinkBuds S

Sony LinkBuds S

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Reasons why you might like the Sony LinkBuds S

Overall Score 6.2 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 6 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode

A summary of the review by feature comparison

Category Features FiiO FW5 Sony LinkBuds S
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating ipX4 ipX4
weight 12.8g 9.6g
has no wires or cables
sweat resistance
has an earbud foam
has stereo speakers
SOUND QUALITY has active noise cancellation (noise control)
has passive noise reduction
driver unit size 10mm 5mm
lowest frequency 20hz 20hz
highest frequency 20,000hz 40,000hz
sound pressure level 108db/mw
has a neodymium magnet
POWER battery life 7hours 6hours
battery life of charging case 14hours 14hours
charge time 1.6hours 2hours
battery power 65mah
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5.2 v5.2
maximum bluetooth range 10meters 10meters
has aac
has ldac
has aptx adaptive
MICROPHONE number of microphones 4only 6only
has a noise-canceling microphone
EXTRAS has ambient sound mode
has in/on-ear detection
has find earbuds feature
supports fast charging
multipoint count 2only
has a mute function
control panel placed on a device
has voice prompts
travel bag is included
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A breakdown of the review per specifications

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

FiiO FW5 ipX4
Sony LinkBuds S ipX4

Ingress protection ratings refer to the level of protection given by an enclosure, against dust and water. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value represents protection against solids say dust, while the second refers to protection against liquids (sweat).

Having a value of IPX4, the FiiO FW5's rating is read as, the first number of X denotes that no data available to specify a protection rating, and the second number of 4 means that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes.

In comparison to the FiiO FW5, Sony LinkBuds S have a rating of IPX4 meaning that we are not yet certain of their rating with solids (dust) and that of liquids is that, they both have the same rating against liquids

Weight

FiiO FW5 12.8g
Sony LinkBuds S 9.6g

The FiiO FW5 have a weight of 12.8g . We take in account a lower weight better because lighter devices are easier to move with.

The Sony LinkBuds S, at 9.6g weigh less than the FiiO FW5 with a difference -3.2g

Has No Wires Or Cables

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

True wireless devices have no wires linking any part of the device together, FiiO FW5 are true wireless for this matter since they don't have cables. This is a key difference since wireless earbuds have cables linking the pair of earbuds .

Sony LinkBuds S also is true wireless since it has no cables linking the pair of earbuds .

Sweat Resistance

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

Sony LinkBuds S are resistant to sweat

Has An Earbud Foam

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

The earbud foam is designed to be ultracompact and lightweight, with little interference with earrings, spectacles, hats, or hairstyles. The FiiO FW5 have an earbud foam for some people it is more comfortable than the in-ear foam.

Has Stereo Speakers

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

FiiO FW5 have stereo speakers, devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from separate channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better listening experience.

The Sony LinkBuds S also have stereo speakers

FiiO FW5
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Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

ANC utilises advanced technology to actively cancel noise. How it works, it studies the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and inverts the soundwaves to counter it. In simple terms, it's like taking +1 (sound from your surrounding) then producing -1 (inverted noise) giving zero resulting in a reduced level of noise.

The FiiO FW5 have ANC enabling you to listen at lower volume levels, causing less ear fatigue as you don't need to crank up the device volume to outcompete background sounds.

The Sony LinkBuds S too have ANC making either of the devices ideal for plane rides and rush hour commutes. The FiiO FW5 and Sony LinkBuds S work with different noise cancellation settings, pick the setting that you prefer for travel or that suites your chill time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

FiiO FW5 sit tightly in place, creating an acoustic seal that reduces background noise and also prevents the device sound from leaking out .

Both Sony LinkBuds S, and FiiO FW5 have passive noise reduction this means that they reduce ambient noise instead of actively using ANC to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

FiiO FW5 10mm
Sony LinkBuds S 5mm

The FiiO FW5 have a unit size of 10mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, and can produce better bass. A driver unit is the component that produces sound in the earbuds, the unit size dictates the loudness of the earbuds.

Sony LinkBuds S driver unit is 5mm in diameter, which implies that they have a smaller driver unit than that of FiiO FW5 by 5mm , a common assumption 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 are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not mean that they produce better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

FiiO FW5 20hz
Sony LinkBuds S 20hz

The FiiO FW5's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio component produces low audible frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal on its way through.

Sony LinkBuds S's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this implies that both devices produce equal bass

Highest Frequency

FiiO FW5 20,000hz
Sony LinkBuds S 40,000hz

FiiO FW5's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response measures if and how well an audio device generates high human frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal on its way through.

Sony LinkBuds S's highest frequency is at 40,000Hz, this implies that Sony LinkBuds S produce a clearer and crispier treble than the FiiO FW5

Sound Pressure Level

FiiO FW5 108db/mw
Sony LinkBuds S

The sound pressure level, is the level of pressure of sound, measured in decibels, dB, FiiO FW5's measurement is 108dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.

Has A Neodymium Magnet

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

FiiO FW5 have neodymium magnets, when used in audio devices produce a higher sensitivity and substantial sound output using less power to do so. They can help produce music at quite a high sound pressure level, with the use of high magnetic flux.

Sony LinkBuds S have it too, devices with neodymium magnets are lighter and more powerful than those which use ferrite magnets. It is also known that they produce more bass and clearer high notes.

Power

Battery Life

FiiO FW5 7hours
Sony LinkBuds S 6hours

FiiO FW5's battery life is 7 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average before recharge. A device's battery life is usually given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and requires fewer chargings.

Sony LinkBuds S's battery life is less than that of FiiO FW5 by 1 hours . Each time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less playing time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over a few years, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

FiiO FW5 14hours
Sony LinkBuds S 14hours

This is given by the manufacturer, and the FiiO FW5's case is said to have a full charge of 14 hours. A charging case with a longer battery life allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go many times before having to recharge the case itself.

Sony LinkBuds S's charging case has a battery life of 14 hours, equal to that of the FiiO FW5

Charge Time

FiiO FW5 1.6hours
Sony LinkBuds S 2hours

It requires 1.6 hours to fully charge the FiiO FW5's battery. It is highly adivsable to charge fully the battery before using the earbuds when they have been unused for long periods.

Sony LinkBuds S takes 2 hours to fully charge the battery, more than that of FiiO FW5 by 0.4 hours

Battery Power

FiiO FW5 65mah
Sony LinkBuds S

FiiO FW5's battery power is 65mAh, battery power, shows the amount of electrical energy that a battery can keep.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

FiiO FW5 have a battery level indicator, an indicator notifies you when the device has a low battery. The battery indicator lights show the charging status of your device and charging case.

Sony LinkBuds S too have a battery level indicator, these enable you determine the charging state of your earbuds, whether fully charged, or the battery is running low.

FiiO FW5
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Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

The Sony LinkBuds S have USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.

Bluetooth Version

FiiO FW5 v5.2
Sony LinkBuds S v5.2

FiiO FW5 have Bluetooth version of 5.2, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data transfers between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.

Sony LinkBuds S has a Bluetooth version of 5.2, equal to that of the FiiO FW5 . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

FiiO FW5 10meters
Sony LinkBuds S 10meters

FiiO FW5 have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth.

Sony LinkBuds S have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the FiiO FW5

Has Aac

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

Sony LinkBuds S support AAC, a codec used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it provides better results than other codecs at a similar bit rate.

Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Sony LinkBuds S will work well with your MacBook. If you intend on using these with Android you need to pay even closer attention to codec support for if they only have AAC they won't provide the best audio quality possible, ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well.

Has Ldac

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

Sony LinkBuds S support LDAC, a codec developed by Sony which allows streaming high-resolution audio over Bluetooth connections at up to 990 kbps at 32 bit/96 kHz. It can reach a high bitrate of 990kbps, which provides high-resolution audio.

Has Aptx Adaptive

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

FiiO FW5 support APTX Adaptive, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It has a variable bit rate (between 279kbps and 420kbps).

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

FiiO FW5 4only
Sony LinkBuds S 6only

FiiO FW5 have 4 microphones.

While the Sony LinkBuds S microphones are 6, more than that of FiiO FW5 by 2 . More microphones result in better sound quality and enable the device to filter out noise.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

The FiiO FW5 have a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are made to filter out background sounds from the desired sound.

FiiO FW5
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Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

The FiiO FW5 support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient sound so that they can still be heard even when wearing the earbuds

The Sony LinkBuds S support ambient sound mode as well, it’s useful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of your surrounding, for example when you’re having a jog but still want to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

The Sony LinkBuds S have in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the device can detect when removed from your ears so that the music is paused.

Has Find Earbuds Feature

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

When lost in a room, or can't be found in your bag, FiiO FW5 have a find earbuds feature.

Sony LinkBuds S too have the find earbuds feature. You can use the earbuds app on your phone to play an alarm from your device to help you locate them.

Supports Fast Charging

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

FiiO FW5 support fast charging. Most often, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to lower the time it takes to fully charge a device.

Sony LinkBuds S support fast charging. It's very similar to regular charging, only that the battery is filling up much faster. Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in thirty minutes.

Multipoint Count

FiiO FW5 2only
Sony LinkBuds S

FiiO FW5 support multipoint of 2 connections, the multipoint feature allows you to link to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. Say, you can easily switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect.

Has A Mute Function

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

The FiiO FW5 have a mute function, they support the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.

The Sony LinkBuds S too have this function. The mute function means that you can turn off the device's microphone, but you can still hear the other party's voice.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

With the FiiO FW5, so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever functions are supported on the earbuds.

Sony LinkBuds S too have a control panel on them.

Has Voice Prompts

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

The FiiO FW5 support voice prompts. Automatically receive information through audio messages, like if there is an issue with the connection.

The Sony LinkBuds S too support voice prompts .i.e the device will notify you when the battery is low, and you need to recharge them.

Travel Bag Is Included

FiiO FW5
Sony LinkBuds S

FiiO FW5 come with a special case. Carrying earbuds openly, or placing them inside your bag without a cover can easily damage them.

Sony LinkBuds S also have a case included, which offers safe transportation.

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