Sonos, a brand renowned for its high-quality home audio products, officially entered the competitive headphone market. The new Sonos Ace over-ear headphones aim to challenge popular models like Sony’s WH-1000XM5, Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra, and Apple’s AirPods Max. This is Sonos’ first venture into personal audio expanding their product line beyond home speakers and soundbars.
What’s Happening & Why This Matters
The Sonos Ace headphones come equipped with Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, 40 mm drivers in each ear cup, and a total of eight microphones for superior noise control. These headphones are designed to deliver high-end features such as active noise cancelling, aware modes, Dolby Atmos spatial audio, and head tracking. Despite being packed with advanced technology, the Ace headphones are notably lighter than Apple’s AirPods Max. One of the standout features of the Sonos Ace is its seamless integration with other Sonos products. Users can easily switch audio playback from a Sonos Arc soundbar to the headphones and back, which is particularly beneficial for those with existing Sonos home theater setups. This feature enhances the overall user experience, making it convenient to transition between different audio sources.
Scheduled to be released later in the year, the TrueCinema feature will use the Sonos ecosystem to create a 3D map of the user’s room, simulating the acoustics of an in-room surround system when using spatial audio. This innovation aims to provide a more immersive listening experience that closely mimics traditional home theater setups. The Sonos Ace headphones are priced at $449 and will be available starting June 5. This positions them in the high-end market segment directly competing with other premium over-ear headphones.
Impact
The announcement of the Sonos Ace comes at a challenging time for the company. Sonos is currently dealing with a consumer backlash following a mobile app update that removed several features from its previous version, including some accessibility options. While the new app improves navigation and basic functionality, the omission of certain features has left a segment of Sonos’ loyal customer base dissatisfied. To mitigate potential frustration, Sonos has equipped the Ace headphones with physical buttons for essential controls like volume adjustment and noise cancellation. This design choice ensures that users do not need to rely solely on the app for basic operations, enhancing usability and convenience.
“Sonos has built a strong reputation for quality audio products, and their entry into the headphone market with the Ace is a significant step,” says audio industry analyst Samuel Axon. “The integration with existing Sonos systems and the addition of features like TrueCinema show that Sonos is committed to providing a comprehensive audio experience.”
TF Summary: What’s Next
The Ace over-ear headphones is Sonos’ first foray into personal audio. Updates — be it hardware or software — will better the user experience and address customer feedback from the recent app update. Sonos will need to leverage the TrueCinema feature to differentiate Ace from its competitors. Come June as consumers respond to Ace, TF will monitor how these headphones perform against established high-end brands.