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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize excellent sound quality and use them primarily for music, the AKG K361 over-ear headphones offer superior sound and build quality, appropriate for at-home listening and studio work. However, these are wired and less portable, which could be inconvenient for mobile use. On the other hand, Sony Linkbuds, being wireless earbuds with an open design, allow you to stay aware of your surroundings, making them suitable for on-the-go use and exercise. Sony Linkbuds also provide an integrated mic, app features like equalization, and touch controls for convenience, but they may not isolate noise as effectively due to their open design. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the AKG K361
- Good for music
- Good for TV and video
- Good for air travel
Advantages of the Sony Linkbuds
- Good for exercise
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
7.5
6.6
The AKG K361 is good for music, while the Sony Linkbuds is only fair.
Gaming
6.3
5.5
The AKG K361 is only fair for gaming, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
Phone Calls
3.2
6.8
The Sony Linkbuds is only fair for phone calls, while the AKG K361 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.0
7.8
The Sony Linkbuds is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the AKG K361 is poor.
TV and Video
7.8
5.4
The AKG K361 is good for TV and video, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.0
2.5
The AKG K361 is only fair for noise reduction, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
Battery
N/A
5.5 Hours
The AKG K361 does not have a battery. The Sony Linkbuds has 5.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$99
$178
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
The AKG K361 has a price of $99 and the Sony Linkbuds costs $178.
Build Quality
8.5
9.3
The Sony Linkbuds has excellent build quality, while the AKG K361 has very good build quality.
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How the AKG K361 and the Sony Linkbuds compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| AKG K361 | Sony Linkbuds |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$99 | $178 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | AKG | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2018 | February 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.5/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 3.3/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 6.4/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.9/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.3/10 | 7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 5.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 17.5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6/10 | 2.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 219 Grams | 4.5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Shopping
AKG K361
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Dig into reviews and images
Medium
Alex Rowe | November 2019
"The K361 retains much of what makes the K371 such a winner, though it has a leaner sound, and the build changes made to trim the price down are immediately apparent. Still, it’s another excellent offering from AKG, and other companies in this fight should either be very worried or quickly designing updates to their old models."
Sony Linkbuds
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Sam Moore | February 2022
"The Sony LinkBuds is definitely the most unique audio product to release so far in 2022, and it largely executes well on it's unoccluded design. However, it's hamstrung by all the same things as other unsealed earbuds."
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About Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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