When Sonos announced the launch of Ace headphones last month, it got audio fans excited because it was the first move the brand has made outside of the world of sound bars. The Santa Barbara-based tech company calls its new invention a " personal best for sound ", where it "fuses fashion and function with the highest-quality audio in an elegant design". And I totally agree with this.
When I got my hands on the black Sonos Ace overhead earphones , it felt premium - from the touch of supple vegan leather, the matte finish cups to the concealed hinges and custom 40mm drivers - but how does it reflect the £449 price tag when it comes to the performance? READ MORE: Get 30% off this 'quality' Samsonite suitcase in time for summer holidays Sonos Ace supports lossless audio and spatial audio with Dolby Atmo and you can listen to music or watch a movie in either Active Noise Cancellation or Aware Mode. It also features Dolby head tracking so the audio stays at the front no matter where you move . Made from recycled materials, the remarkably slim and durable travel case features a magnetically detachable cable pouch I have been testing the headphones against my go-to Sony WH1000-XM5 (which has been reduced from £319 to £270 on Amazon ) and realised Sonos Ace did a better job in creating audio depth and delivering crystal clear vocals.
On the XM5, the bass is not punchy and somehow "muffled" but that is not the case on Ace. It's an elevated emotive experience especially when I put on.
