Sonos launches its first-ever over-ear headphones at $449: Check features
Sonos, the American audio equipment manufacturer, has globally launched its Ace wireless headphones in select countries. These premium over-the-ear Bluetooth headphones, priced at $449 or €499, are set to hit the market next month. Available for pre-orders now, the sales will officially start from June 5. The headphones come in two color options - Black and Soft White.
Sonos Ace: Advanced features and specifications
The Sonos Ace headphones are equipped with two 40mm dynamic drivers and eight microphones. They offer three distinct noise control modes - Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Aware mode, and 'Off.' The ANC blocks external environmental noise while the Aware mode partially blocks disturbing noises. The 'Off' mode disables both ANC and Aware Mode. These headphones are compatible with the Sonos smartphone app, allowing users to adjust audio settings.
Connectivity and battery life of Sonos Ace
The new Sonos Ace headphones support Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity and also come with a 3.5mm port. They feature an LED light that indicates the connection status and a Power/Bluetooth button along with a Content Key for volume adjustment and media playback management. The headphones are powered by a 1,060mAh battery, offering up to 30 hours of music playback or 24 hours of call time with ANC or Aware mode on.
Sonos CEO highlights design features of Ace headphones
Sonos CEO Patrick Spence emphasized the design features of the Ace headphones, stating, "It's all in the interest of doing something that's going to make this light and comfortable for the customer." The design includes a hidden hinge in the ear cup which puts less stress on cabling than a folding mechanism. The company also plans to sell replacements for its removable, magnetic ear pads in the future.
Unique features of Sonos Ace headphones
The Ace headphones have a unique feature called TV Audio Swap that sends audio from a Sonos soundbar to the headphones as long as you're in range. Initially, this feature will only work with the Sonos Arc but will be extended to both generations of Beam and Ray in the future. Additionally, Sonos has developed its own head-tracking processing that learns from your position and direction so it doesn't constantly recenter if you look down at your phone.
Sonos Ace headphones: Compatibility and future updates
At launch, features like spatial audio and TV Audio Swap with Sonos Arc will only be available in the iOS version of the Sonos app. However, Android compatibility for these features is expected to arrive "shortly after," expanding the headphones' functionality across different platforms. This move ensures that all users, regardless of their device preference, can fully utilize the advanced features of the new Sonos Ace headphones. The Ace takes on Apple's AirPods Max and Bose's QuietComfort Ultra headphones.
