Sonos Ace headphones: Estimated price, rumored specs & more

Sonos is rumored to launch the “Ace” wireless headphones, and we’ve gathered up everything you need to know about them, including speculation and rumors on features, design, and more.

Sonos, known for its Bluetooth speakers, soundbars, and multiroom audio devices, is rumored to introduce several new product categories. These include wireless over-the-ear headphones, a streaming box, and more.

While Sonos’ CEO Patrick Spence has mentioned the new products on various occasions, he hasn’t singled out headphones specifically.

However, given the current product lineup, releasing a pair of wireless headphones just makes sense. Thanks to new reports, we now know that the headphones could be named the Sonos Ace.

Sonos Ace: Release speculation

Sonos CEO Patrick Spence hinted that the company is on track to launch its next product, presumably wireless headphones, before the end of June. He announced that a new product is set to be announced anytime between May or June 2024.

While speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference on March 5, he said,  “What we said at our last earnings call in February is that it will be in our fiscal/ And we have no update on that. It continues to be fiscal Q3 from where we are.”

Rumors around the launch date of these headphones have been rife ever since Sonos’ CEO revealed the company’s ambitious plans. Though he didn’t mention a timeline, the new product line was suggested to be announced in 2024.

Initial reports hinted at a launch date closer to the end of the year, which would allow Sonos to target the festive sale period. However, new reports hint that an AirPods Max rival from Sonos could arrive way earlier than expected.

Noted Apple tipster Mark Gurman has hinted that the headphones are slated to launch by the middle of this year in June. He also indicated that software issues pushed the launch back, as they were initially expected to arrive in April or May.

Sonos Ace: Price rumors

The Sonos Ace headphones could retail for around $400. A report from The Verge cites prematurely published images by authorized Sonos parts dealer Schuurman, corroborating previous reports around the pricing of the upcoming Sonos headphones.

The dealer is said to have listed the headphones for 403.58 Euros, which translates to just over $430. If the headphones are released at this price point, they would heavily undercut the Apple AirPods Max, priced at $549.

The product imagery published by The Verge also shows designs and accessories that are generally associated with a premium-priced product.

Reports hint that the Sonos headphones could be priced at $449 at launch. Though this would put the headphones out of reach for many users, considering the features they will sport, it has to be priced at a premium.

At this price point, the Sonos over-the-ear headphones will slide into the category of premium headphones. They take on Apple AirPods Max, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, Sony WH-1000XM5, Master & Dynamic M75, and others.

Sonos Ace headphones: Design, features & more

Sonos

The new Sonos headphones might be named Sonos Ace. While the headphones might be internally called “Duke,” the domain name SonosAce.com, which currently redirects to Sonos’ website, suggests that the headphones may be called Ace when launched.

The images shared in the latest leak by The Verge show that the Sonos headphones may come in a matte black finish and resemble the AirPods Max to a large extent. While the website didn’t have any other colorways listed, the company may eventually introduce a white and grey colored headphone in line with its device ecosystem.

Leaked images show a large soft headband with an adjustable metallic stem going into the oval-shaped cans. The photos also show a toggle and a few buttons on both cans, a carry case, cables, and a tiny black box.

Another listing on Schuurman’s site also has replacement ear cushions for €34.72, suggesting that the cushions might be user-replaceable.

We’ve come across various reports and regulatory filings that give us an indication of how the upcoming Sonos headphones might look like. However, most premium headphones have large cups that cover your ears with design cues unique to each brand.

A patent filed in 2020 by the company shows over-the-ear headphones with oval-shaped earcups and a headband that goes over the user’s head. While the design looks like a pretty standard affair, the brand-specific customizations, design cues, and the choice of materials could make the headphones unique.

Among the key features of Sonos headphones, you can expect them to have Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), transparency mode, and Spatial Audio.

Reports also suggest that the headphones could stream audio using Wi-Fi. This would result in high-fidelity audio for users who prefer high-resolution audio quality. The headphones are also expected to stream content wirelessly from TVs paired with compatible Sonos soundbars.

You can also expect the Sonos wireless headphones to come with IPX certification for water and dust resistance and an app to customize the audio output according to your choice.

Besides the headphones, Sonos is also rumored to launch a streaming box similar to Apple TV 4K Plus. However, not much is known about it right now.

A recent patent filed with FCC shows that the Sonos headphones might come with oval-shaped earcups. The filing also reveals that the headphones may work with Bluetooth in the 2.4 GHz range and WiFi in the 2.4 and 5 GHz ranges.

This more or less confirms the rumors suggesting that the Sonos wireless headphones would let you stream music over Wi-Fi, and the reports around the issue with its software caused the delay.