Sonos recently unveiled its inaugural over-ear headphones, the Sonos Ace, signaling the brand’s eagerly awaited foray into the realm of personal listening. A much-anticipated competitor to the Sonos Ace is Sony’s WH-1000XM5 headphones, which have garnered widespread acclaim, earning a perfect five-star rating in our assessment.
Although we haven’t conducted a formal evaluation of the Sonos Ace yet, we have extensively examined the Sony WH-1000XM5. Bearing this in mind, we’ve juxtaposed the specifications and features of the Sonos Ace against those of the Sony WH-1000XM5 to help you discern which pair of headphones might better suit your preferences.
Sonos Ace features 40mm dynamic drivers, custom-engineered for superior precision and clarity in each ear cup. In contrast, the Sony WH-1000XM5 boasts specially crafted 30mm driver units, enhancing high-frequency sensitivity for a more natural sound quality and bolstering noise cancellation capabilities.
Given our lack of testing on the Sonos Ace, it’s challenging to ascertain whether the 40mm drivers will outperform the Sony WH-1000XM5, especially considering our previous assessment that the latter “remain the best-sounding headphones at their price point.”
Both headphones incorporate Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology, a standard feature in premium headphones today. ANC utilizes built-in microphones to detect and counteract external sounds, enhancing the immersive listening experience. Both the Sonos Ace and Sony WH-1000XM5 employ eight microphones for ANC functionality.
While we haven’t evaluated the ANC performance of the Sonos Ace, our experience with the Sony WH-1000XM5 has been impressive, with our reviewer noting its ability to mitigate sharp, intrusive sounds effectively.
Furthermore, both models include beamforming microphones designed to optimize voice capture and suppress background noise. Sony’s WH-1000XM5 even incorporates Precise Voice Pickup Technology, leveraging four beamforming microphones and an AI-driven noise reduction algorithm to isolate your voice for superior call quality.
In terms of battery life, both the Sonos Ace and Sony WH-1000XM5 offer up to 30 hours of music playback with ANC activated. The Sony WH-1000XM5 extends this to 40 hours when ANC is deactivated. Additionally, both headphones support rapid charging, with a mere three minutes of charging yielding three hours of playback.
Currently, the Sony WH-1000XM5 holds a price advantage, with a lower recommended retail price of £299 compared to the Sonos Ace’s £449 / €499 / $449. Moreover, the Sony model is readily available for purchase, while the Sonos Ace is currently open for pre-orders, slated to commence shipping on June 5th, 2024.
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