Daniel J SaitFollowing much speculation and anticipation Sonos has made its headphones debut with Sonos Ace.
Said to be Innovatively designed, Sonos Ace cradles has been created to cradle the user in comfort while delivering the highest fidelity audio with a groundbreaking home cinema experience that could only come from Sonos. At EI we have been saying for a long time that high-quality headphones are a worthwhile add on sale for many customers. So how about a set of headphones that fits natively into a Sonos system? Could well be worth a look. The team will be reviewing this product soon, so stand by for that.
Sonos has officially announced today the launch of its first-ever headphones, Sonos Ace, marking the brand’s long-awaited entry into the personal listening category. As an innovator in sound, Sonos is now using its audio and design expertise to transform the way users listen on headphones, says the company. The premium over-the-ear Bluetooth headphones feature lossless and spatial audio, high-performance Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Aware Mode, as well what the company is calling the most precise and immersive home cinema experience possible using Sonos’ new TrueCinema technology. Sonos Ace will be available globally in both Black and Soft White from June 5, 2024 for £449.
Patrick Spence, CEO of Sonos, says, “They’re here! Fans have asked us for years to bring the Sonos experience to headphones – and we knew our first foray into the category needed to champion the type of innovation and sound experience Sonos has become synonymous with. Sonos Ace leverages everything we’ve learned over two decades as an audio leader to bring stunning sound, sleek design and long-standing comfort to one of the largest and most popular audio categories worldwide.”
Superior Sound on a Personal Level
Artfully crafted and masterfully tuned, the maker says Sonos Ace defies expectations with a range of features that bring the best of Sonos to headphones. Bellow is a summery of the some of the product’s key capabilities as described by Sonos.
● Indulge in high-fidelity sound: Savourevery second of a favourite song, podcast or friend’s phone call thanks to Sonos Ace’s two custom-designed drivers that render each frequency with impeccable precision and clarity.
● Your own private cinema: Sonos Ace lets users enjoy a surround sound home cinema experience while giving the household the gift of quiet. Instantly swap the TV audio from a compatible Sonos soundbar to Sonos Ace with just the tap of a button. Spatial audio with Dolby Atmos envelops the user in dramatically detailed sound from all directions and dynamic head tracking keeps the person centred in the action even if they need to grab a blanket or reach for the snack bowl. Coming later this year, Sonos’ all-new TrueCinema technology precisely maps the owners space then renders a complete surround sound system for a listening experience so realistic the user forgets they are wearing headphones.
Just announced (August 7 2024) Ace now supports TV audio swap with Beam (Gen 2), Beam (Gen 1), and Ray – allowing users to seamlessly move the sound from the soundbar to the headphones. Additionally, listeners can now set up and initiate TV audio swap using both Android and iOS. Now, more Sonos customers can enjoy an immersive, personal surround sound experience for their home theatre without disturbing the rest of the household.
● Turn the world on or off: Make personal listening even more personal with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), or activate Aware mode when more awareness of surroundings is required, walking on a busy street or working in an office.
● Day-long battery life and ultra-fast charge: Listen or talk for up to 30 hours with an extended, energy-efficient battery life. Ultra-fast charging ensures users never miss a beat – get three hours of battery life with a quick three-minute charge using the included USB-C cable.
Maxime Bouvat-Merlin, Sonos Chief Product Officer, comments, “Sonos Ace represents our ambition to create moving sound experiences that are equal to the moment we live in. It is an exciting new chapter as we embark on what it means to design for personal listening. True to Sonos’ heritage of premium products, each individual detail of Sonos Ace has been expertly crafted, custom designed, and tuned by the world’s leading sound experts to give you a listening experience unlike any other.”
Elegant Design and Long-Lasting Comfort
Sonos Ace was made to look and feel as good as it sounds, says the maker. Its distinctive, slim profile was created to beautifully blend metal accents with a sleek matte finish, complementing any style no matter how fast trends move.
● Endless Comfort: Sonos Ace uses lightweight, premium materials for an airy fit that gently hugs the head. Its pillowy soft memory foam interior is wrapped in vegan leather, while a custom headband and ear cups that hide the hinge have been incorporated to create the perfect acoustic seal without catching on hair.
● Intuitive Design: Wearing and storing Sonos Ace is a breeze – contrasting colours inside the ear cups subtly signal which way to put the headphones on and -tactile buttons make controls easy to use while wearing them. When done listening, put Sonos Ace away thanks to its fold flat design that fits snugly in its lightweight travel case.
● Responsibly Made: Sonos Ace is built to last and made for daily wear. The headphones feature replaceable ear cushions, circular materials that allow us to use 17% less virgin plastic, and a 75% recycled felt travel case made from plastic bottles. Engineered to drive energy efficiency, wear detection pauses music when Sonos Ace is removed from the ears, minimising the need for charging.
Sonos Ace will be available on June 5 for £449 end user price.
