Sonos Ace Headphones: You Had One Job!

Summary

The video discusses the entry of Sonos into the high-end noise-cancelling headphone market with their $450 Bluetooth headphones. The headphones offer comfort, good sound quality, impressive noise cancellation, and a seamless switch feature between Sonos speakers and headphones. However, they lack Wi-Fi connectivity and an ecosystem integration that Sonos speakers are known for, making them seem overpriced compared to competitors like Sony and Bose. The reviewer recommends them for Sonos brand enthusiasts, those seeking the best transparency mode outside of AirPods, and users who frequently switch between TV audio on Sonos speakers and headphones.

Takeaways

• 🎧 Sonos has entered the high-end noise-canceling headphone market with a new product priced at $450.
• 🔊 The headphones are lightweight and comfortable, with a design that accommodates different head sizes and shapes.
• 👂 The ear cups are soft and removable, featuring a color-coded mesh to distinguish left from right.
• 👎 The case design is criticized for its zipper quality and lack of compactness when headphones are extended.
• 🔘 The headphones feature real buttons for power, noise cancellation, and volume control, as well as a rocker switch for media control.
• 🎵 Sonos Ace headphones offer good sound quality with custom 40mm drivers and adjustable EQ settings.
• 🛫 The noise cancellation feature is highly effective, suitable for environments like airplanes and noisy roads.
• 👂‍🦻 Transparency mode is praised for its natural sound, allowing clear environmental awareness while wearing the headphones.
• 🔌 Unlike Sonos speakers, the headphones are Bluetooth-only and do not connect via Wi-Fi, lacking direct streaming service access.
• 🏠 The headphones can quickly switch between TV audio and music sources when connected to Sonos speakers.
• 💰 At $450, they are positioned as a premium product but may be seen as overpriced compared to competitors like Sony and Bose.

Q & A

Which companies are currently dominating the high-end noise-canceling headphones market?

The companies dominating the high-end noise-canceling headphones market include Sony, Bose, and Apple with their AirPods Max.

What is Sonos known for before entering the headphone market?

Sonos is known for making premium Soundbars, which have been their most popular product.

What is the price range of the new Sonos headphones?

The new Sonos headphones are priced at $450.

What are some of the standout features of the Sonos headphones in terms of comfort and design?

The Sonos headphones are lightweight and comfortable, with a soft headband and removable, magnetic ear cups. They also have a different color mesh for the right and left side for easy identification.

What is the reviewer's main complaint about the headphones' case?

The reviewer finds the zipper on the case to be annoying as it often gets snagged, and they also feel that the case does not match the premium price of $450.

What type of buttons and controls do the Sonos headphones have?

The Sonos headphones have real buttons, including a power button on the left ear cup, a button and a switch on the right side for noise cancellation and transparency mode, and a rocker switch for media control.

How do the Sonos headphones perform in terms of sound quality?

The Sonos headphones have a nice full sound with great bass and strong highs. They are not mind-blowing but are good, especially with the ability to adjust EQ settings.

What does the reviewer think about the noise cancellation feature on the Sonos headphones?

The reviewer rates the noise cancellation feature as A+, stating that it erases white noise, air conditioning, droning road noise, and is particularly good for airplanes.

How does the Sonos headphones' transparency mode compare to other brands?

The transparency mode on the Sonos headphones is described as some of the best they've heard, second only to the AirPods, with a natural sound that allows for easy conversations while wearing the headphones.

Why does the reviewer feel that the Sonos headphones might be overpriced?

The reviewer feels the Sonos headphones might be overpriced because they lack Wi-Fi connectivity and the ability to integrate into the Sonos ecosystem like Sonos speakers do, which was an expected feature given the brand's reputation.

What is the unique feature that allows Sonos headphones to quickly switch between the Sonos Arc Soundbar and headphones?

The unique feature is a single tap of the content button, which allows for seamless switching between watching TV with the speakers and with the headphones when they are connected.

What is the reviewer's recommendation for people who are in the market for high-end noise-canceling headphones?

The reviewer suggests considering the brand preference, budget, and specific use cases such as the best transparency mode or the quick switch feature with Sonos Arc Soundbar. However, they also mention that other brands like Bose and Sony offer similar benefits at a lower price.

Outlines

00:00

🎧 Introduction to Sonos' New High-End Headphones

The script introduces the entry of Sonos into the high-end noise-cancelling headphone market, a space previously dominated by brands like Sony, Bose, and Apple with their AirPods Max. Sonos, known for premium soundbars, has released the Sonos Ace headphones priced at $450. The reviewer has been using the headphones for over a month and found them to be solid with some nice features, although there are downsides and a limited audience for whom they would be recommended. The headphones are lightweight and comfortable, made mostly of plastic, with soft headbands and removable, magnetic ear cups. Aesthetically, they resemble a blend of Sony and Microsoft Surface headphones, featuring a matte off-white look and stainless steel bands. However, the ear cups are a bit shallow, which is the only fit-related complaint.

05:00

🔊 Sonos Ace Headphones: Features, Sound Quality, and Noise Cancellation

The script discusses the features of the Sonos Ace headphones, including their noise cancellation and transparency mode. The headphones have custom 40mm drivers and eight microphones for effective noise cancellation and pass-through mode. The reviewer finds the noise cancellation to be top-notch, capable of erasing white noise and sudden environmental sounds, making them excellent for use on airplanes. The transparency mode is also praised for its natural sound, allowing for clear conversations while wearing the headphones. The headphones are Bluetooth-enabled with a 40-hour battery life and support multi-point connectivity. The sound quality is described as full and bass-heavy, with strong highs that can be adjusted through the Sonos app's EQ settings. However, the lack of Wi-Fi connectivity and integration into the Sonos ecosystem is a disappointment, making the headphones feel like an overpriced alternative to existing options.

10:02

🛒 Sonos Headphones: A Considered Purchase for Specific Use Cases

The script concludes with a nuanced recommendation of the Sonos headphones. While they offer good sound quality, comfort, and features, they do not integrate into the Sonos ecosystem like the brand's speakers do. The reviewer suggests that the headphones might be worth considering for those who love the Sonos brand, want the best transparency mode outside of AirPods, or frequently switch between watching TV with speakers and headphones. A quick seamless switch feature is highlighted for those with a Sonos Arc Soundbar. However, for most consumers, the headphones are seen as a solid but standard pair of Bluetooth headphones, competing with more affordable options from Bose and Sony.

Keywords

💡Noise-cancelling headphones

Noise-cancelling headphones are a type of headphone that uses active noise control technology to reduce unwanted ambient sounds. In the video, the speaker discusses the high-end market of these headphones, mentioning brands like Sony, Bose, and the new entry, Sonos. The theme revolves around evaluating the Sonos headphones' performance, comfort, and features in comparison to the established players in the market.

💡Sony

Sony is a well-known electronics brand that produces a range of consumer electronics, including noise-cancelling headphones. In the video, Sony's headphones are mentioned as one of the leading products in the high-end noise-cancelling headphone market, setting a benchmark for comparison with the new Sonos headphones.

💡Bose

Bose is another prominent brand in the audio equipment industry, particularly recognized for its noise-cancelling technology. The script refers to Bose headphones as part of the established competition in the high-end headphone market that Sonos is entering.

💡AirPods Max

AirPods Max are Apple's high-end over-ear headphones that offer active noise cancellation and spatial audio. The video compares Sonos headphones with AirPods Max, noting that while AirPods Max are more expensive, they offer seamless integration with Apple's ecosystem, which might be a deciding factor for some consumers.

💡Sonos

Sonos is a company renowned for its premium sound systems and speakers. The script discusses Sonos entering the headphone market with their new noise-cancelling headphones, which is a significant development as they are known for their high-quality audio products.

💡Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard used for exchanging data over short distances. In the context of the video, Sonos headphones are Bluetooth-enabled, which is a common feature for wireless headphones, allowing them to connect to devices for audio streaming.

💡Active noise cancellation

Active noise cancellation is a technology that reduces unwanted ambient sounds using microphones and sound processing. The video highlights the effectiveness of the noise cancellation feature in Sonos headphones, comparing it to other high-end options available.

💡Transparency mode

Transparency mode, also known as aware mode, allows external sounds to be heard through the headphones, which is useful for safety or awareness of the surroundings. The script praises the Sonos headphones for having one of the best transparency modes among non-AirPods devices.

💡EQ settings

EQ stands for equalization, which refers to the process of adjusting the balance of frequencies in an audio signal. The video mentions that the Sonos app allows users to adjust the EQ settings, specifically the bass and treble, to customize the sound to their preference.

💡Multi-point Bluetooth connectivity

Multi-point Bluetooth connectivity allows a device to be connected to multiple Bluetooth devices simultaneously. The video points out that Sonos headphones have this feature, enabling users to switch between devices easily.

💡Seamless switch

Seamless switch refers to the ability to quickly and easily switch between different audio sources or devices. The script discusses a feature of Sonos headphones that allows for a quick switch between watching TV with Sonos speakers and using the headphones, which is a convenient feature for some users.

Highlights

Sonos enters the high-end noise-cancelling headphones market with the release of Sonos Ace headphones.

Sonos is known for premium soundbars, and the Ace headphones are their first venture into the headphone market.

The Sonos Ace headphones are priced at $450, which raises the question of their value compared to competitors.

The headphones are lightweight and comfortable, with a design accommodating different head sizes and shapes.

The ear cups are soft and removable, featuring a color-coded mesh for easy identification of left and right sides.

The headphones have a minimalistic design with a matte off-white look and frictionless stainless steel bands.

The case design is criticized for its zipper quality and the inability to fit the headphones when fully extended.

The headphones feature real buttons for power, noise cancellation, and media control.

Sonos Ace headphones offer 40+ hours of battery life and multi-point Bluetooth connectivity.

Custom 40mm drivers and eight microphones provide active noise cancellation and pass-through mode.

The headphones have a full sound with great bass and strong highs, which can be adjusted via EQ settings.

Noise cancellation on the Sonos Ace is considered top-tier, effectively erasing background noises.

Transparency mode, or 'aware mode', is praised for its natural sound, allowing clear environmental awareness.

The headphones do not connect to the Sonos ecosystem via Wi-Fi, differing from expectations.

They can quickly switch between Sonos speakers and headphones for a seamless audio experience.

Recommendations for the Sonos Ace headphones are limited to brand enthusiasts, those valuing transparency mode, and users who frequently switch between speakers and headphones.

The Sonos Ace headphones are compared to other high-end options like the AirPods Max, Bose, and Sony headphones.

The review suggests that the Sonos Ace headphones may be overpriced compared to similar options on the market.

Transcripts

all right so the world of high-end noise

cancelling headphones has kind of

settled over the last few years you know

you've got the Sony's you've got the

Bose there's the airpods Max and then

kind of the rest but now player four has

entered the game Sonos so you've

probably heard of Sonos they've been

making these premium Soundbars for years

that's been their most popular product

and everyone just kind of figured they

would eventually get into headphones it

was just a matter of when and how much

cuz that's the thing about Sonos

speakers is they are premium they're

very expensive and so now here it's

obviously interesting enough that it's a

new player but they are also now

expensive

$450 Bluetooth noise cancelling

headphones so at that price the question

is are they actually worth getting so

I've been using the Sonos Ace headphones

for more than a month now I've edited

videos with them I've listened to a lot

of music I've gone on flights and turns

out they're really solid and they do

have some really nice features but there

are also definitely some downsides and

there's really only a small group of

people that I would actually recommend

these two but let me just start with the

basics right so these are the headphones

they are mostly made of plastic and that

is totally normal in this price range

because that makes them super

lightweight and comfortable and that is

one of these headphones best assets for

sure so they're really flexible for

different head sizes and shapes and the

top headband is really soft the ear cups

are also removable and they snap on and

off with magnets and they're also really

soft so ideally you can replace these

ear cups when they get old and by the

way I like that they have a different

color mesh for the right and left Sid so

you can tell at a glance which one is

which also same with the black colored

version that's kind of a neat touch the

shape of these cups is normal and

they're so soft but I feel like the one

thing I want is for these ear cups to be

a bit more deep I mean when they are on

my ears they're fine but they're just a

little bit shallow and my ears like

touching the inside of it so that's

maybe my only fit complaint but

everything else about the way they like

wear is great I think aesthetically they

look like a combo between the Sony's and

the Microsoft Surface headphones I don't

know if you remember those but they had

that matte off-white look and then with

the frictionless stainless steel bands

that airpods Max have that kind of

completes the look overall pretty simple

though not too much branding not too

many crazy accent Pieces Just good

looking and Good Feeling headphones here

is where I start to have complaints

though so this is the case that it comes

with pretty simple design it's like this

recycled material and it's got a

different color inside versus outside

but this zipper right here is so annoy

it's just maybe nitpicking but how often

it gets snagged on the way opening or

closing it is very annoying so I wish it

was either thicker or just smoother and

then the headphones do not fold down at

all to fit inside and matter of fact if

you have them extended they still don't

fit inside the case so you have to fully

collapse them and then just place them

in there so they don't they don't really

pack down very small unfort fortunately

there is also a little floating pouch

thing here in the middle of the case for

cables that like magnetizes in which is

pretty clever aside from that though for

as premium as these headphones are I

just feel like the case doesn't really

match up for

$450 I just got to be honest I wish that

the case was better but then buttons

good to see real buttons so on the left

ear cup there's just one button that's a

real power button so you hold that for 3

seconds to turn it on or off or hold 7

Seconds to pair then on the right side

is a button and a switch so the button

is basically to switch between noise

cancellation and transparency mode then

up top is this kind of a rocker switch

slash button it's called the content key

because it controls all your media but

you slide it up or down to change volume

and then you can press to play pause or

double press to go forward so basically

that rocker controls everything I think

in general Sonos got most of the

fundamentals right with these headphones

as far as design goes thankfully like

nothing critically wrong with them

they're pretty minimal it's got the

smooth stepless adjustment these are

some of the lightest softest especially

uh headphones I've ever worn I think

with deeper ear cups they're probably an

A+ they have a rock solid 40 plus hour

battery life they have multi-point

Bluetooth connectivity so you can

connect them to two different Bluetooth

devices at once so we might as well just

get right into how they sound so these

are closed back active noise

cancellation OV ear headphones they have

custom 40mm drivers and eight

microphones positioned all the way

around for noise cancellation and the

pass through mode I do think these

headphones sound good now they are not

mind-blowing World beating or anything

crazy like that they are still

constrained by physics and Bluetooth

codex but they have a nice full sound

with great bass all the way through

strong Highs at first I thought they

sounded a little muddier than airpods

Max but you can brighten them right up

by jumping in the EQ settings in the

extremely neutered Sonos app and that's

where you can mess with just a couple

other very basic things like onhe head

detection and head tracking surround

sound but like yeah look the EQ is liter

just a Bas slider and a trouble slider

so I hope they add to this at some point

but at least you can change that the

most impressive thing really about their

sound I think is the noise cancellation

it is really really good it basically

erases any sort of white noise air

conditioning droning road noise like

they are incredible for airplanes and

they can absorb even some of the more

sudden noise changes as well I think

this is A+ noise cancellation in my book

and then to my surprise they also have

some of the best transparency mod I've

heard in anything that's not airpods

really natural sounding for having

regular conversations with your

headphones on you can hear the

environment around you they call it

aware mode this is also great so I've

been saying all these nice things they

clearly they sound good they look good

they have all these good features good

noise cancellation they're very

comfortable so what's with the title so

here's the thing the reason everyone was

waiting for Sonos to do headphones is

because Sonos already makes these

awesome speakers they have a reputation

with these Internet connected speaker

systems that are a hit like I have a

Sonos Arc at home and it sounds great

it's awesome I think aside from what

they did to the app they're fantastic

you connect to various music/ media

sources and you can stream them to the

speaker systems and high quality you can

also obviously connect them to your TV

they're great and so naturally I think

we'd all like to have a new pair of

Sonos headphones that can join right in

the ecosystem and connect in the Sonos

app to be another one of our of Sonos

speakers and have all the same

functionality Unfortunately they can't

these are not Wi-Fi connected headphones

they're just regular they're Bluetooth

headphones so what you can do is when

you're home you can connect the

headphones straight to the speakers and

then you can quickly swap between the

ark speaker and the headphones with a

single tap of the content button so when

they're connected you can swap back and

forth between watching TV with the

speakers and with the headphones pretty

seamlessly but the headphones themselves

are not actually Wi-Fi enabled like

they're not going to pull anything from

any streaming services directly to the

headphones like some Sonos speaker

systems might so that's the bummer and

honestly it's I think it's probably a

battery issue why they aren't able to

pull it off on these and this all might

not even be a big deal to almost anyone

because basically no other pair of

headphones has that ability yet anyway

but for a new 450 $50 pair of Sonos

headphones kind of thought maybe they'd

be able to pull it off but they didn't

which means they kind of to me now feel

like almost an overpriced version of the

Sony's that already exist and I'm

talking about the marvs not even the

mark 5S which kind of felt like almost a

little bit of a pointless upgrade now I

actually recently made an upgrade that I

was curious if it would actually make a

noticeable difference to me or not I've

been using the eight sleep pod 3 for a

couple years now and I recently upgraded

to the Pod 4

and turns out it's actually pretty sick

so the eight sleep it was already really

good at sleep tracking with all the

sensors and the heart rate monitors and

all that fun stuff but they' redesign

the tech inside it making it more

comfortable it's also now twice as

powerful for cooling and 40% quieter but

maybe my favorite update is there's a

little tap area on the side so you can

silence or snooze the vibration alarm

just by reaching over and tapping right

here which is pretty sick but the extra

cooling I think is actually making a

difference to me I think a normal good

night of sleep for me I'm getting like

high 80 or low 90s as a sleep score

which I thought was pretty great and

then lately I've gotten a couple

hundreds which I'd never used to get but

now I feel like I'm getting a 100 like

once a week which is unheard of for me

they said the tech behind the Pod 4 has

been clinically validated to increase

sleep time by up to an hour every night

and increase deep sleep by up to 2 and

1/2 hours a month and reduce wakeup Time

by 3 hours a month all these are little

gains that really just add up and unlike

the Sonos app the eight sleep app is

really good and consistent ly is getting

better over time and then also with the

Pod 4 ultra they made this insane

adjustable base that can go underneath

your mattress so it can actually adjust

it to different sleeping positions and

then you can turn on automatic snore

detection so if it detects snoring it

like gently lifts your head up a few

degrees to stop it for you so if you

want to check one out I'll leave a link

below it's 8sleep.com

MKBHD and then if you use code MKBHD you

get $350 off a pod 4 ultra or 200 bucks

off a pod 4 you're welcome so at the end

of the day let's say you're in the

market for some high-end noise

cancelling headphones right obviously

there are some choices these feel like

they're a direct competitor to airpods

Max most people who have an iPhone and

iPad or a Mac and a bunch of stuff in

the ecosystem who still want that

seamless experience will probably still

go with airpods Max even though they're

more expensive but what I will say is

those are heavier and I probably

wouldn't buy those right now I think

there's got to be a new version of those

like right around the corner just just

as a PSA but then there's the Bose and

the Sony's that I mentioned earlier

which are essentially 90% of the same

headphones that have a lot of the same

benefits but $1 to $200 cheaper so the

only way that I feel like I can shoehorn

in recommending this pair of Sonos

headphones is I guess one if you just

really love the brand and you know got

the money and you don't care fine two is

if you want the best transparency mode

that isn't

airpods that's these but then three is

if you switch between watching TV with

your speakers and your headphones

particularly often like I'm not

personally that person but the one use

case I feel like I hear all the time is

like people who live together but one of

them wants to watch TV while the other

doesn't wake up or doesn't hear or

something like that so if you're that

person and you already have or about to

get the Sonos Arc Soundbar then in that

case these are a great pair with that

just because of that quick seamless

switch feature but that's kind of it

otherwise they're just a normal solid

pair of bluetooth headphones so I'll

leave links to all my other headphone

reviews below check them out get

subscribed if you haven't already thanks

for watching and I'll catch you guys in

the next one peace