Sonos Ace Over-ear

Excellent comfort ; Strong noise-cancelling ; Enjoyable sound ; TV Audio Swap is great ; Strong wireless performance

ANC not as good as Bose ; Not as detailed or as dynamic as Sony ; Could benefit from more app integration ; More expensive than the competition

A very good attempt at a pair of headphones from the Sonos, but the Ace are beaten in several areas by more experienced rivals. The levels of comfort and the TV Audio Swap feature are excellent, though the Ace doesn’t feel like it’s the complete...

Excellent design and comfort Intuitive tactile controls Very good sound quality Top-notch ANC and transparency Fun Sonos soundbar integration

Lacks full Sonos system integration No Wi-Fi streaming TV Audio Swap needs improvement

“Incredible comfort, simplicity, and sound make us wish the Sonos Ace were fully integrated into the Sonos ecosystem.”

Simply the most comfortable of over-ear headphones ; Big sound with spatial audio and app-based EQ support ; TrueCinema/TV Audio Swap is a fun personal cinema experience

TV Audio Swap not on full Sonos range or Android at launch ; The included case just isn't up to standard ; Bose a better travel headphones option

Sonos' long-awaited headphones debut fully deliver on the hype. From the immense comfort and beautiful design to the active noise-cancelling (ANC) and battery life, irrelevant of whether you're a Sonos user or not, you'll find these highly appealing...

Balanced sound ; Effective noise cancellation ; Can swap audio with certain Sonos speakers via Bluetooth ; Intuitive controls ; Attractive design

Expensive ; No true Wi-Fi features

The Sonos Ace headphones look elegant, sound fantastic, and deliver high-quality noise cancellation, though they offer less compatibility with other Sonos products than you'd expect.

Fantastic Dolby Atmos movie sound ; Hi-res wired and wireless support ; Sonos soundbar connectivity is great

Music isn't as good equivalent competition ; Not as comfortable with glasses ; Noise cancellation weaker than Bose

The Sonos Ace are more complicated than we expected. They're my favorite headphones to date for movies, and their integration with Sonos Arc (and more soundbars to come) really pushes that forward. But they're a step behind the premium competition when...

Stylish design and excellent comfort ; Sound, ANC, and transparency are all good ; TV Audio Swap is convenient, versatile, and suitable for gaming

TV Audio Swap completely absent from Android at launch ; TV Audio Swap handoff can be glitchy ; Beam and Ray soundbars unsupported for now ; Headphones can’t be grouped with Sonos speakers

Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge

Streamlined, stylish design ; Physical controls work well ; Inoffensive, balanced sound ; Okay levels of detail

Lack of clarity and expression ; Stunted dynamics and rhythmic drive ; Slightly buggy during testing ; Average call quality

Sonos might have mastered soundbars and multi-room systems, but it’s a disappointing debut in the premium wireless headphones category. The competition at this level is head and shoulders above the Ace when it comes to sound quality

Lightweight design. Comfortable memory foam ear pads with gentle clamping force. Excellent transparency mode. Top-tier noise canceling. 30 hours of battery life. Clean looks. Included hard case. Flat, dynamic sound with great, but not too boomy, bass.

No Wi-Fi onboard for “traditional” Sonos integration. Expensive. Sonos app has been buggy since the refresh.

Sleek design ; Universally appealing sound profile ; Excellent battery life ; Superb ANC & transparency mode ; TV Swap can be useful if you're in the Sonos ecosystem

Pricey, especially when compared to Bose and Sony ; TV Swap features are limited at launch ; Microphone quality is quite bad

Sonos hasn't quite aced its first attempt at a headphone, but it's one of the best first-generation products released in a long time. Sonos fans may be disappointed that it doesn't do more within the ecosystem, but reviewed on its own merits -- as a...