Sonos, after entering the Indian market with its wireless speakers and soundbars, has finally entered the headphone space with the Sonos Ace. Given the brand’s audio pedigree, expectations were high. Does the Sonos Ace has enough to challange the likes of Sony WH1000XM5 and Apple Airpods Pax up to its promise as the next must-have noise-canceling (ANC) headphone?
Sonos Ace Headphones Price & Availability
The Sonos Ace Wireless Headphones is priced at ₹39,990. It is available in three colorways—White, and Black . You can buy them via Amazon, Croma, Flipkart, Sono’s official website, or nearby retail stores.
Pros
- Premium design
- Comfortable fit for long listening
- Balanced, clean sound with excellent details
- Impressive ANC, especially in indoor settings
- Spatial audio
- TV Audio Swap works Sonos soundbars
- Reliable battery life with quick charge
Cons
- Basic EQ controls
- Pricey at ₹39,999
- Slightly warm earcups during long outdoor use
Sonos Ace Headphones Review: Sound
Sonos makes its first foray into the headphone market with the Ace, and the sound quality is where it shines. For testing, I primarily left the equalizer on the default flat setting, pairing the Ace with a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, and iPhone 16 Pro. I used a mix of streaming services, including Apple Music, YouTube Music, and PlexAmp, listening to FLAC tracks stored on my home server. In wired mode, using the USB-C cable, I noticed only a slight improvement in sound quality, which reinforces just how good the wireless experience is.
I ran through my usual tracklist for testing headphones, and the Ace felt at home with multiple music genres. While they don’t quite reach the heights of the highest-end headphones, they’re articulate, accurate, and offer excellent separation between instruments.
Soundstage
The Ace offers a relatively wide soundstage for closed-back headphones. While it’s not as expansive as some higher-end models, the spatial awareness is commendable. Instruments and vocals are well placed, creating a sense of space around you without feeling too compressed. It’s not as immersive as open-back designs, but for wireless headphones in this range, it’s impressive. You can pick up on the directional positioning of elements in the music, which makes listening more engaging.
Details
One of the standout features of the Ace is its ability to reveal subtle nuances in tracks. The headphones are articulate and accurate, allowing for excellent instrument separation. Little details like the strum of an acoustic guitar or faint background elements come through clearly. This makes the Ace great for critical listening across a variety of music genres. While they don’t quite reach audiophile levels, they perform admirably compared to most consumer-grade wireless headphones.
Bass
The bass on the Ace is punchy and powerful but controlled—there’s plenty of low-end energy without the muddiness or boominess that can often plague other headphones. Bass-heavy tracks are well-represented, and the lower frequencies don’t overpower the mids and highs. This balanced approach makes the Ace suitable for a wide range of genres, from electronic music to rock and classical, providing a solid bass response without being overly dominant.
Processing
Sonos has used the Qualcomm’s QCC5181 chipset in the Ace headphone which does some impressive signal processing. Even with its default flat EQ setting, the headphones deliver a natural and balanced sound. However, their signal processing shines more in Sonos’ ecosystem with features like TV Swap and (eventually) TrueCinema, where the headphones tap into Sonos’ multi-room and spatial audio capabilities. Unfortunately, at launch, some of these processing features (like TrueCinema) aren’t available, but there’s potential for future updates.
Sonos Ace Headphones Review: Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
Let’s talk about one of the Ace’s strongest points: noise cancellation. The ANC on the Sonos Ace is among the best I’ve tested, especially in indoor environments. It excels at muting household sounds, like distant TVs and noisy kids, making it an excellent choice for those working from home.
Compared to the AirPods Max, the Sonos Ace slightly outperforms in indoor ANC, offering a more focused, quiet experience. Outdoors, however, the AirPods Max holds a slight edge, particularly when it comes to handling wind noise.
Sonos Ace Headphones Review: Control and Features
Comfort is where the Sonos Ace really shines. The lightweight design combined with plush ear cushions means you can wear these for hours without needing a break. The headband offers a nice, soft foam cushion, and while the earcups were a touch small for my larger ears, they’re still more comfortable than most other ANC headphones in this price range. After wearing them for hours, I only needed to adjust them every 30 to 45 minutes, which is impressive.
Sonos has packed a lot of useful features into the Ace, including wear-detection sensors that automatically pause music when you take the headphones off. The Ace also boasts eight microphones, designed to optimize both voice clarity for calls and noise cancellation.
One key feature for Sonos loyalists is the ability to seamlessly swap audio from a Sonos soundbar to your headphones with a single press. Unfortunately, this is only compatible with the Sonos Arc soundbar for now, which feels like a missed opportunity for broader Sonos
Sonos Ace Headphones Review: Design and Build
From the moment you unbox the Sonos Ace, it’s clear that Sonos has prioritized design and build quality. The Ace comes in a sturdy, eco-friendly box with a sleek, magnetically attached cable case made from recycled materials. As you pull out the headphones, the premium aesthetic immediately stands out. With clean lines, matte finishes, and stainless steel accents, the Ace feels expensive without crossing into flashy territory.
The headband and earcups use a combination of vegan leather and memory foam, resulting in a comfortable fit for extended wear. At 312 grams, the Ace is lighter than the AirPods Max, making it a great choice for long work-from-home sessions or all-day listening.
The Ace with decent earcup size is more comfortable than the AirPods Max and Sony WH1000XM5. The clever use of magnetic ear pads adds a level of convenience—no more fumbling when it’s time to clean or swap them out. However, the earcups can get a little warm during longer outdoor walks.
ecosystem integration.
Sonos Ace Headphones Review: Battery Life
Sonos rates the Ace for up to 30 hours of battery life, or 24 hours with ANC enabled. In my two weeks of testing, I found that to be accurate. A quick charge feature allows you to gain 3 hours of playback with just 3 minutes of charging—perfect for when you’re in a rush. I rarely needed to worry about battery life, which makes these headphones a reliable option for long listening sessions or cross-country flights.
Review Verdict: Should You Buy the Sonos Ace Wireless Headphones?
Smartprix Rating: 8.1/10
Sound: 8.5/10
Design and Build: 8.5/10
Connectivity: 8.5/10
Fit: 8.5/10
App: 7.5/10
Playback Controls: 8/10
Passive Noise Cancellation: 7/10
Microphones: 8/10
Battery and Charging: 8/10
The Sonos Ace is a solid pair of ANC headphones that feel super comfy and look pretty sleek without being flashy. If you’re already a fan of Sonos, the Ace might catch your eye, but right now, it doesn’t work seamlessly with other Sonos gear. It’s got a stylish design, easy-to-use controls, great sound quality, and really good noise cancellation, making it a great pick for serious music lovers. The cool features like TV Audio Swap and spatial audio add some nice flexibility, making these headphones stand out from the crowd.
On the downside, they come with a hefty price tag of ₹39,999, which puts them in the high-end range for India. While the features and build are definitely worth it, it might be hard to grab the interest of the average buyer, especially with tough competition from brands like Sony’s WH-1000XM5 and Sennheiser’s Momentum 4.
First reviewed in October 2024.
