Overall Score 6.2 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Overall Score 6 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Category | Features | JBL Wave Buds | Sony LinkBuds S |
---|---|---|---|
DESIGN | ingress protection (ip) rating | IP54 | IPX4 |
weight | 9g | 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 | 8mm | 5mm | |
lowest frequency | 20Hz | 20Hz | |
highest frequency | 20000Hz | 40000Hz | |
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 | 47mAh | ✗ | |
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 |
mic sensitivity | -38dBV/Pa | ✗ | |
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 |
Ingress protection ratings refer to the rank of protection given by an enclosure, against dust and liquids. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value refers to protection against solids such as dust, followed by the one that refers to protection against liquids (water).
Scoring IP54, the JBL Wave Buds's rating is read as, the first value 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.
Compared to the JBL Wave Buds, 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
JBL Wave Buds have a weight of 9g . We consider a lower weight best because lighter devices are more comfortable to carry.
Sony LinkBuds S, at 9.6g
are heavier than the JBL Wave Buds with a difference of 0.6g
True wireless devices have no wires linking any part of the device together, JBL Wave Buds are true wireless for this matter since they have no wires. This is a key difference since wireless earbuds have cables connecting the 2 earbuds .
Sony LinkBuds S also is true wireless since it has no cables linking the pair of earbuds .
JBL Wave Buds 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 Wave Buds 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
Active noise cancellation uses more advanced technology to actively cancel noise. ANC works when, it listens to the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and generates a mirror signal to counter it. In simple terms, it's like taking +1 (noise) then adding -1 (inverted noise) to make 0 therefore "diluting" the noise.
The Sony LinkBuds S have ANC enabling you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue as you don't need to crank up the earbuds volume to overcome background sounds.
The JBL Wave Buds sit well in place, creating a sound covering that reduces your environment sounds well as preventing the device music from leaking out .
Both Sony LinkBuds S, and JBL Wave Buds have passive noise reduction which implies that both tone down ambient noise without using ANC to cancel it out.
The JBL Wave Buds driver unit is 8mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, therefor producing better bass.
The driver unit is basically a mini speaker that produces sound in the device, its size dictates the loudness of 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 Buds by 3mm
, many people have a misconception 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.
JBL Wave Buds's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response measures if and 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 implies that
both devices produce equal bass
JBL Wave Buds's highest frequency is at 20000Hz, high-frequency response indicates how well a particular audio device produces high human frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it.
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 Wave Buds
The sound pressure level, is the level of pressure of sound, in decibels, dB, JBL Wave Buds's measurement is 100dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.
Sony LinkBuds S have neodymium magnets, when 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 sound pressure level, with the use of high magnetic flux.
JBL Wave Buds's battery life is 8 hours, a device's battery life is given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and requires fewer chanrgings.
Sony LinkBuds S's battery life is
less than that of JBL Wave Buds by 2 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.
The battery life of the charging case is given by the vendor, and JBL Wave Buds's case is said to have a full charge of 24 hours. A charging case with more battery hours enables you to recharge your earbuds on the go many 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 Buds by 10 hours
It takes 2 hours to fully charge the JBL Wave Buds's battery. It is recommended 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 Wave Buds
JBL Wave Buds's battery capacity is 47mAh, battery capacity, represents the amount of electrical energy that a battery can store.
JBL Wave Buds have a battery level indicator, an indicator notifies you when the earbuds has a low battery. Its lights show the charging status of your device and charging case.
Sony LinkBuds S too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators allow you to tell the charging state of your earbuds, whether fully charged, or having a low battery.
The JBL Wave Buds have USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.
Sony LinkBuds S too have USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug comes along with most current laptops, phones, and tablets.
JBL Wave Buds have Bluetooth version of 5.2, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables 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 Wave Buds
. Newer versions provide faster data transfers.
The JBL Wave Buds have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth.
Sony LinkBuds S have a maximum range of 10meters,
equal to that of the JBL Wave Buds
JBL Wave Buds support AAC, a codec used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it can provide better results than other codecs at the same bit rate.
Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the JBL Wave Buds will work well with your iPhone. If you are planning on using these with Android , 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 is capable of a very high bitrate of 990kbps, providing high-resolution audio.
The JBL Wave Buds have 2 microphones.
Sony LinkBuds S microphones are 6,
more than that of JBL Wave Buds by 4
. More microphones result in better sound quality and help the device to filter out background sounds.
JBL Wave Buds microphone sensitivity is measured at -38dBV/Pa. The vastness of the analog or digital output signal from the microphone with its input stimulus is a calculation of its sensitivity. It's the 'loudness' of the sound that the earbud microphone can pick up.
The JBL Wave Buds support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient sound to 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 your surrounding, say you’re having a run but still want to hear traffic.
Sony LinkBuds S have 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 Wave Buds support the find earbuds feature.
Sony LinkBuds S too have the find earbuds feature. Use the device app on your phone to play an alarm from your earbuds to help you locate them.
JBL Wave Buds support fast charging. Usually, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to lower the time it takes to charge the earbuds.
Sony LinkBuds S too 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 is charged to 50% in just thirty minutes.
JBL Wave Buds have a mute function, they support the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds.
The Sony LinkBuds S also have this function. The mute function means that you can turn off the device's microphone, but you can still hear the other party talk.
The JBL Wave Buds, so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the device.
Sony LinkBuds S too have a control panel on them.
JBL Wave Buds have voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information via audio messages, say if there is a problem with the connection.
Sony LinkBuds S also have voice prompts meaning the device will notify you when the battery is running low, and it's time to recharge the device.
JBL Wave Buds come with a special pouch. Carrying earphones without a case, or placing them inside your pockets without a cover can easily put them at risk of getting damaged.
Sony LinkBuds S too have a case included, which is useful for safe transportation.