Tag Archives: highquality

Review of Sonos Ace: High-quality noise-canceling headphones that are definitely worth the wait

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TWi-Fi hi-fi maker Sonos has finally released its long-awaited first headphones, the Ace, which combine the best elements of products from Bose, Apple, and other high-end rivals with premium comfort, sleek style, and a killer party trick for owners of the company’s soundbars.

These high-tech noise-canceling headphones are priced at £449 (€499/$449/AU$699), putting them at the top of the market alongside the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, Sennheiser Momentum 4, and Apple AirPods Max.

The Ace has a pleasantly sleek, unobtrusive design, with plush, slim earcups that don’t protrude too much from the sides of your head, and the headband has two types of foam, with a softer peak that, like the Sennheiser, relieves pressure on the ridge at the top of your skull.




The Ace comes in black or soft white, with a subtle logo on one ear cup that’s only visible in certain lighting. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The hidden hinge allows for plenty of adjustability while preventing your hair from getting caught in the mechanism, just like the AirPods Max. They’re very comfortable for extended listening sessions and stay in place when you move around without squeezing your head too tightly.

The left earcup houses the power button and USB-C port for charging and wired listening using USB or the included USB-C to 3.5mm cable, while the right earcup has the noise-canceling control button and a nice slide button for volume and playback controls.

The battery lasted a few hours longer than the rated 30 hours when tested over Bluetooth with noise cancellation enabled, and about 14.5 hours when connected to the Arc soundbar, which is plenty for most uses. It takes about three hours to fully charge and can be quickly charged to 10% in just three minutes for up to three hours of playback.

specification

  • weight: 312g

  • size: 191×160×85mm

  • driver: 40mm

  • Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4 with multipoint, Wi-Fi, USB-C audio and charging

  • Bluetooth Codec: SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive Lossless

  • Battery life: 30+ hours with ANC over Bluetooth

Source: www.theguardian.com

Review: Bose Ultra Open Earphones with Unique Open Fit and High-Quality Sound

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Bose’s latest earbuds are a big departure from previous noise-canceling champions, as they’re designed to let outside sound in instead of blocking it out and sitting in your ears, making them more than just gadgets. It also resembles jewelry.

These are the latest evolution of Bose’s open audio technology, which uses small speakers to play music without blocking your ears, and was last seen in the excellent Frames audio glasses, which have since been discontinued.

The Ultra Open Earbuds cost a hefty £300 (€349/$299), joining the ranks of smaller open earbuds such as:
£179 Shocks Open Fit Or the £149 Sony LinkBuds. However, Bose has two major advantages over his rivals. It has a great, full sound and an innovative fit that doesn’t get in the way of glasses or other headwear.





The look and fit of the Ultra Open is unlike any other earphone. The slit on the top projects noise canceling sound and reduces noise leakage from the earphones.

Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The battery cylinder is located behind the ear and connected via a flexible silicone spring to an L-shaped plastic speaker arm, which together hold the earbuds in place around the side of the ear.

The fit is very unique and takes a little practice to get it right, but once it’s in place it’s light and comfortable. I was sure it would fall if I ran, but no matter how much I sweated or how much I shook my head, it remained firmly in place.





The earbuds are charged via metal contacts on the underside of the battery.

Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

Source: www.theguardian.com