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What we think
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Updated April 11, 2024·
If affordability is a priority, the JBL Tune Buds are less expensive and provide very good build quality and decent sound for music, which would suit casual listening during exercise or air travel, but they may fall short for calls and gaming. Sony Linkbuds, while pricier, offer excellent build quality, better open soundstage for a more immersive experience, and useful features such as an app equalizer and ear detection, however, their open design means poor noise isolation, making them less ideal in noisy environments. If you frequently make calls or enjoy customizing your sound experience, Sony's extra features may justify the higher price. 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 JBL Tune Buds
- Very good for air travel
Advantages of the Sony Linkbuds
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Phone Calls
4.9
6.8
The Sony Linkbuds is only fair for phone calls, while the JBL Tune Buds is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.8
7.8
The Sony Linkbuds is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Tune Buds is poor.
TV and Video
6.1
5.4
The JBL Tune Buds is only fair for TV and video, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.7
2.5
The JBL Tune Buds is only fair for noise reduction, while the Sony Linkbuds is poor.
Battery
10.4 Hours
5.5 Hours
The JBL Tune Buds has 10.4 hours of battery life. The Sony Linkbuds has 5.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$50
$178
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
The JBL Tune Buds has a price of $50 and the Sony Linkbuds costs $178.
Build Quality
8.5
9.3
The Sony Linkbuds has excellent build quality, while the JBL Tune Buds has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
6.2
6.6
The Sony Linkbuds and JBL Tune Buds are both only fair for music.
Gaming
5.4
5.5
The Sony Linkbuds and JBL Tune Buds are both poor for gaming.
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How the JBL Tune Buds and the Sony Linkbuds compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| JBL Tune Buds | Sony Linkbuds |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$50 | $178 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | JBL | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.3/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 4.9/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.5/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 6.1/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 7.6/10 | 7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 10.4 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 30 | 17.5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6.8/10 | 2.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 10.8 Grams | 4.5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
JBL Tune Buds
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Dig into reviews and images
PC Mag
Tim Gideon | September 2023
"JBL’s Tune Buds stick with the company’s signature bass-heavy sound by default, but a quality in-app EQ lets you sculpt the audio to taste. These noise-cancelling true wireless earphones also mitigate environmental distractions fairly well for the price and offer good battery life. If you're specifically seeking bold, bass-tuned audio out of the box, the Tune Buds are worth a listen."
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 JBL
JBL is an American audio equipment manufacturer. Owned by Harman International which is, itself, owned by Samsung Electronics. JBL markets a wide array of monitoring speakers, professional headphones and consumer market headphones and earbuds. It was founded in 1946 by James Bullough Lansing (whose initials give the company its name) and has become one of the most prolific audio companies ever. Their products were responsible for audio during the 1969 Woodstock Festival.
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
Joe Golden, Ph.D
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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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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