Home Wireless Earbuds Jbl Live Free 2 Vs. Sony Linkbuds S

A Review By Comparison of the Jbl Live Free 2 Vs. Sony Linkbuds S

Last updated on Mar 14, 2023   7 min read
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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
VS
JBL Live Free 2

JBL Live Free 2

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Reasons why you might like the JBL Live Free 2

Overall Score 5.5 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX5
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 7 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 Sony LinkBuds S JBL Live Free 2
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IPX4 IPX5
weight 9.6g 9.8g
has no wires or cables
sweat resistance
has stereo speakers
SOUND QUALITY has active noise cancellation (noise control)
has passive noise reduction
driver unit size 5mm 11mm
lowest frequency 20Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 40000Hz 20000Hz
sound pressure level 102dB/mW
has a neodymium magnet
POWER battery life 6hours 7hours
battery life of charging case 14hours 28hours
charge time 2hours
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
MICROPHONE number of microphones 6only 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

Sony LinkBuds S IPX4
JBL Live Free 2 IPX5

Ingress protection ratings refer to the rank of protection given by a casing, against dust and water. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value means protection against solids say dust, followed by the one that refers to protection against liquids (water).

Scoring IPX5, the JBL Live Free 2's rating for solids indicates that no data available to specify a protection rating, and the second number of 5 means that they can withstand medium pressure jet that's 6.3mm diameter, similar to garden hose from any angle for 3 minutes at a distance of 2.5 to 3 metres.

In comparison to the JBL Live Free 2, 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, JBL Live Free 2 has a higher liquid rating than Sony LinkBuds S

Weight

Sony LinkBuds S 9.6g
JBL Live Free 2 9.8g

JBL Live Free 2 have a weight of 9.8g . We take in account a lower weight best for the reason that lighter devices are easier to move with.

Sony LinkBuds S, at 9.6g are lighter than the JBL Live Free 2 by -0.2g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

For a device to be true wireless it should have no wires connecting any part of the device together, JBL Live Free 2 are true wireless for this case since they don't have wires. This is a key distinction as some wireless earbuds have wires linking the 2 earbuds .

Sony LinkBuds S also is true wireless since it doesn't have wires linking the two earbuds .

Sweat Resistance

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

JBL Live Free 2 are resistant to sweat

Sony LinkBuds S's resistance to sweat makes both devices ideal for use while doing sports such as long-distance running, marathons, training in workout bodysuits, etc

Has Stereo Speakers

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

JBL Live Free 2 have stereo speakers, what this means is that JBL Live Free 2's speakers deliver sound from separate channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better listening experience.

Both Sony LinkBuds S and JBL Live Free 2 have stereo speakers

Sony LinkBuds S
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Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

Active noise cancellation uses advanced kind of tech to actively counter noise. How it works, it detects and analyzes the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and after inverts the soundwaves to cancel it out. In simple terms, it's like having +1 (sound from your surrounding) and adding -1 (counter sound by the device) giving 0 resulting in a reduced level of noise.

JBL Live Free 2 have Active Noise Cancellation enabling you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue since you don't need to crank up the device volume to outcompete background noise.

Sony LinkBuds S too have ANC which makes either of the devices ideal for flights and morning commutes. Each operate with different noise cancellation settings, pick the noise cancellation type that you prefer for commute or that enhances your relaxation time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

The JBL Live Free 2 stay well in place, this creates a sound covering that reduces background sounds and also prevents the earbuds sound from leaking out at the same.

Both of these devices have passive noise reduction which implies that both reduce ambient noise without using ANC to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

Sony LinkBuds S 5mm
JBL Live Free 2 11mm

The JBL Live Free 2 driver unit is 11mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, and can produce better bass. The driver unit is the component that produces sound in the earbuds, its size determines the sound made by the device.

Sony LinkBuds S driver unit is 5mm in diameter, which implies that they have a smaller driver unit than that of JBL Live Free 2 by 6mm , as many tend to believe that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.

However, large drivers find it difficult to produce high frequencies so yeah, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not indicate that they deliver better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Sony LinkBuds S 20Hz
JBL Live Free 2 20Hz

The JBL Live Free 2's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well a particular audio component generates low audible frequencies and if it alters the signal on its way through.

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

Highest Frequency

Sony LinkBuds S 40000Hz
JBL Live Free 2 20000Hz

JBL Live Free 2's highest frequency is at 20000Hz, high-frequency response indicates how well a particular audio device makes high human frequencies and if it adjustments to the signal on its way through.

Sony LinkBuds S's highest frequency is at 40000Hz, this means that Sony LinkBuds S can generate a clearer and crispier treble than the JBL Live Free 2

Sound Pressure Level

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2 102dB/mW

The sound pressure level, is the level of pressure of sound, in decibels, dB, JBL Live Free 2's measurement is 102dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.

Has A Neodymium Magnet

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

Sony LinkBuds S have neodymium magnets, if used in audio devices produce a higher sensitivity and substantial sound output while using less power. They can help generate music at quite a high SPL, using high magnetic flux.

Power

Battery Life

Sony LinkBuds S 6hours
JBL Live Free 2 7hours

The JBL Live Free 2'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 JBL Live Free 2 by 1 hours . Every time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less listening time. The effect is barely noticeable at first, but over time, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Sony LinkBuds S 14hours
JBL Live Free 2 28hours

This is given by the vendor, and the JBL Live Free 2's case is said to have a charge of 28 hours. A charging case with more battery hours enables you to recharge your earbuds on the go multiple times before having to recharge the case itself.

Sony LinkBuds S's charging case has a battery life of 14 hours, less than that of JBL Live Free 2 by 14 hours

Charge Time

Sony LinkBuds S 2hours
JBL Live Free 2

It takes 2 hours to fully charge the Sony LinkBuds S's battery. It is recommended to fully charge the battery before using the earbuds when they have been unused for extended periods.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

The JBL Live Free 2 have a battery level indicator, an indicator shows you when the device has a low battery. Its lights indicate the charging state of your earbuds and case.

Sony LinkBuds S too have a battery level indicator, these enable you to tell the charging state of your earbuds, if charged fully, or having a low battery.

Sony LinkBuds S
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Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

The JBL Live Free 2 have USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.

Sony LinkBuds S too use USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug is part and parcel of most current electronics.

Bluetooth Version

Sony LinkBuds S v5.2
JBL Live Free 2 v5.2

JBL Live Free 2 have Bluetooth version of 5.2, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data movement between devices placed in range, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.

Sony LinkBuds S has a Bluetooth version of 5.2, equal to that of the JBL Live Free 2 . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Sony LinkBuds S 10meters
JBL Live Free 2 10meters

JBL Live Free 2 have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth.

Sony LinkBuds S have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the JBL Live Free 2

Has Aac

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

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

Since its the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Sony LinkBuds S will work fine 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

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

The 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.

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Sony LinkBuds S 6only
JBL Live Free 2 6only

JBL Live Free 2 have 6 microphones.

The Sony LinkBuds S microphones are 6, equal to that of the JBL Live Free 2 . More microphones record better sound quality and enable the device to filter out noise.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

JBL Live Free 2 have a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are made to reduce background sounds from the desired sound.

Sony LinkBuds S
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Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

JBL Live Free 2 support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient sound so that they can still be heard even when wearing them

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 what’s happening around you, for example when you’re having a run but would still want to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

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

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

If misplaced in a room, or can't easily find them in your bag, the Sony LinkBuds S support the find earbuds feature.

Supports Fast Charging

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

The JBL Live Free 2 support fast charging. Most often, technologies like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, are used to reduce the time it takes to fully charge a device.

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

Multipoint Count

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2 2only

The JBL Live Free 2 have a multipoint of 2 connections, this feature allows you connect to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. For example, you can easily switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect.

Has A Mute Function

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

The JBL Live Free 2 have a mute function, they support the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds.

The Sony LinkBuds S also have the mute function. It means that you can turn off the earbuds' microphone, but still hear the other party talk.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

The JBL Live Free 2, so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever functions are supported on the earbuds.

The Sony LinkBuds S also have a control panel on them.

Has Voice Prompts

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

The JBL Live Free 2 support voice prompts. Automatically receive information through audio messages, say if there is an issue with the connection.

Sony LinkBuds S too support voice prompts .i.e the device will notify you when the battery is running low, and it's time to recharge the device.

Travel Bag Is Included

Sony LinkBuds S
JBL Live Free 2

The JBL Live Free 2 come with their own special case. Carrying earphones openly, or putting them in your bag without a cover may easily put them at risk of getting damaged.

Sony LinkBuds S also have a case included, which is useful for safe transportation.

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