Sonos Ace vs Sony WH-1000XM5

“Sony does give you a headphones app with five bands and a clear base slider”

“Now the saving grace to the XM5 is customizable EQ using the app.”

“kind of reinvented it, really redid it all and now it is much, much better than it was prior.”

“Now the 1000XM5 from Sony on the other hand makes a solid first impression with a fresh and clean design, clear sound, and an even better ANC.”

“The minimalist design is sleek and professional, making them a great choice for the office or travel.”

“I think durability deserves a special mention with the XM5s and they are a bit of a winner in that area, which is a surprise because when you first get these and first get them out the box, they are unnervingly light.”

“and the build quality is probably my favorite out of the Bose, Beats and these Sony XM5s.”

“they look very very stylish. I really do like the chrome aspect of it which obviously is adjustable so that way they can fit your head style and then they can easily rotate around on the earmuff.”

“The design is sleek and modern with premium materials you can feel. The ear cups use memory foam cushions that mould around your ears without making it feel tight or heavy.”

“The Sonos Ace is a strong debut with cinematic flair and a sleek build that's perfect for home use, especially if you're already invested in the Sonos ecosystem.”

“The Ace headphones sport a look that's both on-trend and timeless. They feel robust and premium. They feel like Sonos headphones should.”

“Sony has their own proprietary sound enhancements as well, and if you're using a Sony source say like the A306 or the ZX707 DAPs, then I'd be hard pressed to find a better portable combo in this price range.”

“In contrast, the Sony WH-1000XM5 boasts a custom-designed 30mm driver unit that, according to Sony, boosts noise cancellation and raises high-frequency sensitivity for more realistic sound quality.”

“The audio quality of the Sony WH-1000XM5 is what truly captivated us. Described as detailed, musical and transparent, these award-winning headphones excel at handling any genre you throw their way.”

“my first impressions of the XM5s sound quality is really good; the bass was exceptional, but it could sometimes overpower the vocals and make everything sound muffled.”

“The Sonos Ace, on the other hand, aims for a true audio file experience. Sound is incredibly neutral and natural. The bass is tight and accurate, and the mids are clear and detailed. You can hear every nuance in a track, which makes them…”

“Like I said, I was impressed with the Ace's sound quality. They're very clean sounding with nice detail and sparkle in the treble along with punchy, powerful bass that doesn't get boomy, and they also have a wide sound stage.”

“The sound stage was nice had nice little had nice wideness to it with the background vocalist They sound very clear got the echoing too very nice I like the harmonizing harmonizing here sounds good”

“These are very good premium noise-cancelling headphones with dynamic head track. They can deliver spacious outside the head sound with a cinematic sense of space.”

“with Sony's headphones you can adjust their ambient mode to your liking.”

“With its speak-to-chat feature, the XM5 allows you to talk with someone at the gym or a coffee shop without removing the headphones.”

“Transparency mode, wear mode, or whatever you want to call it is for the first time in my opinion actually usable for listening to music while also letting through any and all sounds you want coming through.”

“The awareness mode is really good, great clarity of all the audio coming in.”

“So in terms of transparency, this is a solid 9.7 out of 10 to me.”

“We also have aware mode, so you can let the outside in with the press of a button without stopping your content.”

“Overall though, the Sony XM5s have been my go to I think just with that combination of sound canceling that doesn't annoy me, a sound profile that to me at least sounds good and I enjoy both for voice and also for music.”

“these headphones in particular are some of my favorites and I know that they are some of the industry leading in noise cancelling. These are none other than the Sony WH-1000XM5s”

“If you're after a premium listening experience with incredible sound quality, world-class noise cancellation, and all-day comfort, the Sony WH-1000XM5 is hands down the winner.”

“Once more, the Sony WH-1000XM5 wowd us with its capabilities. Cb noted that when faced with sharp screeching sounds, the 1000XM5 dulls the edges to make them less noticeable.”

“Despite the sound tuning deficiencies, I actually enjoy using the Sonos Ace. In many ways, it shares the AirPod Max's strengths in terms of ANC and transparency without the crazy weight and in a much better package.”

“So, judging these purely as wireless noise-cancelling headphones, I think they hold their own against the competition. If you're already in that Sonos ecosystem, these are a no-brainer.”

“Sonos nailed this on their first try. In the lower frequencies, think airplane engines, train rumbles, the bus commute, the Ace is virtually neck and neck with the Sony XM5.”

“Noise cancellation acts very well. I sat outside, there was a bunch of noise going on, my kids were in the pool. It does a great job cancelling out all that noise.”

“whereas the Sony's on the other hand, you can plug these in just with a 3.5 millimeter headphone jack and you can still use them as regular old headphones. You don't have to turn it on.”

“The XM5 also supports Bluetooth Multipoint enabling seamless switching between two devices, which is incredibly convenient for multitasking.”

“You can also connect to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously, making it easy to switch between a laptop for work and a phone for calls.”

“I mentioned that the connectivity was actually really quite surprising. It was able to go to the other side of my house and maintain a connection.”

“the TV audio swap feature that tosses playback from the Sonos Arc soundbar to the Ace for Dolby Atmos listening when you're watching a movie or show at home works really well.”

“If you own a compatible Sonos soundbar, the Arc, Beam or Ray, you can press and hold one button and the audio seamlessly transfers from your soundbar to your headphones.”

“if you're already a Sonos home theater user and you think you might want to be able to use your headphones with that system, these are a great option.”

“the only two unique selling points it has is that you can when you already got Sonos speakers like switch from the TV sound bar directly to them”

“the XM5 just kind of feel like they're resting on top of my head, which makes them an excellent choice for traveling or just anyone that wears their headphones for longer periods of time.”

“I still like the XM5, that's still one of my favorites because A, comfortable, didn't have a tough clamp, microphones are like god tier, so I'm happy to save money and go for the XM5”

“The combination of ABS sliders, swivelling earcups, and plush memory foam within the headband positions it amongst the most comfortable over-ear headphones in its class.”

“You pick these up, it's almost like picking up pillows like a just a set of pillows that you're just going to put over your ears for a while.”

“Now Sonos say that they have a mechanism in the ear cup that adjusts to equalize pressure and create a better acoustic seal. I have to say, these are probably the best fitting headphones that I've tried.”

“the first thing that I noticed was how comfortable they are. I mean, they are not a big ear cup by any shape by any shape form or whatever the imagination, but they encompassed my ears quite nicely.”

“the headband is no exception it's extremely strong and comfortable. I mean just look at the flex that you get out of this thing. This can fit any head shape or size.”

“Sonos Ace headphones are first and foremost that in terms of fit, they might as well be the most comfortable thing I've ever had on top of my head in any category.”

“The Sony WH-1000XM5 is the smarter purchase for 90% of people. It is cheaper, often found on sale for well under $350, and offers a more customizable sound, a mature app, and bulletproof reliability.”

“I've been using these headphones for about three years now. And they're not perfect. But with the price dropping nearly 50% since launch, this might be the only time they're actually worth it”

“This is why I think the M5 is going to be one of the best headphones I've ever used even though I haven't fully used it yet.”

“So for value, I'm giving the XM5 a 4 out of 5 because these still bring a lot to the table as an overall package.”

“Whereas the Sonos Ace, I do think are actually worthy of their price. Even if it's a little bit on the pricey side still, they sound incredible, ANC is one of the best I've ever experienced, and they are comfortable to wear for a long…”

“And in terms of overall value, even though I was a little bit harsh with some of my ratings, I'm still going to give it a strong 7.5 out of 10 and this is because the pros really do outweigh the cons.”

“The Sonos Ace headphones are officially here and they're easily one of the best new headphones to hit the market. Although they certainly aren't cheap.”

“I do believe the Sonos Ace offer a better value.”

“the Sony XM5 which also have similar similar style case to the Bose, lay flat case for protection.”