Home Wireless Earbuds Jbl Wave Beam Vs. Sony Linkbuds S

A Review By Comparison of the Jbl Wave Beam Vs. Sony Linkbuds S

Last updated on Jun 7, 2023   8 minute read
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JBL Wave Beam

JBL Wave Beam

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Reasons why you might like the JBL Wave Beam

Overall Score 6.2 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IP54
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 8 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 2 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 JBL Wave Beam Sony LinkBuds S
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating ip54 ipX4
weight 8.8g 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 8mm 5mm
lowest frequency 20hz 20hz
highest frequency 20,000hz 40,000hz
sound pressure level 100db/mw
has a neodymium magnet
POWER battery life 8hours 6hours
battery life of charging case 24hours 14hours
charge time 2hours 2hours
battery power 48mah
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 2only 6only
has a noise-canceling microphone
EXTRAS has ambient sound mode
has in/on-ear detection
has find earbuds feature
supports fast charging
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

JBL Wave Beam ip54
Sony LinkBuds S ipX4

IP ratings is the level of protection offered by an enclosure, against solids and water. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value of the IP rating refers to protection against solids such as dust, while the second refers to protection against liquids (sweat).

Scoring IP54, the JBL Wave Beam's rating is read as, the first number of 5 denotes that ingress of dust is not totally prevented but dust does not enter in harmful quantities to interfere with the correct operation or impair safety, and the second value 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 JBL Wave Beam, Sony LinkBuds S have a rating of IPX4 meaning that no data available to specify a protection rating and that of liquids is that, they both have the same rating against liquids

Weight

JBL Wave Beam 8.8g
Sony LinkBuds S 9.6g

JBL Wave Beam have a weight of 8.8g . We consider a lower weight best because lighter devices are easier to transport.

The Sony LinkBuds S, at 9.6g weigh more than the JBL Wave Beam with a difference of 0.8g

Has No Wires Or Cables

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

For a device to be true wireless it should have no cables linking any part of the device together, JBL Wave Beam are true wireless for this matter since they have no cables. This is a key distinction as some wireless earbuds have wires connecting the two earbuds .

Sony LinkBuds S also is true wireless since it has no cables connecting the 2 earbuds together.

Sweat Resistance

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

JBL Wave Beam have sweat resistance

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

Has An Earbud Foam

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

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

Has Stereo Speakers

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

JBL Wave Beam have stereo speakers, devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better listening experience.

The Sony LinkBuds S also have stereo speakers

JBL Wave Beam
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Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

Active noise cancellation utilises advanced technology to reduce unwanted ambient sounds. ANC works when, it listens to the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and after generates a mirror signal to counter it. In simple terms, it's like having +1 (noise) and producing -1 (counter sound by the device) to make zero which results in a reduced level of noise.

JBL Wave Beam have Active Noise Cancellation allowing you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue since you don't have to crank up the device volume to outcompete background sounds.

The Sony LinkBuds S too have ANC making either of the earbuds ideal for flights and morning commutes. Each operate with different noise cancellation types, pick the mode that suits your commute or that enhances your chill time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

The JBL Wave Beam stay well in place, this creates an acoustic covering that tones down background noise and also prevents the earbuds music from leaking out .

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

Driver Unit Size

JBL Wave Beam 8mm
Sony LinkBuds S 5mm

The JBL Wave Beam driver unit is 8mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, and can produce better bass. The driver unit is the component that produces sound in the earbuds, its size dictates 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 Wave Beam by 3mm , a common assumption that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.

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

Lowest Frequency

JBL Wave Beam 20hz
Sony LinkBuds S 20hz

JBL Wave Beam's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well an audio device generates low recognizable frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal on its way through.

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

Highest Frequency

JBL Wave Beam 20,000hz
Sony LinkBuds S 40,000hz

The JBL Wave Beam's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response indicates how well an audio device makes high recognizable frequencies and if it 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 JBL Wave Beam

Sound Pressure Level

JBL Wave Beam 100db/mw
Sony LinkBuds S

SPL, is the level of pressure of sound, measured in decibels, dB, JBL Wave Beam's measurement is 100dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.

Has A Neodymium Magnet

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

Sony LinkBuds S have neodymium magnets, if used in earbuds produce a higher sensitivity and substantial sound output using less power to do so. They can help produce music at quite a high SPL, with the use of high magnetic flux.

Power

Battery Life

JBL Wave Beam 8hours
Sony LinkBuds S 6hours

JBL Wave Beam's battery life is 8 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average for a single charge. A device's battery life is usually given by the manufacturer, and with longer battery life, you get to use it for longer and requires fewer chargings.

Sony LinkBuds S's battery life is less than that of JBL Wave Beam by 2 hours . Each time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less listening 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

JBL Wave Beam 24hours
Sony LinkBuds S 14hours

The battery life of the charging case is given by the manufacturer, and JBL Wave Beam's case has a 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 Wave Beam by 10 hours

Charge Time

JBL Wave Beam 2hours
Sony LinkBuds S 2hours

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

Sony LinkBuds S takes 2 hours to fully charge the battery, equal to that of the JBL Wave Beam

Battery Power

JBL Wave Beam 48mah
Sony LinkBuds S

JBL Wave Beam's battery power is 48mAh, battery capacity, shows the amount of electrical energy that a battery can keep.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

The JBL Wave Beam have a battery level indicator, an indicator shows you when the device has a low battery. Its lights indicate the charging status of your device and case.

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

JBL Wave Beam
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Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

The JBL Wave Beam support USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.

Sony LinkBuds S too use USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug comes along with most current electronics.

Bluetooth Version

JBL Wave Beam v5.2
Sony LinkBuds S v5.2

JBL Wave Beam have Bluetooth version of 5.2, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows 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 Wave Beam . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

JBL Wave Beam 10meters
Sony LinkBuds S 10meters

JBL Wave Beam have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth.

Sony LinkBuds S have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the JBL Wave Beam

Has Aac

JBL Wave Beam
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.

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

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

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 is capable of a very high bitrate of 990kbps, providing high-resolution audio.

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

JBL Wave Beam 2only
Sony LinkBuds S 6only

The JBL Wave Beam have 2 microphones.

Sony LinkBuds S microphones are 6, more than that of JBL Wave Beam by 4 . More microphones record better sound quality and enable the device to filter out background sounds.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

The JBL Wave Beam have a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are intended to reduce noise from the desired sound.

JBL Wave Beam
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Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

The JBL Wave Beam support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient noises 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 what’s happening around you, for example when you’re having a jog but still want to be able to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

Sony LinkBuds S have 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

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

If lost in a room, or can't be found in your bag, JBL Wave Beam have a find earbuds feature.

The Sony LinkBuds S also have the find earbuds feature. Simply use the earbuds app on your phone to play a sound from your device to help you locate them.

Supports Fast Charging

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

The JBL Wave Beam support fast charging. Most often, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to reduce the amount of time it takes to fully charge a device.

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

Has A Mute Function

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

The JBL Wave Beam have a mute function, they have the feature to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.

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

Control Panel Placed On A Device

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

With the JBL Wave Beam, so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the device.

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

Has Voice Prompts

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

The JBL Wave Beam have voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information through audio messages, say if there is a problem with the connection.

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

Travel Bag Is Included

JBL Wave Beam
Sony LinkBuds S

The JBL Wave Beam come with their own special case. Carrying earbuds openly, or putting them inside your bag without a cover can easily put them at risk of getting damaged.

Sony LinkBuds S too have a travel bag included, which is useful for safe transportation.

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