Sonos Ace review: a sensational arrival on the portable Bluetooth headset market

Sonos capitalizes on its well-established fleet of sound bars to offer its headphones a particular functionality that sets it apart from its direct competitors. The Ace is capable of interfacing via WiFi with a brand soundbar (Arc initially, other models after a future update) to retrieve the audio stream and direct it from the bar to the headset . It is thus possible to enjoy cinematic content without disturbing sleepers/neighbors, and still benefit from a 3D rendering.

When activated for the first time, you must launch this functionality in the Sonos app, then activation of the home cinema function is done simply, without latency, by a long press on the slide button. The audio stream then switches from the bar to the headset seamlessly. All audio streams, from simple stereo to Dolby Atmos in 7.1.4 channels, are supported and it is the bar’s processor which is in charge to carry out the transformation into a binaural signal in order to rediscover the cinema experience provided by the bar in the helmet.

And in fact, it’s quite convincing. Good spatialization and the extent of the soundstage play a crucial role here in immersing the listener in the heart of the action. The tracking of head movements is also quite successful, even if a very slight latency remains. We also feel the lack of bass energy, particularly in the reproduction of explosions which lack impact. The fidelity of the original soundtracks is also quite impacted by this 3D scaling. However, the rendering remains pleasant enough to enjoy films/series, but especially video games, because for us this is the main interest of this functionality. The headset microphone is however disabled in this configuration. To be reserved for solo games.