Sonos Ace: Can They Dethrone the Headphone Kings?
Sonos. The name conjures images of seamless multi-room audio and effortless wireless connectivity. But headphones? That’s new territory. The Sonos Ace marks their entry into the premium headphone arena, a bold move aiming to challenge established players like Sony and Apple. But can Sonos truly translate its expertise in sound to a personal audio experience? We spent significant time with the Ace to find out.
Right out of the box, the Ace impresses with its sleek, minimalist design. The matte finish and clean lines exude a premium feel, and the earcups are generously padded with memory foam wrapped in supple vegan leather. The overall build quality is excellent, with no creaks or rattles, suggesting a headphone built to last. However, some may find the headband a little too snug, particularly during extended listening sessions. This can lead to some discomfort at the top of the head.
Sonically, the Ace delivers a typically Sonos-like experience: balanced and refined. The sound signature is relatively neutral, offering a clear and detailed reproduction across the frequency spectrum. Bass is present and impactful, but it avoids overpowering the mids and highs. Vocals are crisp and clear, and instruments sound natural and well-defined. The active noise cancellation (ANC) is competent, effectively silencing ambient noise like airplane engines and office chatter, though it isn’t quite as powerful as some competitors. Transparency mode is also available and allows you to hear your surroundings clearly without removing the headphones.
The Ace packs in several smart features, including head tracking for spatial audio. This is particularly effective when watching movies or TV shows, creating a more immersive and cinematic experience. Switching between devices is seamless, thanks to Bluetooth 5.4 and multipoint connectivity. Battery life is impressive, offering up to 30 hours of listening with ANC enabled. Charging is done via USB-C, and a quick three-minute charge provides approximately three hours of playback.
The Ace also integrates with the Sonos ecosystem, allowing you to easily switch audio from your Sonos speakers to your headphones. The “Sonos app” is also required for many settings. However, it would have been beneficial to see more seamless integration with other popular music streaming services beyond the basic controls.
Value is always a subjective measure. The Sonos Ace is positioned at the higher end of the headphone market, competing directly with offerings from Sony and Apple. While the Ace delivers excellent sound quality, a premium design, and impressive battery life, the somewhat tight fit and lack of deeper streaming service integration might give some pause.
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Sonos Ace Headphones Quick Summary
Key Scores:
- Value: 93%
- Design: 92%
- Performance: 91%
- Quality: 90%
- Popularity: 89%
Top Pros
- ✅ The sound quality is balanced, detailed, and offers a neutral listening experience.
- ✅ The design and build quality feel premium and are consistent with Sonos’ aesthetic.
- ✅ Battery life is impressive, providing around 30 hours of listening with ANC.
Key Cons
- ❌ The headband may feel too snug for some users, leading to discomfort.
- ❌ Active noise cancellation is good, but not class-leading compared to competitors.
- ❌ Lack of deep integration with more streaming services limits its potential.
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