WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.170
- Sonos has been trying

2
00:00:01.170 --> 00:00:04.260
to sneak into the
headphone market since 2019

3
00:00:04.260 --> 00:00:07.020
and recently released their
first ever headphones,

4
00:00:07.020 --> 00:00:08.160
the Sonos Ace.

5
00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:11.070
These are available for $450,

6
00:00:11.070 --> 00:00:13.350
and I must say it takes a lot of ambition

7
00:00:13.350 --> 00:00:16.710
to price your debut headphones
at around half a grand

8
00:00:16.710 --> 00:00:19.380
and put them among players as big as Apple

9
00:00:19.380 --> 00:00:20.970
and Sony's flagship headphones.

10
00:00:20.970 --> 00:00:23.970
Speaking of Apple flagship
headphones, Sonos took a lot

11
00:00:23.970 --> 00:00:25.470
of design inspiration from them.

12
00:00:25.470 --> 00:00:28.500
The distinct flat, oversized oval ear cups

13
00:00:28.500 --> 00:00:30.600
with shiny metallic extenders sticking out

14
00:00:30.600 --> 00:00:33.540
on the AirPods Max can
also be found on the Ace.

15
00:00:33.540 --> 00:00:36.680
Sonos prides itself on the
Ace's lightweight body,

16
00:00:36.680 --> 00:00:39.960
but at 312 grams, these aren't really

17
00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:41.370
what you'd call lightweight,

18
00:00:41.370 --> 00:00:43.560
but the generous
cushioning in the headband

19
00:00:43.560 --> 00:00:46.320
and the ear cups make them
very comfortable to wear.

20
00:00:46.320 --> 00:00:49.230
Also, the memory form
ear cups are magnetic,

21
00:00:49.230 --> 00:00:51.750
making them easily
removable and swappable.

22
00:00:51.750 --> 00:00:53.220
Looking at how fast I managed

23
00:00:53.220 --> 00:00:56.070
to get a concealer stain on
the sparkling white cups,

24
00:00:56.070 --> 00:00:57.840
I liked having the option to pull them out

25
00:00:57.840 --> 00:00:59.490
and properly wipe them clean.

26
00:00:59.490 --> 00:01:01.860
The same cup supports an
ANC button that cycles

27
00:01:01.860 --> 00:01:04.110
between noise cancellation
and ambient point,

28
00:01:04.110 --> 00:01:05.160
and there's also a power

29
00:01:05.160 --> 00:01:07.380
and pairing button on the other cup.

30
00:01:07.380 --> 00:01:09.450
While I did like having physical controls,

31
00:01:09.450 --> 00:01:10.800
I wish there were more tactile

32
00:01:10.800 --> 00:01:12.960
and offered better response and feedback.

33
00:01:12.960 --> 00:01:15.810
In terms of sound, the Ace
is more inclined towards

34
00:01:15.810 --> 00:01:17.130
treble than base.

35
00:01:17.130 --> 00:01:19.320
It has a bright, spacious soundscape.

36
00:01:19.320 --> 00:01:22.350
The mids carry a lot of
depth, and the highs are airy.

37
00:01:22.350 --> 00:01:25.260
The treble sounds rich, clear, and sharp.

38
00:01:25.260 --> 00:01:26.820
The ANC was sufficiently good

39
00:01:26.820 --> 00:01:28.620
to fulfill my noise canceling needs

40
00:01:28.620 --> 00:01:30.480
in almost every place I tested,

41
00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:34.170
but it doesn't scream $450 ANC.

42
00:01:34.170 --> 00:01:39.170
Sony still does much better
ANC on the XM fives for $400.

43
00:01:39.330 --> 00:01:40.980
It did cancel noise enough for me

44
00:01:40.980 --> 00:01:42.960
to hear my podcast on the subway,

45
00:01:42.960 --> 00:01:44.910
but did not silence the
sound of the engine,

46
00:01:44.910 --> 00:01:47.160
as well as Sony flagship headphones.

47
00:01:47.160 --> 00:01:48.840
One of the biggest selling points

48
00:01:48.840 --> 00:01:51.600
of these headphones is
their audio swap feature,

49
00:01:51.600 --> 00:01:53.850
so you press and hold
this button to swap audio

50
00:01:53.850 --> 00:01:56.730
between the Ace and
the Sonos Arc soundbar.

51
00:01:56.730 --> 00:01:59.460
The only issue here is that it only works

52
00:01:59.460 --> 00:02:03.780
with the Sonos Arc, which is
their premium $800 soundbar.

53
00:02:03.780 --> 00:02:06.630
That limits the ecosystem
integration to the point

54
00:02:06.630 --> 00:02:09.630
where it doesn't provide enough
value to be the products.

55
00:02:09.630 --> 00:02:12.990
USP, considering one of
the main selling points,

56
00:02:12.990 --> 00:02:15.210
the ecosystem integration is limited

57
00:02:15.210 --> 00:02:17.820
to just one super expensive soundbar.

58
00:02:17.820 --> 00:02:21.240
There's no water resistance
rating, wifi connectivity,

59
00:02:21.240 --> 00:02:22.680
or voice assistance.

60
00:02:22.680 --> 00:02:25.860
I don't see myself paying such
a high price for the absence

61
00:02:25.860 --> 00:02:27.750
of multiple premium features

62
00:02:27.750 --> 00:02:29.779
you would find on its competitors.

63
00:02:29.779 --> 00:02:32.362
(upbeat music)