Home Wireless Earbuds Ultimate Ears Drops Vs. Sony Linkbuds S

A Review By Comparison of the Ultimate Ears Drops Vs. Sony Linkbuds S

Last updated on Apr 19, 2023   7 min read
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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
VS
Ultimate Ears Drops

Ultimate Ears Drops

Reasons why you might like the Ultimate Ears Drops

Overall Score 6.0 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Battery Life of 6 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 2 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode

A summary of the review by feature comparison

Category Features Sony LinkBuds S Ultimate Ears Drops
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IPX4
weight 9.6g
has no wires or cables
wingtips included
sweat resistance
is dust proof and water-resistant
has stereo speakers
SOUND QUALITY has active noise cancellation (noise control)
has passive noise reduction
driver unit size 5mm 9.2mm
lowest frequency 20Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 40000Hz 20000Hz
sound pressure level 110dB/mW
has a neodymium magnet
POWER battery life 6hours 6hours
battery life of charging case 14hours 9hours
charge time 2hours
has wireless charging
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5.2 v4.2
maximum bluetooth range 10meters 10meters
has aac
has ldac
has aptx adaptive
MICROPHONE number of microphones 6only 2only
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
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A breakdown of the review per specifications

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Sony LinkBuds S IPX4
Ultimate Ears Drops

Ingress protection ratings is the rank of protection given by a casing, against dust and water. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value represents protection against solids such as dust, while the second refers to protection against liquids (water).

Having a value of IPX4, the Sony LinkBuds S's rating for solids indicates that no data available to specify a protection rating, and the second number of 4 means that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes.

Weight

Sony LinkBuds S 9.6g
Ultimate Ears Drops

Sony LinkBuds S have a weight of 9.6g . We consider a lower weight best because lighter devices are more comfortable to transport.

Has No Wires Or Cables

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

True wireless devices have no cables connecting any part of the device together, Ultimate Ears Drops are true wireless for this matter since they have no wires. This is a major difference as some wireless earbuds have cables linking the pair of earbuds together.

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

Wingtips Included

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

Ultimate Ears Drops have wingtips, these are commonly used for workout earbuds and are usually an optional add-on to the separate silicone ear tip for a better fit.

Sweat Resistance

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

Ultimate Ears Drops have sweat resistance

Sony LinkBuds S's resistance to sweat makes both devices fit for use during long-distance running, marathons, cardio sweat workouts , etc

Is Dust Proof And Water-Resistant

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

The Ultimate Ears Drops are both dustproof and water-resistant.

Has Stereo Speakers

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

Ultimate Ears Drops have stereo speakers, what this means is that Ultimate Ears Drops's 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 Ultimate Ears Drops have stereo speakers

Sony LinkBuds S
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Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

ANC uses more advanced technology to reduce unwanted ambient sounds. ANC works when, it studies the sound pattern of incoming noise and inverts the soundwaves to counter it. Simply put, it's like taking +1 (sound from your surrounding) and producing -1 (inverted noise) to make zero hence "diluting" the noise.

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

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

Ultimate Ears Drops stay tightly in place, creating a sound covering that tones down your environment noise while preventing the earbuds music from leaking out at the same.

Both of these devices have passive noise reduction this means that they limit ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

Sony LinkBuds S 5mm
Ultimate Ears Drops 9.2mm

Ultimate Ears Drops driver unit is 9.2mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, and can produce better bass. A driver unit is basically a mini speaker that produces sound in the earbuds, the unit size dictates the sound produced by the device.

Sony LinkBuds S driver unit is 5mm in diameter, which means that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Ultimate Ears Drops by 4.2mm , 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 yeah, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not mean that they produce better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Sony LinkBuds S 20Hz
Ultimate Ears Drops 20Hz

Ultimate Ears Drops's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well an audio component 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 make sound with equal bass

Highest Frequency

Sony LinkBuds S 40000Hz
Ultimate Ears Drops 20000Hz

Ultimate Ears Drops's highest frequency is at 20000Hz, high-frequency response indicates how well an audio component makes 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 Ultimate Ears Drops

Sound Pressure Level

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops 110dB/mW

The sound pressure level, is the pressure level of sound, in decibels, dB, Ultimate Ears Drops's measurement is 110dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.

Has A Neodymium Magnet

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

The Sony LinkBuds S have neodymium magnets, if used in audio devices 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, with the use of high magnetic flux.

Power

Battery Life

Sony LinkBuds S 6hours
Ultimate Ears Drops 6hours

The Ultimate Ears Drops's battery life is 6 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 have to charge the device less often.

Sony LinkBuds S's battery life is equal to that of the Ultimate Ears Drops . Every time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less listening time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over time, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Sony LinkBuds S 14hours
Ultimate Ears Drops 9hours

This is given by the manufacturer, and the Ultimate Ears Drops's case is said to have a full charge of 9 hours. A charging case with a longer battery life allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go many times before having to recharge the case itself.

Sony LinkBuds S's charging case has a battery life of 14 hours, more than that of Ultimate Ears Drops by 5 hours

Charge Time

Sony LinkBuds S 2hours
Ultimate Ears Drops

It requires 2 hours to fully charge the Sony LinkBuds S's battery. It is recommended to charge fully the battery before using the earbuds for the first time.

Has Wireless Charging

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

The Ultimate Ears Drops, the device supports wireless charging. To charge the earbuds, you simply place down on a compatible charging pad.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

Ultimate Ears Drops have a battery level indicator, an indicator notifies you when the device has a low battery. The battery indicator lights indicate the charging state of your earbuds and case.

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

Sony LinkBuds S
See price on Amazon

Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

Ultimate Ears Drops have USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power through a single cable.

Sony LinkBuds S too have USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug is part and parcel of most current electronics.

Bluetooth Version

Sony LinkBuds S v5.2
Ultimate Ears Drops v4.2

The Ultimate Ears Drops have Bluetooth version of 4.2, 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, newer than that of Ultimate Ears Drops . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Sony LinkBuds S 10meters
Ultimate Ears Drops 10meters

The Ultimate Ears Drops have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth.

Sony LinkBuds S have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Ultimate Ears Drops

Has Aac

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

Ultimate Ears Drops support AAC, a codec that is 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 Ultimate Ears Drops 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.

Has Ldac

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

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 can reach a high bitrate of 990kbps, providing high-resolution audio.

Has Aptx Adaptive

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

Ultimate Ears Drops support APTX Adaptive, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It has a variable bit rate (between 279kbps and 420kbps).

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Sony LinkBuds S 6only
Ultimate Ears Drops 2only

Ultimate Ears Drops have 2 microphones.

The Sony LinkBuds S microphones are 6, more than that of Ultimate Ears Drops by 4 . More microphones result in better sound quality and enable the device to filter out noise.

Sony LinkBuds S
See price on Amazon

Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

The Ultimate Ears Drops support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient sound 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 while being aware of your surrounding, for example when you’re having a jog but would still want to be able to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

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

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

If misplaced in a room, or can't easily find them in your bag, Ultimate Ears Drops support the find earbuds feature.

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

Supports Fast Charging

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

The Ultimate Ears Drops support fast charging. Commonly, technologies like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, are used to reduce the amount of time it takes to charge the earbuds.

Sony LinkBuds S support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, just that the battery is filling up much faster. Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery is charged to 50% in 30 minutes.

Multipoint Count

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops 2only

Ultimate Ears Drops support multipoint of 2 connections, the multipoint feature allows you to link to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. For example, you can seemlessly switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect.

Has A Mute Function

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

Ultimate Ears Drops have a mute function, they have the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds.

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

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

The Ultimate Ears Drops, so you can 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
Ultimate Ears Drops

Ultimate Ears Drops support voice prompts. Automatically receive information via audio messages, say if there is an issue with the connection.

The Sony LinkBuds S also have voice prompts meaning the earbuds notifies you if the battery is low, and you need to recharge the device.

Travel Bag Is Included

Sony LinkBuds S
Ultimate Ears Drops

Ultimate Ears Drops come with a special case. Carrying earphones openly, or putting them in your bag without a cover can easily damage them.

Sony LinkBuds S also have a case included, which is useful for safe transportation.

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