Sony’s new Linkbuds have the opposite goal of most noise-canceling headphones: they’re designed to let in the sounds of your surroundings while you’re using them. To do so, they feature an open-ring design that, according to the company, naturally blends ambient sound with digital sound.

The open ring, which looks like a small donut with a metallic finish, fits the ear canal without completely blocking it. The main body is surrounded by a small rubber arc that sits under the ear’s crease to stabilize the earbud. 
According to most reviewers, the design makes the earbuds surprising comfortable. The sound quality is good, especially during calls. Still, noisy environments inevitably degrade the overall listening experience, as it is expected from earbuds designed to do the opposite of blocking surrounding noises.