Sony LinkBuds Speaker vs Amazon Echo Dot Max

Which Speaker Is Better?

Products

Sony LinkBuds Speaker
Amazon Echo Dot Max 
early access

Tested using Methodology v0.8

Updated Feb 04, 2025 12:25 PM

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BestBuy.com

Tested using Methodology v0.8

Updated Jan 27, 2026 02:51 PM

This review is in Early access

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Amazon.com

Our Verdict

Sony LinkBuds Speaker

Amazon Echo Dot Max

Full comparison details regarding individual product score sets can be found in the section below
0 

Variants

  • LinkBuds Speaker (Light Grey)
  • LinkBuds Speaker (White)
  • Echo Dot Max (Amethyst)
  • Echo Dot Max (Glacier White)

Check Price

Light Grey
LinkBuds Speaker
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
Amethyst
Echo Dot Max
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
White
LinkBuds Speaker
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Glacier White
Echo Dot Max
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
Graphite
Echo Dot Max
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com

Main Differences for
Music

Threshold 

0.10

Music 
 

6.3
0.0
No major differences between these speakers for music. See full list of tests below.

Full Comparison

Design

Style  

Style Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
Sony LinkBuds Speaker Style Photo
Amazon Echo Dot Max Style Photo Sample

SAMPLE

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RGB Lights  

No
Locked
Show Text 

Portability 
 

9.3
N/A

Dimensions Photo 
 

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Sony LinkBuds Speaker Dimensions Photo
Amazon Echo Dot Max Dimensions Photo Sample

SAMPLE

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Volume 
 

47 in³ (769 cm³)
Lock in³ (Lock cm³)

Weight 
 

1.1 lbs (0.5 kg)
Lock lbs (Lock kg)

Power Source 
 

Battery & USB
Locked

One-Hand Carry 
 

Yes
Locked
Show Text 

Build Quality 
 

7.0
N/A

Build Quality Photo 
 

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Sony LinkBuds Speaker Build Quality Photo
Amazon Echo Dot Max Build Quality Photo Sample

SAMPLE

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Material Quality 
 

Good
Locked

Water Resistance 
 

Water-resistant (IPx4)
Locked

Dust Resistance 
 

No
Locked

Impact Resistance 
 

No
Locked

Floats In Water 
 

No
Locked
Show Text 

Controls 
 

7.8
N/A

Controls Photo 
 

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Sony LinkBuds Speaker Controls Photo
Amazon Echo Dot Max Controls Photo Sample

SAMPLE

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Controls Photo 2 
 

Compare High-Res
Sony LinkBuds Speaker Controls Photo 2
Amazon Echo Dot Max Controls Photo 2 Sample

SAMPLE

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Ease Of Use 
 

Good
Locked

Feedback 
 

Good
Locked

Music Play/Pause 
 

Yes (Physical)
Locked

Call Answer/End 
 

Yes
Locked

Volume Up/Down 
 

Yes (Physical)
Locked

Track Next/Previous 
 

Yes (Physical)
Locked

Microphone On/Off 
 

No
Locked

Additional Controls 
 

Yes
Locked
Show Text 

In The Box 
 

In The Box Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
Sony LinkBuds Speaker In The Box Photo
Amazon Echo Dot Max In The Box Photo Sample

SAMPLE

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Show Text 
Sound

Frequency Response Accuracy 
 

6.5
N/A

Frequency Response Graph  

 Preview Graph
Sony LinkBuds Speaker Frequency Response Graph
Amazon Echo Dot Max Frequency Response Graph Sample

SAMPLE

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Slope 
 

0.81
Lock

Std. Err. 
 

2.79 dB
Lock dB

Low-Frequency Extension 
 

72.3 Hz
Lock Hz

High-Frequency Extension 
 

15.1 kHz
Lock kHz
Show Text 

Raw Frequency Response 
 

Raw Frequency Response Graph  

 Preview Graph
Sony LinkBuds Speaker Raw Frequency Response Graph
Amazon Echo Dot Max Raw Frequency Response Graph Sample

SAMPLE

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To see pictures and test results

Binaural Recording @ 1m 
 

Binaural Recording @ 2m 
 

Soundstage 
 

6.1
N/A

Directivity Graph  

 Preview Graph
Sony LinkBuds Speaker Directivity Graph
Amazon Echo Dot Max Directivity Graph Sample

SAMPLE

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To see pictures and test results

Directivity Index 
 

3.55 dB
Lock dB

Stereo 
 

No (mono)
Locked
Show Text 

Dynamics 
 

5.5
N/A

Dynamic Range Compression  

 Preview Graph
Sony LinkBuds Speaker Dynamic Range Compression
Amazon Echo Dot Max Dynamic Range Compression Sample

SAMPLE

GET INSIDER ACCESS

To see pictures and test results

SPL @ Max Volume 
 

81.3 dB SPL
Lock dB SPL

DRC @ Max Volume 
 

3.24 dB
Lock dB
Show Text 
Active Features

Battery 
 

8.6
N/A

Battery Life 
 

15.5 hrs
N/A

Charge Time 
 

4.4 hrs
N/A

Power Saving 
 

Yes
Locked

Charging Port 
 

USB-C
Locked

Battery Powered 
 

Yes
Locked
Show Text 

Voice Assistant 
 

4.6
N/A

Alexa 
 

Yes (Requires Smartphone)
Locked

Google Assistant 
 

Yes (Requires Smartphone)
Locked

Speakerphone 
 

Yes
Locked

Siri 
 

Yes (Requires Smartphone)
Locked

Voice Assistant 
 

Yes
Locked

Voice Activation 
 

No
Locked

Microphone Mute 
 

No
Locked

Far-Field Performance 
 

Great
Locked

Ambient Noise Performance 
 

Great
Locked
Show Text 

App 
 

6.3
N/A

App Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Sony LinkBuds Speaker App Picture
Amazon Echo Dot Max App Picture Sample

SAMPLE

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To see pictures and test results

App Name 
 

Sound Connect
Locked

iOS 
 

Yes
Locked

Android 
 

Yes
Locked

EQ 
 

Graphic
Locked

Stereo Pair Mode 
 

Yes
Locked

Party Mode 
 

No
Locked

Multi-Room 
 

No
Locked
Show Text 
Connectivity

Wired 
 

Aux Input 
 

No
Locked

USB Audio 
 

No
Locked

Other Ports 
 

No
Locked
Show Text 

Bluetooth 
 

9.3
N/A

Bluetooth 
 

Yes
Locked

Bluetooth Version 
 

5.2
Locked

Bluetooth iOS Latency 
 

10 ms
Lock ms

Bluetooth Android Latency 
 

73 ms
Lock ms

Bluetooth Range 
 

334.6 ft (102.0 m)
Lock ft (Lock m)

Multi-Device Pairing 
 

2 Devices
Locked
Show Text 

Wi-Fi 
 

0.0
N/A

Wi-Fi Version 
 

No Wi-Fi
Locked

Wi-Fi Frequency Band 
 

No Wi-Fi
Locked

Wi-Fi 
 

No
Locked

Apple AirPlay 
 

No
Locked

AirPlay Latency 
 

N/A
N/A

Google Chromecast 
 

No
Locked

Chromecast Latency 
 

N/A
N/A

Check Price

Light Grey
LinkBuds Speaker
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
Amethyst
Echo Dot Max
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
White
LinkBuds Speaker
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Glacier White
Echo Dot Max
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
Graphite
Echo Dot Max
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com

Sony LinkBuds Speaker

Amazon Echo Dot Max

Comments

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Sony LinkBuds Speaker vs Amazon Echo Dot Max: Main Discussion

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