SONOS Ace headphone test: a step in the right direction for the popular SONOS brand

Below is the headphone test SONOS Ace. But first to the beginning. Sonos has been since its own beginning of 2002 has built a reputation as a leading manufacturer of smart speakers and hi-fi audio systems. Their products have always been known for their superior sound quality, elegant design and seamless integration with various music services. Speakers like the Sonos One and Sonos Arc have quickly become synonymous with the ultimate home audio experience. So it's no wonder Sonos has been rumored to be working on its first headphones.

Rumors of Sonos's headphones began circulating as early as 2019. Fans of the brand have been eagerly waiting for Sonos to take this step and enter the headphone market, which is already full of great products from well-known brands such as Sony, Bose and Apple. The headphones were expected to be released in 2021, but the company decided they needed some more time for refinement and improvements. Finally, in 2024, they introduced their first model – the Sonos Ace.

The Sonos Ace is not just another headphone on the market. They are the result of years of research, development and precision design. Sonos decided not to just keep up with the competition, but to offer something completely unique. With innovative features such as TV Audio Swap, which enables seamless audio switching between Sonos speakers and headphones, the Sonos Ace is designed for those who want the best of both worlds – superior sound quality and unparalleled comfort.

At Sonos, they have always strived to offer something more to their users. This is a company that does not believe in compromise when it comes to quality. Their speakers are known for delivering crystal clear sound, rich bass and crisp highs. With the Ace headphones, they want to transfer this philosophy to the personal audio market as well.

Design and comfort: Sonos Ace

These headphones are a feast for the eyes. They're somewhere between Sony's WH-1000XM5 and Apple's AirPods Max, meaning they have a sleek, minimalist look that combines the best of both worlds. The matte plastic coating and stainless steel sliders give the headphones an elegant and modern look. With this design, they will easily integrate into your everyday style, whether you use them in the office or at home on the sofa.

One of the best features of these headphones is how comfortable they are. If you wear glasses, you've probably experienced the pressure of headphones on the frames many times. Well, you won't experience that at Ace. The size adjustment slider is smooth and allows for precise adjustments without putting pressure on the head. The ear pads are made of soft, vegan leather that fits snugly around your ears and wraps around them like a spider's web on a sunny day - just perfect.

The inside of the ear pads is colored to clearly distinguish right from left, which is a small but very convenient detail. The magnetically attached pads are easy to remove and replace, meaning you can extend the life of your headphones without much hassle. However, the headphones are a bit small for me personally. My ears were touching the "speakers", and on my head everything turned out to be at least one number too small. My head is big, which is a good excuse.

But hey, not everything is rosy. Headphones SONUS Ace they do not have any water resistance rating, so use them during exercise at your own risk. If you tend to sweat a lot or want to use them in the rain, think twice. Also, these headphones are quite "big" and do not fold significantly, which means that they will take up quite a bit of space in your bag. This makes them less convenient for travel, especially if you're used to headphones that can fold up very compactly.

The bag you get with them is made from recycled materials, which is great for the environment, but the zipper is so flimsy that I'd prefer to replace it with something smoother. Opening and closing a bag can be a pain, especially when the zipper catches. In addition, you have to fold the headphones completely to fit them in your bag, which can be a bit inconvenient. At the same time, I don't trust it to survive several years of use. It's simply not high enough quality for the price class of headphones.

Controls and functionality: Sonos Ace

Headphones Sonos Ace they boast intuitive and user-friendly physical controls, which is a big plus for me. On the right earcup, you'll find the Content Key, which is a multi-purpose slide key. This can be moved up or down to adjust the volume - up for louder, down for quieter. In addition, the Content Key is equipped with several functions: a single press plays or pauses the currently playing track, a double press skips to the next track, and a triple press takes you back to the previous track. Holding down the Content Key for a long time activates the TV Audio Swap feature, which is extremely handy if you want to quickly switch between speaker and headphone audio.

You can find it on the left earpiece USB-C connector, which serves several purposes. You can use it to charge the headphones or connect them to a device via a USB-C to USB-C cable for wired listening. In addition to the connector, there is also a power button and Bluetooth pairing. You need to hold this button for three seconds to turn the headset on or off, and for seven seconds to activate Bluetooth pairing mode. The Ace supports multipoint Bluetooth, which means you can connect them to two devices at the same time – say, your phone and laptop. This allows for easy switching between different devices without the need for constant pairing and unpairing.

The headphones also feature on-head detection, which means the music automatically pauses when you take them off and restarts when you put them back on. This is extremely handy for situations where you need to quickly switch focus without manually stopping playback.

Battery life is impressive 30 hours with active noise cancellation (ANC) on, which is more than enough for long flights or several days of use in the office. If you run out of battery, don't worry - fast charging gives you three hours of listening time after just three minutes of charging. It's perfect for those times when you're on the go and need a quick charge.

SONUS Ace the headset also boasts eight microphones strategically placed for optimal noise cancellation and crystal clear calls. Microphones they have wind protection, which ensures good call quality even in outdoor environments. There's also a natural transparency mode that lets you hear your surroundings without taking off your headphones – ideal for quickly interacting with people or listening to important notifications on the go.

But I had some problems using different calling apps. That's right via Messenger I couldn't talk, and several times my interlocutors complained that my voice was dying. Until I switched on the noise canceling mode, which apparently didn't detect that I was making a phone call. This can be very annoying, especially if you frequently use different calling apps. I hope these issues are fixed in future software updates, as the headset otherwise has great potential for clear and crisp calls.

At the same time, I had a lot of trouble switching between Android TV and a smartphone that just didn't work. I also had some trouble connecting to my iPhone as well, despite having the app loaded. It can be seen that the software is currently not fully developed. That's easy very frustrating, especially if you expect flawless performance for such a high price. Hopefully these issues will be fixed in future software updates, as the headset is otherwise excellent in every other way.

Sound quality: Sonos Ace

What about sound, you ask? Well, Sonos Ace they sound really nice. They have a balanced sound that favors fidelity over booming bass, meaning they're not as punchy as Sony's WH-1000XM5. But don't worry, they still sound great, especially with music from the likes of Billie Eilish, The Black Keys and Beyoncé. The sound is rich and full, with clear highs and precise mids. The bass is not overpowering, but still present enough to add depth and power to your favorite tracks.

Plus, you can adjust the treble and bass in the Sonos app, which is always nice to see. The EQ settings allow you to adjust the sound to your liking, which is especially handy if you're listening to different genres of music or switching between music and movies.

The company promised the "world-class" quality of Ace's active noise cancellation (ANC) and transparent modes, and they delivered on that promise – well, at least in transparent mode. The ANC is more than adequate, but Bose still holds the crown in this area. ANC on SONUS Ace it's good at canceling out constant noise like fans or traffic, but it can't quite match the Bose or Sony when it comes to completely silencing your surroundings. Still, the Aces offer a very solid noise canceling experience that will satisfy most users.

But where Ace really shines is their aware mode, which allows for a natural transition between listening to music and the surroundings. This mode works extremely well, almost as well as Apple's AirPods Pro. Surround sound is clear and natural, meaning you can easily hear what's going on around you without having to take off your headphones. This is super useful for traveling when you need to hear announcements at the airport or train station, or for quick conversations when you don't want to disturb your listening.

I had some problems using different calling apps. So over Messenger I couldn't talk, and several times my interlocutors complained that my voice was dying. Until I switched on the noise canceling mode, which apparently didn't detect that I was making a phone call. This can be very annoying, especially if you frequently use different calling apps. I hope these issues are fixed in future software updates, as the headset otherwise has great potential for clear and crisp calls.

When listening to music, watching movies or playing games, Sonos Ace they offer a rich and immersive experience. With Dolby Spatial Audio and head tracking, these headphones ensure you're always in the center of the action, further enhancing your experience. Surround sound works extremely well with movies, allowing for a more immersive experience where you can hear exactly where sounds are coming from. For the first time in a long time, I watched TV in the evening with headphones and I must say that I enjoyed it immensely.

And now to the main attraction – TV Audio Swap. This is a feature that allows you to instantly transfer audio from the Sonos Arc soundbar to your headphones with the push of a button. When it works, it's fantastic. However, this "when it works" is quite a problem. The feature is not available for Android at launch. At the same time, only owners of Sonus audio systems can test it. So that the use is limited.

Other functionalities: Sonos Ace

The Ace headphones have 40mm dynamic drivers that deliver good sound. They also have a multipoint Bluetooth connection, which means you can connect them to two devices at the same time. And for all the fans of fast charging - a 3-minute charge gives you 3 hours of listening time. Super cool, right? Plus, the ear pads are made from vegan leather and are removable, meaning you can easily replace them when they wear out.

TrueCinema and future enhancements

Sonos is also working on a feature TrueCinema, which will not be available at the start of sales. Similar to TruePlay for their speakers, this feature will map your space and create a virtual surround system. The goal is to make it feel like you're not wearing headphones at all, as they will recreate the acoustics of the room you're sitting in. Sounds futuristic, right? In addition, the Ace will also support Dolby Atmos and upgraded stereo content with head detection, ensuring you're always in the center of the action.

Conclusion: Sonos Ace

So, are the headphones Sonos Ace worth 449 $ / €499? If you are a big fan of the Sonos brand and already own their Arc soundbar, then by all means. As for the rest, I'd say they might be a little overpriced for what they offer, especially given that TV Audio Swap currently not working on Android. But hey, if you're looking for a comfortable, well-designed pair of headphones with good sound, and you're willing to overlook a few bugs, then the Sonos Ace are definitely worth considering. I offer you the option to buy at this link.

At the end of the day, it is Sonos with headphones SONOS Ace showed that it can make a great first product in a new category. They will need some finishing, but for a first attempt they certainly impressed. What's more, if you like transparent modes and premium sound, you will find the right partner in Ace. But if you're more hands-on and use Android, you might prefer to wait for the next generation or software improvements.