Sonos Ace Ultra review: more musical, more feature-rich, much improved headphones
The Sonos Ace Ultra are true all-rounder wireless over-ear headphones, offering excellent sound quality for music and movies, enhanced ANC and more features than ever before.
Sonos has unleashed a new pair of wireless headphones, the Ace Ultra, with a host of improvements over their predecessor. These upgraded over-ear headphones boast enhanced custom 40mm drivers, a new headphone engine, longer battery life, improved noise-cancelling, and more detailed EQ. The Ace Ultra aim to compete with flagship rivals like Sony and Bose, potentially becoming some of the best noise-cancelling headphones tested.
The most significant improvement lies in the sound quality. Unlike the original Ace, which struggled with middling musicality, the Ace Ultra deliver openness, intricate detailing, and a broader, more organized soundstage. They provide a better balance across the frequency range, with deep yet controlled bass, rich but less overzealous mids, and tight, articulate treble.
While more premium competitors like Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 might offer slightly more detailed sound, the Ace Ultra are hardly far behind.
The Ace Ultra also retain the immersive Dolby Atmos audio with effective head-tracking from the original Ace, providing wonderful width, strong command over height effects, and clear dialogue and cinematic bass. The updated noise-cancelling, adaptive and transparent modes, and strong call quality further contribute to an excellent listening experience.
Battery life has also seen a boost, with up to 35 hours with ANC on. Although this isn't groundbreaking, it exceeds the 30-hour standard for headphones in this price bracket, and the battery is replaceable with a rapid charging mode providing three hours of playback in just three minutes. EQ options have expanded beyond the basic two-band equalizer, now offering an eight-band option and adaptive EQ for personalized sound.
The headphones' Wi-Fi capabilities include TV Audio Swap, enabling seamless sound transfer from compatible Sonos soundbars, and Headphone Linking for playing sound from compatible speakers like the Sonos Play. While the Ace Ultra may not look significantly different from the previous model, their sleek, well-built design, and comfort make them a worthwhile investment, especially considering their similar pricing to the original Ace.
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