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Door staff@engadget.com (Billy Steele) - 22 Sep 2026
Aside from two new colors (hello, Agave!), the overall design of the Ace Ultra hasn't changed much from its predecessor. These new headphones are slightly larger and just a hair heavier than the original Ace. There are subtle differences in the design accents, but it's hardly a major aesthetic refresh. Almost all of the updates are internal, and there are a lot of them.
Under the hood, the Ace Ultra headphones run on Sonos' Headphone Engine 2, which is part of the company's larger Sonos 27 platform overhaul. This brings a redesigned Wi-Fi setup that allows for what the company calls "headphone linking," in addition to the TV Audio Swap from soundbars on the previous Ace. Headphone linking allows you to add the Ace Ultra to your collection of Sonos devices just like you would a speaker. You're then able to send whatever is playing on the speakers — music, movies or even audio from a connected turntable — to the headphones with the press of a button. Press again, and the audio returns to the original device.
There are, of course, some caveats with this functionality. The first, and probably most notable, is that you have to initiate your music or podcasts from the Sonos app. This audio move won't work if you're using Apple Music over AirPlay, for example. You can, however, start playing the content in the Sonos app on the Ace Ultra headphones, selecting them just like you would a speaker. You don't have to first play the audio through a speaker before sending it to the headphones.
For active noise cancellation, Sonos added two more microphones, so the Ace Ultra has 10 total. These help with the new Adaptive ANC that monitors your surroundings and adjusts the noise blocking in real time. There's also a new Adaptive EQ that automatically tweaks the sound based on changes in fit. This will be handy for people with glasses or long hair. On an EQ-related note, Sonos expanded the customization options there, so you can now dial in the tuning on the Ace Ultra with either a basic 3-band or more advanced 8-band EQ.
The last big upgrade is battery life. You'll get up to 35 hours total on a charge on the Ace Ultra, which is about five more hours than the original Ace. What's more, the company made the battery in these headphones user-replaceable, and you can already preorder that kit for $25 (not that you'd need it any time soon). Plus, the app also now shows an estimate of how long the battery will last, alongside its percentage.
During my testing, this figure varied based on how I was using the headphones, so employing features like TV Audio Swap affected the number more than streaming music from your phone over Bluetooth. So, TBD on if that estimate will be helpful or if it's more window dressing. I can, however, tell you that the overall battery life claims are holding strong: After 19 hours of tests with ANC on almost the entire time, I still have 45 percent left in the tank.
Under the hood, the Ace Ultra headphones run on Sonos' Headphone Engine 2, which is part of the company's larger Sonos 27 platform overhaul. This brings a redesigned Wi-Fi setup that allows for what the company calls "headphone linking," in addition to the TV Audio Swap from soundbars on the previous Ace. Headphone linking allows you to add the Ace Ultra to your collection of Sonos devices just like you would a speaker. You're then able to send whatever is playing on the speakers — music, movies or even audio from a connected turntable — to the headphones with the press of a button. Press again, and the audio returns to the original device.
There are, of course, some caveats with this functionality. The first, and probably most notable, is that you have to initiate your music or podcasts from the Sonos app. This audio move won't work if you're using Apple Music over AirPlay, for example. You can, however, start playing the content in the Sonos app on the Ace Ultra headphones, selecting them just like you would a speaker. You don't have to first play the audio through a speaker before sending it to the headphones.
For active noise cancellation, Sonos added two more microphones, so the Ace Ultra has 10 total. These help with the new Adaptive ANC that monitors your surroundings and adjusts the noise blocking in real time. There's also a new Adaptive EQ that automatically tweaks the sound based on changes in fit. This will be handy for people with glasses or long hair. On an EQ-related note, Sonos expanded the customization options there, so you can now dial in the tuning on the Ace Ultra with either a basic 3-band or more advanced 8-band EQ.
The last big upgrade is battery life. You'll get up to 35 hours total on a charge on the Ace Ultra, which is about five more hours than the original Ace. What's more, the company made the battery in these headphones user-replaceable, and you can already preorder that kit for $25 (not that you'd need it any time soon). Plus, the app also now shows an estimate of how long the battery will last, alongside its percentage.
During my testing, this figure varied based on how I was using the headphones, so employing features like TV Audio Swap affected the number more than streaming music from your phone over Bluetooth. So, TBD on if that estimate will be helpful or if it's more window dressing. I can, however, tell you that the overall battery life claims are holding strong: After 19 hours of tests with ANC on almost the entire time, I still have 45 percent left in the tank.