First Sonos headphones are a reality with the $499 Ace

With the Ace, Sonos is bringing its first headphones to the Netherlands. On June 5, the model will appear for the price of 499 euros in the colors Soft White and Black. Where what all can this new product do?

The rumor mill has been spinning like crazy for months, but today it’s official: Sonos has released its first headphones. The Ace is a sleekly designed over-ear headset with 30 hours of battery life, so you can take Sonos quality with you wherever you go. And you should, because with a price tag of 499 euros, it’s anything but cheap.

In fact, the Sonos Ace is more expensive than many of the competition’s headphones. With familiar features like active noise cancellation, lossless audio and Aware Mode perhaps not so much to understand. Yet thanks to TrueCinema, Dolby Head Tracking and TV Audio Swap perhaps a little better explained.

The unique features of the Sonos Ace

The Sonos Ace has a number of features that we don’t see too often on other headphones. Of course in combination with the sound quality and ease of use we are normally used to from Sonos. The quality of a soundbar on your head, in fact.

That example is given for good reason, because with TV Audio Swap, such a soundbar is truly a delight. The feature allows users to switch between the soundbar and the Sonos Ace as output at the touch of a button. One press of the button and the sound switches seamlessly. At least, that’s the idea.

(Image: Sonos)

Like TrueCinema that will be coming to the Sonos Ace later in the year. Thanks to this technology, you create a 3D map of the room you are sitting in and the headphones adjust the sound perfectly accordingly. In this way, it is possible to enjoy optimal surround sound.

Sonos is also joining forces with Dolby to enable Intelligent Motion Processing. Thanks to its Head Tracking technology, the Ace tracks every movement with your head to give you a realistic listening experience. In other words: Spatial Audio at its best.

Combined with high-performance microphones for phone calls, built-in sensors for automation when putting on or taking off the Ace and the ability to use the headphones immediately without installation, these features make the Ace indeed interesting.

The 5 most frequently asked questions about the Sonos Ace

With the Sonos Ace, the famous brand’s first headphones are finally a reality, but that brings with it some questions.

(Image: Sonos)

Does Sonos Ace need WiFi?

No, the Sonos Ace, unlike other products from the brand, does not require a WiFi connection. You connect to the headphones by pairing them with Bluetooth to your devices.

Which soundbars work with Ace?

Launching on June 5, the Ace only supports the Sonos Arc. Later the company will also roll out support for the Beam (Gen 2), Beam and Ray.

When will TrueCinema be available?

An actual date has not yet been given by Sonos, but it seems it is making every effort to bring TrueCinema to the Ace as soon as possible.

Does Ace necessarily need the Sonos app?

There is no need to use the Sonos app for the Ace. The headphones connect with Bluetooth and can be used directly. The app does give users more options. These include settings for EQ and head tracking.

(Image: Sonos)

How do I listen to Spatial and Lossless Audio?

If content is available in Dolby Atmos or Sony 360 Reality Audio then the Sonos Ace is also able to take advantage of that. Currently, streaming services Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music and Deezer offer this support.

For Lossless Audio, use the 3.5mm to USB-C cable or connect the headphones to an Android device equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound AptX.

Editors get a review copy of the Sonos Ace to test it in detail. Our findings are forthcoming in the review.