Sonos has released its first headphones that directly compete with Apple's AirPods Max. So what do you get from Sonos on-ear headphones? Here's a detailed comparison of specs, features, battery life and more between the Sonos Ace and AirPods Max.
Table of Contents h2>
- Sonos Ace and AirPods Max
- Audio characteristics
- Design
- Input/output
- Battery life
- Battery life
- li>
- Weight and dimensions
- Price
- Interesting points
- Conclusions about Sonos Ace and AirPods Max
- Audio characteristics
- Design
- Input/output
- Battery life
- Battery life
- li>
- Weight and dimensions
- Price
- Interesting points
Sonos Ace vs AirPods Max
Sound characteristics
Both Sonos and Apple tout high-quality, rich sound thanks to dedicated 40mm dynamic drivers in each ear, as well as powerful active noise cancellation and transparency modes.
And both companies emphasize that their over-ear headphones combine special equipment. and software to deliver the best possible sound.
Sonos wins for Lossless support, while Apple says it offers partial Lossless support.
Images of Sonos (left) and Apple (right)
| Sonos Ace | AirPods Max | |
| Drivers | 40 mm dynamic | Dynamic 40 mm |
| Microphones | 8 | 9 |
| Active noise reduction | ✅ | ✅ |
| Ambient mode | Awareness mode | Transparency mode |
| Dolby Atmos/Spatial Audio | ✅ | ✅ |
| Dynamic head tracking | ✅ | ✅ |
| No loss | ✅ (wired connection required for iOS) | Like a wired connection |
| EQ | Setting via Sonos app | Adaptive equalizer |
| Sharing audio from TV | Yes with select Sonos soundbars | Yes, with Apple TV |
| Audio sharing | ❌ | ✅ (Audio streaming with two sets of AirPods |
If you have an Apple TV, AirPods Max easily pairs with Sonos Ace to use TV control sharing, you need a compatible Sonos soundbar, such as the Arc or Arc SL (Beam 1/2 and Ray coming soon).
Design
Both of these over-ear headphones feature a premium design. Sonos uses a combination of vegan leather, fabric/foam, and metal, while the AirPods Max uses metal, fabric/foam, and mostly no plastic.
Image via Sonos
The Sonos Ace is only available in two matte colors: soft white and black.
AirPods Max are available in five colors: space gray, silver, pink, green and sky blue.
Image courtesy of Apple.
I/O
The Sonos Ace is ahead of the older AirPods Max with USB-C and Bluetooth 5.4.
However Voice control is more limited, so the AirPods Max wins here with “Hey Siri” support. Sonos says the Ace's Content Key button can “launch your Bluetooth device's voice assistant, if available.”
| Sonos Ace | AirPods Max | ||
| Port | USB-C | Lightning | |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.0 | |
| Wi-Fi support | ❌ | ❌ | |
| Wired support | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Voice control | You can call Siri using a physical button | Siri/Hey Siri | |
| Physical control | Power/Bluetooth button, content button and noise control button | Digital crown and noise control button | Digital crown and noise control button |
| Intelligent recognition | ✅ automatic pause/wear detection (optical sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope) | ✅ automatic pause/wear detection (optical sensors, position and body detection sensors, accelerometer and gyroscope |
The Sonos Ace includes a USB-C to USB cable -C and AirPods Max come with a USB-C to USB-C cable, but the required bidirectional Lightning to 3.5mm cable costs $35.
Neither Sonos Ace nor AirPods Max do not support this feature. Listening to music over Wi-Fi.
Battery life
By time Sonos Ace's battery life beats AirPods Max and fast charging:
| Sonos Ace | AirPods Max | |
| With ANC | Up to 30 hours | Up to 20 hours |
| Talk time | 24 hours | Up to 20 hours |
| Fast charging | 3 minutes = 3 hours of listening | 5 minutes = 1.5 hours of listening |
Weight and dimensions
More plastic than metal By design, the Sonos Ace is a couple of ounces lighter than the AirPods Max. As for the sizes, they are almost identical.
| Sonos Ace | AirPods Max | |
| Weight | 11.04 ounces (312 grams) | 13.6 ounces (384.8 grams) |
| Width | 6.3 inches (160 mm) | 6.64 inches (168.6 mm) |
| Height | 7.52 inches (191 mm) | 7.37 inches (187.3 mm) |
| Depth | 3.35 inches (85 mm) | 3.28 inches (83.4 mm) |
Price
Sonos Ace is $100 cheaper than AirPods Max at regular retail price. However, Apple sometimes offers discounts through Amazon.
| Sonos Ace | AirPods Max | |
| Price | ||
| Price | $449 | $549 |
Tidbits
image via Sonos
The Sonos Ace comes with a nicer, durable travel case (plus a cable pouch), while the AirPods Max comes with a thin, slipcover-style case that leaves the headband exposed .
Image via Apple
AirPods Max first launched in 2020, and Have& #8217;s not seen an update. Last we heard, Apple might do a minor update in 2024, keeping everything the same except replacing the Lightning port with USB-C.
Conclusions Sonos Ace and AirPods Max
Determining which noise-cancelling in-ear headphones are best for you will most likely not be possible. How important is the integration of the Apple ecosystem? Features like Hey Siri, audio sharing, Apple TV connectivity and more are tempting for Apple users.
Meanwhile, the Sonos Ace has longer battery life, upgraded connectivity options such like Bluetooth 5.4 and full Lossless support, lighter than the head and comes with a more convenient travel case and cable for wired listening right out of the box.
The Sonos Ace is now available for pre-order from Sonos for $449 . AirPods Max typically retail for $549.
Which over-ear headphones do you find more attractive? Share your thoughts in the comments!
And stay tuned for our full review of the Sonos Ace coming soon!
