Sonos, the company synonymous with multi-room audio systems and stellar sound, has finally set its sights on a new battleground: headphones. Enter the Sonos Ace, a meticulously designed and feature-packed pair of premium cans that promises not only top-notch audio quality, but also a unique integration with your existing Sonos ecosystem.

Sonos doesn’t disappoint in the design department. The Ace headphones boast a refined look that draws inspiration from the company’s speaker lineup. Available in two color options – a sleek black and a sophisticated soft white with silver accents – the headphones utilize a mix of matte finishes, stainless steel, and leather to create a high-end feel. Despite the premium materials, the use of plastic keeps the weight down to a comfortable 11 ounces (312 grams), making them lighter than the AirPods Max.

A key design aspect is the hidden hinge tucked away within the ear cup. This design choice, according to Sonos, not only minimizes stress on cabling but also contributes to a cleaner aesthetic compared to traditional folding mechanisms. Sonos also opts for physical controls instead of a touchpad, with a multi-purpose button they cleverly named the Content Key handling volume and playback controls, along with the ability to switch between noise-cancellation modes.

Under the hood, 40mm custom dynamic drivers power the Ace’s sound. Sonos promises “impeccable precision and clarity” across the entire audio spectrum, further enhanced by spatial audio and dynamic head tracking for an immersive listening experience. These headphones cater to the audiophile crowd as well, supporting lossless audio over Bluetooth with compatible devices and offering lossless listening over USB-C for wired connections. If the default sound profile doesn’t tickle your fancy, the Sonos app allows for adjustments to bass, treble, and loudness.

Of course, no high-end headphone experience is complete without effective noise cancellation. The Sonos Ace boasts active noise cancellation (ANC) with an accompanying Aware mode for letting in ambient sounds when needed. Eight beamforming microphones are on board to tackle noise cancellation and voice pick-up during calls. The headphones are also equipped with wear detection sensors that automatically pause your music or movies when you take them off. Battery life is impressive too, with Sonos claiming up to 30 hours on a single charge with ANC enabled, exceeding the AirPods Max and matching the current leader, Sony’s WH-1000XM5.

While leaked details foreshadowed many of Ace’s features, Sonos managed to keep one aspect under wraps: how these headphones would interact with their existing product line. The Sonos app acts as the control center for the headphones, but a unique feature called TV Audio Swap takes things a step further. This functionality allows you to seamlessly switch the audio from your Sonos soundbar to the Ace headphones, all within range. To achieve this, the headphones cleverly switch to Bluetooth LE for maintaining a connection with the app for controls and settings, while simultaneously utilizing Wi-Fi to sync with the soundbar. While launch functionality is limited to the Sonos Arc, the company promises future compatibility with both generations of Beam and Ray soundbars.

Sonos also brings a unique twist to its TruePlay room tuning technology. Here, dubbed TrueCinema, the feature (arriving later this year) will analyze the acoustics of your soundbar’s environment to create a virtual surround sound experience within the headphones. The goal? To recreate the listening experience of your room and make you forget you’re wearing headphones altogether.

After experiencing the Ace firsthand with both music and movie content, it’s clear that Sonos has prioritized sound quality. The headphones deliver pristine detail and an enhanced sense of immersion with Dolby Atmos content, making them a perfect complement to a home theater setup. But what truly surprised us was how flawlessly the TV Audio Swap feature functioned. With a simple press of the Content Key button, the sound effortlessly transitioned from the soundbar to the headphones, without any unwanted interruptions or audio drops. Even non-Dolby Atmos content benefits from Sonos’ 3D virtualization technology, which upscales audio for a comparable listening experience. The head tracking capabilities, spatial audio, and TV audio swap with Sonos Arc compatibility are currently limited to the iOS version of the Sonos app at launch, with Android compatibility coming “shortly after.”

The Sonos Ace headphones are available for preorder today for $449 and will start shipping on June 5th. While this price tag positions them above some flagship models from Bose, Sony, and others, it undercuts the AirPods Max by $100. The Sonos Ace offers a compelling combination of features, particularly for audiophiles and those already invested in the Sonos ecosystem. With its blend of comfort, exceptional audio quality, and seamless integration with Sonos soundbars, the Ace headphones are poised to be a strong contender in the premium headphone market.