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Sonos has unveiled its first-ever headphones, dubbed Sonos Ace.
Rumours that the US audio brand was working on a pair of noise-cancelling headphones have swirled for years. Known for its wireless speaker systems and soundbars, Sonos Ace is the first foray into the personal listening category and pits the firm head-to-head with giants like Apple, Sony, and Bose.
Sonos Ace arrive in a protective carry case with a bundled USB-C charging cable and a USB-C to 3.5mm audio port for a wired listening experience
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Sonos Ace arrive with all of the trimmings you'd expect from a pair of Bluetooth headphones at this price point, including support for Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos audio standards, active noise cancellation, and fast charging. They're available in a choice of either Black or "Soft White" — a warm shade of off-white.
However, Sonos has included one party trick to set its over-ear headphones apart from the competition: at the touch of a button, it will switch from Bluetooth and connect to a Sonos soundbar via Wi-Fi to bring a surround sound experience to your ears without disturbing anyone else in the house.
Although headphones from Apple and Sony offer similar functionality, Sonos' audio swap works with TV shows, podcasts, music, films, streamed video clips, consoles — anything connected to the soundbar.
Sonos says its newly-developed TrueCinema system precisely maps the three-dimensional space around you to recreate a realistic surround sound system experience that mirrors what you'd hear when listening with the soundbar plugged into your TV. "You’ll forget you’re wearing headphones," Sonos promises.
Unfortunately, the system isn't quite ready for prime time yet, with Sonos scheduled to roll out the feature in a software update later this year.
Using the built-in sensors, Sonos Ace will track head movements so the audio sounds like it's always coming from the same place in physical space — even when you've turned your head to grab some popcorn
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When wearing the headphones, sensors will track the movements of your head, so that audio stays centred even as you turn to grab a drink or reach for the popcorn. This nifty system is powered by Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, and works with compatible streaming services and music tracks.
"They’re here! Fans have asked us for years to bring the Sonos experience to headphones - and we knew our first foray into the category needed to champion the type of innovation and sound experience Sonos has become synonymous with," said Patrick Spence, CEO of Sonos. "Sonos Ace leverages everything we’ve learned over two decades as an audio leader to bring stunning sound, sleek design and long-standing comfort to one of the largest and most popular audio categories worldwide."
Outside of the home — and away from any other Sonos gadgets — Sonos Ace connects to your iPhone, Android, iPad, or other gadgets via Bluetooth 5.4. This new standard, launched last year, offers improved power efficiency and security while maintaining the same 800-ft (240-metre) range as previous iterations.
You can pick songs, podcasts, audiobooks, and live radio broadcasts with the newly-redesigned Sonos companion app on iOS and Android, or listen using Spotify, Apple Music, Audible, and other individual apps.
If you plug in a USB-C cable or wirelessly connect to a Snapdragon Sound-certified Android device, you'll be able to enjoy lossless sound. There's also a USB-C to 3.5mm audio port bundled in the box too, so you can plug in to the entertainment system on an aeroplane on your next long-haul flight.
Sonos Ace can connect via the Sonos mobile app on Android and iOS, or be used with any device with a Bluetooth connection to wirelessly beam sound to the £449 headphones
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Sonos says to expect 30 hours of listening and talk time from its over-ear headphones. When it's time to recharge, just 3 minutes plugged into the mains with the included UBC-C cable is enough to top up the Sonos Ace with 3 hours of listening time.
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"Sonos Ace represents our ambition to create moving sound experiences that are equal to the moment we live in. It is an exciting new chapter as we embark on what it means to design for personal listening," said Maxime Bouvat-Merlin, Sonos Chief Product Officer. "True to Sonos’ heritage of premium products, each individual detail of Sonos Ace has been expertly crafted, custom designed, and tuned by the world’s leading sound experts to give you a listening experience unlike any other."
Sonos Ace launched in the UK on June 5, 2024 so you can order now from the Sonos online store, or retailers like AmazonandCurrys.
