Sonos has been a beloved brand name for age , especially among Apple fans . It ’s easy to see why : from the slick product design to the thoughtful eco - friendly packaging , Sonos offers a very Malus pumila - like experience . Their nursing home verbalizer and sound bars have a very “ it just work ” caliber that may not fulfill the kind of audio dweeb that demand uttermost control via a big ‘ ol receiver , but for everyone else simply looks and sound large .
One audio area Sonos has n’t even undertake , in almost 20 years on the market , is phone . Sonos Ace changes all that . The first headphones from the Sonos firebrand , the Ace are direct rival to the likes of AirPods Max , Bose QuietComfort Ultra , Sony WH-1000XM5 , et al . In other words , they ’re over - the - ear wireless headphones with combat-ready noise cancelling and a transparentness style and are priced on the “ premium ” end of the market place at $ 449 .
I ’ve been using them for a brace of weeks now and if I ’m honest , I ’d hit for these over my AirPods Max any day , despite not get the tight integration that Apple - brand product bask ( there ’s no hands - destitute “ Hey Siri ” supporting , for instance – you have to press a button to invoke Siri ) . There are a number of things Sonos gets right that Apple could determine from .
The Sonos soundbar/headphone handoff feature is excellent, even though it only works with their most expensive soundbar right now.
And despite this , I ca n’t recommend anyone buy themjust yet . If you ’re intrigued by Sonos Ace , you might want to wait a few months .
Sonos Ace
Better fit and comfort
AirPods Max are well-off in many ways , but they don’tquitefit my top dog . This is n’t uncommon — I have a small head , and the smallest size of it setting for many over - auricle headphones is just a tiny bit too large to fit comfortably . AirPods Max are like that , Sony ’s WH-1000XM5 are not . And neither are the Sonos Ace . At the little setting , they check just right .
But there ’s a system of weights upshot , too . AirPods Max weigh 385 gm , way more than something like those Sony XM5s ( 250 GB ) . Sonos ’ are heavy as well at 312 grams , due in part to the steel bars in the headband and overall stout construction .
The top headband is piano and compromising , the removable earcups are soft and lush . They just finger easy and unshakable on your head teacher even during long hearing sessions . It would definitely be nice if they shed a few grams more , but I would much rather wear these for a few minute than AirPods Max .
The Sonos soundbar/headphone handoff feature is excellent, even though it only works with their most expensive soundbar right now.
A better TV streaming solution
If you use an Apple TV , you may tack the audio over to your AirPods Max ( if you ’re on the same Apple ID ) by opening the Apple TV control essence and changing the audio turnout . It solve pretty well , and it ’s very commodious .
Unless you desire to listen to something that isnotcoming from your Apple telecasting . If you ’re streaming video through your smart TV , or playact a console game , that AirPods Max consolidation wo n’t do anything for you .
It ’s run to be super annoying to some Sonos users that the Sonos Ace are not Wi - Fi link up like all other Sonos speakers . You ca n’t just join into any Sonos speaker radical and straight pelt from audio rootage that you ’ve linked to in the Sonos app . These are Bluetooth only ( to run shelling lifetime ) , so they have to stream sound from a relate source like your iPhone , iPad , Mac , etc .
The Sonos soundbar/headphone handoff feature is excellent, even though it only works with their most expensive soundbar right now.
Sonos
However , theycanpull off a pretty keen trick where you may connect them to a Sonos soundbar , and then with a long press of the “ content button ” on the right earpiece barter audio recording from the soundbar to your headphone . It materialise speedily , it ’s true , it exceed through Dolby Atmos for spacial audio , and the latency is low enough to be a viable resolution for gaming .
Right now it ’s only compatible with the Sonos Arc soundbar ( others are coming in a software update soon ) but it works with everything because it ’s the sound that your soundbar would dally . I really care switching with just a press - and - hold of the subject button , too . Apple should make the AirPods Max ’s Digital Crown study that way .
Look, a power button! It feels so silly to count that as a “feature” but the AirPods Max don’t have one.
Multi-point Bluetooth
AirPods Max pair with one equipment at a time , but they also support Apple ’s fast - switching wherein they will be pair off automatically with other Apple stuff that utilise your same Apple ID , so you may quickly switch to them .
Sonos Ace indorse dual Bluetooth connections , so you’re able to be simultaneously connected to Bluetooth source ( not just Apple products ) and quick switch between them . It ’s basically the same idea , only more flexible . They work great over the USB - degree Celsius connection , too . Just stop up in and you ’re good to go . you could even plug the USB - C into your PS5 DualSense controller and they ’ll mold as a gaming headset flat away , and you could still apply dissonance canceling and such .
You can turn them off!
You ca n’t work off AirPods Max . There ’s no manual way to do it . They just practice some combination of the on - pinna sensors and accelerometer to influence if you ’re not using them , and eventually time out .
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The Sonos Ace will finally power themselves off as well , but there ’s a power button that you weightlift and harbor for a duo of seconds to turn on or off . Yes , moderately much every pair of headphones has a powerfulness button . Sonos ’ submission in the blank is not unparalleled , Apple ’s are , but it ’s worth pointing out what a pain in the neck the butt it can be not to have any form of manual power button .
They sound great
Bose and Sony have sort of get up to Apple on stochasticity decrease , and the Sonos Ace is flop up there as well . They do an amazing job of reduce repetitive disturbance like traffic , air conditioners , plane stochasticity , etc .
The transparency mode ( Sonos call it Aware Mode ) is maybe tie for the best I ’ve ever listen . Until now , nobody has been able-bodied to equal the raw sound of AirPods Max ’s transparentness style , and Sonos may have done it .
For other audio , it ’s sort of a tie with AirPods Max , and whether you like these good than the comparable headsets from Apple , Sony , or Bose is more a matter of personal tasting than technical excellency . I discover the high-pitched end just a touch thin by default on the Ace , a bumping Treble up a notch or two on the ( really anemic ) EQ in the Sonos package fixes that right aside . Microphone timbre and dissonance reduction during call are similarly great .
In general , it ’s safe to say you do n’t lose anything in sound quality with Sonos Ace over AirPods Max , and with reinforcement for lossless audio over USB ( or when link up to the right Android machine with apt - X Lossless ) they might even be a footling better .
But don’t buy a pair yet
There are a few small things that could be improved on the Sonos Ace . The example feels kind of bum for a high - price couplet of phone , for example . It hardly seems deserving focusing on that when AirPods Max have a case that ’s sorry than useless .
But on balance , even at $ 449 I would rather use these than the $ 549 AirPods Max . Even with the AirPods Max on the face of it always available at a discount … I’d use the Sonos Ace at the same cost any day . They sound just as good , are more comfortable , and have more elastic connectivity options . And a king clitoris .
Sonos Ace are great — but the app leaves much to be want .
But Sonos dropped a vast update to its all - important app latterly and it has been a bit of a outrage . It ’s a all new architecture under the cap and a new interface , and while it for certain looks better and more innovative , the Sonos user arenothappy about it .
It ’s miss a lot of features the quondam app had and it’sriddledwith bugs . It took me two hour of troubleshooting to add a Sonos Arc soundbar after having antecedently set up the Sonos Arc headphones . There ’s no queue or playing next in the euphony playback interface . The sleep timekeeper is gone . play back local music is missing .
Sonos has already push out a software update to accost some bugs and shortcomings and has apublic roadmapfor when we can expect the paying back of other features . If your only Sonos product is to be the Sonos Ace , some of these wo n’t be an issue for you . If you already have Sonos speakers or plan to get them , the app is a loco and lineament - strip incubus right now .
Yes , Sonos Ace be more than the latest from Bose or Sony , but they ’re cheaper than AirPods Max by $ 100 . Even with AirPods Max seemingly always on sales event somewhere , they may cost you less .
If you plan to use your headphones only and exclusively with Apple products forever , mayhap the convenience of AirPods Max makes them a better choice for you ( still , await for a potential AirPods Max 2 later this yr ) . If you ever desire to connect them to anything else , or if you have or want to get a Sonos audio legal profession , you ’ll in all likelihood like Sonos Ace betterandpay less .
My advice is to wait a few calendar month and look for the Sonos Ace to go on sale . Give it a slightly better Mary Leontyne Price and a few month of app update and the Sonos Ace will be a literal winner .
