Sonos Ace Ultra Review: Better Sound, Longer Battery Life and Sonos Speaker Handoffs

The Sonos Ace Ultra makes its strongest case as a home audio companion. Its standout trick is sending sound between the headphones, a compatible Sonos soundbar and standalone Sonos speakers. The upgraded sound, longer battery life and replaceable battery help it work as a daily headphone, too. At $449, though, the extra value depends heavily on whether you already use Sonos gear.

This second-generation model keeps the original Ace’s restrained design while addressing several of its shortcomings. Sonos has added custom 40 mm drivers, more microphone coverage for noise control, an eight-band equalizer and a feature that can move music between the headphones and compatible speakers over Wi-Fi. The battery is user-replaceable, and the headphones are rated for up to 35 hours with noise control enabled.

Those changes make the Ace Ultra a more complete flagship than its predecessor. They don’t erase the compromises: it weighs 322 grams, its sound leans warm, and its $449 price puts it alongside leading models from Apple, Bose and Sony. I found it comfortable and easy to live with, but it makes the most sense for people who will use its Sonos features.

What’s new, and who should care

The biggest change isn’t a single component; it’s how much more the Ace Ultra can do within a Sonos home. The first Ace could transfer TV audio from a compatible soundbar to the headphones. The Ultra retains that feature and adds Headphone Linking, an Early Access feature for sending music between the headphones and compatible standalone Sonos speakers. You can use the Content Key or the Sonos app to make the handoff.

For late-night viewing, TV Audio Swap works with compatible Sonos soundbars, including the Arc Ultra, Arc, Beam and Ray. It sends the soundbar’s audio to the headphones, including Dolby Atmos where supported. TrueCinema calibrates the spatial presentation to the room, and dynamic head tracking helps keep dialogue anchored to the television as you move.

That makes the Ace Ultra particularly compelling for people who already own a compatible soundbar and speakers around the house. For everyone else, it’s a premium Bluetooth headphone with fewer reasons to choose it over rivals. The new speaker handoff also comes with a caveat: Headphone Linking is still in Early Access, and the reviewer encountered occasional delays and app hiccups.

The other notable practical change is a user-replaceable battery. Sonos sells a replacement kit for $25, while replacement ear cushions cost $39. The battery isn’t designed for a quick, tool-free swap, but being able to replace it gives the headphones a repair option beyond replacing the entire device when its capacity declines.

Design and comfort

The Ace Ultra retains the sleek, minimalist look of the original. Matte polycarbonate earcups meet exposed stainless-steel headband arms, while memory foam cushions and the headband are wrapped in vegan leather. The ear cushions attach magnetically, so they can be removed for cleaning or replacement. The cups swivel flat for storage in the included slim, felt-lined case.

The review unit’s Agave finish may look blue in photographs, but the reviewer describes it as a dark, muted green. The full range is Black, Soft White, Agave and Sand; Agave and Sand are new finishes for this generation.

At 322 grams, the Ace Ultra is heavier than the Sony WH-1000XM6 at 254 grams and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) at 265 grams. That extra weight is noticeable when carrying it and during quick head movements. Still, its headband balance and measured clamping force make it comfortable for long sessions. The reviewer found that it stayed secure without pinching around thick-rimmed glasses, and heat buildup remained manageable during desktop use.

There are smaller fit issues to keep in mind. The earcup cavity may feel shallow for people with larger ears, and pressing the buttons produces a faint sound through the earcups. For the reviewer, the materials, comfort and easy-to-find controls outweighed those irritations. The included case also earned praise for being both slim and well made.

Physical controls and setup

Sonos uses physical controls instead of touch gestures. The textured stainless-steel Content Key on the right earcup slides to adjust volume and presses to play, pause or skip tracks. A longer press starts a system handoff. A separate button switches between Active Noise Canceling and Aware mode. On the left cup, the power and Bluetooth button handles pairing; the headphones also pause playback when removed and resume it when worn again.

The controls are intuitive once you know where they are, and their tactile feedback makes common actions easy without looking. That’s a real advantage on a commute or when you’re working at a desk. Bluetooth 6.0 and Multipoint allow the headphones to stay connected to two devices, such as a laptop and phone. Multipoint needs to be enabled in the app.

Pairing follows standard Bluetooth steps. Turn on the headphones, then choose them in your device’s Bluetooth settings. To pair a new device, hold the left earcup’s power and Bluetooth button until a second tone sounds and the LED flashes blue. A double press switches between devices already paired.

There’s no Apple quick pairing or Google Fast Pair, so setup takes a few more steps than it does with some competing headphones. Initial registration with the Sonos app can also stall on some mesh networks if the phone and headphones land on different Wi-Fi bands. Once set up, the reviewer found everyday pairing quick and dependable.

App and sound adjustments

The Sonos app gives the Ace Ultra a dedicated device page for noise modes, Multipoint, wear detection, TrueCinema and Headphone Linking. It also adds more control over the sound than the first Ace offered. A three-band equalizer adjusts bass, midrange and treble, while an eight-band graphic EQ gives more precise control over the headphone’s character. There’s also a Loudness setting for listening at lower volumes.

Adaptive EQ uses the headphones’ microphones to respond to changes in fit, including those caused by glasses or hair. The idea is to keep the sound more consistent if the seal shifts as you move. The reviewer found that the expanded equalizer made it possible to adjust the Ace Ultra’s warm balance without relying on a separate app.

The app has rough edges. It can take several seconds to find the headphones over Wi-Fi, and there’s no way to save several custom EQ profiles and switch between them. That’s inconvenient if you want one setup for music and another for films. Even so, the eight-band control is a meaningful upgrade for listeners who want to tune the sound beyond simple bass and treble adjustments.

Sound quality and noise control

The new 40 mm dynamic drivers deliver a fuller, more energetic sound than the original Ace. The low end has greater punch and sub-bass rumble, giving kick drums more weight in electronic music and hip-hop. Sonos says the drivers were tuned with Grammy- and Oscar-winning engineers. In the reviewer’s listening, the change from the first generation was clear: the Ultra sounds less restrained and more engaging.

That bass boost can work against the headphones on busy recordings. Dense rock mixes and orchestral passages may sound thick, with less separation between instruments. The source review also cites other reviewers who found the bass nearly overpowering or boomy. The Ace Ultra is tuned for warmth, rather than neutrality, and the reviewer hears its treble as smooth and somewhat recessed. RTINGS measured the treble at roughly 4 dB below neutral, a finding consistent with that listening impression.

Vocals and acoustic instruments are a stronger point. The midrange sounds natural and warm, making the headphones a good fit for singer-songwriter material and spoken audio without any EQ changes. The soundstage is wider than the original Ace’s, with clearer movement across the stereo field. The reviewer found the presentation particularly open over USB-C or aptX Lossless with a compatible source.

The eight-band EQ offers a path for listeners who want less bass or more treble detail. The reviewer suggests reducing some energy around 120 Hz to 250 Hz and easing the upper treble when aiming for a more neutral balance. The aptX option works with compatible Bluetooth devices, while USB-C supports digital audio. The source reports that wired lossless audio is limited to 16-bit/48 kHz, below what the Bose flagship offers over a cable.

For noise control, the Ace Ultra has ten microphones for ANC, calls, Aware mode and TrueCinema. Sonos rates its adaptive noise cancellation at up to twice that of the original Ace at frequencies up to 65 Hz. In the review, the headphones reduced low-frequency travel noise and office chatter effectively. Aware mode lets outside sound through without making voices seem unnatural, and Voice Boost helps bring speech forward when you need to hear someone without taking the headphones off.

That performance is strong, but buyers focused on travel should weigh the Ace Ultra’s extra weight and noise cancellation against the Sony and Bose alternatives. The Sony WH-1000XM6 is also described as stronger on noise cancellation and connectivity. The Ace Ultra’s tuning, meanwhile, will suit listeners who enjoy a substantial low end more readily than those seeking a bright, neutral presentation.

Home theater and speaker handoffs

TV Audio Swap remains the Ace Ultra’s most distinctive home theater feature. Press and hold the Content Key to take the audio stream from a compatible Sonos soundbar and listen through the headphones. Supported models listed in the source include the Arc Ultra, Arc, Beam and Ray. The feature can send multichannel Dolby Atmos audio to the headphones for private viewing.

TrueCinema aims to make that audio feel connected to the room. The soundbar plays a short sequence of tones, and the headphone microphones capture how the room reflects and absorbs them. Sonos then uses that room information to shape the binaural audio. The reviewer found that dialogue and musical cues seemed to come from the television and surrounding space, rather than sitting directly between the headphone drivers.

Dynamic head tracking uses the headphones’ sensors to keep the apparent sound anchored to the screen as the listener turns their head. A TV Audio Swap session can include up to two pairs of Ace Ultra headphones. With two listeners connected, head tracking switches off for both until one pair disconnects. Both pairs use the same TrueCinema profile because the room calibration is associated with the soundbar.

Headphone Linking extends the idea beyond watching TV. It lets users send music between the headphones and compatible Sonos speakers over local Wi-Fi, including audio from sources playing elsewhere in the home. This can be controlled with the Content Key or the app, without needing a phone nearby for each handoff. It’s the feature that most directly rewards owners who have built a Sonos setup across several rooms. Since it’s still an Early Access feature, its behavior and availability may change.

Battery life and wired listening

The 1,060 mAh battery is rated for up to 35 hours with ANC or Aware mode on, or up to 50 hours with noise processing off. A three-minute USB-C charge is rated to provide up to three hours of playback. Those figures make the Ace Ultra well suited to long listening sessions, though the source provides rated capacity rather than a measured battery test result.

The battery’s replaceable design adds a useful long-term option. The $25 kit is available from Sonos, and the replacement process is described in its support material. Replacing it requires a T5 Torx driver, a plastic opening tool and a spudger. The job involves delicate ribbon connectors and a circuit board, so it may be better suited to people who are comfortable opening electronics or a repair shop. Replacement cushions are priced at $39.

The included USB-C to 3.5 mm cable enables analog connections, but the headphones need battery power to play audio through it. If the battery runs out, the cable won’t turn the Ace Ultra into a passive pair. The source also flags added latency for wired gaming. For digital wired listening, the included USB-C cable carries audio directly to the headphones.

Price and verdict

The Sonos Ace Ultra costs $449 across its four finishes. That puts it in the same price bracket as the Apple AirPods Max 2, Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen). Its build, physical controls, battery life and sound adjustments make a credible case at this level. Its most valuable extras, however, depend on owning compatible Sonos equipment.

For a Sonos household, TV Audio Swap, TrueCinema and speaker handoffs can make the headphones useful in ways a standard Bluetooth model isn’t. The Ultra also fixes several shortcomings of the first Ace: it has a livelier sound, more EQ control, links to standalone speakers and supports battery replacement. Comfortable materials and controls that are easy to use by touch round out the package.

For people without Sonos speakers or a compatible soundbar, the value is harder to justify. They would pay flagship money for a headphone whose most distinctive system features they might never use. The Sony WH-1000XM6 is lighter and, according to the source review, offers stronger noise cancellation and connectivity; lighter options may also appeal to frequent flyers who prioritize packability. The Ace Ultra’s bass-forward balance won’t be right for every listener, and its weight is a real trade-off.

My read: this is a strong everyday headphone for Sonos owners who want private TV listening, room-to-room music handoffs and tactile controls. Buyers focused on travel, a neutral sound or broad value should compare it closely with Sony and Bose before spending $449. For an existing Sonos setup, the added system features make the Ultra a more persuasive choice than its predecessor.