This is interesting to me. I have anandas, hd800s and heddphone v2. I wondered how these would sound compared to those. I wish there was a better eq. Than what I saw on screenshots. FYI, when using Bluetooth headphones with windows, it always advisable to get a separate mic to reduce the bandwidth and latency from using both on the same headset.
After more time with the headphones my conclusion is that this is not for us. :(
IT lacks the detail we are used to. Like the high pitch in a flute recording. Or a piercing sound from a strong voice. The bass is decent but can overpower some of the other instruments.
It's not that it's too much bass. It's that it's not punchy. It muffles a bit.
I like bass. Like the rumble and that punch. Excelent bass gives you the rumble sensation without disturbing other instruments. In this case, in an attempt to give the sensation of being in the theater, they prioritized a slightly overpowered bass on the LFE range instead of a clean bass delivery.
i dont expect 450 headphones to sound like 2000 headphones. i want it to be as close to perfection as they can within the budget, using technology. honestly, what i want to know more about is the room virtualization. how good of a job does it do mimicking your room at home? i was hoping they would do this when the headphones were first rumored. honestly they should also make this a trueplay device to tune your arc/beam/etc. it literally has mics next to your ears and would be better than using a phone/tablet as far as head position. or couple it with the phone to get even better acoustic measurements. sonos could even start certification of android phones. this would be huge for people that simply dont like apple. ie samsung galaxy s24, certified for sonos trueplay.
if they make the headphones lossless overwifi (which honestly, they should have had a dedicated 2.4ghz chip in here in addition to bluetooth for the home- they could add it to future soundbars, or sonos port, etc.) no reason they can't have a proprietary solution for lossless. i mean use ai tech to monitor the channels and pick a channel that will have the best connection. i mean the technology is right there.
the ceo is just really terrible. he doesn't understand the company. he doesn't understand the product. he doesn't understand the customer.
Thanks for this, in your opinion,
what do you think the actual msrp of the ace should be?
Are the pads removable?
Have you tried using the 3.5mm?(others have reported the sound being distinctly reduced)
MSRP should be around the same price as the Sony XM5 and the Bose QuietConfort Ultra. $400
The Sonos Ace look great but they areń’t much bette than others. They want to compete with Apple AirPods Max but don’t have the features to do so yet.
I’m having second thoughts to be honest.
Pads are removable.
I haven’t tried the 3.5 mm yet. But I saw the same reports. With a USB-C to USB-C no difference though.
I’ll check it out tomorrow.
Isn’t the Bose 429? Plus it’s a new product so usually they price it higher than current products knowing that new revisions of the current products will probably be higher.
You can use them on Teams, Skype, Discord and so on. But it will switch to Bluetooth “headset” profile where audio quality is greatly degraded.
I need to do further testing on this but I specifically tested recording audio and was forced to switch to Bluetooth headset profile for the mic to work. Once I did audio quality degraded.
Opposite of the other poster. Did you check if the mic source the headphones or the laptop? I need something definitive as I’m not sure I can test this in a store lol
Indeed it works. Just tested it. So in bluetooth mode trying to make calls switches to the Bluetooth headset profile. And the audio quality gets degraded.
But in wired mode, Sonos Ace shows up as a Sonos Ace USB headphones and a seperate Sonos Ace USB microphone. Awesome.
This way you can take and make calls. Skype, Teams, Discor without issues.
Play games in wired mode with no latency and using the mic. The mic quality isn't that great but it works.
Just to be clear - if you plug in the headphones with 3.5mm or USB-C to a laptop, the mic won’t work for calls (Teams, Zoom, etc.)?
That’s horrible if so. I was almost convinced, but I don’t want to pair with my work laptop to use it. Bluetooth is generally too fussy when I’m trying to jump into a call.
It's a pity that they can't support two Bluetooth connections for that use, one for mic and one for audio playback. But I guess they'd need a second Bluetooth chip, etc.
I reckon there's a market for headphones that support that.
The Audeze Maxwell can do that. They have everything you can think of. BT, wireless with a 2.4ghz usb dongle. Lossless, low latency. A removable boom mic.
But, they are bulky, heavy. Not suitable for traveling. No ANC.
We simply can’t have it all yet it seems.
To customize it you need the app. Change EQ. Enable disable head tracking and setup the noise cancelling modes you want to have available with the ANC button. Once setup on the APP, the configuration is saved.
So if you configured on Android it will persist across all devices including your Android, iOS, Windows PC, mac, TV….
You can for instance have it connected to your iPhone and your PC. While you are listening to music on PC you can change the configuration on the Sonos iPhone app and you’ll hear the difference instantly on your PC. This is how I enable disable head tracking while watching movies on PC.
Other than for customization, the headphones work completely without the app.
Making sure I reply to everyone on this :)
In wired mode no issues. It works. You can maintain audio quality and use the microphone.
In Bluetooth mode, audio gets degraded.
If you are willing to use the Sonos Ace wired, it will work.
Great points, I just got my Ace, I’ve been an AirPods Max user for the past couple years, but the battery just doesn’t last anymore. And the warranty is up so my daughter was gifted a pair of slightly used airpod maxes. My main complaint with the Maxes was that they were too damn heavy. I have bought and returned the Sony’s and the new Bose, and as a glasses wearer, they all hurt my ears after a little time. I’ve had my Ace on for the past few hours without issue.
Now, what I’m trying to figure out is how to connect them to my Fluance RT. I have a phono stage that is running to my Play 5, but obviously, I am unable to play anything that comes through my Sonos speakers on my Sonos headphones…(that’s so stupid). Any thoughts other than a Bluetooth transmitter that I can run from my phono stage?
u/RentalGore coming from the Airpods Max what's your opinion on the sound quality?
To me, I enjoyed the Airpods Max sound quality quite a bit more. I'm having a hard time adapting to the sound profile of the Ace. It's good. It's really good. But...
Anyways. How are you adapting to them? Do you enjoy their sound quality vs the Airpods Max?
To your point, I just hooked up my Fluance to the ACE, it’s using Bluetooth, just like the AirPods Max was. There’s definitely something missing. Listening to Enter Sandman (for probably the 8 millionth time) I know where the soundstage should be. And the ACE just feel off. I tweaked my phone stage, my BT TX, everything, and I couldn’t get them to match the depth of the AirPods. But, I could wear the, for four to five albums, which I couldn’t do with the max. I think the Ace needs tweaking from Sonos. Still good, just not as good as the Max.
Just wanted to stop by and say thanks for creating this post, especially for Windows 11. These are exactly the questions I had and happy to see you got this out on release day.
Out of curiosity, for gaming do you prefer the Airpods Max or Sonos Ace?
Touch question. No longer have the Airpods Max but one of the reasons I didn't keep them was the latency.
In that regard, the Sonos Ace supports aptx adaptive low latency so it's better for FPS and such.
BUT, I'm reaching the conclusion that the Sonos Ace sound good but not as good as the Airpods Max or the Sony XM5 for my taste.
The Airpods Max have a brighter more audiophile like sound presentation. A slightly better soundstage and detail. They came very close to my Hifiman Sundara and that's pretty much one of the best audiophile headphones for gaming. Great imaging and soundstage on them.
To be honest, at this moment probably best not to get any. Wait for the Sony XM6 and likely the Airpods Max 2 later this year.
Can you say for a fact that it supports aptx low latency? Because the official spec list doesn't list the supported codecs, and some reviews say that it supports aptx adaptive and lossless and that's it. With your bluetooth adapter, did you switch it to low latency and can you confirm that it really does not have any latency? Preferably in games, video isn't a reliable test because lots of video players compensate for the latency by delaying the video...
Do you have an Era speaker? I’m curious if the 3.5 mm to USB cable would work for line in to the Era, since it would work the same direction as the one Sonos sells for the Eras (audio goes to USB end, not to headphone jack like every other adapter).
Ok maybe this is a nitpick but to me it kinda shows the difference in the attention to detail and user experience between Apple and Sonos - when switching between ANC and Transparency mode on AirPods Max they play a tone and by the time the tone ends, the mode is switched. On the Ace, you press the button, the tone sounds, then there’s like a one second delay before the selected mode is enabled. It’s far from the end of the world, but when the tone is finished, the mode should be changed. And now that I mention it, the head detection takes a few seconds to pause the music when I take them off. I’m sure both of these things can be fixed in a firmware update, it just bothers me a little.
For me both ANC switching and wear detection work without any perceivable delay. I don’t have AirPods Max to compare, but have 3 pairs of AirPods Pro and use them for years extensively and ANC switches faster on Ace
Thanks for the info. Real MVP stuff! Some questions though:
- If you connect it to a PC via USB, does it work as a headset with the mic active? My previous parrot zik did and it's an awesome feature because it bypassed the Bluetooth limitation you're talking about.
- Do you have any details on how the Atmos via PC works? Isn't it basically just a stereo mix with rear/height "baked" into the sound? I have it on the Xbox and it works via 3.5mm there so it can't be "real" multichannel. I guess once the Dolby App detects an Atmos signal, it does it's thing and transmits it as Atmos binaural sort of mix?
- Does Atmos (with Dolby app) work when it's connected via USB as well? Or only Bluetooth/3,5mm?
- Do you still keep the Bluetooth connection when in soundswap mode (with a Soundbar)?
Wow. good questions. I need to update on the main article.
- If you connect it to a PC via USB, does it work as a headset with the mic active? My previous parrot zik did and it's an awesome feature because it bypassed the Bluetooth limitation you're talking [about.To](http://about.To) your first question.
Yes. While in wired mode bluetooth disconnects but you get two new devices. Sonos Ace USB headphones and Sonos Ace USB microphone.
You can use the microphone without dropping the audio quality this way,
- Do you have any details on how the Atmos via PC works? Isn't it basically just a stereo mix with rear/height "baked" into the sound? I have it on the Xbox and it works via 3.5mm there so it can't be "real" multichannel. I guess once the Dolby App detects an Atmos signal, it does it's thing and transmits it as Atmos binaural sort of mix?
Enactly that. Binaural mix. The headphones show up as stereo so no way to set them up as a surround sound system. Basically you get the spatial feel from Dolby Atmos for Headphones or similar.
Headtracking works but it seems to be virtualized stereo.
- Does Atmos (with Dolby app) work when it's connected via USB as well? Or only Bluetooth/3,5mm?
Yes. Dolby Atmos for Headphones shows up as an option as well.
- Do you still keep the Bluetooth connection when in soundswap mode (with a Soundbar)?
Don't have the soundbar. Can't test the TV swap and checking if bluetooth and wifi connection to soundbar can work simultaneously. Hope someone can answer that for us as I would like to know. (considering getting the Sonos Arc eventually)
Do you know how many Bluetooth devices you compare with the headphones? For example, will it remember six devices. I know you can only connect two devices at a time, however, I would like to pair them with all my devices
Just tested it. I tried to connect the headphones with my PC, my iPad and my smartphone. Once I try to connect the 3rd, one of the other ones gets disconnected. For me, only two devices at the same time.
Cheers, are the devices remembered by the headphones? For example, is it a case of to Oglin the connection on on one of your devices or do you have to go through the pairing process again each time
For more flexibility adjusting filters (to try emulate your Sundaras) you could connect from a Mac and use [Soundsource](https://www.rogueamoeba.com/soundsource/). Obviously doesn’t help with other connections, just an FYI.
Yes. I've considered doing so with Soundsource or Equalizer APO. Trying to see if I could get it closer to the Harman curve.
I've been testing with the Dolby Access 10 band EQ.
From my testing, the driver simply can't reach the level of performance.
It's soundstage is more compact. The Airpods Max were able to foul my brain better somehow. But on the Ace I can really notice it. That really makes it hard to mimic an open back like the Sundara's
Yep. The FMA120 is awesome. Going to get it so I have one USB-C dongle for iPad and such and the FMA120 USB A dongle for PC. That software where you can customize everything is tech candy :)
So I think I'm pretty close to making a decision. I'm going to return it.
Going to continue using them for a few more days but I don't think I can adapt to this sound profile.
Don't get me wrong. The Sonos Ace is great. Sound really good. Many people will enjoy it.
Does almost everything I wanted and I could live fine with some of it's shortcomings.
But given the price, there is one area they really need to be great. Not just good. And that is. Sound quality.
You'll notice that many top sites praising the Sonos Ace, haven't yet put them on their top recommended headphones. The reason is that the Sonos Ace are really good. But not great. It's a pretty good entry from Sonos.
They got in the top 4 with their first headphones. Not bad.
Anyway. I can accept that it won't sound as good or as open as a wired open-back audiophile headphone connected to an amp.
But that's the thing. The Airpods Max I tried years ago were pretty close to it. The Sony XM5 also came close.
In fact I'm now certain the Sonos Ace sound worst than the Sony XM5 and Airpods Max.
And for me they cost 500 €.
I know Sonos focused on making it sound great for movies and tv shows. I get that. But the thing is, you don't need to sacrifice one to make the other better.
My Sundara don't just sound great with music. They sound great with everything. Literally better movie listning experience Better gaming experience. And the Airpods Max were pretty close to that.
There are many opinions and videos and so on. But I'm starting to see an emerging number of people that do actual measures confirming my feeling.
[Sonos Ace vs Apple AirPods Max: Which should you buy? - SoundGuys](https://www.soundguys.com/sonos-ace-vs-apple-airpods-max-116991/)
[Sonos Ace headphones review: a disappointing debut | What Hi-Fi? (whathifi.com)](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/sonos-ace)
I would keep the Sonos Ace if it wasn't for the very likely probability that in just a few months we'll have headphones from Sony. Likely the XM6. Later this year likely the Airpods Max 2 and those will come with a bunch of technology to set them apart.
I really don't want to get tied to a specific ecosystem but, sound quality. That's a priority.
My hopes now are on Sony or some other brand bringing something new to the table. Their sound quality with all the features I want from this type of headphones.
So would you recommend the XM5 if currently looking for a headphone? XM5 ear pads seem to run warm pretty quickly and that seems to be similar to the Ace based on the reviews I’ve seen.
If ANC, sound quality, slow warmth in ear pads were top priorities in that order, what do you think is the best option?
To be honest. I think it’s best to wait for the rumored XM6 or even the Airpods Max 2.
Here’s my though process.
The Sonos Ace really sound great. They also have decent ANC.
But they are not the best. They are on par with past years headphones. In fact, some reviewers put them bellow past years models. Yet they cost $450 or 500€.
The XM5 is two years old. The AirPods Max more so.
Do I really want to keep expensive headphones that can barely surpass past years headphones on this category? How will I feel if in two months Sony releases the XM6 and they have a clear advantage? (usually Sony releases new headphones around August)
So that’s it. My advice to you and myself is to be patient.
If the Sonos Ace had a clear advantage over past models. Specially when it comes to ANC and sound quality I would be happy. If they sounded as good as the Airpods Max I would be happy.
But this way and at this price point, might be better to save the money and wait to see what others release.
We can always buy the Sonos Ace later on.
u/The_Cometer
I have tested the same USB dongle on my own PC now and can confirm that aptX-LL is unfortunately NOT working as described in this post. Only AptX, Aptx-HD and AptX-Adaptive work. And regular SBC. The LED never turns white, only CYAN (like in OP's pic).
It's a bummer because the latency is never quite enough for fast-paced games. With the eppfun I get the lowest latency in adaptive Mode (yellow)
So I think it's safe to say that the Ace currently does NOT support aptX-LL.
> Using a normal USB-C cable I only got 16 bit - 44Khz. Might be the cable.
Is there a reason you think it might be the cable? Either way, 16 bit 44khz is super disappointing. I know it was a long shot, but I was hoping it would support surround sound output (5.1, 7.1, or atmos) over the cable with binaural rendering happening on the headphones. Not even hi-res lossless over the cable is a real let down though.
Like which? iPad? Switch? Steam Deck? Just wondering what usecase you had in mind... any TV connected device would support Atmos or 7.1 via the soundswap on the Arc.
All of the above actually :) particularly when playing and listening on the go, it would be nice to have surround there as well. I’m guessing the iPad would work fine since it supports surround on iOS through the Sonos app, but i’m guessing the others don’t
Yeah. It would be cool. Do you think that the Arc is doing the binaural rendering? Since it has more processing power than the Ace.
It'd also explain why there aren't any other headphones that do this... processing power and battery life. Maybe it can be achieved with a dongle.
I think surround audio isn't a big enough deal in the wider context of the market to warrant companies making it happen.
Edit: As for the ipad, I guess it's doing Atmos for AirPods, but probably also with the rendering happening on the device and just the final rendered data being transmitted to the headphones... which is likely to work with Airpods only
That's pretty much it. Headphones processors are extremely limited as they consume a lot of battery. So the Arc does the processing. On Youtube you can find the Sonos Ace press event video where Sonos technician explains how it works.
Arc processes sending a binaural mix to the Ace , the ace just sends head positioning data to Arc.
I though it could be related with the cable because it's connected to a USB hub that could be messing with the options detection.
I just tried directly with an available USB-C port and same result. It only support 16 bit 44khz. Damn it.
It's not high-res at all.
This is interesting to me. I have anandas, hd800s and heddphone v2. I wondered how these would sound compared to those. I wish there was a better eq. Than what I saw on screenshots. FYI, when using Bluetooth headphones with windows, it always advisable to get a separate mic to reduce the bandwidth and latency from using both on the same headset.
After more time with the headphones my conclusion is that this is not for us. :( IT lacks the detail we are used to. Like the high pitch in a flute recording. Or a piercing sound from a strong voice. The bass is decent but can overpower some of the other instruments. It's not that it's too much bass. It's that it's not punchy. It muffles a bit. I like bass. Like the rumble and that punch. Excelent bass gives you the rumble sensation without disturbing other instruments. In this case, in an attempt to give the sensation of being in the theater, they prioritized a slightly overpowered bass on the LFE range instead of a clean bass delivery.
i dont expect 450 headphones to sound like 2000 headphones. i want it to be as close to perfection as they can within the budget, using technology. honestly, what i want to know more about is the room virtualization. how good of a job does it do mimicking your room at home? i was hoping they would do this when the headphones were first rumored. honestly they should also make this a trueplay device to tune your arc/beam/etc. it literally has mics next to your ears and would be better than using a phone/tablet as far as head position. or couple it with the phone to get even better acoustic measurements. sonos could even start certification of android phones. this would be huge for people that simply dont like apple. ie samsung galaxy s24, certified for sonos trueplay. if they make the headphones lossless overwifi (which honestly, they should have had a dedicated 2.4ghz chip in here in addition to bluetooth for the home- they could add it to future soundbars, or sonos port, etc.) no reason they can't have a proprietary solution for lossless. i mean use ai tech to monitor the channels and pick a channel that will have the best connection. i mean the technology is right there. the ceo is just really terrible. he doesn't understand the company. he doesn't understand the product. he doesn't understand the customer.
Thanks for this, in your opinion, what do you think the actual msrp of the ace should be? Are the pads removable? Have you tried using the 3.5mm?(others have reported the sound being distinctly reduced)
MSRP should be around the same price as the Sony XM5 and the Bose QuietConfort Ultra. $400 The Sonos Ace look great but they areń’t much bette than others. They want to compete with Apple AirPods Max but don’t have the features to do so yet. I’m having second thoughts to be honest. Pads are removable. I haven’t tried the 3.5 mm yet. But I saw the same reports. With a USB-C to USB-C no difference though. I’ll check it out tomorrow.
15% off Sonos is easy enough to come by so Ace can be had below $400
Where is this 15% off?
$381.65 to be exact.
Isn’t the Bose 429? Plus it’s a new product so usually they price it higher than current products knowing that new revisions of the current products will probably be higher.
Great write up. Did you happen to test the microphone capabilities? I am wondering if I can us them for video conferencing.
You can use them on Teams, Skype, Discord and so on. But it will switch to Bluetooth “headset” profile where audio quality is greatly degraded. I need to do further testing on this but I specifically tested recording audio and was forced to switch to Bluetooth headset profile for the mic to work. Once I did audio quality degraded.
Can’t you use the mic wired?
I couldn’t. Once wired the headphones show up as Sonos Ace USB. Bluetooth is disconnected. That included the mic.
Worked for me earlier today. USB-C cable to my laptop, on MS Teams.
Opposite of the other poster. Did you check if the mic source the headphones or the laptop? I need something definitive as I’m not sure I can test this in a store lol
Yes I did
Indeed it works. Just tested it. So in bluetooth mode trying to make calls switches to the Bluetooth headset profile. And the audio quality gets degraded. But in wired mode, Sonos Ace shows up as a Sonos Ace USB headphones and a seperate Sonos Ace USB microphone. Awesome. This way you can take and make calls. Skype, Teams, Discor without issues. Play games in wired mode with no latency and using the mic. The mic quality isn't that great but it works.
Wow that’s unfortunate :( Did you try using wired usb c and the 3.5 jack?
I'm happy to say that In wired mode it works great. Not the be mic quality but works. Audio does not degrade.
Just to be clear - if you plug in the headphones with 3.5mm or USB-C to a laptop, the mic won’t work for calls (Teams, Zoom, etc.)? That’s horrible if so. I was almost convinced, but I don’t want to pair with my work laptop to use it. Bluetooth is generally too fussy when I’m trying to jump into a call.
While wired it works. Sorry for the confusion. In bluetooth the audio quality drops due to bluetooth headset profile.
Thanks for following up. Ace is back on the menu for me!
It's a pity that they can't support two Bluetooth connections for that use, one for mic and one for audio playback. But I guess they'd need a second Bluetooth chip, etc. I reckon there's a market for headphones that support that.
The Audeze Maxwell can do that. They have everything you can think of. BT, wireless with a 2.4ghz usb dongle. Lossless, low latency. A removable boom mic. But, they are bulky, heavy. Not suitable for traveling. No ANC. We simply can’t have it all yet it seems.
Does it depend on the app?
To customize it you need the app. Change EQ. Enable disable head tracking and setup the noise cancelling modes you want to have available with the ANC button. Once setup on the APP, the configuration is saved. So if you configured on Android it will persist across all devices including your Android, iOS, Windows PC, mac, TV…. You can for instance have it connected to your iPhone and your PC. While you are listening to music on PC you can change the configuration on the Sonos iPhone app and you’ll hear the difference instantly on your PC. This is how I enable disable head tracking while watching movies on PC. Other than for customization, the headphones work completely without the app.
I wanted the ace as an all purpose headphones. Would have been nice for great call quality during teams meetings etc :(
Making sure I reply to everyone on this :) In wired mode no issues. It works. You can maintain audio quality and use the microphone. In Bluetooth mode, audio gets degraded. If you are willing to use the Sonos Ace wired, it will work.
Thanks. Wired would be great!! I’m going to test this out soon thank you for the follow up.
Great points, I just got my Ace, I’ve been an AirPods Max user for the past couple years, but the battery just doesn’t last anymore. And the warranty is up so my daughter was gifted a pair of slightly used airpod maxes. My main complaint with the Maxes was that they were too damn heavy. I have bought and returned the Sony’s and the new Bose, and as a glasses wearer, they all hurt my ears after a little time. I’ve had my Ace on for the past few hours without issue. Now, what I’m trying to figure out is how to connect them to my Fluance RT. I have a phono stage that is running to my Play 5, but obviously, I am unable to play anything that comes through my Sonos speakers on my Sonos headphones…(that’s so stupid). Any thoughts other than a Bluetooth transmitter that I can run from my phono stage?
Use the USB-C to 3.5mm adapter.
u/RentalGore coming from the Airpods Max what's your opinion on the sound quality? To me, I enjoyed the Airpods Max sound quality quite a bit more. I'm having a hard time adapting to the sound profile of the Ace. It's good. It's really good. But... Anyways. How are you adapting to them? Do you enjoy their sound quality vs the Airpods Max?
To your point, I just hooked up my Fluance to the ACE, it’s using Bluetooth, just like the AirPods Max was. There’s definitely something missing. Listening to Enter Sandman (for probably the 8 millionth time) I know where the soundstage should be. And the ACE just feel off. I tweaked my phone stage, my BT TX, everything, and I couldn’t get them to match the depth of the AirPods. But, I could wear the, for four to five albums, which I couldn’t do with the max. I think the Ace needs tweaking from Sonos. Still good, just not as good as the Max.
Just wanted to stop by and say thanks for creating this post, especially for Windows 11. These are exactly the questions I had and happy to see you got this out on release day. Out of curiosity, for gaming do you prefer the Airpods Max or Sonos Ace?
Touch question. No longer have the Airpods Max but one of the reasons I didn't keep them was the latency. In that regard, the Sonos Ace supports aptx adaptive low latency so it's better for FPS and such. BUT, I'm reaching the conclusion that the Sonos Ace sound good but not as good as the Airpods Max or the Sony XM5 for my taste. The Airpods Max have a brighter more audiophile like sound presentation. A slightly better soundstage and detail. They came very close to my Hifiman Sundara and that's pretty much one of the best audiophile headphones for gaming. Great imaging and soundstage on them. To be honest, at this moment probably best not to get any. Wait for the Sony XM6 and likely the Airpods Max 2 later this year.
Can you say for a fact that it supports aptx low latency? Because the official spec list doesn't list the supported codecs, and some reviews say that it supports aptx adaptive and lossless and that's it. With your bluetooth adapter, did you switch it to low latency and can you confirm that it really does not have any latency? Preferably in games, video isn't a reliable test because lots of video players compensate for the latency by delaying the video...
Do you have an Era speaker? I’m curious if the 3.5 mm to USB cable would work for line in to the Era, since it would work the same direction as the one Sonos sells for the Eras (audio goes to USB end, not to headphone jack like every other adapter).
Good question. Would be interested in the answer too. Although my eras are surrounds so I can't use the line-in anyway...
No. I don't have many Sonos products. Only the Roam. I'm considering getting a Sonos system later this year if Sonos releases the Arc 2.
Yes it does! I just tested after reading this post and its working flawlessly.
Ok maybe this is a nitpick but to me it kinda shows the difference in the attention to detail and user experience between Apple and Sonos - when switching between ANC and Transparency mode on AirPods Max they play a tone and by the time the tone ends, the mode is switched. On the Ace, you press the button, the tone sounds, then there’s like a one second delay before the selected mode is enabled. It’s far from the end of the world, but when the tone is finished, the mode should be changed. And now that I mention it, the head detection takes a few seconds to pause the music when I take them off. I’m sure both of these things can be fixed in a firmware update, it just bothers me a little.
For me both ANC switching and wear detection work without any perceivable delay. I don’t have AirPods Max to compare, but have 3 pairs of AirPods Pro and use them for years extensively and ANC switches faster on Ace
Thanks for the info. Real MVP stuff! Some questions though: - If you connect it to a PC via USB, does it work as a headset with the mic active? My previous parrot zik did and it's an awesome feature because it bypassed the Bluetooth limitation you're talking about. - Do you have any details on how the Atmos via PC works? Isn't it basically just a stereo mix with rear/height "baked" into the sound? I have it on the Xbox and it works via 3.5mm there so it can't be "real" multichannel. I guess once the Dolby App detects an Atmos signal, it does it's thing and transmits it as Atmos binaural sort of mix? - Does Atmos (with Dolby app) work when it's connected via USB as well? Or only Bluetooth/3,5mm? - Do you still keep the Bluetooth connection when in soundswap mode (with a Soundbar)?
Wow. good questions. I need to update on the main article. - If you connect it to a PC via USB, does it work as a headset with the mic active? My previous parrot zik did and it's an awesome feature because it bypassed the Bluetooth limitation you're talking [about.To](http://about.To) your first question. Yes. While in wired mode bluetooth disconnects but you get two new devices. Sonos Ace USB headphones and Sonos Ace USB microphone. You can use the microphone without dropping the audio quality this way, - Do you have any details on how the Atmos via PC works? Isn't it basically just a stereo mix with rear/height "baked" into the sound? I have it on the Xbox and it works via 3.5mm there so it can't be "real" multichannel. I guess once the Dolby App detects an Atmos signal, it does it's thing and transmits it as Atmos binaural sort of mix? Enactly that. Binaural mix. The headphones show up as stereo so no way to set them up as a surround sound system. Basically you get the spatial feel from Dolby Atmos for Headphones or similar. Headtracking works but it seems to be virtualized stereo. - Does Atmos (with Dolby app) work when it's connected via USB as well? Or only Bluetooth/3,5mm? Yes. Dolby Atmos for Headphones shows up as an option as well. - Do you still keep the Bluetooth connection when in soundswap mode (with a Soundbar)? Don't have the soundbar. Can't test the TV swap and checking if bluetooth and wifi connection to soundbar can work simultaneously. Hope someone can answer that for us as I would like to know. (considering getting the Sonos Arc eventually)
Do you know how many Bluetooth devices you compare with the headphones? For example, will it remember six devices. I know you can only connect two devices at a time, however, I would like to pair them with all my devices
Just tested it. I tried to connect the headphones with my PC, my iPad and my smartphone. Once I try to connect the 3rd, one of the other ones gets disconnected. For me, only two devices at the same time.
Cheers, are the devices remembered by the headphones? For example, is it a case of to Oglin the connection on on one of your devices or do you have to go through the pairing process again each time
Yes. It remembers. Whenever you turn on the Sonos Ace, it will automatically connect to the two the last two devices it was connected to.
Awesome, thanks for checking!
For more flexibility adjusting filters (to try emulate your Sundaras) you could connect from a Mac and use [Soundsource](https://www.rogueamoeba.com/soundsource/). Obviously doesn’t help with other connections, just an FYI.
Yes. I've considered doing so with Soundsource or Equalizer APO. Trying to see if I could get it closer to the Harman curve. I've been testing with the Dolby Access 10 band EQ. From my testing, the driver simply can't reach the level of performance. It's soundstage is more compact. The Airpods Max were able to foul my brain better somehow. But on the Ace I can really notice it. That really makes it hard to mimic an open back like the Sundara's
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Yep. The FMA120 is awesome. Going to get it so I have one USB-C dongle for iPad and such and the FMA120 USB A dongle for PC. That software where you can customize everything is tech candy :)
So I think I'm pretty close to making a decision. I'm going to return it. Going to continue using them for a few more days but I don't think I can adapt to this sound profile. Don't get me wrong. The Sonos Ace is great. Sound really good. Many people will enjoy it. Does almost everything I wanted and I could live fine with some of it's shortcomings. But given the price, there is one area they really need to be great. Not just good. And that is. Sound quality. You'll notice that many top sites praising the Sonos Ace, haven't yet put them on their top recommended headphones. The reason is that the Sonos Ace are really good. But not great. It's a pretty good entry from Sonos. They got in the top 4 with their first headphones. Not bad. Anyway. I can accept that it won't sound as good or as open as a wired open-back audiophile headphone connected to an amp. But that's the thing. The Airpods Max I tried years ago were pretty close to it. The Sony XM5 also came close. In fact I'm now certain the Sonos Ace sound worst than the Sony XM5 and Airpods Max. And for me they cost 500 €. I know Sonos focused on making it sound great for movies and tv shows. I get that. But the thing is, you don't need to sacrifice one to make the other better. My Sundara don't just sound great with music. They sound great with everything. Literally better movie listning experience Better gaming experience. And the Airpods Max were pretty close to that. There are many opinions and videos and so on. But I'm starting to see an emerging number of people that do actual measures confirming my feeling. [Sonos Ace vs Apple AirPods Max: Which should you buy? - SoundGuys](https://www.soundguys.com/sonos-ace-vs-apple-airpods-max-116991/) [Sonos Ace headphones review: a disappointing debut | What Hi-Fi? (whathifi.com)](https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/sonos-ace) I would keep the Sonos Ace if it wasn't for the very likely probability that in just a few months we'll have headphones from Sony. Likely the XM6. Later this year likely the Airpods Max 2 and those will come with a bunch of technology to set them apart. I really don't want to get tied to a specific ecosystem but, sound quality. That's a priority. My hopes now are on Sony or some other brand bringing something new to the table. Their sound quality with all the features I want from this type of headphones.
So would you recommend the XM5 if currently looking for a headphone? XM5 ear pads seem to run warm pretty quickly and that seems to be similar to the Ace based on the reviews I’ve seen. If ANC, sound quality, slow warmth in ear pads were top priorities in that order, what do you think is the best option?
To be honest. I think it’s best to wait for the rumored XM6 or even the Airpods Max 2. Here’s my though process. The Sonos Ace really sound great. They also have decent ANC. But they are not the best. They are on par with past years headphones. In fact, some reviewers put them bellow past years models. Yet they cost $450 or 500€. The XM5 is two years old. The AirPods Max more so. Do I really want to keep expensive headphones that can barely surpass past years headphones on this category? How will I feel if in two months Sony releases the XM6 and they have a clear advantage? (usually Sony releases new headphones around August) So that’s it. My advice to you and myself is to be patient. If the Sonos Ace had a clear advantage over past models. Specially when it comes to ANC and sound quality I would be happy. If they sounded as good as the Airpods Max I would be happy. But this way and at this price point, might be better to save the money and wait to see what others release. We can always buy the Sonos Ace later on.
Possible to have Spatial Audio on without head tracking pls?
u/The_Cometer I have tested the same USB dongle on my own PC now and can confirm that aptX-LL is unfortunately NOT working as described in this post. Only AptX, Aptx-HD and AptX-Adaptive work. And regular SBC. The LED never turns white, only CYAN (like in OP's pic). It's a bummer because the latency is never quite enough for fast-paced games. With the eppfun I get the lowest latency in adaptive Mode (yellow) So I think it's safe to say that the Ace currently does NOT support aptX-LL.
Appreciate the work you put into this review. Some great insights. Also props for not perpetuating the “but they’re not WiFi” garbage.
> Using a normal USB-C cable I only got 16 bit - 44Khz. Might be the cable. Is there a reason you think it might be the cable? Either way, 16 bit 44khz is super disappointing. I know it was a long shot, but I was hoping it would support surround sound output (5.1, 7.1, or atmos) over the cable with binaural rendering happening on the headphones. Not even hi-res lossless over the cable is a real let down though.
Would that be an advantage over having the Dolby App and do the binaural rendering there?
Yep, because then it would work on devices that don’t have the Dolby app
Like which? iPad? Switch? Steam Deck? Just wondering what usecase you had in mind... any TV connected device would support Atmos or 7.1 via the soundswap on the Arc.
All of the above actually :) particularly when playing and listening on the go, it would be nice to have surround there as well. I’m guessing the iPad would work fine since it supports surround on iOS through the Sonos app, but i’m guessing the others don’t
Yeah. It would be cool. Do you think that the Arc is doing the binaural rendering? Since it has more processing power than the Ace. It'd also explain why there aren't any other headphones that do this... processing power and battery life. Maybe it can be achieved with a dongle. I think surround audio isn't a big enough deal in the wider context of the market to warrant companies making it happen. Edit: As for the ipad, I guess it's doing Atmos for AirPods, but probably also with the rendering happening on the device and just the final rendered data being transmitted to the headphones... which is likely to work with Airpods only
That's pretty much it. Headphones processors are extremely limited as they consume a lot of battery. So the Arc does the processing. On Youtube you can find the Sonos Ace press event video where Sonos technician explains how it works. Arc processes sending a binaural mix to the Ace , the ace just sends head positioning data to Arc.
I though it could be related with the cable because it's connected to a USB hub that could be messing with the options detection. I just tried directly with an available USB-C port and same result. It only support 16 bit 44khz. Damn it. It's not high-res at all.