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Hands-on: Sonos Ace Ultra fix nearly everything I wanted from the original [Video]

Published: 10/07/2026, 05:50 PM

I have been a huge Sonos fan and customer for years, dating back to the original Sonos One. So, about two years ago, when I heard that Sonos was entering the over-ear headphone market, I knew I had to give it a try. The Sonos Ace looked great, was very comfortable, and brought some cool Sonos ecosystem features. But for a premium pair of headphones, there were still a few areas that left me wanting more, like strong bass, better ANC, and a better app experience. But now, the new Sonos Ace Ultra feels like they went down that list and addressed nearly every complaint that most customers had, including me. I have been using them as my main headphones for almost a month now, for travel, video editing, workouts, walks, and everyday listening. So I have a good grasp on them now, and here is what you need to know. Be sure to check out our hands-on video review for the Sonos Ace Ultra below: At first glance, the Sonos Ace Ultra does not look much different from the original Sonos Ace. They decided to keep the same clean, understated design with a few differently placed chrome accents and some additional colors. But the biggest differences are inside these headphones. Here are some of the biggest changes from the original Sonos Ace to the Ace Ultra: The main things that I noticed in these changes are the redesigned acoustics, better bass response, and stronger ANC. With the original Sonos Ace, I would sometimes get this hissing noise when I was in ANC mode. This would rarely happen, but I did notice it. So far, the new Sonos Ace Ultra has alleviated that issue. You also still get some of the great specs from the previous model like: They still have the same super high-quality design, combining plastics and metals to give you a premium, lightweight feel. The Sonos Ace Ultra also keeps the magnetically replaceable ear cups, and one of the best things that I have noticed is the new EQ settings that really let me hone in on how I like to listen to my music. But how were they as an everyday pair of headphones? Again, it’s easy to put specs on paper, but the biggest reason I’ve enjoyed the Ace Ultras is that they actually sound noticeably better. My biggest complaint about the original Sonos Ace was the lack of bass depth. The bass was not bad, but for a pair of $450 headphones, I felt like they were lacking a bit. I listen to a lot of R&B, hip-hop, and pop music, so bass is important to me. I wanted more low-end impact and to feel the bass. The Ace Ultra finally delivers the experience that I wanted. There is substantially more punch and depth at the low end. But one thing to note here is that Sonos hasn’t achieved that by simply turning up the bass slider. Any headphone brand can crank up the bass, but the difficult part is maintaining separation so that the bass doesn’t overwhelm the vocals, instruments, and higher-end frequencies. That is where the Ace Ultra has really impressed me. The bass hits harder, but the vocals are still clear, crisp, and easy to listen to. And it’s not just for music; all media sounds better, like podcasts, movies, and all the YouTube videos I watch. They have sounded fantastic in all media listening situations. The improved ANC is something else I noticed immediately. The new 10 mic array allows even more sound to be dynamically pushed away from the headphones. Even when there is no media playing, it’s insane how quiet the headphones are in so many different environments. It’s almost too good! The biggest improvement to ANC is the unpredictable noises. It’s one thing to block out a consistent noise like an airplane engine, but another to block out passing cars, construction, sirens, or sudden loud sounds while walking outside. Two final things I want to bring up are comfort and the Sonos ecosystem. These headphones are the most comfortable headphones I have worn. Even on a long 8-10-hour airplane ride, I wore them 95% of the time, and I felt no aches, pain, or heat at all. Lastly, I have a lot of Sono