Sonos is joining the crowded headphone market with new noise-cancelling Bluetooth cans called Ace, and the US manufacturer known for its multi-room loudspeaker systems is targeting the premium segment with launch prices of $449 in the US and €499 in the EU.
Owners of the Sonos Arc soundbar in particular are set to benefit, since the wireless headphones are set to be able to pick up cinematic sound directly from the speaker.
The advantage of this is that multi-channel sound formats such as Dolby Atmos are processed on the soundbar and information on more audio tracks is transferred to the headphones than would be possible with Bluetooth.
Sonos says it is working on an even better feature for three-dimensional audio called TrueCinema, set to be available later in the year.
The 40 mm drivers have been specially developed for Sonos headphones, and eight microphones are used for active noise cancellation and the so-called "Aware" mode, which allows ambient noise to pass through.
Sonos says the battery lasts for 30 hours of audio playback or calls. And three minutes on the charger should ensure three hours of battery life.
According to Sonos, special care has been taken to ensure that the headphones are relatively light and they weigh 312 grams - less than Apple's AirPods Max, but more than Sony's WH-1000XM4.
Similarly, the Sonos headphones will cost less than Apple's flagship model but more than Sony's when they go on sale on June 5.
The launch announcement comes after Sonos released a new app with a more modern design - to the disappointment of some customers who have taken to social media to complain that key features like an alarm clock and the ability to play music from local sources were missing. Sonos promised to restore them in the new app in the coming months.
