Customer Ratings & Reviews

I don’t usually write reviews, but the Sonos Ace deserves every bit of praise. From the moment I unboxed them, I knew these weren’t just another pair of wireless headphones — they feel like a luxury experience built for daily life. Sound quality is the headline here. Music feels alive — the bass is deep and punchy without being muddy, vocals are crystal clear, and the highs shimmer. Movies are on another level thanks to Dolby Atmos and spatial audio. It honestly feels like sitting in a private theater, and the head-tracking makes everything even more immersive. The noise cancellation is phenomenal. I tested them on a noisy commute, and the world just disappeared. Switch to “Aware Mode,” and you hear your surroundings naturally, like you’re not even wearing headphones. It’s seamless and incredibly useful. Comfort matters to me because I wear headphones for hours, and the Ace passes the test. The ear cushions are soft and breathable, and even though these are premium over-ears, they never feel heavy. Build quality is excellent too — sturdy, sleek, and stylish enough that I’ve gotten compliments already. Battery life is another highlight. I easily get over a full day of listening, and the quick-charge feature is a lifesaver. Three minutes of charging for three hours of playtime? That’s wild. The little touches are what seal the deal: automatic play/pause when I take them off, flawless Bluetooth multipoint switching between devices, and the magical ability to swap TV audio from my Sonos soundbar directly into the headphones at night so I don’t disturb anyone. It’s like they thought of everything. Yes, the Sonos Ace is an investment — but it’s worth every cent. These headphones combine performance, comfort, and smart features in a way that feels effortless. If you’re considering them, stop hesitating. They’re easily the best I’ve owned, and I can’t recommend them enough.

Pros: 1. Superior Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): The standout feature of the Sonos Ace headphones is undoubtedly the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). The ANC performance is top-notch, effectively drowning out ambient noise and creating an immersive listening experience. Whether you’re in a busy office, on a noisy commute, or simply trying to enjoy some quiet time at home, the ANC does an excellent job of keeping distractions at bay. Compared to other headphones in this price range, the Sonos Ace holds its ground remarkably well. 2. Sound Quality: The sound quality is another high point. The audio is crisp, with a balanced mix of bass, mids, and highs. Music genres from classical to rock sound fantastic, and podcasts and audiobooks are clear and easy to listen to. The headphones handle both high and low volumes without distortion, making them versatile for different listening preferences. 3. Comfort and Build: The Sonos Ace headphones are lightweight yet sturdy, crafted with high-quality materials that feel durable. The ear cups are well-padded and comfortable, even for extended listening sessions. The adjustable headband ensures a snug fit without being too tight, which is perfect for long-term wear. 4. Aware Mode: The Aware Mode (Sonos’ version of transparency mode) is another highlight. It seamlessly blends external sounds with your audio, making it easy to stay aware of your surroundings without removing the headphones. This feature is particularly useful when you need to have quick conversations or be alert in busy environments. Cons: 1. Initial Charging Issues: One frustrating aspect I encountered was the difficulty in getting the headphones to charge initially. Despite following the instructions, the headphones didn’t seem to charge properly the first few times. After some troubleshooting and trying different cables and outlets, the issue eventually resolved itself, but it was an inconvenient start. This could be a potential deal-breaker for those who expect a hassle-free setup out of the box. 2. Price: While the Sonos Ace headphones offer great features and performance, they come with a premium price tag. For some, this might be a significant investment, especially when there are other competitive options available at lower price points. Final Verdict The Sonos Ace headphones excel in delivering high-quality sound and exceptional ANC, making them a great choice for audiophiles and frequent travelers. However, the initial charging issues can be a bit of a setback. If you’re willing to overlook this minor inconvenience, the Sonos Ace headphones are a solid investment for anyone seeking a premium audio experience.

At first I was a little skeptical on how useful these could be. I knew someone else was going to deliver a high quality product, but wasn't sure how much I would actually use these. I've come to find myself using them around 3 hours a day. Originally I thought they were going to be uncomfortable and a burden, but they've actually become the most comfortable headphone I've ever worn and sound amazing. The 3D audio and head tracking is a very unique feature and makes movies even more immersive. The ability to quickly switch from having audio on my Sonos Arc straight to my headphones is a godsend. I love hearing every detail in movies and games, but that was difficult with having a newborn. I had to settle for very low volumes at certain times, and that just doesn't utilize the awesomeness of having a Sonos system. Now with these headphones I can listen "as loud as I want" at any time of the day. With the simple press of a button on the headphones, audio is rerouted from my soundbar straight to my headphones. They even have Bluetooth support to listen to your favorite music or other media on your phone. They can be used to make phone calls and are just all around something I don't know how I lived without. I recommend them to everyone I know, and can't believe how useful they have become. I caught them on sale for $100 off, but I honestly would pay full retail price for these headphones. One final note is how awesome the battery life is. I swear with using it every single day, I've only had to charge it maybe once a week. And charging is extremely fast. Battery seems to go from 0 to 100% in around half an hour

Sound quality is amazing, light weight and comfortable. Connect to phone easily and battery last least 30 hours

Love these headphones, the sound is amazing, easy integration with Apple devices, much lighter than the Apple AirPods Max with better battery life.

Nicest headphones I’ve had. They adjust nicely to my head and are relatively light. Because of the comfort factor, I am able to wear them for longer periods of time without discomfort. The sound is amazing. I like that you can adjust bass and treble from the Sonos app. These are not WIFI driven like other Sonos products, but if you want a nice pair of Bluetooth headphones, I recommend these.

way better than expected. i have been able to pair with them with all of my sound bars. The headphones pack a nice full sound via bluetooth but they truly shine when plugged directly into the source. i believe these headphones are well worth the price given how resilient they can be. The battery life is pretty unreal. I have been on multiple walks with noise cancelation on and still left with plenty of battery to spare. I took my time on making this purchase. i have air pods max and i would highly recommend these over the air pods max.

Let me start off by saying I’ve tried Bose QC Ultra Headphones, Apple AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro, and more, but these are the best by far. I love the Audio Swap option with my Sonos Beam 2, the head tracking to keep sound centered, the quality materials used, the Noise Cancellation is superb, the buttons are simple & easy to use, and lastly the travel case & magnetic cord holder just finishes off this great headphone. For the Audio Swap to work with Sonos soundbars, ensure you have Wi-Fi turned on for both & you’ll have no problems swapping the TV sound to your headphones.

I bought a speaker before and really liked it. Now I bought a headphone too. I will support this brand's products a lot and recommend it to my friends.

Why would Sonos decide to produce one product that doesn't fully connect to Sonos systems? It is what they are known for and the only reason buy Sonos. I dont want to be teathered by bluetooth. Sometimes i want to leave my device behind, but stay connected to whatever show or music I am engaged in. I think they should have made it clear in their marketing that the Sonos Ace is just another overpriced bluetooth headphone. I currently the following Sonos products; Playbar, Sub, four Play 1's, two Ones, Roam 2, and a Sonos amp hooked up to sonance landscape speaker system. Unfortunately, the Sonos Ace interacts with these products the same as AirPod Max or Bose Quiet Comfort. Please fix this in an update ASAP. There is no reason it doesnt have both Bluetooth and Wifi capabilities like the Roam 2! Of course the Roam 2 is clunky and loses connection constantly needing factory reset, so maybe programming is difficult...

Not loving them. The battery doesn't last anywhere near 30 hours. Also, the case has this weird design where the zipper pull isn't easy to grab. The sound quality and noise-cancelling are excellent. But, there are some features that bother me daily.

Waited a few months until after release and for the first sale before purchasing. The funny thing is the updated Sonos App was working pretty good until I added the headphones, then the crashing issues started! I have the Arc at home and Ray at our lake home. I take the headphones in between and simply hit the button to move sound to the headphones. Would be 5 stars without the App issues.

Sonos has finally come to market with a upper end set of cans in the $400+ price range, but can they compete with other similarly priced headphones? Arriving in very industrial but basic packaging, you get your headphones semi pre-charged, a USB-C to USB-C cable, USB-C to 1/8", carrying case, smaller carrying pouch inside for your two cables and some literature. I very much like Sonos packaging and looks. Taking a first look and wear of the Aces, they are aesthetically pleasing and streamlined. Compared to Apple's Airpod Max's, they are much lighter and incredibly comfortable. If you're worried about having a larger sized head, don't be. I wear a size 8 hat and they fit very nicely. They feel much better than Apple's Airpod Max's and Studio Pro's 2 and 3 for fitment. I was very pleased with how they feel and look. I compared the Aces versus my original Studio Detox wired headphones, Studio 2 and Studio 3 Pros and Apple's Airpod Max's. I also have a range of lesser priced headphones thrown in the mix for comparison. You can use them right out of the box, but you will definitely want to download and use the Sonos App as there is a sizeable update waiting for them which can be installed via bluetooth. Speaking of the app, as soon as you pair them to an iphone you will have the opportunity to install the app as you can click right through to the store and download it. Be warned there are two apps for Sonos. Their older app they've used for quite some time and their newer version released this year. You will need to use the newer version. I tested the Ace's in a number of scenarios including wired directly into a DAC on my computer along with wireless with my phone and my AppleTV which is the newest 3rd generation 4k model. For headphone song testing I always use the following selections: The Spinners "Rubber Band Man" Remastered - I like this one because it has excellent mids with the twang of the strings that lesser headphones can lose pretty quickly. Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings" - The extreme highs on this at 50%+ will crack and break up lesser headphones very badly. Kitaro's "Caravansary" - Perfect blend of highs and lows with a bit of bass punch to give you an overall soundscape with subtle harp mids that can get lost on some headphones Lil Wayne's "6x9" - Will absolutely show the limitations of bass on some headphones that can't hit that deep thump of the hook BASS: The Ace's faired very well. Let me start this off by saying if you prefer a lot of rich, deep, heavy Bass the Ace's are not for you. They lack the teeth rattling bass of the Detox's and the bottom hit of the Studio 2/3. Their Bass doesn't even match a few pairs of very low end gaming headphones in terms of punch and vibrate. Is this a bad thing? Not really as what Sonos has done is present a very balanced soundscape from top to bottom and usually what is sacrificed in that is enhanced Bass. Even adjusting for more bass, it just doesn't hit like some of the other headphones. I love bass, but I prefer that soul jarring bass to be external so it's ok. Lil Wayne's "6x9" quickly showed the limitations of the Ace headphones. HIGHS: They passed the Adagio for Strings test with flying colors and didn't even have a hint of cracking or breaking even at 75% volume (which I had to hold away a bit from my ears as it was too loud) which is fantastic. All the subtle highs of Caravansary were there and on full display. I even picked up on some subtle little studio clicks and sounds on Rubber Band Man that I had only heard on my Airpod Max's. When you're in this price range, the separation is the subtle little nuances in sound and the Ace delivered where it needed. MIDS: The ultimate test for mids, for me at least, continues to be Rubber Band Man. The snapping and twanging of the rubber bands as the song hums along really will let you know where your mids rank and the Aces had no problems presenting them front and center and easy to discern from everything else. Audio quality the Aces are a solid 9/10. ANC (aka noise cancellation): Phenomenal. Out of all my ANC enabled headphones, I think the Sonos do the best job and where I test I have a very strong and loud blower. I didn't even realize it was on till I took them off even with no audio playing. With my Studio headsets I can always hear the blower in all situations to a degree even farther away. I can even hear it a bit with the Max's. Some of it has to do with the absolute comfortable seal the Aces provide around my ear. One other thing is I have found in the past some ANC can cause me slight ear discomfort rather quickly. I did not experience this with the Aces. Easy 10/10 AppleTV: Since the Aces are standard bluetooth equipped headphones, pairing them to my AppleTV, just like my iphone, was straight forward and easy. I tested them compared to my Studio 2 and 3 Pro sets along with Airpod Max's. Watching Foundation Season 2, especially key moments like Episode 8 when Sal is trapped in the prison the Sonos Ace are miles ahead of both the Studio 2 and 3 studio headsets. Subtle sounds like the insects and ambient noises were so front and center with the Sonos Ace. The sounds of the thought suppressor blades were much more separated and clear with the Ace headset too. There was so much more warmth and richness overall. The Sonos Aces are much closer to the Airpod Max's than the Studio 2 and 3 Pros in regards to quality of sound and total balanced soundscape. I would say they are on par with the Max's even. They're really good. Another solid 9/10 SONOS Eco System: We have a Sonos Arc soundbar in our bedroom we use but we also use the older app on my wife's system/account along with the older app and it appears either your devices must be on the same account and/or use the same version of the app. The blessing of a completely seamless eco system is the synergy and flexibility of all the devices working in a shared, cohesive fashion. The curse obviously is to achieve this level of functionality all devices have to be on the same page to work which can be problematic when you have a series of devices under your roof being used/managed by different people/accounts/wifi networks. I will eventually update and merge everything on the same eco system from top to bottom as I do want to try out the room mapping feature to see what type of surround sound landscape can be provided. 7/10 Overall: I will be the first to admit I was a little wary of the price tag and was unsure what the Sonos Ace headphones could bring to the table but after having held them and used them for several days now I think they are worth the price even standing on their own outside of the Sonos eco system. Like Apple, integrating them into your Sono eco system brings even more usefulness and quality of life functionality but even if you're not a Sonos user, the Sonos Ace headphones can stand on their own. They are relatively light weight and comfortable, stylish, well built and they have a very balanced and lush soundscape especially when watching selections with my AppleTV. The negatives they do have are few. They do not have an over abundace of bass so if you're into bass heavy headphones these are not for you. If you're on the older version of the app you will need to upgrade to the new version to not only update and keep your headset current but to integrate your pre-existing Sonos network/items with the Aces and take advantage of the soundbar synergy. Again, overall, I am highly impressed with Sonos's first foray into the high end headphone market and I can officially declare the Sonos Ace headphones as my new preferred set for watching my streaming programs.

Excellent engineering. Hands diwn the best headphones

Finally Sonos entered the headphones race! I was waiting for them to do so for a while now and i am happy they did it. *The Price it is a little high i would say for this great but not perfect set of headphones. They missed a great opportunity to make a difference on this audio/headphones race and wished they came with something new the competition doesn't offer. *Design is great and i do love the fact that they used physical buttons for commends! I also apreciate the dual color of the earpieces i think it is a smart move, it makes it easier/more intuitive to put them on right/faster. Also light weight and very comfortable! *App works fine and i do recommend adjusting a little the EQ, try the audio track head movement. I wish here the EQ would be a little more complex with more settings. *Noise canceling it is amazing. One of the best if not the best i ever tried so far, even the other mode Aware it really works and makes it possible having a conversation without having to remove your headphones to do so! It's a very good pair of headphones with a nice good quality sound and feel to it! There is some improvements that can be done to the app and maybe add wifi connectivity even though that might affect de battery life which currently is good.

PROS: premium feeling lightweight and comfortable physical buttons beautiful case in the box (all $300+ headphones should have a case, but sadly they don't) CONS: lacks a signature sound (too neutral with no punch) doesn't work with all Sonos soundbars doesn't function fully with Android devices (the Arc switch) relies too much on Apple's influence no audio over wifi (a feature we all wanted) price doesn't work wired without battery turned on Sonos has been my go-to for audio speakers for quite some time now. I purchased a pair of the original Play 1s in 2014, less than a year after they debuted. Since then, I've gotten nine additional speakers from them to use all around the house and outside the home (Sonos Move and Sonos Roam). I've had very few negative experiences with owning them throughout those years. Despite minor hiccups with internet-dependent devices, my experience with Sonos products has been premium. The recent app update may have sparked some debate among Sonos owners, but it hasn't affected the seamless integration of the new Sonos Ace headphones. These headphones, which connect effortlessly via Bluetooth to any device and through a user-friendly app, have been a breeze to use. I was able to add them to my collection using my Android app, even with my wife's iOS device nearby. According to Sonos, headphones have long been the most requested product. They've been in the lab for years, developing what they believe is one of the best ANC headphones on the market. When unboxing them, you will soon see they are another premium device that shows how much care the company puts into quality. These are incredibly lightweight yet feel premium in every single way. From the physical buttons to the steel adjustable headband, these headphones feel and look like a Sonos product. You can tell the Apple Airpod Max inspired them - which makes sense because Sonos has always felt like an Apple device. Owning an Apple device enhances your experience with Sonos. For example, an iOS device can use Trueplay (an advanced auto-tuning tool for your speakers), yet an Android device cannot. And even though the Android Sonos app has improved much over the years, the iOS app has always been more fluid and trouble-free. As far as these Ace headphones go, owning an iOS device is required to use the function of changing from Bluetooth audio to listening through your Sonos Arc. Currently, this is the only soundbar available to listen to TV audio. The beam will be available later, which is nice to know. As an Android user, Sonos chose to prioritize Apple in this regard, and I can't help but feel slighted by that. Especially considering Apple is their biggest competitor in this headphone space. It makes sense to prioritize Android for the Ace because Apple users have the Airpod Max available, which works seamlessly with Apple devices. Sonos wants to be known as either a product for all or just for iOS users. Having some features available on one platform and not the other doesn't make sense. Thankfully, in my case, my wife's work phone is an iPhone, and I could test the "button" to switch from music to TV audio through our Arc. The audio switching works well. It's reasonably seamless and doesn't have trouble with lagging after the button is pressed. This is causing many Sonos users to use the Arc. I do wish, however, that it worked for ALL products before launch - when I hear the words "it's coming..." it makes me feel like the product is in a beta phase. What about the sound? That's the number one crucial feature for me. I'm a headphone lover. I own more than ten different over-the-ear headphones. Each has a distinct sound stage and signature, yet I have my favorites to listen to regularly. For reference, I'll list some of my own: Blue Ellas, Mark Levinson no.5909, Bowers & Wilkins PX8, and PX7s. The Mark Levinson's, for example, retails for $1000, so comparing them with Ace's may be unfair. On the other hand, each of these sets of cans has a distinct sound signature that differentiates them from one another, and that is where the Sonos Ace lacks, in my opinion. The sound is very balanced and crisp but lacks much bass or soundstage. In other words, it's too neutral. You can, however, change the equalizer in the Sonos app. It works well if you want to raise the bass, for example. But a sign of a new headphone is not having to use the equalizer. Most people who wish for a distinct sound will use the equalizer. I was also surprised that Ace does not have a passive mode. You have to turn it on for both Bluetooth and wired audio. I'd love for it to be used with no battery and a wire. The ANC works very well, too. The sound is isolated quite well when you turn it on, and the transparency is better than average. In that regard, they aren't better than the AirPods Max, but those are tough to beat. The Ace's ANC features do well for a $450 pair of headphones. The battery is excellent, though. It is supposed to last 30 hours, and for listening to them often for about a week, I only had to charge them once towards the end of that period. The one feature I looked forward to the most with the Sonos Ace was audio over wifi (like the Sonos speakers do). That would have set these headphones apart from the plethora of other options. I'd love to listen over wifi and hear superior audio that doesn't rely on Bluetooth. You'd think Sonos would have continued to develop that feature into their debut headphones, but I understand that technologically, that may not be possible in 2024. The Sonos Ace is a good pair of headphones if you want something to use with your Sonos Arc. If you don't have an Arc, I'd say there are plenty of other headphones that sound better or the ANC better. My favorite ANC headphones are my Mark Levinson, but there are also the Focal Bathys if you want to get top-of-the-line ANC wireless headphones. For $450, I think the price point may be a bit high. I'd like to see these go for the $350 mark due to the need for more separation from other products. Sure, you can listen to TV audio through the Sonos Arc easily, but most TVs have Bluetooth capabilities anyway, so it's not a groundbreaking feature - it's just a tad convenient.

The Sonos Ace is an great product upon initial first impressions. It is light, very comfortable, and the sound quality is good. I really appreciate that the headrest does not clamp on your head super strong, the headset doesn't weigh a ton so I feel that you could wear it for several hours without fatigue. The ANC is also very good with equally good transparency mode, and switching the audio from the Arc to the headphones is seamless. The controls are very easy to use and have a fair amount of travel, almost sponge-like, so you have to press in a fair bit for it to register. That being said, let's get to where I think they could improve - for one, the case. The case feels not as robust or durable for a premium product - it gives me a feeling of while it looks nice that it may not be durable or last for a long period of time. Inside the case, there is a magnetic pouch that is the type to squeeze to open to put your USB-C / audio cables in. But, it is also made from the same kind of material that makes me doubt its durability. The other issue, I think may be more of a personal one, however, is the fit. I have a rather large head, and have to extend the earcups to their limit to fit comfortably. Lastly is the sound quality. The sound is good and has a wide soundstage. Is definitely good for easy listening and is pleasing. My slight gripe, however, is that the Sonos app only has two sliders for EQ adjustment - bass and treble. If they were to have an advanced mode for more granular EQ adjustment, I think that would go a long way for the sound to be more "impactful". If there are songs that I want to rock out to, this doesn't have quite the presence versus some other competitors. Therefore, as I said in the title, the Sonos Ace is a great all-around product and a very good first effort. I can't wait to see what Sonos comes up with next.

PROS + Lightweight and comfortable for long periods of time, particularly fantastic headband with smoothly adjusting earcups + Minimalist aesthetic fits well with other Sonos product + Removable magnetic earpads that can be swapped + Solid sound with good imaging and great detail, which is great for spatial audio + Spatial audio sounds good and feels more open despite the closed-back nature of the headphones + ANC & Audio Passthrough, while not the best I have heard, do a good enough job for their purposes + Physical buttons on the headphones provide most of the control you would need without needing the app + TV Audio Swap works seamlessly and sounds good for personal home theater listening, with no latency issues + Bluetooth 5.4 support + Included hard carrying case for storage + Long battery life CONS - Missing a bunch Sonos-specific ecosystem features you would want/expect at launch (no wifi-streaming to the headphones except for TV Audio Swap, no integration with other Sonos products for multi-room listening or streaming audio, can’t use the Sonos app to play content to the headphones, TV Audio Swap only supports Sonos Arc at launch, etc.) - EQ is too basic, only letting you adjust three bands (Bass, Treble, & Left-Right Balance). I wish I could have adjusted the mids, as the default sound signature, while not bad, isn’t quite to my taste - Earcups are pretty small for my ears and the vegan leather pads, while comfortable, get warm - Carrying case leaves something to be desired. Specifically it has no handle, uses a recycled fiber-like fabric that I am personally not a fan of the texture of, has a sharp edge around the recessed zipper, and only fits the headphones in their smallest configuration, so I have to resize it for my head every time I take them out - Headphones regularly disconnected from the app and needed to be reconnected by power cycling the headphones and/or app. Not deal-breaking, but annoying when trying to do things like adjust EQ. SO-SO * Overall sound quality is good, but not remarkable in my opinion. My opinion changed a lot on it. For some things I liked it, others not so much. They have very good detail (things like drum reverb is well represented), but the neutral signature doesn’t feel very neutral, almost sounding a bit more v-shaped to my ears. Some may like it, others might not, but given the simple EQ and lack of audio profiles, not much can be done if it isn’t to your taste. * Minimalist aesthetic also makes them a bit unremarkable looking in the market of wireless headphones, depending on your preferences Some uncommon connectivity bugs that would lead to brief (1-2 second) crackling in the sound, usually when connecting to an audio device or right after TV Audio Swap THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT I wish I could give ½ star ratings, because to me this is a very solid 3.5 star product. I am a big headphone lover, having collected quite a few pairs over the years. I wouldn’t consider myself a true ‘audiophile’, but I do think I am a pretty discerning consumer when it comes to audio. The Sonos Ace are what I would call a solid “good” headphone, but a bit unremarkable, at least at launch, given their asking price and the market as a whole. I have used Sonos products for many years in my home and I am quite familiar with their ecosystem. However, despite being their first headphones, there is not a lot in the Sonos Ace that feels like a distinctly Sonos product. I have a lot of mixed opinions after using them for a broad range of content. On the one hand, I personally really like the design, build quality, and comfort. They are minimalist with a matte black finish that looks great and are extremely comfortable to wear. They are lightweight, and all buttons have a nice tactile feel that makes them feel very well built. They are primarily plastic, but that does pay rewards in comfort. The one big exception for me being the earcups, which feel a bit too small for my larger ears, and whose earpads (while comfortable), got too warm for me after an hour or two of use. Thankfully they are magnetically removable to clean off. The headphones also have all of the standard bluetooth headphone features you would expect. You can connect via Bluetooth 5.4, use the buttons on the earcups to adjust volume, play/pause, skip, etc., change between ANC and audio passthrough modes, and you can connect to 2 bluetooth devices with multipoint connection. The ANC is good, in keeping with the competition, and the audio passthrough works well. Neither feel very natural, but they are both effective enough and what they are setting out to do, and most importantly for me, they have no negative effects on the sound quality at all. Where the headphones are more mixed for me is in terms of the sound quality, and overall features for the cost. On the sound quality front, I really liked them for some things, like spatial audio mixes and home theater listening, but for regular stereo listening, they were a bit mixed for me. I personally found the mids a bit lacking, and low-end detailed, but missing a bit of thump, at least out of the box. Thankfully I was able to EQ the bass up a bit which I liked, but the overall sound profile still didn’t feel very balanced, with no ways to adjust the mids or swap any preset profiles. They definitely aren’t neutral sounding, almost leaning a bit v-shaped or bright. Honestly, I think a lot of people will like this out of the box just fine, and some people will probably even prefer their default sound signature, but for me, I found them a bit fatiguing and imbalanced for my tastes. They absolutely do not sound bad at all, so I highly recommend trying them for yourself if you can at an in-store demo, but for the cost of them and their brand, I had higher expectations. Thankfully, where they do perform well is with spatial audio mixes. Dolby Atmos from Apple Music sounded largely fantastic with good spatial presence and imaging. Likewise, using the TV Audio Swap feature with the Sonos Arc worked very seamlessly, swapping audio with one click of a button, and no noticeable latency between the screen and the sound I was hearing. Effects were well placed, and there was good spatial separation. The head tracking I wasn’t a big fan of and tended to disable. It certainly worked, but wasn’t very natural sounding to me. At launch there was no ability to tune the audio with Trueplay or otherwise, and the TV Audio Swap feature only works with the Arc at launch. And this is my biggest disappointment, as other than TV Audio Swap, and using the Sonos App (which I have mixed opinions on), the headphones don’t feel very different from any other bluetooth headphones for their price. You cannot even play music to the headphones with the Sonos app, which feels very strange, or use other Sonos enabled devices to stream audio to the headphones. It would be great to be able to instantly swap audio from my other speakers to my headphones when I am ready to leave the room or not trying to disturb someone, but at the moment they are separate systems entirely. On the whole these are not bad headphones at all, but given their asking price at launch, and the expectations coming from a brand like Sonos with such a deep ecosystem, they do feel a bit underwhelming for me. I can see others’ mileage varying, and I do highly recommend trying them for yourself. This is also a product I can see getting better over time as software updates enable more features, but at launch, it is hard for me to wholeheartedly recommend them without caveats.

Sonos has made a name for themselves as being a premiere speaker provider with their excellent line of speakers, soundbars, subwoofers, and more. However, they have notably never had any sort of headphones - until now of course. The Sonos Ace have been anticipated and my experience so far has not been disappointing! PROS: - Immediately I was impressed with the design of these! They look so modern yet sleek and slim. They have a nice premium feel to them, and I love the removable cups as well. - Setup is largely a breeze. They work via Bluetooth and you simply use the Sonos app to set them up (or you can just connect them via Bluetooth) and you are ready to go! The Sonos apps comes with some EQ settings and others to tweak if you want to. - The sound quality is superb! I found the bass to be very impactful, the vocals to be crisp, and overall felt like a concert on my ears. - The noise cancellation is also very impressive. It does a great job drowning out the background noise to let you focus in, but with a click of a button you can switch to aware mode to hear everything around you which is a really nice feature. - Speaking of the buttons, I surprisingly loved the physical button controls! You see a lot more touch controls in headphones but I found the way Sonos made their buttons as very easy to use, there is no room for error, and its simple enough where it does not feel like you have so many buttons to push. - Also with buttons comes another cool feature, the soundbar switch. Once you set it up with your Sonos Arc, you just long press the silver play button and it will automatically switch whatever you have playing on your Arc soundbar to your Ace headphones. It really helps tie in your whole Sonos system together and makes for a useful feature when you are watching something on TV and do not want to wake anyone or maybe you just want a surround experience. - The Aces also have head tracking which allows for some really fun Dolby Atmos viewing or even listening without the soundbar. - Lastly, I love how fast they charge and how easily they charge. Everything is done via USB-C and can even hardwire into your phone/laptop via a USB-C jack which they include. CONS: - At the time of this writing, Sonos just released a new app for their speakers and headphones that replaced the old app they had. It’s been met with some criticism but I largely have liked the new app. However, when it comes to the headphones it does feel that they are still building the app to catch up with the hardware they have now. I have faith Sonos will remedy this, but just be aware the app experience can be inconsistent. - Speaking of which, one of the best features of the Sonos speakers system is you can pick and chose which speakers play music at a certain time. As in you could have 5 speakers play the same music at the same time if you so wanted! But the headphones are left out of this cool feature meaning you can not group the same music on your kitchen speakers and headphone at the same time if you wanted to. BOTTOM LINE: - In a world full of competing high end headphones, the Sonos Ace stand out. They look amazing, sound amazing, have very useful buttons for ease of use, and the soundbar to headphones switch is super easy to use and convenient! It’s also hard pressed to find all the high end features this comes with and this price point - Sonos made a hit through and through!

Sound Quality: +- The same compared to major competitors like Boss Quite Comfort Ultra, Sony XM5, AirPod Max.. Maybe loosing 0.5 point to some, depends on music you listen. 4.5 Overall Battery Life: Strong performance 5.0, Definitely beats AirPod Max on that front. Connectivity: Initial setup could be a pain because of horrible App (with bugs), overall confusing experience, You nee to use the app to enable automatic device switch (Should be default). Only 2 devices supported for automatic device switch (apple support up to 5). Other than that, no connection problem from headphones itself (at least on Apple Devices, Mac, Iphone, Ipad). 3.0 Overall (if they would fix the app, I would say 4.0) Comfort: Way more comfortable than AirPod Max, overall good balance of weight, materials and shapes. Overall 5.0 Build Quality: The aluminium arch is what separate from most of other competitors, except Apple. It is often place where headphones breaks, Sonny even have partnership with repair service to fix it.... Not as fancy as Apple, but way more functional and comfortable. 4.5 Overall Controls: Love physical controls and ability to turn off headphones with a button (yeah these are the features nowadays). Switching tracks back and forward not very well tuned, can be fixed with software. 4.5 Overall ANC: Not as good as Apple, but on +- same level with others 4.0 Overall Additional: Ability to connect(Listen Music) in wired mode via USB-C cable (Lossless support) or 3.5 (Mono). You can't do any of these with AirPods Max. Material of cups, while Apple's knit approach is cool, it is not practical and absorb sweat etc.. Also the net is hard too clean.. Sonos use more traditional materials and they work great. P.S. If they will not break like AirPods Max within 3 years, I would pick these over Apple any given day.. Time will show.