Sonos ACE: Sonos sound even on the move, with noise cancelling

The moment of the launch of Sonos Ace it was first much awaited and then very troubled. In fact, on the occasion of the presentation of its first headphones, the US manufacturer has updated their app dramaticallygenerating not only a lot of discontent among its users, but also several problems.

Precisely because of the effort made to remedy the problems, Sonos was also forced to make some staff cuts and at a certain point it was even rumored that there might be the intention of a rollback to the previous version. In the end, also to reassure investors, Sonos had to publish a post with a precise plan and with precise commitments to get back on track.

The app’s problems have benefited Android users

Thanks to the many updates of the app the transfer audio from TV to headphones has arrived earlier than expected for Android users too

In recent months the work on the new application has been intense and especially the headphones Sonos Ace were one of the products that benefited from it. As often happens at Sonos, the Ace headphones were also presented at launch with advanced features available only to iOS users, with fewer possibilities for those who use Android devices. Usually, the latter have to wait months to be part of the new features, but in this case everything was very fast.

The work on the app resulted in a rapid succession of updateswhich faster than usual led to the possibility of make full use of the headphones even for Android users.

Sonos Ace: headphones with a double soul

Sonos Ace headphones are a product with a dual soul. On the one hand they are classics travel noise canceling headphoneson the other hand they are wireless headphones for listening to music and television audio at home.

I must admit that it was with some doubts that I approached this product, even though I was very interested in how it works within the walls of my home.

I must also say that Sonos Ace amazed me as travel headphones, immediately showing, even on the first version, that they can compete with the historic brands in the sector and with the products of a market leader like Sony.

Plus Sonos Ace were able to come up with some interesting ideas on the design front. There hard case made of felt-like material it is the first thing that strikes you when you approach the product for the first time. It is different from all the usual cases even inside, always in felt, with a particular compartment for magnetically positioned cables, easily removable, but which then always finds a place at the first try when you put it back in place. The interior of the white version has a pleasant green shade, also reflected inside the right pavilion to allow you to distinguish the direction of the headphones at first glance. The material of the case, in the white version, is very dirty and it must be stored carefully to keep it white and avoid stains or dark marks.

The design of the headphones is very clean and essential with a satin surface finish and premium materials. The earcup and headband cushions are very soft and super comfortable and the fit of the headphones is decidedly ergonomic. The position of the headband is seamlessly adjustable, yet stable. The headphones integrate a presence sensor and allow you to activate automatic interruption of playback when they are removed. Removing the earcups is very simple, thanks to the magnetic attachment and allows you to appreciate the angled position of the drivers.

Sonos has focused on physical controls for its headphones and we find a power button on the left earcup and controls on the right one. Integrated here is a button for switching use between ANC and ambient mode and a clickable two-way control for managing music playback, calls and playback volume. A single press of the button serves the play/pause function, a double press forwards one track and a triple press returns to the previous one. The dedicated ANC button also allows you to call up the voice assistant.

The headphones can be easily connected via Bluetooth to two devices thanks to the technologies Multi-Point and once connected to the smartphone they can be inserted into the Sonos multimedia system. They don’t actually become part of the multiroom management system entirely, but they still deliver a unique feature paired with the Arc and Beam soundbars and the brand new Arc Ultra. In fact, if content is being played on the TV, with audio distribution handled by the soundbar, by holding down the selector on the headphones it is possible to instantly switch the audio between the soundbar and the headphones and vice versa.

This is a very quick way to get wireless headphones connected to the televisionwithout installing any base or going through the TV settings. Furthermore, this technology allows you to make even older generation televisions wirelesswithout Bluetooth connectivity. Ease of use is confirmed as one of the strong points of the Sonos system.

It is then possible to exploit thespatial audio to make the headphone experience more similar to listening on a television. When switching the sound to the headphones they ‘centre’ themselves and by turning the head left and right they ensure that the source of the sound always remains the television, thus simulating listening without headphones. This function is interesting, but as I have already experienced on other headphones, the head position tracking it is too accentuated, so much so that you only need to turn your head slightly to hear the audio practically from just one earpiece.

However, the Sonos Ace headphones perform very well even outside the home comfort zone. There Noise cancellation is really effectivewhile not giving an annoying bubble sensation. Not only are the lower, more regular frequencies effectively blocked, but the suppression also works well on people’s voices.

By plane and on public transport Sonos Ace have shown that they are not afraid of comparison with the top products of the competitiontherefore representing an excellent alternative all round. Using the button on the right earcup it is possible to switch the ANC function between ON, OFF and room mode. From the app you can select which of the three to keep active on the button. Compared to some competitors, it lacks a gesture for quickly activating ambient mode (like placing your hand on the pavilion on Sony’s WH-1000X) which in some contexts is convenient and allows you to easily talk to people without having to remove your headphones .

Within the app you can adjust the treble and bass equalizer and also change the left/right balance. Connection is also among the options Multi-Point to two devices simultaneously.

Sonos Ace: very positive opinion

There has been a lot of anticipation in recent years for the launch of the first Sonos headphones with many rumors chasing each other. The product itself is already excellent in this first iteration (already reached by version 2.10 of the firmware) and convinces even in the presence of the most renowned competitors in the sector. The sound is warm and never fatiguing, but also adjustable with good flexibility via the equalizer. The noise cancellation is effective across the entire spectrum and the ambient mode is very natural. The autonomy is really high and the more than 30 hours declared are real.

While the product itself gets excellent reviews, there are some not-so-positive sides. The first is the aforementioned hornet’s nest caused by the changes to the application, the second, which has not gone unnoticed by many, is the price.

Let’s be clear, it is perfectly in line with the rest of Sonos products, but it leads the Ace headphones to play a difficult game in conquering an audience outside of Sonos customers. The positioning at €499 is in fact higher than some competing products from brands such as Sony. Of course, they cost less than the Apple AirPods Max or proposals from audiophile brands, but apart from Sonos customers (especially those with soundbars) and some design lovers, it is difficult for the Sonos Ace to conquer the more general public.

On the other hand, given the large user base it also makes sense for Sonos to offer a product with this positioning in line with the rest of the rangeas has already happened for example with wireless speakers.

In conclusion: if you are a Sonos user, my advice is to definitely give the Sonos Ace a chance, if you are not and are willing to spend that amount, the headphones could be yours. entry step into the world of Sonos audio systems.