Sonos Ace Headphones Review

In this episode of Double Tap, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece review the Sonos Ace headphones, joined by guest Elliot Stonehill, who shares his own experiences. Released in June 2024, the Sonos Ace marks the company’s entry into the premium over-ear noise-canceling headphone market, boasting features like Dolby Atmos with dynamic head tracking, aptX Adaptive Bluetooth support, and USB-C for lossless audio. The headphones provide up to 30 hours of playback with ANC and include a quick charge feature, offering three hours of playback with just three minutes of charging.

While the Ace headphones feel premium in design, with comfortable ear cups and a lightweight build, the lack of folding capability for portability and underwhelming audio performance are notable drawbacks. Despite their integration into the Sonos ecosystem, including seamless TV Audio Swap with Sonos soundbars, the headphones’ spatial audio and stereo width left reviewers unimpressed. Steven notes, “The premium quality in my hand ended when I put them on my head,” describing the audio as lacking the immersive experience expected.

Elliot highlights the convenience of swapping audio between devices but agrees that the overall sound quality falls short compared to competitors like the Sony XM5s or AirPods Max. Both Steven and Elliot express concerns about the Sonos app, which recently underwent a major redesign. While Sonos has made strides in addressing accessibility and usability issues, the rocky launch and delayed updates frustrated many users.

For those already invested in the Sonos ecosystem, the Ace headphones might be worth considering. However, Steven and Elliot recommend exploring alternatives, such as Sony or Bose, for better standalone performance.