The Sonos Ace is a daring debut into the noise-canceling headphone market. Equipped with Dolby Atmos support, custom-tuned drivers, and a premium design, do these headphones have what it takes to tackle well-established flagship headphones from Apple, Bose, or Sony?

Editor’s note: this is the first version of the article. Updates will follow as the market changes.

What’s it like to use Sonos Ace?

The design of the Sonos Ace looks very familiar. In fact, these headphones seem to answer the question: “What if the Sony WH-1000XM5 and Apple AirPods Max had a baby?” The answer: you get a comfortable, well-built pair of headphones.

The ear cups and headband are made of plastic, but they’re wrapped in a soft matte coating that looks and feels similar to the finish on Sony’s headphones. As for the interior, the ear cups and headband feature a soft memory foam wrapped in vegan leather. The stainless steel frame provides added durability, while allowing for easy adjustment of the headband to suit the user. There are also stainless steel accents around the microphones and vents, which is a nice visual touch. The headphones come in black and white.

Given the high price tag of the Sonos Ace, I was expecting an all-metal construction à la AirPods Max. However, after wearing the headphones for over a week, I’m very satisfied with Sonos’ design approach. The use of plastic for the ear cups allow the headphones to feel much lighter than the AirPods Max, making them easier to wear during longer listening sessions. Also, the memory foam padding feels very plush and gentle on my head. There’s also enough clamping force to keep the headphones still, but not so much that the ear pads are pressing into the arms of my glasses.

It’s worth noting that the ear cups on the Sonos Ace aren’t as deep as what you’d find from Sony and Apple’s headphones. Coupled with the thick padding, people with larger ears may have a difficult time ensuring a proper seal and a comfortable fit. As someone with average-sized ears, I haven’t face any issues with fit, though your results may vary.

For travelers and commuters, the Sonos Ace comes with a carrying case made of recyclable materials. While the eco-friendly approach to design is a nice gesture, it does result in a carrying case that feels a lot more fragile than what you’d get with other flagship over-ears. The case feels like it’s made out of paper and cardboard, which isn’t very durable. Still, it gets the job done. Inside the case you’ll find a magnetically detachable cable pouch where you can store the included USB-C to C cable and USB-C to 3.5mm cable.

While it’s nice of Sonos to include cables for wired listening, I find the USB-C to C cable too short — as there’s not enough slack for me to use the cable comfortably when plugged into my laptop. The cable also pulls tightly if I’m listening while standing with my phone in my pocket. Then again, you could always use any longer or spare USB-C cables you have lying around. Thank goodness for a universal standard, right?

How do you control the Sonos Ace?

Most functions on the Sonos Ace can be controlled using a tactile slider on the right ear cup, also known as the “Content Key.”

You can move the slider up or down to adjust volume or press it to control playback. A button underneath the slider lets you toggle through listening modes or summon your voice assistant. There is also a button under the left ear cup that controls power and Bluetooth pairing.

Tactile buttons and sliders on the Sonos Ace make controlling the headphones a fuss-free affair. It feels much more responsive than the touch sensor-based controls found on headphones like the Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless and Sony WH-1000XM5. I only wish that the slider and control key were positioned a little lower on the ear cup, similar to the Bose QuietComfort Headphones, though this is more of a want than a need, really.

Should you use the Sonos app for the Sonos Ace?

You do not need to download the Sonos app to set up the Sonos Ace. However, if you want to get the most out of your headphones, I recommend doing so. The app is available on both iOS and Android.

Besides downloading firmware updates, the Sonos app lets you enable Bluetooth multipoint and head tracking. You can also use the app to customize the Noise Control and Wear Detection settings on your headphones.

The Sonos app includes an equalizer to help tune the headphones to your liking, though its functionality is rather limited. All you get are two sliders to control bass and treble, and no clear visual indication as to how your sound is being affected. This is a far cry from the EQ tools provided by Shure, Nothing, or even Sony. In fact, I really, really wished that Sonos included a slider to adjust the mids, but I’ll get more into that in the sound quality section. To Sonos’ credit, this is still more customization than you get with the AirPods Max.

It’s worth noting that the app only works with the Sonos Ace via Bluetooth. The app won’t recognize the headphones when connected to your phone using the USB-C cable. This can be mildly frustrating when you want to quickly toggle head tracking or make a quick EQ adjustment. That being said, remember to dial in your settings before switching over to wired listening.

How does the Sonos Ace connect?

The Sonos Ace offers a wide range of connection options. You can connect the Sonos Ace wirelessly to your source device over Bluetooth 5.4, and the headphones support SBC, AAC, and aptX Lossless via Snapdragon Sound. These headphones don’t support any audio-over-WiFi technologies, which is a little ironic considering that Sonos is known for its WiFi-enabled speakers. The Sonos Ace also features Bluetooth multipoint, with support for up to two simultaneous connections, though you’ll need to enable this in the app.

I had no major connection issues while using the Sonos Ace, for the most part. From congested city streets to the comfort of my own home, I rarely experienced connection dropouts or stutters when paired to my MacBook Pro or iPhone. The only time I encountered any problems was when using the TV Audio Swap feature with my Sonos Arc soundbar.

The connection range between the Sonos Arc and Sonos Ace seems to be quite limited. If I try to walk from my TV and down the hall, the connection would drop-off at about 4 meters (~14 feet) away. Granted, walls and interference from other devices may affect the connection strength, though I never have this issue when paired to my iPhone.

If your source device doesn’t support Snapdragon Sound, you can still enjoy Lossless audio the old-fashioned way: a wired connection. Sonos even includes a USB-C to C cable and a USB-C to 3.5mm in the box. Using the Sonos Ace headphones wired is a treat — especially when paired with a streaming service that supports high-quality music files, such as Tidal. No connection stutters, no drop-outs, no nonsense.

The Sonos Ace lasted for 32 hours and 13 minutes in our standardized battery test, with ANC enabled. For reference, that’s a longer battery life than what you’ll get with the Apple AirPods Max, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, and Sony WH-1000XM5. Rest assured, the Sonos Ace will provide enough listening time for a couple of days’ worth of commutes or even a roundtrip flight across the Atlantic.

The Sonos Ace does a very good job of canceling outside noise. The headphone’s dense ear pads do a good job sealing to your head, leading to isolation performance comparable to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones. With ANC enabled the Sonos Ace is able to reduce the loudness of buses, trains, and airplane engines by about 74%. It doesn’t outperform flagship ANC headphones like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (85%) or the Apple AirPods Max (83%). Still, it’s a valiant effort, considering that this is Sonos’ first go at the over-ear market. Rest assured, the Sonos Ace can quiet your next commute at home or abroad.

How do the Sonos Ace sound?

Sonos is no stranger to making good-sounding speakers, but can they make good-sounding headphones? The Sonos Ace doesn’t sound bad, but there’s room for improvement.

Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores (MDAQS)

The chart below shows how the sound of the Sonos Ace was assessed by the Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Score (MDAQS) algorithm from HEAD acoustics.

The Sonos Ace scores very well. According to our virtual panel of listeners, most people will enjoy the default sound of these headphones — even before taking advantage of features like Dolby Atmos and the in-app EQ.

Reviewer’s notes

Editor’s note: this review uses a hover-enabled glossary to describe sound quality based on a consensus vocabulary. You can read about it here.

In the low frequencies, there is a significant over-emphasis in the bass and sub-bass frequencies, especially between 20-30Hz, and between 50-175Hz. This low-end bump helps recreate the deep bass you might feel while watching a movie in a theater; a product of Sonos’ home-theater roots. While this might be fine for momentary sounds like an explosion, brass stab, or bass drop, this low-end emphasis can be fatiguing during long listening periods — especially while listening to bass-heavy music.

There is also an under-emphasis between 1,250-2,000Hz, which can reduce the clarity of sounds like higher-pitched vocals, high-octave keys and synths, and stringed instruments. Moving up the frequency chart, there is a noticeable over-emphasis between  5,000-8,000Hz. While this tuning can help accentuate room effects like reverb to heighten your sense of immersiveness, it can also cause sounds like cymbals, hi-hats, or any metallic hits to sound too shrill.

Based on our measurements, it seems that Sonos tried to tune the 40mm dynamic drivers of its headphones to mimc the characteristics of watching a movie in a theater. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, tuning choices like the over-emphasized sub-bass and treble can lead to a fatiguing listening experience over time. I’d highly recommend going into the Sonos app and adjusting the treble and bass sliders until you find a setting that’s most comfortable for you.

Can you use the Sonos Ace for phone calls?

The Sonos Ace features eight beamforming microphones for taking calls on the go. Based on our tests, the microphones on the Sonos Ace are able to reproduce voices clearly. They won’t replace a condenser mic, but rest assured you’ll be heard loud and clear on the other end of a call.

Sonos Ace microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

The Sonos Ace is definitely worth considering if you can justify the high price tag. After all, these headphones cost a whopping $449. If you’re someone who enjoys immersive audio formats like Dolby Atmos, or if you already own a soundbar from Sonos, then the Sonos Ace could be a natural extension of your existing home theater setup.

However, if you’re looking for over-ear headphones with the best noise canceling performance possible, or you just want more control over your sound, then I’d suggest looking at alternatives from Apple, Bose, Sony, or Sennheiser before setting your sights on the Sonos Ace.

Given the price point, a lot of people are likely to compare the Sonos Ace to the Apple AirPods Max. Both headphones offer a lot of features for their price, so which you choose will ultimately come down to what you value the most.

One of the biggest differences between the two headphones has to do with device ecosystem integration. The Apple AirPods Max is the better choice for iPhone owners who are heavily invested in Apple’s walled garden. Moreover, the AirPods Max boasts better noise-canceling performance than the Sonos Ace. Its default sound also has less bass emphasis, though Apple doesn’t provide any EQ tools. On the other hand, the Sonos Ace is a better investment for people who already own a compatible Sonos soundbar, or for those who simply prefer Dolby Atmos for consuming immersive audio content.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones boast a slightly lower price tag than the Sonos Ace and offer comparable specs, including aptX Lossless via Snapdragon Sound, similar default sound, and comfortable design. Furthermore, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones boast better noise-canceling performance and a slightly better in-app EQ tool.

Bose also offers spatial audio, which they call “Bose Immersive Audio”. However, this implementation of spatial audio pales in comparison to the Sonos Ace’s use of Dolby Atmos for virtual surround sound. The head tracking on the Sonos Ace is also more responsive than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 is great for people who want a premium pair of noise-canceling headphones, without having to shell out over $400. These headphones offer better sound quality and noise-canceling than the Sonos Ace, and the Sony Headphones Connect app offers more customization options compared to what’s available in the Sonos app.

These headphones also support spatial audio via Sony 360 Reality Audio, however there is far more content available in Dolby Atmos compared to Sony’s format. If virtual surround sound is a priority for you, the Sonos Ace is still a better option. For everything else, the Sony WH-1000XM5 is worth serious consideration.

What should you get instead of the Sonos Ace?

The Sonos Ace is not cheap by any means, so it’s worth taking a look at some alternatives that may better suit your needs. For example, the AirPods Max ($429 at Amazon) offers tight integration with Apple devices, offering exclusive features like Apple Spatial Audio and automatic device switching.

Android users should take a look at the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, which also support aptX Lossless for high-quality streaming over Bluetooth. If you don’t care for spatial audio, or you value a great in-app equalizer, the Shure AONIC 50 Gen 2 ($349 at Amazon) should be on your radar.