Home Wireless Earbuds Marshall Minor Iii Vs. Sony Linkbuds S

A Review By Comparison of the Marshall Minor Iii Vs. Sony Linkbuds S

Last updated on Mar 14, 2023   7 min read
Note: This page may contain affiliate links, we only earn from qualifying purchases!
Sony LinkBuds S

Sony LinkBuds S

See price on Amazon

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
VS
Marshall Minor III

Marshall Minor III

See price on Amazon

Reasons why you might like the Marshall Minor III

Overall Score 5.1 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Battery Life of 5 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 2 only

A summary of the review by feature comparison

Category Features Sony LinkBuds S Marshall Minor III
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IPX4 IPX4
weight 9.6g 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 12mm
lowest frequency 20Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 40000Hz 20000Hz
has a neodymium magnet
POWER battery life 6hours 5hours
battery life of charging case 14hours 25hours
charge time 2hours 1.5hours
has wireless charging
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 hd
MICROPHONE number of microphones 6only 2only
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

A breakdown of the review per specifications

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Sony LinkBuds S IPX4
Marshall Minor III IPX4

Ingress protection ratings is the rank of protection offered by a casing, against dust and liquids. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value represents protection against solids say dust, followed by the one that refers to protection against liquids (water).

Having a value of IPX4, the Marshall Minor III's rating is read as, the first number of X denotes that no data available to specify a protection rating, and of liquids 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 Marshall Minor III, 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

Weight

Sony LinkBuds S 9.6g
Marshall Minor III 8g

The Marshall Minor III have a weight of 8g . We take in account a lower weight best because lighter devices are more comfortable to transport.

The Sony LinkBuds S, at 9.6g weigh more than the Marshall Minor III by of 1.6g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

For a device to be true wireless it should have no cables connecting any part of the device together, Marshall Minor III are true wireless for this matter since they don't have cables. This is a major difference since wireless earbuds have cables linking the pair of earbuds together.

Sony LinkBuds S also is true wireless because it has no cables connecting the two earbuds .

Sweat Resistance

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

Marshall Minor III are resistant to sweat

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

Has Stereo Speakers

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

Marshall Minor III have stereo speakers, what this means is that Marshall Minor III's speakers deliver sound from separate channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better listening experience.

Both Sony LinkBuds S and Marshall Minor III have stereo speakers

Sony LinkBuds S
See price on Amazon

Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

Active noise cancellation utilises more advanced kind of tech to actively cancel noise. ANC works when, it detects and analyzes the sound pattern of incoming noise and then inverts the soundwaves to cancel it out. In simple terms, it's like taking +1 (noise) and producing -1 (inverted noise) giving 0 which results in a reduced level of noise.

The Sony LinkBuds S have ANC allowing you to listen at lower volume levels, causing less ear fatigue as you don't have to crank up the device volume to outcompete background sounds.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

Sony LinkBuds S stay well in place, creating an acoustic seal that tones down background noise well as preventing the device music from leaking out .

Driver Unit Size

Sony LinkBuds S 5mm
Marshall Minor III 12mm

The Marshall Minor III have a unit size of 12mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, and can produce better bass. The driver unit is the component that makes sound in the device, its size determines the sound produced by the earbuds.

Sony LinkBuds S driver unit is 5mm in diameter, which implies that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Marshall Minor III by 7mm , 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 it's true that, 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
Marshall Minor III 20Hz

The Marshall Minor III's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well a particular audio component produces 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

Highest Frequency

Sony LinkBuds S 40000Hz
Marshall Minor III 20000Hz

The Marshall Minor III's highest frequency is at 20000Hz, high-frequency response measures if and how well an audio device generates high human frequencies and if it adjustments to the signal on its way through.

Sony LinkBuds S's highest frequency is at 40000Hz, this means that Sony LinkBuds S can produce a clearer and crispier treble than the Marshall Minor III

Has A Neodymium Magnet

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

The 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 sound pressure level, using high magnetic flux.

Power

Battery Life

Sony LinkBuds S 6hours
Marshall Minor III 5hours

Marshall Minor III's battery life is 5 hours, these last less than 5 hours of listening which is considered average before recharge. A device's battery life is usually given by the manufacturer, and with longer battery life, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often.

Sony LinkBuds S's battery life is more than that of Marshall Minor III by 1 hours . Every time you recharge your device, they get a little less listening time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over a few years, your wireless earbuds will no longer play for long like they used to.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Sony LinkBuds S 14hours
Marshall Minor III 25hours

The battery life of the charging case is given by the manufacturer, and Marshall Minor III's case has a full charge of 25 hours. A charging case with more battery hours enables 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 Marshall Minor III by 11 hours

Charge Time

Sony LinkBuds S 2hours
Marshall Minor III 1.5hours

It takes 1.5 hours to fully charge the Marshall Minor III's battery. It is recommended to fully charge the battery before using the earbuds for the first time.

Sony LinkBuds S takes 2 hours to fully charge the battery, more than that of Marshall Minor III by 0.5 hours

Has Wireless Charging

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

Marshall Minor III, the device supports wireless charging. To charge the earbuds, you just put down on a supported charging pad.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

Marshall Minor III have a battery level indicator, an indicator notifies you when the device has a low battery. Its lights indicate the charging state of your earbuds and charging case.

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

Sony LinkBuds S
See price on Amazon

Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

Marshall Minor III have 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 electronics.

Bluetooth Version

Sony LinkBuds S v5.2
Marshall Minor III v5.2

Marshall Minor III 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 Marshall Minor III . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Sony LinkBuds S 10meters
Marshall Minor III 10meters

Marshall Minor III have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth.

Sony LinkBuds S have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Marshall Minor III

Has Aac

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

Sony LinkBuds S 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 a similar bit rate.

Since its 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
Marshall Minor III

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.

Has Aptx Hd

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

The Marshall Minor III support APTX HD, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It supports high-quality 24-bit audio (at a bit rate of 576kbps).

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Sony LinkBuds S 6only
Marshall Minor III 2only

Marshall Minor III have 2 microphones.

The Sony LinkBuds S microphones are 6, more than that of Marshall Minor III by 4 . More microphones record better sound quality and help the earbuds to filter out noise.

Sony LinkBuds S
See price on Amazon

Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

The Sony LinkBuds S support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient noises to still be heard even while wearing them

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

The Marshall Minor III support in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the earbuds can detect when removed from your ears .

The Sony LinkBuds S support in/on-ear detection, automatically pauses your music, or audiobook when you remove earbuds from your ears improving your listening experience.

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

If misplaced in a room, or can't be found in your bag, Sony LinkBuds S support the find earbuds feature.

Supports Fast Charging

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

Marshall Minor III support fast charging. Most often, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to reduce the time it takes to fully charge the earbuds.

Sony LinkBuds S too support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, only 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
Marshall Minor III

Marshall Minor III have a mute function, they have the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds.

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

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

The Marshall Minor III, so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever functions are supported on the earbuds.

Sony LinkBuds S too have a control panel on them.

Has Voice Prompts

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

Marshall Minor III support voice prompts. Automatically receive information via audio messages, like if there is an issue with the connection.

Sony LinkBuds S too support voice prompts meaning the earbuds notifies you when the battery is low, and you need to recharge the earbuds.

Travel Bag Is Included

Sony LinkBuds S
Marshall Minor III

Marshall Minor III come with their own special pouch. Carrying earphones without a case, or putting them in your bag without a casing may easily put them at risk of getting damaged.

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

Related Reviews