Sonos, a brand synonymous with high-quality audio products, has recently ventured into the competitive world of headphones with the release of their Sonos Ace Headphones.
Known for their stellar home audio systems, Sonos aims to bring their audio expertise to a more personal level with these headphones. But do they live up to the hype? In this detailed review, we’ll explore the design, features, sound quality, and overall value of the Sonos Ace Headphones.
Design and Comfort
The Sonos Ace headphones feature a sleek and modern design with a choice of black or white finishes. They come with replaceable memory foam earpads and a stainless steel headband, ensuring a comfortable and secure fit for extended listening sessions. At 312 grams, they strike a good balance between sturdiness and portability.
Sound Quality
The sound quality of the Sonos Ace headphones is impressive. They are equipped with 40mm angled dynamic drivers, delivering precise and immersive audio. The headphones support Dolby Atmos spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, enhancing the listening experience by providing a 3D soundscape.
The integration of AptX Lossless and Apple Lossless codecs ensures high-fidelity audio playback, although the headphones are not Hi-Res certified.
Features
The Sonos Ace headphones are packed with features to enhance user convenience and audio quality:
- Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): The ANC feature, along with awareness modes, effectively reduces ambient noise, allowing for an uninterrupted listening experience.
- Wear Sensing: This feature pauses and resumes playback when the headphones are removed or put back on.
- Beamforming Microphones: Equipped with eight microphones (four on each side), the Ace headphones provide clear voice quality for phone and video calls.
- Battery Life: With ANC enabled, the battery lasts up to 30 hours. Fast charging allows for an additional three hours of playback with just three minutes of charging.
Integration with Sonos Ecosystem
One of the standout features of the Sonos Ace headphones is their seamless integration with the Sonos home theater system. Users can pair the headphones with the Sonos Arc soundbar, enabling a personal Dolby Atmos listening session.
The TrueCinema feature, expected to be released later in the year, will map the acoustics of your room to create a virtual surround sound experience within the headphones, mimicking the sound of your Sonos soundbar setup.
Drawbacks
Despite its many strengths, the Sonos Ace headphones have some limitations:
- Ecosystem Integration: They lack compatibility with Sonos’ multi-room wireless audio platform, meaning they cannot be used as a Sonos Wi-Fi music source or be grouped with other Sonos speakers.
- Price: At $449, they are on the expensive side, which might be a consideration for budget-conscious buyers.
Conclusion
The Sonos Ace headphones are a solid debut in the headphone market, offering excellent sound quality, a range of advanced features, and seamless integration with Sonos’ home audio ecosystem.
However, their high price and limited ecosystem integration may be drawbacks for some users. If you’re already invested in the Sonos ecosystem and looking for high-quality headphones, the Ace headphones are worth considering.
