Sonos Ace Ultra Review: $449 Noise-Cancelling Headphones Built for a Sonos Home

The Sonos Ace Ultra is Sonos’s second go at over-ear headphones. It costs $449, $50 more than the original Ace, which stays on sale at $399. Preorders opened September 1 and units started shipping on September 29, 2026.

The pitch is simple. The first Ace was a good pair of Bluetooth headphones that barely talked to the rest of a Sonos system. The Ultra fixes much of that over Wi-Fi, and adds stronger noise cancelling, new drivers, 35-hour battery life and Bluetooth 6.0 along the way. Full specs are on Sonos’s product page.

Pros and cons

Quick specs

What’s new compared with the original Sonos Ace

If you already know the first Ace, here is the short list.

• New 40 mm drivers. Sonos says they deliver more detail, deeper bass and lower distortion. Early reviews agree the sound is warmer and fuller than the original’s.
• More ANC. There are now ten microphones, up from eight. Sonos claims up to twice the cancellation of the original at frequencies up to 65 Hz, which covers engine rumble and HVAC drone.
• More battery. 35 hours with ANC, up from 30, on a 1,060 mAh cell. Sonos now sells a replacement battery kit ($25) as well as replacement cushions ($39). The battery swap needs tools, but you can do it yourself.
• Better EQ. The app goes from a two-band bass and treble slider to 3-band and 8-band control, plus an adaptive EQ that adjusts for fit, glasses and hair.
• Bluetooth 6.0, up from 5.4.
• Wi-Fi. This is the big one. More on it below.

The one step back is weight. The Ultra is 322 g, 10 g more than the original. That is close to AirPods Max territory and heavier than Sony and Bose flagships.

Wi-Fi changes what these headphones are for

The original Ace’s biggest letdown was that, apart from the soundbar trick, it behaved like any other Bluetooth headset. The Ultra has a Wi-Fi radio, and Sonos built two features on it.

TV audio swap. Press the Content Key and audio from a compatible Sonos soundbar moves to the headphones, with Dolby Atmos and head tracking. TrueCinema uses the microphones to map your room and tune the virtual surround to it. This was the original Ace’s best feature, and it remains the best reason to buy into the Ultra.

Headphone Linking. This is new. Music that is playing on a compatible Sonos speaker can move to the Ace Ultra over Wi-Fi, and back again, from the Content Key. If you leave the living room or someone wants to go to sleep, the song carries on in your ears.

Two caveats. First, Sonos launched Headphone Linking as an Early Access feature: opt-in, provided as-is, and subject to change. Gizmodo tested it with Sonos speakers and reported bugs at launch that settled down after updates. The Gadgeteer notes that it works with content playing through the Sonos app, not with AirPlay or Bluetooth sources. Second, Sonos has not published a full list of compatible speakers and soundbars. Check the Sonos app with your own system before you count on it.

Noise cancelling and sound

Sonos’s headline claim is up to twice the ANC of the original Ace below 65 Hz. That is the frequency range where the original was weakest against plane and train rumble.

The reviews are positive but mixed. TechRadar says the Ultra can finally go toe-to-toe with Sony and Bose, and calls it one of its favorite headphones of the year. Gizmodo puts the ANC in the middle of the pack, letting through noticeable train chatter and cabin drone, and gives it 3.5 out of 5. Most reviewers agree it is a clear step up from the original but not a clear win over the Sony WH-1000XM6 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra.

On sound, reviews describe a balanced, warmer signature than the first Ace, with clean vocals and controlled bass. Reviewers who liked it called it more open and musical. Gizmodo called it good but not great for $449. The new 8-band EQ gives you more room to shape it than you had on the first Ace.

Aware mode is consistently praised as natural-sounding, and the voice-boost option helps when you need to hear a gate announcement.

Lossless, wired listening and codecs

There are two routes to lossless audio:

• Bluetooth: Qualcomm aptX, with a compatible Android source. iPhones do not support aptX, so they fall back to AAC.
• USB-C: a direct digital connection to a phone or laptop.

The box also includes a USB-C to 3.5 mm cable for plane seat-back jacks and older gear. This matters in the comparison with the Beats 360, which has no wired audio at all.

Sonos’s spec sheet does not list Bluetooth multipoint for the Ultra. If pairing with a phone and a laptop at the same time matters to you, check before you buy.

Comfort, controls and design

The design carries over from the original: matte finish, slim headband and oval cups, now in Black, Soft White, Agave (deep blue) and Sand. The controls are still physical. A Content Key slider on the right cup handles volume, play/pause and the swap to your Sonos system. A noise-control button toggles ANC and Aware (long press for your voice assistant). Power and pairing sit on the left cup. Wear detection pauses playback when you lift a cup.

Comfort is the main complaint. Gizmodo reported cup pressure on long sessions and rated the Ultra below Bose for all-day wear. At 322 g, it is a lot of headphone. The cups swivel flat but do not fold, so the travel case is bulky. There is no IP rating, so leave these at home for the gym.

Battery life

Sonos rates 35 hours with ANC or Aware on. Gizmodo measured about 33 hours, which is close enough. Three minutes on a charger gives up to three hours of playback, which is good for a flight you forgot to charge for. A full charge takes up to three hours over USB-C.

A replaceable battery matters more than the hour count. Headphones in this price range usually die when their cell does. A $25 kit means the Ultra can last for years.

App and tuning

Everything runs through the Sonos app: EQ, head tracking, TrueCinema setup, Headphone Linking and firmware. The app went through a rough patch in 2024. If you already live in it for your speakers, the headphones fit in. If you don’t own any other Sonos gear, that is one more app for features you will rarely use.

Who should buy the Sonos Ace Ultra

Buy it if you have a Sonos soundbar. The TV swap with TrueCinema is still the most convincing headphone-to-home-theater feature on the market, and the Ultra adds better ANC, longer battery life and better sound on top of it.

Buy it if you have several Sonos speakers and want music to follow you into your headphones. Headphone Linking is the first time Sonos headphones have behaved like part of the system. Accept that it is Early Access for now.

Buy it if you want lossless audio from an Android phone with aptX, or a pair of premium headphones that still takes a wired connection.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you don’t own Sonos gear. As plain Bluetooth headphones at $449, the Ultra competes with the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra, and most reviews rate those level or ahead on ANC and comfort. Our noise-cancelling headphones roundup is the place to start.

Skip it if you want headphones for workouts. There is no IP rating, and the weight works against you. That is the job the Beats 360 was designed for. Our Sonos Ace Ultra vs Beats 360 comparison goes through both.

Skip it if you already own the original Ace and only listen over Bluetooth. Battery life and ANC are better, but not by enough to justify the upgrade on their own.

Verdict

The Sonos Ace Ultra is what the original Ace should have been: headphones that are part of a Sonos home, not just sold alongside it. The Wi-Fi features, the TV swap, the wired and lossless options, the 35-hour battery and the replaceable parts add up to a very complete package for a Sonos household.

Outside that household, the value is weaker. For $449 you get very good, not class-leading, noise cancelling and sound, in a heavy, non-folding design with no water resistance. If you own a Sonos soundbar, buy it. If you don’t, compare it with Sony and Bose first.

Where to buy

Make sure the listing says Ace Ultra, not the original Sonos Ace. Both are on sale at the same time, the original for $399, and they look almost identical in product photos.