Forget Bose — these are my favorite headphones for travel and I can't wait for the sequel

The Sonos Ace are kind of like the black sheep of the headphones world. Unlike their competitors, Sonos' Ace headphones have no stablemates. There's no Sonos Ace Pro, or WH-1000XACE 2. They might share the spotlight with Sonos' home speakers, but as the only pair of headphones in Sonos' repertoire, they're quite lonesome.

That's a shame, because they're rather good. While they might not be my primary headphones, they're a great travelling companion thanks to one important feature — their excellent spatial audio for movies and TV on the go.

As good as they are, however, they could use some refining: There are some sonic issues that need fixing, along with battery life that could still use work. All of that could be fixed in their sequel — so where are they?

The case for the Sonos Ace

Sonos Ace headphones with case — (Image credit: Future)

If you only care about sound quality, the Sonos Ace aren't going to wow you. Their sound lacks a little drive and punch, and they're a bit too warm. But there's so much else to love about them.

See, I often find myself on longer trips by car, coach, or train. Those can get noisy, and sometimes I want to completely distract myself from my surroundings and watch some TV or a movie. Most headphones do a good job at this — but the Sonos Ace have an ace up their sleeve that secures them a permanent place in my backpack.

They make me feel like I'm sitting in the theater, about to watch my favorite movies in stunning surround sound.

It's the way that they handle spatial audio from just about any streaming service I might throw at them. They make me feel like I'm not in the back of a car or nestled into a train seat. Rather, I'm sitting in the theater, about to watch my favorite movies in stunning surround sound.

The rest of their features — their solid ANC and their comfortable fit — make them a compelling alternative to the more established competition. Their Spatial Audio gives them a Raison D'etre — the movie lover's perfect companion.

So why do I want a new one?

Sonos Ace being held up — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

As much as I love my Sonos Ace, not everything is perfect. Unfortunately, some technical issues have killed a few pairs and, try as I might, it's hard to ignore those sound quality issues mentioned above, along with the lack of greater integration into the wider Sonos ecosystem.

The Sonos Ace, while critically successful, don't seem to have made the same impact with buyers — you know, the people who are actually going to spend money on the headphones.

There are numerous improvements to make — but it looks like Sonos isn't keen to fix them. There have been no rumors as to the Sonos Ace 2, sadly, and I think there could be a couple of reasons why.

The first would be sales. The Sonos Ace, while critically successful, don't seem to have made the same impact with buyers — you know, the people who are actually going to spend money on the headphones. Given the brand's struggle at the moment, it would make perfect sense that investing into a potentially less popular product would be secondary to other new products.

The second could be that Sonos are looking at a longer refresh cycle. After all, the Ace aren't that old in the grand scheme of things.

As reasonable as that all sounds, it doesn't lessen my desire for a sequel — a proper-sounding Ace that delivers audiophile-grade sound over Wi-Fi.

Until that surfaces, I'll keep my eyes on the water. I'm itching to see what the brand might do next.

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Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom's Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore's resident audiophile, Tammy's reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom's Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you'll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that'll never see the light of day.

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