Sonos Ace Headphones Review
It’s not hard to fathom a speaker company producing headphones, but Sonos is a different breed due to its proprietary software and a lukewarm, semi-walled garden approach. So, would they envision headphones in a similar light—requiring the Sonos ecosystem’s tight integration—or is it a freer device aimed at competing in the premium end of the headphone market?
Design
There seems to be some inspiration drawn from Apple AirPods Max headphones in the aesthetically pleasing, simplistic design of the external earphone cups—but can you blame them? These Sonos Ace headphones, available in either soft white or black, have a clean look and feature soft, durable plastic materials that can withstand significant impacts, effortlessly brushing off the day-to-day knocks and bumps. In fact, despite our pair being used daily in a variety of settings—from indoors to outdoors—they still look brand new.
Weighing just over 300g, they’re fairly light too. Thanks to their snug fit on the ears, they stay securely in place and effectively block out external sound. The generously plump padding ensures that even 3-4 hour listening sessions don’t leave you with aching ears or a sore head. They’re one of the comfiest pairs of headphones we’ve reviewed. Replacing the ear cups is hassle-free. There's no need to wrestle them off plastic channels—they simply pop off with a tug, as they’re magnetically attached. Despite this, the cups stay firmly in place, whether you’re taking them on and off your head or tossing them into a backpack. Yes, the ear cups can be twisted so they’re flat, to neatly fit into their included Sonos case.
Controls
We especially love the physical volume rocker on the right side, which offers a satisfying tactile experience that’s increasingly rare in a world dominated by touch-sensitive controls. Adjusting the volume feels intuitive and actually precise, and the rocker doubles as a play/pause button for tracks when pressed.
This design choice not only enhances usability but also minimises accidental inputs—something we’ve all experienced with overly sensitive touch controls on other headphones and earphones. To toggle noise cancellation on and off, there’s a button underneath the rocker, and an audio expression is played, making it immediately obvious which mode you’re in.
One qualm we have with the Ace headphones is that they don’t just turn on the moment you pop them on your head; instead, they have a physical power button on the bottom of the headphones’ left side that has to be pressed on and off for power.
Setup
We weren’t expecting these to be straightforward Bluetooth headphones, but that’s exactly what they are. There’s no Wi-Fi inside the Ace headphones, so they discount themselves from partaking in the Sonos ecosystem, a massive departure from the entire ethos of the brand and lands them at using Bluetooth as the means of connectivity here, like every other pair of wireless headphones. Although a USB-C to aux cable is included if you desire a wired connection. These are really easy headphones to set up with new devices and pair quickly from said devices. Connection is stable; we’ve had zero issues with any kind of audio jerks, and if you do want to adjust the EQ, that can be done in the Sonos app as it will see the headphones when connected to your device via Bluetooth.
Sound Performance
We’ve always appreciated Sonos products for their signature sound style. There’s a consistency in how Sonos speakers deliver audio, which becomes especially apparent in multi-room setups. Moving from one zone with a Sonos product to another feels seamless, with no jarring differences in sound profiles, and it’s one of the reasons Sonos has built such an enormous ecosystem of users.
So, has that hallmark of faithful, room-filling audio been distilled into a pair of headphones? The answer is, sort of. When we first started listening to the Sonos Ace headphones using the latest iPhone 16 Pro (featuring Bluetooth 5.3) alongside the headphones' Bluetooth 5.4, the performance was excellent. But then something really unexpected happened: when paired with devices running Bluetooth 5.0 or earlier, the sound felt notably duller and congested in the mid-to-high ranges. Conversely, with newer devices—particularly Apple devices—the sound quality rivals that of the wired connection. The dramatic improvement with newer Bluetooth versions was surprising but worth noting for anyone planning to use the Sonos Ace headphones across older and newer devices. As this is the first time we’ve ever noted such fundamental differences, it has to be something the Sonos Ace headphones aren’t doing with older Bluetooth versions.
When paired with a device running Bluetooth 5.0 or above, the Sonos Ace headphones are phenomenally enjoyable across even the most eclectic music libraries. Their finely tuned audio drivers deliver a careful sound image that faithfully captures the original creators’ intentions and nuances. For instance, in “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac, the distant vocals remain subtly layered behind an acoustic guitar in the left channel and an electric guitar in the right. The Ace headphones reproduce this delicate balance flawlessly, staying true to the original recording.
Another standout moment came when the “Whiplash” movie soundtrack shuffled into our playlist. This instrumental piece highlighted the headphones' dynamic range, with punchy, frenetic drumming filling the wide soundstage with vivid clarity. The brass instruments retained their sharpness without overpowering the mix. Every nuance of the arrangement, from the rumbling bass to the crisp cymbals, was captured with precision, creating an electrifying sense of being right in the middle of a live performance.
“Love Me or Not” by Emei further demonstrates the Ace headphones' serious bass response. The deep, warm bass beat throughout the song never falters, even when the volume is pushed to its limits. The floaty vocals in the chorus blend seamlessly, offering a sound experience that compares favourably to playing the track on Sonos speakers.
Sonos Ace headphones also excel in spoken content, making them ideal for podcasts and audiobooks. Voices sound natural, distortion-free, and crisp, enhancing dialogue-heavy media. Also, video content is made very enjoyable thanks to their support of Dolby Atmos, as the Sonos Ace headphones are some of the best Atmos headphones we’ve listened to and we’ve had great fun trying, with audio flying around our heads!
The noise cancellation is brilliantly effective at blocking out most sound, almost too good when someone has to tap you on the shoulder because they can’t get your attention any other way. But it’s really an all-or-nothing experience. It doesn’t have the underwater feeling you get with some headphones with the feature enabled and there’s no low-level noises creeping into your ears like the muffling of sounds such as typing on a keyboard in front of you, for instance. This lends the Sonos Ace an immersive listening experience, great for when you want to be transported to another world when watching video content. However, there’s no adjustment of this noise cancellation; you can’t tune it to have something similar to passive mode on the Apple AirPods Max, which seems a shame.
Verdict
Sonos delving into the world of headphones is surprising, but what’s even more so is just how brilliant their first attempt sounds and feels. The Ace headphones are straightforwardly pleasing to hold, wear, and look at! It’s difficult to fault the sound—it’s rich, with ample volume, a well-defined separation between high and low ranges, and a terrific Dolby Atmos surround sound experience that serves as a fun party trick. The noise cancellation might be just about the best we’ve ever used, though it’s a shame there’s no option to adjust its intensity, which would allow users to tune in and out of their environment as needed.
However, one serious drawback is the headphones’ performance disparity when paired with devices running older Bluetooth versions (5.0 and below). It’s like listening to an entirely different pair of headphones—a critical consideration for anyone using a mix of older and newer devices.
