With the Ultra, Sonos has given us more. More ANC, more features, more detail in the sound, and even more finishes. These four-star cans are a big improvement on their predecessors, and have a lower launch price as well. Lesson learned.
Pros
- Sound powerful, rich and weighty
- Sufficient detail with full, well-controlled bass
- Plenty of features and handy Sonos ecosystem integration
- Appealing, comfy design
Cons
- Still sonically superior alternatives available at this level
- Voice calls aren’t class leading
- Don’t fold away completely
Unfortunately a sleek design and decent build quality wasn't enough to save the Ace from their three-star fate. They're comprehensively outclassed by the Ace Ultra in every regard. Only recommended if the price falls very significantly.
Pros
- Streamlined, stylish design
- Physical controls work well
- Inoffensive, balanced sound
- Okay levels of detail
Cons
- Lack of clarity and expression
- Stunted dynamics and rhythmic drive
- Slightly buggy during testing
- Average call quality
Just in case you’ve missed the news, Sonos has unveiled a new pair of flagship wireless headphones.
Dubbed the Sonos Ace Ultra, they’re successors to the original Ace, which launched back in 2024 and promise not only new features and a raft of changes inside and out, but improved sound quality too.
We've now reviewed the new pair, and are pleased to say that they do improve on the three-star originals. But how are they better? And are they worth buying over the standard Ace? Let's find out.
Sonos Ace Ultra vs Sonos Ace - Tech specs comparison
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Sonos Ace Ultra |
Sonos Ace |
|---|---|---|
Bluetooth version |
6.0 |
5.4 |
Codec support |
SBC, AAC, aptX Lossless |
SBC, AAC, AptX Lossless |
Noise cancelling |
Yes |
Yes |
Battery life |
35hrs |
30hrs |
Finishes |
4 (Black, Soft White, Agave, Sand) |
2 (Black, Soft White) |
Weight |
322g |
312g |
Sonos Ace Ultra vs Sonos Ace - Price
The Ace Ultra might be Sonos’s flagship wireless headphones, but the good news is there hasn’t been a price hike for the new model.
In fact, if you live in the UK, the Ace Ultra are actually cheaper than their predecessors were at launch. The Ultras go on sale on the 29th September and cost £399 / $449 / AU$699 compared to the £449 / $449 / AU$699 of the original model.
Of course, the Ace have been around for a couple of years now, which means you can find regular discounts closer to the £299 / $299 / AU$449 mark if you shop around online.
We’ve been told both pairs will continue to coexist for some time, so we’d expect there could be potential for further price drops for the original over time, especially around peak sales periods such as Black Friday.
Sonos Ace Ultra vs Sonos Ace - Design and build
Little has changed between the Ace and Ace Ultra in terms of design – and that's a good thing. The new pair maintains its predecessor's minimalist aesthetic, comfortable fit and premium feel. The headphones feel solid and durable, and the buttons and toggles responsive and tactile.
They still don't fold away completely though, which is a shame.
New 'Rebound' memory foam cushions on the earpads provide a plusher, more forgiving fit. They don't heat up like some lesser pads, even over long listening sessions, and they should also aid in passive noise reduction – you can read more about this later.
Like their predecessors, the earpads are swappable so you can replace them with a new pair if needed (they attach magnetically). Which is certainly cheaper and more environmentally friendly than buying a whole new pair of cans.
The Ultra weigh 10g more than the standard Ace, and come in twice as many finishes. The Sonos logo also stands out a bit more against these finishes, making it more conspicuous.
The Ultra also upgrade the internal design, with new Sonos-designed 40mm dynamic drive units. These incorporate a dual-ring magnet motor structure, designed to reduce distortion for clearer, more detailed sound and punchier, fuller bass. We'll see if it delivers in the 'Sound quality' section.
** Winner: Sonos Ace Ultra **
Sonos Ace Ultra vs Sonos Ace - Features
While the exterior design and build quality of the Ace Ultra might look familiar, there have been significant changes under the hood.
The key change is the introduction of Sonos’s new “Headphone Engine 2" which is a next-gen wi-fi hardware and software system that lets you link the headphones directly to your existing Sonos system.
It’s a feature that was missing from the originals at launch and is the first time you can connect the headphones to other compatible Sonos wireless speakers, as well as its current line of soundbars, including the new Beam Ultra. It’s done at the press of a button on either the headphones or app – we found it quick and simple to use.
Sonos is promising big things on the noise-cancelling front, claiming that the ANC for the Ace Ultra is twice as powerful as that on the Ace.
It’s an adaptive system which should be able to change intensity as you change your surroundings, while it can also take into account any gaps in the seal due to headphones, hair etc. An Aware mode allows for transparency so you can hear the environment around you.
The new model boasts ten mics compared to eight used on the Ace.
This should also mean that calls are quieter and that background noise should be easier for the headphones to filter out. Their Sidetone feature should mean you’re able to hear yourself speak naturally while ANC is turned on.
Ace Ultra also get a boost in battery life, up from 30 hours in the old Ace to 35 hours in the new model with ANC activated. There’s a low power mode within the Sonos app which claims to extend battery life by up to 30 per cent.
AptX Lossless is supported once again as is the ability to listen over a wired USB-C connection although it’s a shame that sample rate support hasn’t increased from the 16-bit/48kHz of the original Ace.
The Ultra otherwise support all the same features as the standard Ace, including TrueCinema, which uses spatial software to customise your headphones' acoustics to your room for a more cinematic experience with movies that use Dolby Atmos sound. We found it made Blade Runner 2049 sound notably more cinematic than without the mode activated.
Like their predecessors, they also support Dolby Atmos spatial audio content with head tracking from platforms such as Tidal, Amazon Music and Apple Music.
** Winner: Sonos Ace Ultra **
Sonos Ace Ultra vs Sonos Ace - Sound quality
But it's in the sound department where the real gains have been made.
To say the original Ace were a disappointment would be an understatement. We found them timid, almost apologetic, but the Ultra are a lot more muscular and confident in their approach.
Nowhere is this more evident than with Björk’s Army Of Me, which "pulsates with a raw and assertive energy" through the new cans, we wrote in our Sonos Ace Ultra review. The drums are lent "perceptible heft, while Björk’s insistent calls that "if you complain once more / you’ll meet an army of me" have the weight and urgency to have us rethinking our current life choices."
They're not the subtlest performers, and dynamically they could do with a bit more pep, but they do pack a decent amount of textural insight and a bass that's weighty without becoming overbearing.
The standard Ace, by contrast, deliver “a simplistic and safe sound – not one we would call exciting or enthralling,” we wrote in our Sonos Ace review. We found them perfectly fine but at no stage did they come close to matching the class leading Bose and Sony rivals for entertainment, dynamics or detail.
The Ace Ultra also improve the active noise cancellation, being far more effective at silencing the world beyond the earcups. "Piercing highs and sonic boom lows will still penetrate your serene bubble, but this is a vastly improved experience, and the Ace Ultra do a far better job of making the clamour and clutter of environmental noise feel more subdued," we wrote in our review. Credit where it's due.
** Winner: Sonos Ace Ultra **
Sonos Ace Ultra vs Sonos Ace - Verdict
With the Ace Ultra, Sonos has obviously gone to great lengths to try to produce a sequel that goes above and beyond what it served up with the Sonos Ace. And it's succeeded, improving almost every aspect of the headphones – the Ultra have better sound, more effective ANC, more features and a longer battery life. They even come in more colours.
If you own a few Sonos speakers and want a decent pair of headphones to work seamlessly with them, the Ace Ultra are a no-brainer. The standard Ace would have to see a pretty hefty discount to run their successors a close race.
** Overall winner: Sonos Ace Ultra **
MORE:
Here's our pick of the best wireless headphones for all budgets
Reacquaint yourself with our Sonos Ace review
And go more in-depth with our Sonos Ace Ultra review
