JBL Wave Buds
See price on AmazonOverall Score 8 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Sony LinkBuds S
See price on AmazonOverall Score 7 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 | 20,000Hz | 40,000Hz | |
sound pressure level | 100dB/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 | ✗ | ✓ | |
has aptx adaptive | ✓ | ✗ | |
MICROPHONE | number of microphones | 2only | 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 refer to the rating of protection offered by a casing, against dust 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, followed by the one that refers to resistance against liquids (sweat).
Having a value of IP54, the JBL Wave Buds'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. 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 take in account a lower weight best because lighter devices are easier to move with.
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 case since they don't have wires. This is an important distinction since wireless earbuds have wires connecting the two earbuds together. Sony LinkBuds S also is true wireless since it doesn't have cables connecting the pair of earbuds . JBL Wave Buds have sweat resistance Sony LinkBuds S's resistance to sweat makes both devices good for use during long-distance running, marathons, training in workout bodysuits, etc JBL Wave Buds have stereo speakers, devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from separate channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience.
Both Sony LinkBuds S and JBL Wave Buds have stereo speakers Active noise cancellation makes use of more advanced kind of tech to actively cancel noise. How it works, it listens to the sound pattern of incoming noise and generates a mirror signal to counter it. Simply put, it's like having +1 (noise) and producing -1 (inverted noise) giving 0 hence "diluting" the noise.
JBL Wave Buds 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 device volume to outcompete background noise. The Sony LinkBuds S too have ANC which makes both earbuds ideal for plane rides and rush hour commutes. The JBL Wave Buds and Sony LinkBuds S operate with different noise cancellation types, pick the setting that you prefer for travel or that suites your chill time.
JBL Wave Buds sit tightly in place, creating an acoustic covering that tones down your environment sounds and also prevents the device music from leaking out . Both Sony LinkBuds S, and JBL Wave Buds have passive noise reduction this implies that they limit ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out. The JBL Wave Buds have a unit size of 8mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, therefor producing better bass. A driver unit is the component that produces sound in the device, 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 Wave Buds by 3mm
, many people have a misconception that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.
However, large drivers find it difficult to produce high frequencies so yes, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not imply that they deliver better quality sound. JBL Wave Buds's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well a particular audio device generates low recognizable frequencies and if it alters the signal on its way through.
Sony LinkBuds S's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that both devices can produce equal bass The JBL Wave Buds's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response shows how well an audio device generates high audible frequencies and if it adjustments 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 Buds SPL, is the pressure level 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.
The JBL Wave Buds'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 commonly 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 Buds by 2 hours . Every time you recharge your device, they get a little less listening time.
The effect is barely noticeable at first, but over a few years, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time. The battery life of the charging case is given by the vendor, and the 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 several 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 Buds by 10 hours It takes 2 hours to fully charge the JBL Wave Buds's battery. It is highly adivsable to fully charge 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 Buds The JBL Wave Buds have a battery level indicator, an indicator shows 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 allow you tell the charging state of your earbuds, if charged fully, or having a low battery. The JBL Wave Buds use USB TYPE-C, an industry-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 laptops, phones, and tablets. The JBL Wave Buds 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 Buds . Newer versions provide faster data transfers. 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 provides better results than other codecs at a similar 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 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.
JBL Wave Buds support APTX Adaptive, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It has a variable bit rate (between 279kbps and 420kbps). 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 earbuds to filter out background sounds.
The JBL Wave Buds have a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are designed to reduce background sounds from the earbuds' sound. JBL Wave Buds 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 voice that the earbud microphone can pick up. The JBL Wave Buds support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient sound so that they can 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 but also be aware of your surrounding, say you’re having a jog but would still want to hear traffic. The JBL Wave Buds have in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the device can detect when removed from your ears . Sony LinkBuds S too support in/on-ear detection, automatically pauses your music, or audiobook when you remove earbuds from your ears saving battery life.
When misplaced in a room, or can't be found in your bag, the JBL Wave Buds support the find earbuds feature. The Sony LinkBuds S also have the find earbuds feature. Simply use the device app on your smartphone to play an alarm from your earbuds to locate them.
The JBL Wave Buds support fast charging. Commonly, technologies like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, are used to lower the amount of time it takes to charge the earbuds. The 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 30 minutes. The JBL Wave Buds support multipoint of 2 connections, the multipoint feature allows you connect to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them.
Say, you can easily switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect. The JBL Wave Buds have a mute function, they have the feature to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device. The Sony LinkBuds S too support this function.
It means that you are in position turn off the earbuds' microphone, but still hear the other party's voice. With the JBL Wave Buds, so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever functions are supported on the device. Sony LinkBuds S too have a control panel on them.
The JBL Wave Buds support voice prompts. Automatically receive information through audio messages, like if there is a problem with the connection. Sony LinkBuds S also support voice prompts meaning the device notifies you if the battery is low, and you need to recharge the device.
The JBL Wave Buds come with a special case. Carrying earphones without a case, or putting them in your pockets without a casing may easily damage them. Sony LinkBuds S too have a case included, which offers safe transportation.