[Juturna]

For you LinkBuds owners, are they worth it? I have generally been in the crowd of people thinking that I don't want to hear the outside world when I listen to music. But lately I've been playing with the idea that it would be cool to be able to listen to music as if it came from speakers somewhere in the near vicinity, so you could have your own "soundtrack" while still navigating the world around you and being able to hear stuff that happens around you.

Is this possible with the Linkbuds or am I just hoping for way too much?

 

[samandhi]

For you LinkBuds owners, are they worth it? I have generally been in the crowd of people thinking that I don't want to hear the outside world when I listen to music. But lately I've been playing with the idea that it would be cool to be able to listen to music as if it came from speakers somewhere in the near vicinity, so you could have your own "soundtrack" while still navigating the world around you and being able to hear stuff that happens around you.

Is this possible with the Linkbuds or am I just hoping for way too much?

Not only possible, but it is also reality with these. They are indeed totally open so you hear all. But they get loud enough to drown out most droning sounds (not very loud sounds though). They are also tuned like a classic earbud, meaning they have a huge soundstage like open back headphones do also.

As long as they fit right for you, I can definitely recommend them.

 

[chinmie]

For you LinkBuds owners, are they worth it? I have generally been in the crowd of people thinking that I don't want to hear the outside world when I listen to music. But lately I've been playing with the idea that it would be cool to be able to listen to music as if it came from speakers somewhere in the near vicinity, so you could have your own "soundtrack" while still navigating the world around you and being able to hear stuff that happens around you.

Is this possible with the Linkbuds or am I just hoping for way too much?

I don't have the Linkbuds yet, but currently using the Samsung buds Live and Sabbat Vooplay (and also mmcx earbuds+ bt20s pro) for exactly that kind of "background music" scenarios. with low to moderate volume of music playing, i can still have normal conversations and hear any situational sound around me.

if my speculation about the linkbuds is correct, i think it would work too for that same scenario

 

[james444]

For you LinkBuds owners, are they worth it? I have generally been in the crowd of people thinking that I don't want to hear the outside world when I listen to music. But lately I've been playing with the idea that it would be cool to be able to listen to music as if it came from speakers somewhere in the near vicinity, so you could have your own "soundtrack" while still navigating the world around you and being able to hear stuff that happens around you.

Is this possible with the Linkbuds or am I just hoping for way too much?

Not only possible, but it is also reality with these. They are indeed totally open so you hear all. But they get loud enough to drown out most droning sounds (not very loud sounds though). They are also tuned like a classic earbud, meaning they have a huge soundstage like open back headphones do also.

As long as they fit right for you, I can definitely recommend them.

I haven't tried the Linkbuds myself, but tbo I don't see any acoustic advantage of these compared to side-firing earbud TWS like the Airpods 3. Seems to me like Sony created an over-engineered solution to a problem that doesn't really exist, since I can get both huge open soundstage and low isolation situation awareness from side-firing open TWS too. Is there anything I might be missing with regards to this comparison?

Just for reference, here are Soundguys' measurements of Apple AirPods 3 and Sony LinkBuds. Note that I'm not even a fan of the Airpods, as I think one can get better sound quality for less money. But it's pretty obvious how the Airpods outperform the LinkBuds in the low range, while still presenting an open earbud-like soundstage.

Source:
https://www.soundguys.com/apple-airpods-3rd-generation-review-61295/
https://www.soundguys.com/sony-linkbuds-wf-l900-review-67631/

 

[BooleanBones]

Over the top comparisons you like, you say? Alright then!

Comparison MTW3 vs. WF-1000XM4


ANC:

MTW3: 8.5

XM4: 9.0

(MTW2: 5.5)

Now that’s an interesting comparison. The passive noise cancellation is slightly better on the MTW3 and very impressive. The active noise cancelling is very close on both sets. Maybe, but just maybe, the XM4 are still ever so slightly better but I’m not entirely sure, honestly. Very close call. The Sony have the advantage of the standard foam tips here and thus the XM4 have an extremely good isolation (active + passive). However, if you’d put foam tips on the MTW3 as well, I’d be inclined to call this a tie all things considered. The MTW3 feature adaptive ANC, anti wind ANC and the possibility to switch the ANC off entirely. The XM4 can also have adaptive ANC, anti wind and off but they also let you fine-tune the ANC with a slider which is something the Sennheiser cannot do right now. If you want ANC on the Sennys, it is either adaptive, anti wind or off - nothing else. Not a dealbreaker at all for me as I usually have the ANC on max on all my TWS anyway when I need it, but it might be useful in some situations to fine-tune it manually. Ultimately, Sennheiser is here as close as they have ever been to Sony with regard to ANC performance and have improved immensely compared to the MTW2. Things might even become better over time and firmware updates (the Sony have already benefitted from this since they have been on the market for much longer obviously.

Great notes. How natural or how does the transparency/ambient mode sound?

 

[Beh0lder]

I haven't tried the Linkbuds myself, but tbo I don't see any acoustic advantage of these compared to side-firing earbud TWS like the Airpods 3.

The linkbuds were not designed with acoustics in mind. They outperform any other in ear method of sound generation in terms of environmental awareness yet unmatched by any fancy ambient or whatever mode. They are also free of that weird occlusion synonymous with having something stuffed in your ear, be it a bud or iem. They are awkward af to get into position since I need to really jam them in but afterwards those little IRL soundtrack generators do their job splendidly. Remember, they are about adding sound to whatever is already around you, not being sonically superior to other TWS.

 

[Tenlow]

Great notes. How natural or how does the transparency/ambient mode sound?

I would say pretty natural but with very audible white noise, especially when set to max. So, nowhere near as good as, say Airpods Pro or even Max but more than good enough still for me as I don't mind the white noise. However, if you use it a lot and for longer sessions, it might bother you.

Edit: Added the missing information on the transparency modes in the ANC section. Thanks for pointing that out as I somehow missed it!

 

[james444]

The linkbuds were not designed with acoustics in mind. They outperform any other in ear method of sound generation in terms of environmental awareness yet unmatched by any fancy ambient or whatever mode. They are also free of that weird occlusion synonymous with having something stuffed in your ear, be it a bud or iem. They are awkward af to get into position since I need to really jam them in but afterwards those little IRL soundtrack generators do their job splendidly. Remember, they are about adding sound to whatever is already around you, not being sonically superior to other TWS.

Unless you have very small ears or stuff them deliberately in too far, earbud-style TWS don't produce occlusion effects either. They're simply non-sealing, open miniature ear-speakers, just like the LinkBuds.

 

[TK33]

For you LinkBuds owners, are they worth it? I have generally been in the crowd of people thinking that I don't want to hear the outside world when I listen to music. But lately I've been playing with the idea that it would be cool to be able to listen to music as if it came from speakers somewhere in the near vicinity, so you could have your own "soundtrack" while still navigating the world around you and being able to hear stuff that happens around you.

Is this possible with the Linkbuds or am I just hoping for way too much?

Definitely worth it for me. Since I got them, I rarely use my Galaxy Buds Live (I have two pairs) for calls although I still like using them for streaming on my Samsung tablet (360 sound is pretty cool for watching shows). I have found they are great for having background music while walking around the city and in the office and they really do sound like they are coming from speakers rather than earbuds. It is a weird experience. Obviously they do not perform well for listening to music or hearing call audio in a noisy environment but that is not what they are designed to do and I still use the Galaxy Buds Live for calls with louder background noise. They are also tiny and light so very easy to carry around. As for fit, I do not have the same issues others have reported and I just stick them in my ears and can wear them for hours (I have gotten low battery notifications). This is obviously very subjective and can vary from person to person but I think they are worth a shot as long as you can return them if they do not work for you I have definitely been using them way more than I expected.

 

[Bhelpoori]

I promised a first look at the 1More Evos:

Good Stuff

• Comfort is good for me which I wasn’t expecting after lots of 1More reviews and experience with other TWS
• Size. Case is smaller than the Jabra 85. Buds are too. Can easily fit into a pocket.
• Case. The case feels great. It stands up well too because it has rubber on the bottom. The hinge feels quality like a BMW door.
• Sound but see below… The sound is better than the L3Pro since it doesn’t have the metallic, slightly unreal, treble. It is pretty unfair to say more as it hasn’t been fully burned in (1More advises doing this and has a function in the app to do it). Right now I like it.
• App. Whilst it isn’t full of settings like some, it works well (for example, just open the case to connect to the app without taking the buds out)
• Calls. I’ve spent a couple of hours on calls, including one fun one with cats and dogs howling in the car. The Jabra 85 just let the noise through which wasn‘t very good at all, whilst the Evo tried to cut it out, which it mostly did though sometimes too aggressively. It also has a high noise gate when there’s background noise so you need to speak louder than normal. In low noise environments it also worked well. It also worked on a PC with Zoom well in a quiet environment. Quite pleased so far with this but will do more testing over the week.

Meh

• ANC. It isn’t weak since it is sometimes better than the Jabra Elite 85 but overall it doesn’t come close to the top tier. It has a particular problem with mid to high frequencies or varying low ones, like cafe noises with no sound on. If you play music or some other noise it gets better though.
• Transparency. It is better than ANC and the focus on voice mode at least works. It isn’t too shabby but it isn’t AirPods Max. White noise is better than most though.

Bad

• No alternative to SoundID and worse what is shipped is an older version of it. The SoundID full app with parametric EQ and your previous testing history isn’t compatible with it, so not only do you only have 1/2 of SoundID, you also need to set it up from scratch. This took me 5 attempts even as someone who uses and likes it to get the sound I had with the real app. I can imagine others won’t find the right sound or just give up.
• Limited controls. No single tap and press/hold fixed. The L3Pro and Jabra win here big time. OTOH the touch controls on the Evo are better than the L3Pro

Not Tested yet: dual connectivity, call testing outside, full sound test, connectivity in bad radio environments, Android

Any questions?

 

[JoshG1217]

Thanks for your thoughts. I have Fokus Pros on the way already, but I'm sure somebody else here will want yours.

Did you try any aftermarket 3rd party tips?

I know some people find a great fit with the stock tips on the Noble Fokus Pros, but it seems like some users prefer other tips.

By Mest, do you mean the Unique Melody MEST?

I'll just have to try them and see, but anybody else have issues with the nozzles of the Noble Fokus Pros?

I've tried all the tips. I went back to the large stock tips today and those might be working better. I do mean the UM Mest II.

 

[BigZ12]

Got my MTW3s yesterday. Here's some initial views.

Pros:
- Sound is really good for my taste. Best I've had in a TWS I think. Compared to Senn' MTW2, Sony WF-1000XM4, M&D MW08S, Devialet Gemini, Lypertek Pureplay Z7 etc.. Crisp and punchy with much better vocals compared to MTW2. And they are loud enough too.
- ANC is good (tested vs WH-1000XM4, Airpods Max, Airpods Pro and Beats Fit Pro, on my porch where's there unfortunately a lot of freeway noise)
- Fit and comfort are very good, with almost all tips I tested with. (Spinfits, Comply, Final E-type etc) Feels light and secure in the ear. (I actually like the original mounted tips.)
- Call quality in silent enviroment are good. No complains with several calls. (haven't tested outside yet)
- BT range is good, and connection seems stable
- Smaller case than MTW2, good quality, looks nice and has wireless charging.
- Touch controls are accurate and easy to use.
- App is ok
- AAC/AptX/Adaptive codecs
- I think they look good, if that matters (I have the graphite version)

Cons:
- Adaptive ANC... well... My left ear hates it!!! I have droputs and noise when chewing/talking/shaking my head etc.. I had a similar experience with the Devialets. It's not that bad with the Senns', but annoying as he... Comply Foam helped a lot with the Geminis, but not so much with the Senns
- ANC is just good... the other 4 headsets/tws mentioned, were better.
- Transparent mode has a lot of white noise (haven't tested the feature much yet, but the white noise was disappointing)
- They could have LDAC codec. (I will use them with an iPhone, so AAC is all I need anyways..)
- The app EQ could have more bands...
- The case is still a little big compared to several competitors.

 

[Tenlow]

Got my MTW3s yesterday. Here's some initial views.

Pros:
- Sound is really good for my taste. Best I've had in a TWS I think. Compared to Senn' MTW2, Sony WF-1000XM4, M&D MW08S, Devialet Gemini, Lypertek Pureplay Z7 etc.. Crisp and punchy with much better vocals compared to MTW2. And they are loud enough too.
- ANC is good (tested vs WH-1000XM4, Airpods Max, Airpods Pro and Beats Fit Pro, on my porch where's there unfortunately a lot of freeway noise)
- Fit and comfort are very good, with almost all tips I tested with. (Spinfits, Comply, Final E-type etc) Feels light and secure in the ear. (I actually like the original mounted tips.)
- Call quality in silent enviroment are good. No complains with several calls. (haven't tested outside yet)
- BT range is good, and connection seems stable
- Smaller case than MTW2, good quality, looks nice and has wireless charging.
- Touch controls are accurate and easy to use.
- App is ok
- AAC/AptX/Adaptive codecs
- I think they look good, if that matters (I have the graphite version)

Cons:
- Adaptive ANC... well... My left ear hates it!!! I have droputs and noise when chewing/talking/shaking my head etc.. I had a similar experience with the Devialets. It's not that bad with the Senns', but annoying as he... Comply Foam helped a lot with the Geminis, but not so much with the Senns
- ANC is just good... the other 4 headsets/tws mentioned, were better.
- Transparent mode has a lot of white noise (haven't tested the feature much yet, but the white noise was disappointing)
- They could have LDAC codec. (I will use them with an iPhone, so AAC is all I need anyways..)
- The app EQ could have more bands...
- The case is still a little big compared to several competitors.

That does match a lot with my experiences. Thanks for your thoughts

 

[C_Lindbergh]

Lets hope for a big day 1 software update from Sennheiser tomorrow

 

[erockg]

Got my MTW3s yesterday. Here's some initial views.

Pros:
- Sound is really good for my taste. Best I've had in a TWS I think. Compared to Senn' MTW2, Sony WF-1000XM4, M&D MW08S, Devialet Gemini, Lypertek Pureplay Z7 etc.. Crisp and punchy with much better vocals compared to MTW2. And they are loud enough too.
- ANC is good (tested vs WH-1000XM4, Airpods Max, Airpods Pro and Beats Fit Pro, on my porch where's there unfortunately a lot of freeway noise)
- Fit and comfort are very good, with almost all tips I tested with. (Spinfits, Comply, Final E-type etc) Feels light and secure in the ear. (I actually like the original mounted tips.)
- Call quality in silent enviroment are good. No complains with several calls. (haven't tested outside yet)
- BT range is good, and connection seems stable
- Smaller case than MTW2, good quality, looks nice and has wireless charging.
- Touch controls are accurate and easy to use.
- App is ok
- AAC/AptX/Adaptive codecs
- I think they look good, if that matters (I have the graphite version)

Cons:
- Adaptive ANC... well... My left ear hates it!!! I have droputs and noise when chewing/talking/shaking my head etc.. I had a similar experience with the Devialets. It's not that bad with the Senns', but annoying as he... Comply Foam helped a lot with the Geminis, but not so much with the Senns
- ANC is just good... the other 4 headsets/tws mentioned, were better.
- Transparent mode has a lot of white noise (haven't tested the feature much yet, but the white noise was disappointing)
- They could have LDAC codec. (I will use them with an iPhone, so AAC is all I need anyways..)
- The app EQ could have more bands...
- The case is still a little big compared to several competitors.

Mine arrive Thursday. Looking forward to them!