The original Ace had one big flaw

Sonos's first headphones could reroute audio from a soundbar to the headphones, but the feature was glitchy and only worked with the one thousand dollar Arc at launch, and only with one pair of headphones at a time.

The original Ace couldn't connect to Sonos speakers

The flagship feature let you listen to TV audio without disturbing others, but the headphones couldn't connect to the rest of the Sonos system for music streaming.

Ace Ultra arrive at the same price

The new Sonos Ace Ultra launch at four hundred forty-nine dollars, the same release price as the original Ace, which now costs three hundred forty-nine dollars.

They finally add Wi-Fi audio streaming

The Ace Ultra can now pass audio from your Sonos system to the headphones and back, though this feature is in early access and uses lossy compression for now.

The design stays the same

The Ace Ultra look like the original Ace with the same clean, understated appearance. They weigh zero point seventy-one pounds, slightly heavier than the Ace's zero point sixty-nine pounds.

Comfort and removable parts

The ear cups are squishy and spacious, magnetic and easily removable. Sonos sells extra ear cups for thirty-nine dollars a pair, and the battery is user replaceable with a kit costing twenty-five dollars.

Real buttons instead of touch controls

The Ace Ultra keep tactile buttons and a Content Key volume slider instead of capacitive buttons like competitors. The Content Key reacts quickly and is easy to find while wearing the headphones.

Headphone linking works but has limits

You can move music from any Sonos speaker or speaker group to the headphones with a button press. But the headphones cannot be grouped with speakers, and audio only returns to the closest speaker, not the original source.

Wi-Fi audio is still lossy in early access

One benefit of Wi-Fi is higher bandwidth for hi-res and lossless audio, but during early access, audio over Wi-Fi with headphone linking is lossy. Sonos has not said how long early access will last.

“our focus right now is making sure the core experience is genuinely solid and reliable for listeners by using a high-quality, lossy-compressed stereo audio stream optimized for listening over WiFi.”

Lossless audio only over USB-C or Bluetooth

The Ace Ultra support lossless audio over Bluetooth with aptX Lossless and a compatible device, or over USB-C. The wired connection maxes out at sixteen-bit forty-eight kilohertz, with no high-res audio support.

Sound quality improves with new drivers

Newly designed forty millimetre drivers sound better than the original Ace, with richer bass that doesn't overpower vocals. An adaptive EQ makes real-time adjustments based on fit and obstructions like glasses or earrings.

An eight-band EQ helps with clarity

The Ace Ultra add an eight-band EQ that the original Ace owners don't get. Boosting mids at four hundred sixty hertz and one kilohertz helps with busier tracks, and adding high frequencies opens up the sound.

ANC improves but still lags competitors

The Ace Ultra's active noise cancellation is better than the original Ace and now includes an adaptive version. But it's still not as strong as the Sony XM six, Bose Ultra Headphones, or Apple AirPods Max two.

Battery life extends to thirty-five hours

Sonos has increased battery life from up to thirty hours on the Ace to up to thirty-five hours with the Ace Ultra. They come with a felt-covered case with a magnetic removable pouch for cables.

Best for existing Sonos users

If you have a Sonos soundbar and speakers, the Ace Ultra are an easy recommendation over the original Ace. But if you're not in the Sonos world, the Sony WH-one thousand XM six offer better ANC and sound for less money.