Sony Linkbuds Speaker Review: A Premium-Priced Bluetooth Speaker

Sony has plenty of Bluetooth speaker options, but the Linkbuds Speaker is the latest effort to build an ecosystem around its Linkbuds earbuds. The speaker’s physical size isn’t much bigger than a HomePod mini, but it sounds bigger than it looks. Unfortunately, it does have a few drawbacks, including its premium price, which doesn’t make it a must-have for everyone.

Sony LinkBuds Speaker

6 / 10

The LinkBuds Speaker is packed with speaker drivers for clear and well-balanced sound. The two-way speaker system features a dedicated tweeter and an X-Balanced Speaker unit (woofer) for impressive bass and clear vocals with less distortion. 

Pros Loud volume for size Solid microphone performance Included charging dock is convenient

Cons Expensive compared to competitors Hand-off feature with Linkbuds earbuds is a little confusing

$179.99 at Sony

How We Test and Review Products

Price and Availability

The Linkbuds Speaker retails for $179 and will be available for purchase around October 18, 2024. It comes with a flat charging dock but can also be charged through its USB-C port.

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

Sony's “Linkbuds” philosophy is all about transparency and connecting with other people. Despite its one semi-unique feature, it’s hard to see how that branding really applies to this speaker.

The notable addition to the Linkbuds Speaker is its ability to receive audio from Linkbuds earbuds. The idea is that you come home while wearing the earbuds, and the audio is passed off to the speaker automatically. Conversely, when you put in the earbuds while listening to the speaker, the audio will transfer to the earbuds.

This feature worked when I tested the functionality, but it wasn’t as fast as I thought it would be. There was a long enough delay that I wondered if it was going to work. Even after using it, I’m not quite sure I actually want my audio to automatically switch when I take out my earbuds or when I put them in. Because of the tedious setup process, I don’t think people will stumble on it, but if they do, it could be confusing about why things are switching.

It should also be made clear that to use this feature you need to have both the Linkbuds Fit or Linkbuds Open and the Linkbuds Speaker. You have to connect both devices to your phone and then, in the Sony Connect app, you’ll need to turn on the Auto Switch feature specifically.

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

There’s nothing offensive about the speaker's look, but it’s not quite as cute as the new Linkbuds earbuds. The speaker is just a little plain and utilitarian, in both black and white. That’s fine if you want this speaker to live on your desk, but probably less than ideal if you want to keep it in a kitchen or living room.

The thing about the Linkbuds Speaker is that it doesn’t have to stay in one spot. It’s a regular Bluetooth speaker with a battery, unlike a Homepod mini. The Linkbuds Speaker’s included charging dock means it will probably have a semi-permanent spot in your home, but you can grab its tiny handle hanging off the back to carry it around your home.

The speaker is small enough that you could travel with it—there’s a USB-C charging port on the speaker, too—but I would probably opt for a different one like the Sonos Roam 2 or the new Beats Pill.

On the top of the speaker are tactile buttons like pause, play, and volume. There’s a dedicated button to configure Spotify Tap in the Sony Connect app if you want to go down that route.

The Sound Quality Is Appropriate For Its Size

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

Despite its compact size, the Linkbuds Speaker produces a voluminous sound. It has no problem filling a bedroom and could likely do a decent job of filling most people’s living rooms.

Initially, I was worried that the speaker’s size would limit its usefulness, but this isn’t a weak spot. If there is a weak area, it’s more about the actual fidelity. The tiny speaker has a generous amount of bass, but ultimately, it can only punch so much. The mid-range is a little thick and chunky, making the mid-range ever so muddy—but that's mostly being nit-picky.

Interestingly, there are only two different EQ choices in the Sony Connect app, available on iPhone and Android, for custom configurations. Both the Linkbuds Open and Linkbuds Fit have a healthy amount of preset EQ choices, so more of those options here would have been nice. You can adjust the EQ yourself to boost the bass or mid-range, but otherwise, there’s not much at the moment.

It Could Be an Ideal Desk Speaker

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

Since the Linkbuds Speaker comes with a charging dock and has microphones, the device makes sense for a working environment—presumably a work-at-home space. You can leave the speaker sitting on its dock and turned on constantly without the fear of battery drain. But if you do that, be prepared for all the sound from your phone to constantly be tied to the speaker when you’re within range.

You can also use the Linkbuds Speaker as a speakerphone for hands-free calling. Sony’s audio products typically have good microphone performance, so I wasn’t too surprised that this speaker handled my calls well. I thought my voice sounded clear and full. There’s even a dedicated phone icon on the top of the speaker to simplify answering or ending phone calls.

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

The biggest hurdle for the Sony Linkbuds Speaker is simply the market it’s trying to join. There are so many options for Bluetooth speakers that one needs to stand out with its sound or features to even be a consideration. Unfortunately, I didn’t find much with the Linkbuds Speaker that made it memorable.

It can produce a full and loud sound, so it could be a fit to live on someone’s kitchen counter. It also has speakerphone functionality, so it might work as a desk speaker. But after living with the speaker for some time, I never felt myself drawn to it, the way I have with other similarly-sized speakers. The Homepod mini has an always-on voice assistant plus an inherent connection with Apple devices. Even the Sonos Roam offers dual Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections.

Ultimately, as solid as the Linkbuds Speaker is, it’s just too expensive for the features it offers. If you’re really into the hand-off aspect with the new Linkbuds earbuds then this speaker might make sense. Otherwise, it could make a good purchase if it gets significantly discounted from its current retail price.

Sony LinkBuds Speaker

6 / 10

The LinkBuds Speaker is packed with speaker drivers for clear and well-balanced sound. The two-way speaker system features a dedicated tweeter and an X-Balanced Speaker unit (woofer) for impressive bass and clear vocals with less distortion. 

$179.99 at Sony