Sonos Ace review: almost acing it

Renowned audio brand Sonos has entered the headphones market with its first-ever offering, the Sonos Ace. Positioned in the premium segment, these headphones come with a price tag of Rs 39,999 in India. While they offer nearly all the features expected in this price range such as ANC, head tracking, Dolby Atmos, and more, the Ace notably lacks Wi-Fi connectivity – a hallmark of Sonos’ expertise. Instead, the headphones rely solely on Bluetooth connectivity, ensuring seamless pairing with smartphones and other devices.

Read on as I share my two cents on the Sonos Ace, which has left me impressed. Well, almost.

Design, comfort

Sonos has aced the design of its debut headphones with premium and luxurious aesthetics. One could say that the Sonos Ace sits between Apple AirPods Max and Sony WH-1000 XM5 with its design. The pair boast a clean and minimalistic look, offering soft plastic shells, a sleek cushioned headband, and stainless steel sliders for adjustments. Even the branding is tastefully subtle, with ‘Sonos’ discreetly etched on the outer shell of the right earcup.

Furthermore, similar to AirPods Max, the headphones boast magnetic memory foam ear cushions which can be customised by swapping them with ear cushions of similar sizes. Moreover, the earcups have a different colour mesh for the right and left sides to help the user identify which one is which with just a glance (a thoughtful orientation). Each earcup features a couple of elongated stainless steel mesh for active noise cancellation (ANC), which is seamlessly integrated into the overall design.

Our review unit came in the white colour variant, which boasts a matte finish to resist fingerprints and smudges but is prone to picking up stains. If frequent cleaning sounds like a hassle, the black colour option may be a more practical choice. 

Talking about comfort, the Sonos Ace weighs 312 grams, making it comfortable to wear for prolonged usage. The earcups can swivel 90 degrees outward, allowing wearers to rest them around their necks when not in use. However, they do not fold inward, which would have made them more convenient for compact storage.

To compensate, the IEM provides a good quality case, made from recycled plastic, which can accommodate the headphones fully recessed. The case is flat and has a zipper to secure the Sonos Ace inside. Moreover, there is a small pouch that attaches to the inside of the case magnetically to store the provided USB Type-C to Type-C and USB Type-C to 3.5mm cables.

While the design and comfort of the Sonos Ace are commendable, the earcups could benefit from being slightly wider and deeper to better accommodate a variety of ear shapes and sizes. Additionally, opting for a more breathable material such as fabric finish instead of silicone for the ear cushions would have been a welcome improvement, making them sweat-resistant—an essential feature for a hot and humid climate like India. I also found the headband to be not wide enough to fit my turban-wearing friend’s head.

Controls, features

The Sonos Ace is equipped with a Type-C port for charging and a wired listening solution. On the right earcup, you’ll find the power button accompanied by a small LED indicator that displays the charging and pairing status. The left earcup is equipped with a round button for toggling between active noise cancellation and “Aware” transparency modes, as well as a slider known as the Content Key. This multi-functional control allows users to adjust the volume by sliding up or down, play/pause/skip tracks with a series of presses, and activate the ‘TV Audio Swap’ feature with a long press. I found these physical controls better than the touch ones, which have a bit of a learning curve.

The Sonos Ace offers an impressive array of features, including wear detection, Dolby Head Tracking, Spatial Audio, noise control, transparency mode, Dolby Atmos, lossless audio, and TV Audio Swap. Most of these features work seamlessly without requiring additional setup beyond supported content and the Sonos app. However, the TV Audio Swap – a standout feature that allows seamless audio transfer between the speaker and the Sonos Ace – is exclusive to the headphones, further enhancing its appeal.

The Sonos Ace offers the latest Bluetooth v5.4 connectivity, ensuring a stable and efficient wireless experience. The pair supports AAC and Qualcomm’s AptX Adaptive audio codecs, with AptX Lossless available for select Android smartphones. Additionally, the headphones offer multipoint connectivity, allowing you to pair them with two devices simultaneously for seamless switching. Unfortunately, there is no Google Fast Pair for a quick pairing process with Android devices, which is a bummer. The Sonos Ace also provides a wired listening solution, with a Type-C to 3.5mm cable included in the box.

Noise cancellation, app support

The Sonos Ace offers active noise cancellation (ANC), which isn’t quite as effective as one would anticipate. The comparable Dyson OnTrack, priced at Rs 44,900, delivers superior background noise isolation. However, if absolute noise cancellation is your priority, you may need to invest in a higher-priced option. As for the Sonos Ace, the headphones get the job done with some background noise seeping in. The ANC is so ineffective that you might as well navigate your surroundings without using the transparency mode.

Speaking of which, the Sonos Ace’s transparency mode, branded as ‘Aware Mode,’ is truly exceptional. It allows ambient noise to pass through the headphones just as naturally as if you weren’t wearing them. The Aware Mode can easily be activated or deactivated via the circular button on the left earcup or through the compatible Sonos app, which is intuitive and easy to use.

The app, available for both Android and iOS devices, offers a seamless user experience. You can either sign in or skip the sign-in process to access the home screen and manage your Sonos Ace. The app provides a range of features, including renaming the headphones, updating them to the latest software, checking battery status, switching between noise control modes, toggling wear detection and head tracking, and customising EQ settings to suit your preferences.

Sound quality

The Sonos Ace headphones are equipped with 40mm dynamic drivers to deliver balanced audio which is very much Sonos-like. The bass is sufficient in the default sound profile, but it is not in-your-face. You will have to tweak the EQ settings from the Sonos app for more pronounced bass. Even with that, there isn’t any compromise to the Sonos Ace’s expansive soundstage. The headphones support every kind of music with the same richness and clarity that you find on Sonos speakers. I had the Sonos Ace paired with my OPPO Find X8 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro, and MacBook Air and used both Apple Music and YouTube Music to stream my usual tracks.

AR Rahman’s composition in Chaiya Chaiya sounded incredible on the Sonos Ace, delivering excellent separation of instruments that remains distinct even at lower volume levels. The headphones also excel at highlighting vocals, ensuring they shine without overpowering the accompanying beats. However, bass enthusiasts may find the Ace slightly underwhelming. While the drivers do a commendable job of uplifting the lows, the bass isn’t significant enough to make you groove to the beats as effectively as the Dyson OnTrack (review), which I had handy.

Tweaking Ace’s EQ settings via the compatible app may provide a slight adrenaline rush during the impactful moments in songs such as Closer, Something Just Like This, Lean On, Fein, Mockingbird, Houdini, Wavy, and GOAT. However, there is still room for improvement if Sonos wants to take on Sony and Bose in the headphones segment. Be that as it may, the spatial audio and head tracking features on the Sonos Ace are the best I have experienced so far. Spatial audio delivers an immersive and realistic listening experience with supported content and the head tracking (once activated in the Sonos app) keeps the audio centred, adjusting seamlessly to your head’s movements.

Battery life, calling

The Sonos Ace offers incredible battery support. The headphones are equipped with a 1,060mAh battery – rated to provide up to 30 hours of backup between charges. In my experience, this lived up to expectations, with a full charge lasting approximately 10 days after using the Sonos Ace for a couple of hours each day. That said, you will have to be patient with charging. The pair takes more than over two and a half hours to fully charge an almost-dead battery to 100 percent.

When it comes to calling, the Sonos Ace does a satisfactory job, though the recipient may notice slight muffling in the audio. The microphones are good for picking up voices in moderately loud environments but fail to cancel out the background noises effectively. 

Verdict

The Sonos Ace is an impressive debut product that ticks most boxes if not all. The headphones showcase Sonos’ attention to detail in design, comfort, and sound quality. As for performance, they deliver a well-balanced audio experience, a robust suite of features, and excellent battery life, making them a solid choice for both casual listeners and audiophiles. However, they fall short in areas such as active noise cancellation, lack of Wi-Fi connectivity, and limited bass impact, which may disappoint users seeking the very best in class.

That said, priced at Rs 39,999, the Sonos Ace is a strong contender in the premium headphones market, particularly for those invested in the Sonos ecosystem. While it doesn’t quite surpass the likes of Sony and Bose in overall performance, its unique features – such as TV Audio Swap, spatial audio, and head tracking – give it a distinctive edge.

Editor’s rating: 8/10

Pros

  • Aesthetically pleasing design
  • Excellent sound quality with an expansive soundstage
  • Impressive battery backup
  • Excellent spatial audio and head tracking

Cons

  • Noise cancellation could have been better
  • Limited bass response

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