Sonos' new headphones cost $100 less than AirPods Max and beat Apple on 4 key specs
New headphones by Sonos have just been announced, with preordering now available ahead of the September 29 release.
The new Sonos Ace Ultra comes in four colors - black, white, agave, and sand - and costs a whopping $100 less than AirPods Max.
They also reportedly beat Apple on four key specifications which might convince some people to make the switch.
So, how does the new Sonos Ace Ultra compare to the AirPods Max?
Battery Life
First off, the Sonos headphones boast a battery life of 35 hours, meaning you don’t need to charge your device every single day. In comparison, the Apple alternative lasts 20 hours on a single charge, meaning there are 15 hours of additional play available with the Sonos ones.
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The device comes with rapid charging too, meaning that you can get three hours of playback on just a three minute charge.
Sonos Ace Ultra is also capable of making the battery stretch as long as possible, in the event of you finding yourself on low power with no charging source nearby.
The new power saver mode will double your remaining battery life ‘by strategically switching off certain features’. This is an improvement on the previous model, which still boasted an impressive 30 hours of playback on a single charge.
Weight
So, what about weight? Well the AirPods Max weigh 385g, which actually makes them some of the heaviest over-ear headphones on the mainstream market, while the Sonos versions come in at around 18% lighter, weighing 318g.
The case that the headphones come with is also lightweight and made with around 80% recycled content, making it Sonos’ first use of bio-based plastics.
This is a significant improvement on the Sonos Ace, which was comprised of around 46% of recycled and renewable materials.
Lossess audio
The new device also comes with lossless audio support, featuring native uncompressed USB-C wired lossless playback, plus Bluetooth aptX Lossless support, whereas AirPods Max are capped at compressed AAC audio.
Sonos Ace Ultra is also capable of making ‘crystal clear calls’, its specialized beam forming microphones focusing your voice above any background noise.
If you’ve ever had to deal with the annoyance of not being able to hear your own voice then you’re in luck because the Sidetone feature allows you to hear yourself talk while ANC is on, making ‘conversations feel more natural and effortless’.
Price
And the fourth key difference between the pair is, of course, the price. While neither of these headphones are particularly cheap, the Sonos Ace Ultra costs $449 while the AirPods Max will set you back by $549.
The new Sonos headphones also come with a full zip-around hard protective case, whereas the Apple version has an earcup-only ‘Smart Case’.
The price of the Sonos Ace Ultra means that there is no cost increase between models so far, as the Sonos Ace also launched at $449.
Many people have taken to social media to share their own thoughts on the matter, with one user writing on Reddit: “I should be happy that they’re introducing the ace ultra, but I’m actually just bitter.. because I bought the ace this summer thinking it would work like all the other Sonos speakers do.. as an actual speaker in the system. I know it’s my fault for not doing a bit more research, but I was between that and Apple AirPods Max, and the only reason I went with the ace was because I believed it would be easily integrated like the rest of their products.”
Another said: “I have both headphones. Both have different purposes. I like the ACE for at home or listening in a relaxed atmosphere. The AirPods are great for running errands.”
Comparing the new Sonos model to its predecessor, a third person added: “Improved sound, noise cancellation, transparency modes and replaceable ear cups and batteries. It’s all subjective however. This is one where I think the originals are still pretty solid for what they are and at much cheaper sale prices.”