Notice: Your browser is not supported or outdated so some features of the site might not be available.
Notice: We're proud to introduce Test Bench 2.0, which overhauls our audio measurements, with new tests and usages. There's even a brand new multi-target graphing tool! You can read all about this in our changelog, featuring commentary from our Test Designer, Pierre.
- Table of Contents
- Top
- Main Differences
- Sound
- Design
- Isolation
- Microphone
- Active Features
- Connectivity
- Comments
Sony LinkBuds Truly Wireless vs Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
Side-by-Side Comparison
Products
Sony LinkBuds Truly Wireless
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
Tested using Methodology v1.5
Updated Mar 27, 2024 07:21 PM
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comTested using Methodology v2.0
Updated Apr 23, 2025 06:30 PM
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
TypeEarbuds
Noise CancellingNo
EnclosureOpen-Back
WirelessTruly Wireless
TransducerDynamic
MicYes
TypeEarbuds
Noise CancellingNo
EnclosureOpen-Back
Bass AmountVery Underemphasized (-18 dB)
WirelessTruly Wireless
TransducerDynamic
Treble AmountBalanced (-1 dB)
MicYes
Sound SignatureBright
Variants
- LinkBuds (Gray)
- LinkBuds (White)
- Ultra Open Earbuds (Black)
- Ultra Open Earbuds (Carbon Blue)
- Ultra Open Earbuds (Chilled Lilac)
- Ultra Open Earbuds (Diamond 60th Edition)
- Ultra Open Earbuds (Lunar Blue)
- Ultra Open Earbuds (Moonstone Blue)
- Ultra Open Earbuds (Sandstone)
- Ultra Open Earbuds (Steve Lacy)
- Ultra Open Earbuds (Sunset Iridescent)
- Ultra Open Earbuds (White Smoke)
Our Verdict
Sony LinkBuds Truly Wireless
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds and Sony LinkBuds Truly Wireless are unusual-looking earbuds designed to prioritize environmental awareness. Both have virtual surround sound and IPX4 ratings against water splashes. Neither pair has much bass on tap. The Bose feel more comfortable and stable. Their battery lasts longer, too. The Sony buds still sit in your ears, which can give you a slightly more consistent sound, especially if you have ear piercings. Their mic system sounds a bit better, but neither is pro quality. They use touch controls and include a handy Speak-to-Chat function to pause playback automatically if you're engaged in a conversation.
Check Price
Gray
LinkBuds
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comBlack
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comWhite
LinkBuds
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comCarbon Blue
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEARCH
Amazon.comChilled Lilac
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEARCH
Amazon.comDiamond 60th Edition
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comLunar Blue
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEARCH
Amazon.comMoonstone Blue
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comSandstone
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEARCH
Amazon.comSteve Lacy
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEARCH
Amazon.comSunset Iridescent
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comWhite Smoke
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comMain Differences forNeutral Sound
Neutral Sound
Threshold
Neutral Sound
4.9
Full Comparison
Sound
Sound Profile
Sound Profile
Normalization Frequency
600 Hz
Bass Amount
Very Underemphasized (-18 dB)
Bass Amount
-18.95 dB
Treble Amount
-3.45 dB
Treble Amount
Balanced (-1 dB)
Sound Signature
Bright
Frequency Response Consistency
7.4
6.1
Consistency L
Consistency R
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.52 dB
1.27 dB
Raw Frequency Response
Bass Profile: Target Compliance
1.0
0.8
Bass Profile: Target Compliance
RMS Deviation From Target
18.85 dB
26.7 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
343.96 Hz
118.15 Hz
Low Bass
-33.54 dB
-37.73 dB
Mid Bass
-17.41 dB
-14.66 dB
High Bass
-6.53 dB
-2.41 dB
Mid-Range Profile: Target Compliance
8.2
9.7
Mid-Range Profile: Target Compliance
RMS Deviation From Target
2.44 dB
0.63 dB
Low Mid
-2.66 dB
0.3 dB
Mid-Mid
0.29 dB
-0.28 dB
High Mid
1.89 dB
-0.82 dB
Treble Profile: Target Compliance
4.9
6.2
Treble Profile: Target Compliance
RMS Deviation From Target
7.22 dB
5.01 dB
Low Treble
-3.77 dB
2.83 dB
Mid Treble
-9.57 dB
2.92 dB
High Treble
-14.42 dB
-5.78 dB
Peaks/Dips
6.6
5.7
Peaks/Dips Graph
Peaks
2.28 dB
2.82 dB
Dips
1.68 dB
2.86 dB
Stereo Mismatch
8.6
Frequency Response Mismatch
Phase Response Mismatch
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.85
0.1 dB
Weighted Frequency Response Mismatch
2.66
1.0 dB
Weighted Phase Mismatch
22.86
1.6°
Cumulative Spectral Decay
CSD
PRTF
3.0
0.0
PRTF
PRTF Accuracy (RMS Deviation)
N/A
N/A
PRTF Size (Avg.)
N/A
N/A
PRTF Distance
N/A
N/A
Openness
9.6
Acoustic Space Excitation
3.6
Harmonic Distortion
6.9
Harmonics Levels
WHD @ 94 dB SPL
0.384
0.77%
WHD @ 104 dB SPL
0.342
0.90%
Electrical Aspects
Impedance
Sensitivity @1kHz-1V
N/A
Bluetooth Max SPL
93.2 dB
Virtual Soundstage
4.1
2.9
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
On/Off
No
Speaker Modeling
On/Off
On/Off
Room Ambience
No
No
Head Tracking
No
On/Off
Virtual Surround
360 Reality Audio
No
Test Settings
Firmware
1.0.4
4.0.22
Power
On
On
Connection
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth
Codec
SBC, 16-bit, 44.1kHz
SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
Test Instrument
Audio Precision APx517B
EQ
Off
Default
ANC
No ANC
No ANC
Tip/Pad
Default
Default
Microphone
Integrated
Integrated
Imaging
7.2
Group Delay
Phase Response Mismatch
Weighted Group Delay
0.33
Weighted Phase Mismatch
22.86
1.6°
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.85
0.1 dB
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
2.66
1.0 dB
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
7.1
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.384
0.77%
WHD @ 100
0.342
0.90%
Design
Style
Design Picture 2
Type
Earbuds
Earbuds
Enclosure
Open-Back
Open-Back
Wireless
Truly Wireless
Truly Wireless
Transducer
Dynamic
Dynamic
Comfort
6.5
8.0
Comfort Picture
Weight
0.02 lbs
0.03 lbs
Clamping Force
0 lbs
0 lbs
Controls
7.1
6.8
Controls Picture
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use
Decent
Good
Feedback
Good
Good
Call/Music Control
Yes
Yes
Volume Control
Yes
Yes
Microphone Control
No
No
Channel Mixing
No
No
Noise Cancelling Control
No
No
Talk-Through
On/Off
No
Additional Controls
Voice Assistant
Presets
Breathability
Breathability After Picture
Avg.Temp.Difference
Portability
9.6
9.5
Portability Picture
L
1.2" (3.0 cm)
1.4" (3.5 cm)
W
1.3" (3.2 cm)
1.1" (2.8 cm)
H
0.6" (1.5 cm)
0.7" (1.8 cm)
Volume
0.88 in³ (14.40 cm³)
1.08 in³ (17.64 cm³)
Transmitter Required
No
No
Case
7.5
7.5
Case Picture
Type
Hard case
Hard case
L
1.9" (4.8 cm)
2.6" (6.5 cm)
W
1.6" (4.1 cm)
2.0" (5.0 cm)
H
1.2" (3.1 cm)
1.0" (2.6 cm)
Volume
3.72 in³ (61.00 cm³)
5.16 in³ (84.50 cm³)
Build Quality
7.5
8.0
Build Quality Picture
Stability
6.0
9.0
Stability Picture
Headshots 1
Angled Picture
Side Picture
Headshots 2
Front Picture
Rear Picture
Top
Top Picture
In The Box
In The Box Picture
Isolation
Noise Isolation - Full Range
1.0
0.1
Noise Isolation - Full Range Graph
Noise Cancelling
No
No
Overall Attenuation
-1.9 dB
-0.31 dB
Isolation Audio
Bass
0.12 dB
0.12 dB
Mid
1.25 dB
0.52 dB
Treble
-6.79 dB
-1.75 dB
Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios
0.2
Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios Graph
Airplane Noise Attenuation
-0.42 dB
Airplane Noise Isolation Audio
Office Noise Attenuation
-0.32 dB
Office Noise Isolation Audio
Street Noise Attenuation
-0.44 dB
Street Noise Isolation Audio
Noise Isolation - Voice Handling
Female Voice 1
Male Voice 1
Female Voice 2
Male Voice 2
ANC Wind Handling
ANC Wind Handling Graph
ANC Wind Noise
N/A
Leakage
6.9
7.3
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
39.88 dB
37.68 dB
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
Yes
In-Line
No
No
Boom
No
No
Detachable Boom
No
No
Mic
Yes
Yes
Recording Quality
6.6
6.9
Microphone Frequency Response
Recorded Speech
LFE
226.27 Hz
87.24 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
3 dB
3.57 dB
HFE
6,088.74 Hz
6,267.15 Hz
Weighted THD
7.972
28.627
Gain
-9.86 dB
-8.63 dB
Noise Handling
7.1
7.0
SpNR
9.56 dB
18.87 dB
Noise Gate
Always On
Always On
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
7.5
7.0
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
6.5
7.0
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample
Active Features
Battery
7.0
7.9
Battery Type
Rechargable
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
6.1 hrs
9.5 hrs
Additional Charges
2.0
2.8
Total Battery Life
18.3 hrs
26.6 hrs
Charge Time
1.6 hrs
0.8 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
Auto-Off Timer
Auto-Off Timer
Audio While Charging
Yes
Yes
Passive Playback
No
No
Charging Port
USB-C
USB-C
App Support
8.0
7.0
App Picture
App Name
Sony| Headphones Connect
Bose Music
iOS
Yes
Yes
Android
Yes
Yes
macOS
No
No
Windows
No
No
Equalizer
Graphic + Presets
Graphic + Presets
ANC Control
No
No
Mic Control
No
No
Room Effects
No
Yes
Playback Control
Yes
Yes
Button Mapping
Yes
Yes
Surround Support
Yes
No
Connectivity
Wired Connection
0.0
0.0
Cable Picture
Analog Audio
No
No
USB Audio
No
No
Detachable
No
No
Length
N/A
N/A
Connector
No Wired Option
No Wired Option
Latency - Analog
N/A
Latency - USB
N/A
N/A
Recorded Latency
N/A
Recorded Latency Connection
No Wired Audio
Bluetooth Connection
8.1
6.9
Bluetooth Version
5.2
5.3
Multi-Device Pairing
2 Devices
No
NFC Pairing
No
Quick Pair (Android)
No
Quick Pair (iOS)
No
Line Of Sight Range
129.59 ft (39.50 m)
334.65 ft (102.00 m)
Latency - SBC
222 ms
303 ms
Latency - aptX
N/A
N/A
Latency - aptX Adaptive (High Quality)
372 ms
Latency - aptX Adaptive (Low Latency)
95 ms
Latency - LDAC
N/A
Recorded Latency
Recorded Latency Codec
aptX Adaptive (Low Latency)
AAC Support
Yes
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
70 ms
Android Latency
129 ms
Wireless Connection (Dongle)
0.0
0.0
Line Of Sight Range
N/A
N/A
Latency - Dongle
N/A
N/A
Recorded Latency
N/A
PC Compatibility
Analog
No
No
Wired USB
No
No
Non-BT Wireless
No
No
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
No
No
PS4 Wired USB
No
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
No
PS5 Analog
No
No
PS5 Wired USB
No
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No
No
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
No
No
Xbox One Wired USB
No
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
No
No
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No
No
Base/Dock
2.2
2.2
Type
Charging Case
Charging Case
USB Input
No
No
Line In
No
No
Line Out
No
No
Optical Input
No
No
RCA Input
No
No
Dock Charging
Yes
Yes
Power Supply
USB-C
USB-C
Check Price
Gray
LinkBuds
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comBlack
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comWhite
LinkBuds
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comCarbon Blue
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEARCH
Amazon.comChilled Lilac
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEARCH
Amazon.comDiamond 60th Edition
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comLunar Blue
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEARCH
Amazon.comMoonstone Blue
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comSandstone
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEARCH
Amazon.comSteve Lacy
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEARCH
Amazon.comSunset Iridescent
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comWhite Smoke
Ultra Open Earbuds
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Sony LinkBuds Truly Wireless
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
Comments
Sony LinkBuds Truly Wireless vs Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: Main Discussion
What do you think of these products? Let us know below.
Looking for a personalized buying advice from the RTINGS.com experts? Insiders have direct access to buying advice on our insider forum.