Sonos Ace Ultra vs the BEST (Technics A1000, Momentum 5, Px7 S3, WH-1000XM6)
If you have the latest Sonos soundbars and speakers, the Ace Ultra is going to be the more natural choice because of the new Headphone Linking feature which lets you hand off the music that’s playing on Sonos speakers to the Ace Ultra and vice versa. But not everyone uses Sonos speakers, and maybe you just want to know how the Ace Ultra compares to some of the top wireless headphones within the same price range from Sony, Sennheiser, B&W, and also the Technics A1000.
EQ Settings
Compared to its predecessor, the Ace Ultra’s got some pretty significant improvements like new drivers, better battery life with the batteries now user-replaceable (Sonos is already selling the battery kit on their website for $25). They’ve also got a better EQ system that includes a simplified 3-band EQ and a more granular 8-band graphic EQ compared to simply bass and treble controls, and they now have an Adaptive EQ mode and Voice Boost mode.
I keep Adaptive EQ turned on because it keeps the sound balanced regardless of volume, but for Voice Boost for the Ace Ultra’s transparency mode, I keep it switched off because I do think its transparency is good enough, definitely for situational awareness, but also for face to face conversations.
If we look at these frequency sweeps, while they do amplify the ambient sounds in the upper mids and highs way above the base noise level which makes ambient sounds a bit too loud and bright, voices both near and far get picked up really well. Nonetheless, Voice Boost is good to have for some people who may need it. So which one has the most natural transparency? To me it’s got to be the Technics, followed by the Sony, then the Sonos, and finally the B&W and the Bose.
Active Noise Cancelling
As for active noise canceling, in this group, the Ace Ultra is one of the better noise cancelers, being quieter than the Momentum 5 and the Px7 S3, and I could really get that sense of silence from the Sonos.
But it is weaker than the others at canceling noises between 1-2.5kHz, which could be a good thing for people who feel that strong ANC generates too much pressure, but it also means it’s only going to partially cancel the higher pitches of everyday noises like the sounds of typing on keyboards, a running tap, traffic noises, and children screaming. For better, more complete canceling, the Sony and the Technics is the better choice, with the A1000 being the most powerful noise canceler of this group.
👉🏻 Listen to the ANC quality samples
Microphone Quality
Its microphones sound pretty good in quiet conditions, not surprising, but in very noisy, windy conditions, its background noise reduction is great, but voice filtering is a little too aggressive, such that if I’m on a phone call, the listener is only going to hear parts of what I’m saying.
Compared to the rest, I will again rank it somewhere in the middle because I do prefer its mic pickup to the Sennheiser, which couldn’t deal with wind noise at all. On the other hand, the B&W, Technics and Sonys were better because more of my voice can be heard after voice filtering, and the Sonys provided the best amplification despite the filtering not sounding as clean.
👉🏻 Listen to the mic quality samples
Sound Quality
As for sound quality, let’s listen to how the Ace Ultra on their default settings compare to the rest through these sound samples, and after that I’m going to compare them individually, so stick around for that.
Sonos Ace Ultra VS Technics A1000
Comparing the default sound quality of the Ace Ultra to the Technics A1000, to me, the A1000 sounds more Hi-Res, and there are several reasons for that. The Ace Ultra sounds a bit more muted in the upper mids and treble regions, so tracks sound less crisp and high-def, background details sound darker, and when it comes to percussions and Hi-Hats those have less treble extension than the A1000. Soundstaging is also not as open and airy as the A1000. The only area which I think it competes is in its bass. It has just as much extension and tactility as the A1000.
The Ace Ultra’s volume is also lower. At 65% it matches the A1000 at 50%. Aside from the sound, other reasons to pick the Technics is that it’s a better performer in terms of their ANC and transparency. Battery life is longer at up to 45 hours with ANC instead of 35; they’re richer in features and custom options, for example, they support 3-way multipoint pairing which lets you connect to three different devices at the same time while the Sonos allows up to 2. You can also customize the intensity of their noise canceling and transparency, and the Technics supports the more-common Hi-Res codec LDAC while the Ace Ultra supports up to aptX Lossless, which not all devices support.
The A1000 can also fold into a compact size for chucking into your bag whereas the Sonos only folds flat. But apart from that, I prefer the Sonos instead for their comfort. They’re quite comparable to the Technics in terms of clamping pressure, but the Sonos earcups are a bit roomier, and the ear cups are also easily removable and replaceable. The Sonos is also more low-profile so when I wear them, they look sleeker, more premium.
⚠️ Check latest price:
Sonos Ace Ultra - https://amzn.to/4AJhVR4
Technics A1000 - Link TBA
Sonos Ace Ultra VS WH-1000XM6
Comparing Ace Ultra’s sound quality to the Sony WH-1000XM6, they are quite comparable in terms of tuning and signature. The airiness in the soundstage and background detail retrieval seems comparable too. But, the Sony is a bit crisper in the upper mids, and its track separation is cleaner, while I do think the A1000’s bass is better. It feels more tactile and punchy than the XM6’s bass.
As with the Technics, the Sonos’ volume is lower so I had to push it up to 65% to match the Sony’s 50%. As a product, where the Sony is better is in terms of mic quality and their active noise canceling, so if silence is premium, you’ll be a little happier with the XM6. They also support the more-common Hi-Res codec LDAC while the Ace Ultra supports the less-common aptX Lossless.
Their graphic Equalizer has 10-bands instead of 8 so they accept slightly more granular tuning, and they do offer some very nice Spatial Audio modes like Background Music Mode. If you use the Cafe setting, your music will sound like it’s coming from distant cafe speakers in the background which I enjoy very much while working. However, the Sonos supports USB-C audio, and that could be better for audiophiles because instead of the audio going through the ADC then the DAC, it goes directly through the DAC which means a cleaner signal path.
And if you do need 3.5mm, the Ace Ultra comes with a USB-3.5mm cable. The Sonos also has head tracking which works regardless of content or device, while the Sonys’ head tracking only works with supported content and devices. The Ace Ultra also has physical button controls which some may prefer over touchpads, and it’s a bit more comfortable to wear out of the box compared to the Sony since the clamp is lighter, and the earcups more roomy.
The magnetic earcups are also easier to replace, as well as the batteries which are user-replaceable, making them better for longevity. For some people, that might make the Ace Ultra more compelling than the XM6.
⚠️ Check latest price:
Sonos Ace Ultra - https://amzn.to/4AJhVR4
Sony WH-1000XM6 - https://amzn.to/4n6OcuL
Sonos Ace Ultra VS Sennheiser Momentum 5
Comparing the sound quality of the Ace Ultra to the Sennheiser Momentum 5, where the Sonos can sound nicer, is if you prefer bass that sounds more tactile instead of the M5’s fuller, rounder bass. Also, the Sonos is brighter in the upper mids by default so vocals can sound crisper. But the Sennheiser will appeal more to audiophiles because its track separation is cleaner, treble extension is brighter, mids are fuller which affects the timbre of vocals, and its soundstaging is wider, and deeper.
As for features, the Sennheisers are a little more rich in features and settings but you’re going to find that the Ace Ultra is very comparable, from the audio codecs they support to the USB-audio, the user-replaceable batteries, the 8-band graphic EQ, the Dolby Atmos with head tracking, so it all comes down to performance and comfort. What I prefer about the Sennheiser is that its battery life is rated longer, up to 57 hours vs 35 so you won’t have to charge them as often.
They’re more comfortable in my view because the cushions are more plush and the clamp’s a bit more gentle. Its headband also extends longer so the Sennheisers do support larger head sizes. But as for the mic quality and active noise canceling, the Ace Ultra performs better. It’s got physical button controls which some may prefer over touchpads, and easily-replaceable magnetic earpads. So if those are important to you, you may prefer to buy the Sonos Ace Ultra.
⚠️ Check latest price:
Sonos Ace Ultra - https://amzn.to/4AJhVR4
Sennheiser Momentum 5 - https://amzn.to/4xBkfZ4
Sonos Ace Ultra VS Px7 S3
Comparing the sound quality of the Ace Ultra to the Px7 S3 on their default settings, to my ears, the B&W’s sound is on a different level. It sounds far more resolving, and this really is the main reason to buy the Px7 S3 over the Ace Ultra. Its dynamic range is higher so softer, more subtle details come out better. Separation is cleaner and bass is better separated from mids while being louder. Instruments also have better shape and texture than the Sonos so there’s a 3D layering to the soundstage.
By contrast, the Sonos sounds less resolving and mellower, but I do think its bass is more tactile and punchy than the Px7 S3’s. As for volume, 35% on the Px7 S3 matches the Ace Ultra’s 50%, so the Px7 S3 is also much louder. That being said, the Sonos is a better purchase in other areas like its active noise canceling being more powerful and less hissy than the B&W’s so there’s better silence on the Sonos.
It’s more comfortable to wear because its clamp is more gentle, and it’s got better EQ with 8-bands compared to the B&W’s 5. On top of that, it’s got head tracking, magnetic cushions, user-replaceable batteries, so in quite a few ways the Ace Ultra is more compelling than the Px7 S3.
⚠️ Check latest price:
Sonos Ace Ultra - https://amzn.to/4AJhVR4
B&W Px7 S3 - https://amzn.to/3ItnRYh
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