Sony’s first clip-on open earbuds have a quiet mode so others can’t listen in

Sony is the latest company to announce a pair of open-style wireless earbuds that clip onto the back of your ear instead of resting inside it. The new Sony LinkBuds Clip Open earbuds are similar to the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, JVC’s Nearphones, and Shokz’ OpenDots One, with a design that doesn’t block the ear canal so you can hear your environment, or conversations with people, alongside whatever you’re streaming from your phone.

The LinkBuds Clip Open are available starting today in black, greige (no, that’s not a typo), green, and lavender color options for $229.99. That’s cheaper than the $299.99 Bose Ultra Open, but more expensive than the $199.95 Shokz OpenDots One, and the $149.99 Soundcore AeroClip.

The C-shaped design of the LinkBuds Clip Open doesn’t put any pressure on the inner ear, potentially making the earbuds comfortable to wear for longer periods. They’ll also fit a wider variety of ear sizes and shapes, and Sony includes “fitting cushions” that can be attached to make them feel as comfortable and secure as possible. If you’ve struggled to get traditional earbuds to stay in your ears, these could be an alternative worth considering.

Battery life is rated at up to 37 hours — nine on their own plus an additional 28 hours from the included case — while a brief three-minute charge provides up to an hour of listening when they’re dead. There’s a 10-band EQ that can be used to adjust the LinkBuds Clip Open’s sound profile through Sony’s Sound Connect mobile app, plus three sound mode presets that can be accessed by tapping the headphones. There’s a standard mode for music, a voice boost mode that makes podcasts easier to hear in noisy environments, and a “sound leakage reduction mode” that keeps the volume lower for use in quieter places where you don’t want to disturb others.

Despite the LinkBuds Clip Open being positioned farther from your mouth than standard earbuds, Sony says the headphones feature “high-precision voice pickup technology” that uses a bone conduction sensor to accurately capture your voice during a call. That works alongside an AI-powered noise reduction system to help your voice come across clear, even if you’re unable to find a quiet place to talk.