Jbl Wave Beam Vs. Sony Linkbuds S Review In Detail

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Sony LinkBuds S IPX4

JBL Wave Beam IP54

Ingress protection ratings refer to the rank of protection given by an enclosure, against dust and liquids. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value means protection against solids such as dust, followed by the one that refers to resistance against liquids (sweat).

Having a value of IP54, the JBL Wave Beam's rating for solids indicates 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 of liquids 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 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

Sony LinkBuds S 9.6g

JBL Wave Beam 8.8g

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

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

Has No Wires Or Cables

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

JBL Wave Beam ✓

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 case since they have no wires. This is a major difference as some wireless earbuds have wires linking the two earbuds together.

Sony LinkBuds S also is true wireless because it doesn't have cables connecting the two earbuds .

Sweat Resistance

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

JBL Wave Beam ✓

JBL Wave Beam have sweat resistance

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

Has Stereo Speakers

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

JBL Wave Beam ✓

JBL Wave Beam 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

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

JBL Wave Beam ✓

Active noise cancellation utilises more advanced technology to actively cancel noise. ANC works when, it detects and analyzes the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and after generates a mirror signal to counter it. Simply put, it's like having +1 (sound from your surrounding) and adding -1 (inverted noise) giving 0 which results in a reduced level of noise.

JBL Wave Beam have Active Noise Cancellation allowing you to listen at lower volume levels, good for your ears since you don't need to crank up the earbuds volume to outcompete background sounds.

Sony LinkBuds S too have Active Noise Cancellation which makes both earbuds ideal for plane rides and rush hour commutes. The JBL Wave Beam and Sony LinkBuds S work with different noise cancellation types, pick the mode that you prefer for travel or that suites your relaxation time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

JBL Wave Beam ✓

The JBL Wave Beam stay well in place, creating a sound seal that reduces your environment noise and also prevents the earbuds voice audio from leaking out .

Both of these devices have passive noise reduction which implies that they limit ambient noise instead of actively using ANC to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

Sony LinkBuds S 5mm

JBL Wave Beam 8mm

The JBL Wave Beam driver unit is 8mm 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 device, its size corellates with 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 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 yeah, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not imply that they produce better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Sony LinkBuds S 20Hz

JBL Wave Beam 20Hz

JBL Wave Beam's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio component produces low recognizable frequencies and if it alters the signal while at it.

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

Highest Frequency

Sony LinkBuds S 40,000Hz

JBL Wave Beam 20,000Hz

The JBL Wave Beam's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response indicates how well an audio device generates high audible frequencies and if it changes to the signal while at it.

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

Sound Pressure Level

Sony LinkBuds S ✗

JBL Wave Beam 100dB/mW

SPL, is the pressure level 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.

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Battery Life

Sony LinkBuds S 6hours

JBL Wave Beam 8hours

JBL Wave Beam'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 commonly 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 Wave Beam by 2 hours . Every 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

Sony LinkBuds S 14hours

JBL Wave Beam 24hours

This is given by the vendor, and JBL Wave Beam's case has a full charge of 24 hours. A charging case with more battery hours allows 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 Wave Beam by 10 hours

Charge Time

Sony LinkBuds S 2hours

JBL Wave Beam 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 in storage for extended periods.

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

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

JBL Wave Beam ✓

JBL Wave Beam have a battery level indicator, an indicator notifies you when the earbuds has a low battery. Its lights display the charging state of your device and charging case.

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

Has Usb Type-C

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

JBL Wave Beam ✓

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 have USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug is part and parcel of most current laptops, phones, and tablets.

Bluetooth Version

Sony LinkBuds S v5.2

JBL Wave Beam v5.2

JBL Wave Beam 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 JBL Wave Beam . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Sony LinkBuds S 10meters

JBL Wave Beam 10meters

JBL Wave Beam have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth.

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

Has Aac

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

JBL Wave Beam ✗

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 the same bit rate.

Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Sony LinkBuds S will work well with your iPhone. If you are planning 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 Wave Beam ✗

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, which provides high-resolution audio.

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Number Of Microphones

Sony LinkBuds S 6only

JBL Wave Beam 2only

The JBL Wave Beam have 2 microphones.

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

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Sony LinkBuds S ✗

JBL Wave Beam ✓

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

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

JBL Wave Beam ✓

JBL Wave Beam support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient sound to still be heard even while 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, for example when you’re having a jog but still want to be able to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

JBL Wave Beam ✗

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

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

JBL Wave Beam ✓

When lost in a room, or can't easily find them in your bag, JBL Wave Beam support the find earbuds feature.

The Sony LinkBuds S too have the find earbuds feature. Simply use the earbuds app on your smartphone to play an alarm from your device to find them.

Supports Fast Charging

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

JBL Wave Beam ✓

The JBL Wave Beam support fast charging. Usually, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to lower the time it takes to charge a device.

Also the Sony LinkBuds S too 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 can be charged to 50% in thirty minutes.

Has A Mute Function

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

JBL Wave Beam ✓

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

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

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

JBL Wave Beam ✓

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

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

Has Voice Prompts

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

JBL Wave Beam ✓

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

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

Travel Bag Is Included

Sony LinkBuds S ✓

JBL Wave Beam ✓

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

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

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Category	Features	Sony LinkBuds S	JBL Wave Beam
DESIGN	ingress protection (ip) rating	IPX4	IP54
	weight	9.6g	8.8g
	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	8mm
	lowest frequency	20Hz	20Hz
	highest frequency	40,000Hz	20,000Hz
	sound pressure level	✗	100dB/mW
POWER	battery life	6hours	8hours
	battery life of charging case	14hours	24hours
	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	6only	2only
MICROPHONE	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	✓	✓
		See price on Amazon	See price on Amazon

Jbl Wave Beam Vs. Sony Linkbuds S Review

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Reasons why you might like the JBL Wave Beam

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Jbl Wave Beam Vs. Sony Linkbuds S Review In Summary

Jbl Wave Beam Vs. Sony Linkbuds S Review In Detail

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Weight

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

Lowest Frequency

Highest Frequency

Sound Pressure Level

Power

Battery Life

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Charge Time

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Bluetooth Version

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Has Aac

Has Ldac

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

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