Sonos Ace Headphones Reviewed: A Year and a Half Later

The Sonos Ace headphones have evolved since their 2024 debut, but are they still the best choice for Sonos fans?

Feb. 4, 2026 at 8:07pm

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Since launching its first over-ear headphones, Sonos has tackled some of the original model's biggest flaws. After over a year of use, the reviewer shares updated buying advice for the Sonos Ace headphones in 2026.

Why it matters

The Sonos Ace headphones are designed to seamlessly integrate with Sonos' home theater products, providing a private listening experience for Sonos users. As Sonos continues to update the headphones, it's important for consumers to understand their strengths, weaknesses, and whether they are the best fit, especially for those outside the Sonos ecosystem.

The details

The Sonos Ace headphones feature a clean, elegant design and are incredibly comfortable to wear for long periods. They offer a vibrant, dynamic sound profile that is well-suited for genres like pop, electronic, and hip-hop, though they may not be the best choice for critical listening. The standout feature is TV Audio Swap, which allows users to easily connect the headphones to a compatible Sonos soundbar for a private TV-watching experience. Sonos has also added features like TrueCinema, which measures room acoustics and applies them to the spatial audio. However, the headphones' noise-cancelling and microphone performance still lag behind competitors like Sony and Bose, especially in noisier environments.

  • The Sonos Ace headphones were released in mid-2024.
  • Sonos gave the Ace headphones a major software update for their first birthday in the summer of 2025.

The players

Sonos

An American audio equipment company that specializes in wireless, multi-room audio products, including speakers, soundbars, and now headphones.

Sony WH-1000XM6

A popular pair of noise-cancelling over-ear headphones from Sony, known for their detailed sound and advanced noise-cancelling capabilities.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2

The second generation of Bose's premium noise-cancelling over-ear headphones, offering reliable performance in various environments.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple's high-end over-ear noise-cancelling headphones, featuring tight integration with iOS devices.

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What they’re saying

“If you're in a seriously committed relationship with Sonos' home theater products and often find yourself unable to use them once your partner, kids, roommates, or neighbors retire for the night, you'll find the most value in the Sonos Ace, both inside and outside your home.”

— Jada Jones (ZDNET)

“If you have Sonos soundbars but don't plan to use the TV Audio Swap feature, or if you don't have Sonos soundbars at all, you'll miss out on these headphones' best feature, and you'll be better off buying from Apple, Sony, or Bose.”

— Jada Jones (ZDNET)

What’s next

Sonos is expected to release a new generation of the Ace headphones in the near future, which may address the current model's shortcomings in noise-cancelling and microphone performance.

The takeaway

The Sonos Ace headphones are a great choice for Sonos fans who need a private TV-watching solution in their home, but those outside the Sonos ecosystem may find more value in competing options from Sony, Bose, or Apple, especially if they don't plan to utilize the TV Audio Swap feature.