Sonos has announced its first entry into personal audio with the Sonos Ace, high-end wireless over-ear headphones aimed at competing with Apple’s AirPods Max and Sony’s WH-1000XM5. These Bluetooth 5.4 headphones, showcased in New York, boast a high price tag reflective of Sonos’ reputation for quality sound. Each ear cup features a 40 mm driver, and there are eight microphones for noise control. Notably, the Ace headphones are lighter than Apple’s AirPods Max and include advanced features such as active noise cancelling, Dolby Atmos spatial audio, and head tracking.
A standout feature for existing Sonos users is the ability to seamlessly switch audio from the Sonos Arc soundbar to the headphones and back, which works with any TV audio source. Similar support for the second-generation Beam soundbar is expected later this year. Additionally, the Ace will introduce “TrueCinema,” a feature that uses Sonos speakers to create a 3D room map to simulate in-room surround sound through the headphones, enhancing spatial audio. This feature will also be available later in the year.
However, Sonos faces consumer backlash due to a recent mobile app update that omitted several features, including accessibility options, leading to customer dissatisfaction. The new app simplifies basic tasks but lacks some of the previous version’s functionality. For the Ace, the app is necessary for advanced adjustments like EQ settings but not for basic functions such as volume and noise cancellation, which can be controlled with physical buttons.
The Sonos Ace will be available on June 5 for $449.
