\n\tThe Ace Ultra headphones feature some meaningful improvements over the O.G\u2019s (which impressed us when we first tried them out<\/a>), although whether they do enough to stand out in the crowded headphone market is another question.<\/p>\n \n\tThe basics: they have up to 35 hours of battery life with a replaceable battery, adaptive ANC, spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, physical controls, a new driver, and they cost $449. They\u2019re also meant to integrate seamlessly with your existing setup; you can send audio from your Sonos speaker to your headphones and back (this feature is still in early access).<\/p>\n \t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tSonos Ace Ultra Headphones\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\tPros: Sleek design; satisfying and intuitive tactile controls; solid audio and ANC performance Colors: Black, Soft White, Agave, Sand \t\tDesign and Construction\u00a0\t<\/p>\n \n\tNot much has changed on the outside of the headphones between the Ace and Ace Ultra, although there are a few new colors available. There\u2019s black and white, as usual, plus \u201csand and \u201cagave.\u201d My review unit is agave, which kinda just looks gray to me, albeit a pretty nice shade of gray.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tThe headphones\u2019 earcups rotate outward to lay completely flat, keeping the case fairly slim. The case has a felted exterior, and a magnetic pouch on the inside holds a 3.5mm to USB-C and USB-C to USB-C cable.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJonathan Zavaleta\/Rolling Stone<\/p>\n \n\tA big upgrade is the inclusion of a user-replaceable battery \u2014 it\u2019s something more headphone brands have been doing, and it nods to the growing interest in right-to-repair and overall sustainability. You can already buy a battery kit for $25 on Sonos\u2019 site, which hopefully shouldn\u2019t be needed anytime soon. The earpads are also user-replaceable.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tOut of the box, they\u2019re very comfortable \u2014 the earpads and headband are thin, keeping the headphones from feeling too heavy, but they\u2019re padded enough for all-day comfort.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\tControls and Features\u00a0\t<\/p>\n \n\tEverything runs through the Sonos app, which has been redesigned as part of the brand\u2019s Sonos 27 platform. Sonos 27 includes some AI stuff, naturally, as well as improvements to how the speakers in your system interact.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tAs for the Ace Ultras, the aforementioned linking feature lets you seamlessly move your audio from your headphones to your Sonos speakers, making them a more integrated part of the brand\u2019s ecosystem. You can also connect your soundbar to the headphones for private listening if you\u2019re the type to watch movies late at night, although it\u2019s not a new feature.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \n\tMany of these improvements are naturally targeted at Sonos enthusiasts who already have a number of devices in their home, but the headphones are still worth considering even if you\u2019re not a Sonos superfan.<\/p>\n \n\tThe app gets you features like customizable EQ and noise-canceling<\/a>, and you can turn on head tracking for spatial audio. The headphones have tactile controls, which are intuitive, and have a satisfying response when you press them. There\u2019s a button for power\/pairing, a button to adjust ANC, and a slider for raising the volume and controlling playback.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\tSound Quality and Noise-Canceling\t<\/p>\n \n\tIn terms of noise-canceling, the gap is clearly narrowing between the Sonys<\/a> and Boses<\/a> of the world and their rivals, but it\u2019s not all the way closed. The noise-canceling is solid, capably blocking loud noises, but some sounds still seep through. Aware mode likewise does a good job of letting outside sounds in while still letting you enjoy your music.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJonathan Zavaleta\/Rolling Stone<\/p>\n![\"Sonos](\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\")
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Cons: Pricey; Non-Sonos users might not benefit from all of the features <\/p>\n
Battery Life: Up to 35 hours<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n