Dealabs got the whole thing early, as usual. Sonos Ace Ultra, announcement September 1, on sale September 29, 449 in Europe. The original Ace launched at 499. So the step-up model comes in fifty cheaper than the thing it steps up from.
That's the part worth talking about here, more than the headphones themselves. The single reason an Ace made sense over a Sony or a Bose was the TV audio swap: tap the cup, pull the Arc's output onto your head, keep the rest of the house quiet. That feature was thin at launch and stayed thin, and the price never survived the comparison once you stopped caring about it. Coming back fifty lower reads like an admission.
Leaked sheet says ANC up to twice as effective as the first Ace, 35 hours with ANC on, around three hours of playback from a three minute charge, adjustable headband, swiveling earcups, foam cushions, beamforming mics for calls. Three colors: Black, White, and a blue-green called Agave. Dolby Atmos compatibility, single-touch audio transfer with the Sonos system, automatic port detection, a touchscreen. Replaceable ear pads and a replaceable battery, which matters more to me than the ANC claim does.
None of it is official. Sonos has a September event that Tom Conrad has framed around AI and connected homes, so the Ultra may end up being one slide in a much bigger pitch.
Doubled ANC I'll believe when someone runs a proper sweep on it. What I actually want to know is whether the handoff from the soundbar is instant this time, because on the original it wasn't. Anyone here using that swap every night?
That's the part worth talking about here, more than the headphones themselves. The single reason an Ace made sense over a Sony or a Bose was the TV audio swap: tap the cup, pull the Arc's output onto your head, keep the rest of the house quiet. That feature was thin at launch and stayed thin, and the price never survived the comparison once you stopped caring about it. Coming back fifty lower reads like an admission.
Leaked sheet says ANC up to twice as effective as the first Ace, 35 hours with ANC on, around three hours of playback from a three minute charge, adjustable headband, swiveling earcups, foam cushions, beamforming mics for calls. Three colors: Black, White, and a blue-green called Agave. Dolby Atmos compatibility, single-touch audio transfer with the Sonos system, automatic port detection, a touchscreen. Replaceable ear pads and a replaceable battery, which matters more to me than the ANC claim does.
None of it is official. Sonos has a September event that Tom Conrad has framed around AI and connected homes, so the Ultra may end up being one slide in a much bigger pitch.
Doubled ANC I'll believe when someone runs a proper sweep on it. What I actually want to know is whether the handoff from the soundbar is instant this time, because on the original it wasn't. Anyone here using that swap every night?
