Sonos has launched its first headphones and they compete directly with Apple’s AirPods Max. So what do you get with the Sonos over-ears? Here’s a detailed comparison of specs, features, battery life, and more for Sonos Ace vs AirPods Max.
Update 6/7/24: Sonos Ace are now shipping to customers and AirPods Max are back on a limited-time sale at Amazon for $449.
Table of contents
Sonos Ace vs AirPods Max
Audio specs
Both Sonos and Apple tout high-fidelity, rich audio thanks to custom 40 mm dynamic drivers for each ear along with strong active noise cancellation and transparency modes.
And both companies highlight their over-ear headphones combine custom hardware and software to deliver the best sound possible.
Sonos wins for Lossless support while Apple says it offers partial Lossless support.
| Sonos Ace | AirPods Max | |
| Drivers | 40 mm dynamic | 40 mm dynamic |
| Mics | 8 | 9 |
| Active noise cancellation | ✅ | ✅ |
| Ambient mode | Aware mode | Transparency mode |
| Dolby Atmos/Spatial audio | ✅ | ✅ |
| Dynamic head tracking | ✅ | ✅ |
| Lossless | ✅ (requires wired connection for iOS) | Sort of with wired connection |
| EQ | Adjust via Sonos app | Adaptive EQ |
| TV audio sharing | Yes with select Sonos soundbars | Yes with Apple TV |
| Audio sharing | ❌ | ✅ (stream audio with two sets of AirPods |
If you have an Apple TV, AirPods Max pair seamlessly, with Sonos Ace to use TV handoff, you need a compatible Sonos soundbar like the Arc or Arc SL (soon Beam 1/2 and Ray).
Design
Both of these over-ear headphones feature premium designs. Sonos uses a vegan leather, fabric/foam, and metal mix while AirPods Max uses metal, fabric/foam, and mostly skips the plastic.
Sonos Ace are just available in two matte finishes: Soft White and Black.
AirPods Max come in five colors: Space Gray, Silver, Pink, Green, and Sky Blue.
I/O
Sonos Ace is ahead of the older AirPods Max with USB-C and Bluetooth 5.4.
However, there’s more limited voice control, so AirPods Max win there with Hey Siri support. Sonos says the Content Key on Ace can “trigger your Bluetooth device’s voice assistant, if available.”
| Sonos Ace | AirPods Max | |
| Port | USB-C | Lightning |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.0 |
| WiFi support | ❌ | ❌ |
| Wired support | ✅ | ✅ |
| Voice control | Can invoke Siri with physical button | Siri/Hey Siri |
| Physical controls | Power/Bluetooth button, Content Key, and Noise Control button | Digital Crown and Noise control button |
| Smart sensing | ✅ auto-pause/wear detection (optical sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope) | ✅ auto-pause/wear detection (optical, position, and case-detect sensors, accelerometer, and gyroscope |
Sonos Ace come with both a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-C to 3.5 mm cord. AirPods Max come with a Lightning to USB-C cable, but charges $35 for the necessary Lightning to 3.5 mm bi-directional cable.
Neither Sonos Ace nor AirPods Max feature listening to music over WiFi.
Battery life
Sonos Ace goes beyond AirPods Max for both battery life 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 charge | 3 min = 3 hours listening | 5 min = 1.5 hours listening |
Weight and dimensions
With more plastic vs metal in the design, Sonos Ace are a couple of ounces lighter than AirPods Max. For dimensions, the two 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 are $100 less than AirPods Max at normal retail pricing. However, sometimes Apple offers discounts via Amazon.
We’ve also seen our first open-box Sonos Ace offerings come in with a $67 discount.
Tidbits
Sonos Ace come with a nicer, hardshell travel case (plus cable pouch) whereas AirPods Max come with a slim cover-style case that leaves the headband exposed.
AirPods Max first launched in 2020 and haven’t seen an update. The latest we’ve heard is that Apple could do a minor update in 2024 – keeping everything the same except for swapping the Lightning port for a USB-C.
Sonos Ace vs AirPods Max conclusion
Figuring out which ANC over-ear headphones are best for you between these two will likely come down to how important Apple ecosystem integration is. Features like Hey Siri, audio sharing, Apple TV connectivity, and more are tempting for Apple users.
Meanwhile, Sonos Ace has longer battery life, updated connectivity like Bluetooth 5.4 and full Lossless support, are lighter on the head, and come with a nicer travel case and the cable for wired listening out of the box.
The Sonos Ace are available now from Sonos, Amazon, and more at $449. AirPods Max normally sell for $549 but are back on a limited-time sale at Amazon for $449.
Which over-ears are more compelling to you? Share your thoughts in the comments! And check out our full video review:
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