Overall Score 7.5 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Overall Score 7 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Category | Features | JBL Tune Flex | Sony LinkBuds S |
---|---|---|---|
DESIGN | ingress protection (ip) rating | IPX4 | IPX4 |
weight | 9.6g | 9.6g | |
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 | 12mm | 5mm | |
lowest frequency | 20Hz | 20Hz | |
highest frequency | 20,000Hz | 40,000Hz | |
sound pressure level | 108dB/mW | ✗ | |
POWER | battery life | 8hours | 6hours |
battery life of charging case | 24hours | 14hours | |
charge time | 2hours | 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 | 4only | 6only |
has a noise-canceling microphone | ✓ | ✗ | |
mic sensitivity | -38dBV/Pa | ✗ | |
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 | ✓ | ✓ | |
See price on Amazon | See price on Amazon |
Ingress protection ratings is the rating of protection given by a casing, against dust and water. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value refers to protection against solids say dust, while the second refers to resistance against liquids (sweat).
Scoring IPX4, the JBL Tune Flex'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.
Compared to the JBL Tune Flex, 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
The JBL Tune Flex have a weight of 9.6g . We take in account a lower weight better for the reason that lighter devices are easier to move with.
Sony LinkBuds S, at 9.6g
have the same weight as the JBL Tune Flex
For a device to be true wireless it should have no cables linking any part of the device together, JBL Tune Flex are true wireless for this matter since they have no wires. This is a key distinction as some wireless earbuds have cables linking the two earbuds .
Sony LinkBuds S also is true wireless since it has no wires connecting the two earbuds .
JBL Tune Flex are resistant to sweat
Sony LinkBuds S's resistance to sweat makes both devices fit for use during long-distance running, marathons, cardio sweat workouts , etc
JBL Tune Flex have stereo speakers, devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience.
Both Sony LinkBuds S and JBL Tune Flex have stereo speakers
ANC utilises more advanced kind of tech to reduce unwanted ambient sounds. How it works, it detects and analyzes the sound pattern of incoming noise and then generates a mirror signal to counter it. Simply put, it's like taking +1 (sound from your surrounding) then adding -1 (counter sound by the device) to make zero which results in a reduced level of noise.
The JBL Tune Flex have ANC enabling you to listen at lower volume levels, good for your ears as you don't have to crank up the device volume to overcome background sounds.
The Sony LinkBuds S too have Active Noise Cancellation which makes either of the devices ideal for plane rides and rush hour travels. Each work with different noise cancellation modes, pick the noise cancellation type that you prefer for travel or that enhances your chill time.
JBL Tune Flex sit tightly in place, this creates an acoustic seal that reduces background noise well as preventing the device voice audio from leaking out .
Both Sony LinkBuds S, and JBL Tune Flex have passive noise reduction which implies that both tone down ambient noise instead of actively using ANC to cancel it out.
The JBL Tune Flex driver unit is 12mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, therefor producing better bass.
A driver unit is basically a mini speaker that makes sound in the earbuds, its size determines the sound made by the earbuds.
Sony LinkBuds S driver unit is 5mm in diameter,
which means that they have a smaller driver unit than that of JBL Tune Flex by 7mm
, 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 can generate louder sound, but this does not indicate that they produce better quality sound.
The JBL Tune Flex's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well an audio device generates low frequencies that can be heard, and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it.
Sony LinkBuds S's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that
both devices can make sound with equal bass
JBL Tune Flex's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response indicates how well a particular audio component generates high recognizable frequencies and if it adjustments to the signal while at it.
Sony LinkBuds S's highest frequency is at 40,000Hz, this means that
Sony LinkBuds S produce a clearer and crispier treble than the JBL Tune Flex
The sound pressure level, is the pressure level of sound, measured in decibels, dB, JBL Tune Flex's measurement is 108dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.
JBL Tune Flex's battery life is 8 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 Tune Flex by 2 hours
. Each time you recharge your device, they get a little less playing time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over time, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time.
This is given by the vendor, and the JBL Tune Flex's case is said to have a full charge of 24 hours. A charging case with a longer battery life allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go several times before recharging the case itself.
Sony LinkBuds S's charging case has a battery life of 14 hours,
less than that of JBL Tune Flex by 10 hours
It takes 2 hours to fully charge the JBL Tune Flex's battery. It is highly adivsable to fully charge 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,
equal to that of the JBL Tune Flex
The JBL Tune Flex have a battery level indicator, an indicator alerts you when the device has a low battery. The battery indicator lights display the charging state of your earbuds and charging case.
Sony LinkBuds S too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators allow you to determine the charging state of your device, whether fully charged, or having a low battery.
JBL Tune Flex have USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.
Sony LinkBuds S too support USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug is part and parcel of most current electronics.
The JBL Tune Flex have Bluetooth version of 5.2, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data movement 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 JBL Tune Flex
. Newer versions provide faster data transfers.
JBL Tune Flex have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth.
Sony LinkBuds S have a maximum range of 10meters,
equal to that of the JBL Tune Flex
JBL Tune Flex support AAC, a codec that is used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it provides better results than other codecs at the same bit rate.
Since its the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the JBL Tune Flex will work fine with your iPhone. 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.
The Sony LinkBuds S support AAC as well. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves higher sound quality than MP3 encoders at the same bit rate.
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, providing high-resolution audio.
JBL Tune Flex have 4 microphones.
While the Sony LinkBuds S microphones are 6,
more than that of JBL Tune Flex by 2
. More microphones result in better sound quality and help the earbuds to filter out noise.
The JBL Tune Flex use a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are designed to filter out background sounds from the desired sound.
The JBL Tune Flex microphone sensitivity is measured at -38dBV/Pa. The extent of the analog or digital output signal from the microphone with its input stimulus is a measure of its sensitivity. It's the 'loudness' of the sound that the earbud microphone can pick up.
The JBL Tune Flex support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient noises to still be heard even when wearing them
The Sony LinkBuds S support ambient sound mode as well, helpful when you want to listen to music while being aware of your surrounding, say you’re having a run but would still want to be able to hear traffic.
Sony LinkBuds S support in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the earbuds can detect when they are removed from your ears .
When misplaced in a room, or can't easily find them in your bag, the JBL Tune Flex support the find earbuds feature.
The Sony LinkBuds S also have the find earbuds feature. Use the device app on your smartphone to play a sound from your device to help you find them.
The JBL Tune Flex support fast charging. Most often, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to reduce the time it takes to charge the earbuds.
Also the Sony LinkBuds S support fast charging. This kind is 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 30 minutes.
JBL Tune Flex support multipoint of 2 connections, the multipoint feature allows you to link to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. For example, you can switch calls from one device to another without manually disconnect and reconnect.
JBL Tune Flex have a mute function, they have the feature to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds.
The Sony LinkBuds S also support this function. The mute function means that you are in position turn off the device's microphone, but still hear the other party talk.
The JBL Tune Flex, so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the device.
Sony LinkBuds S also have a control panel on them.
The JBL Tune Flex support voice prompts. Automatically receive information via audio messages, like if there is a problem with the connection.
The Sony LinkBuds S also have voice prompts .i.e the earbuds notifies you when the battery is low, and you need to recharge the device.
JBL Tune Flex come with their own special case. Carrying earbuds openly, or placing them inside your pockets without a casing may easily damage them.
Sony LinkBuds S also have a travel bag included, which is useful for safe transportation.