When Sonos made the announcement of their Ace headphones launch last month, it got audio fans excited because it's the first time the brand decided to step out of the world of sound bars.
The Santa Barbara-based tech company calls their new invention a "personal best for sound", where it "fuses fashion and function with the highest-quality audio in an elegant design". And having tried them out, I totally agree.
When I got my hands on the black Sonos Ace overhead earphones, they felt premium - from the touch of supple vegan leather, the matte finish cups to the concealed hinges and custom 40mm drivers - but how does it reflect the £449 price tag when it comes to the performance?
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Sonos Ace supports lossless audio and spatial audio with Dolby Atmo and you can listen to music or watch a movie in either Active Noise Cancellation or Aware Mode. It also features Dolby head tracking so the audio stays at the front no matter where you move.
I have been testing the headphones against my go-to Sony WH1000-XM5 (which have been reduced from £319 to £279 on Amazon), and realised Sonos Ace did a better job in creating audio depth and delivering crystal clear vocals. On the XM5, the bass is not punchy and somehow "muffled" but that is not the case on Ace.
It's an elevated emotive experience especially when I put on Billie Eilish's ballad 'What Was I Made For?' - the vocal stood out from the piano and is crisp enough that I could hear the breathing in her vocal performance. Another feature that I like about the Sonos Ace is the pressable controls. The physical buttons give you accurate control and you won't need to worry if you accidentally skip a track -there's an on/off button, a toggle button for volume control, skip tracks and answer calls; and an extra one for switching between ANC and Aware Mode.
Sonos said their Ace headphones are "designed for premium use, people who want a premium listening experience and people in the knowledge of music industry". As a consumer, Sonos Ace sits at a "sweet spot" between Apple AirPods Max and Sony XM5 and the sleek design exceeded my expectations when it comes to comfort. I can wear them for long hours without feeling discomfort (and it's lighter than AirPods Max as less metal is used).
The cushions on the muffs are removable for easy cleaning in case you have got makeup on and all you need is a cloth and lukewarm water to wipe them off. Sonos did put a lot of thought into the design. The mesh on the right muff has a contrasting colour to signal how you can wear it and the magnetic ring around the cup will repel if you put the wrong muff in.
As for Active Noise Cancellation, it moves smoothly between modes and doesn't simply "suck" the air.
The headphones also work on home theatres if you want to have cinematic sounds for your ears only - but it only supports their flagship Sonos Arc soundbar currently. It will however be available for Sonos Beam (Gen 2) and Sonos Ray. Later, they will also launch a TrueCinema technology to map your space and render a surround sound experience so realistic they say "you’ll forget you’re wearing headphones".
The Sonos Ace are a definite head-turner when you wear them on the street, offering a sleek, modern aesthetic while you get to enjoy the sounds that matter most to you. Sure it does not come cheap, but it's a worthy investment.
You can look for other cheaper alternatives in the market, like the Sony WH1000-XM5 that I mentioned earlier; or Bose QuietComfort, which is now reduced from £349.95 to £259.95.
