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

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 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