Four premium options, and a clear winner for most people. Best overall, Sony WH-1000XM6 Best-in-class ANC, folds for travel, the deepest app, great calls. The pick for most people, most of the time. Most comfortable, Bose QuietComfort Ultra The nicest to wear for hours, with a more natural cancellation feel and the best spatial audio. For iPhone owners, AirPods Max (USB-C) Heavy and expensive, but the build is unmatched and the integration with Apple devices is seamless. For Sonos households, Sonos Ace Great sound and the TV Audio Swap trick, if you already own a Sonos soundbar. The verdict: Buy the Sony XM6 unless comfort (Bose), ecosystem (AirPods Max) or a Sonos soundbar (Ace) tips you elsewhere.
A strong first pair of headphones from Sonos, launched into a company having a rough year. Our score: 8 / 10 The hardware is not the problem The Sonos Ace sound great, the ANC is competitive with Sony and Bose, the build is genuinely premium, and the "TV Audio Swap" trick (throwing your Sonos Arc’s audio straight to the headphones for private late-night watching) is clever and works well. The asterisk Sonos’s app overhaul was a mess, and trust in the company’s software direction took a hit. The Ace largely sidesteps the worst of it, but you are still buying into that ecosystem. The good and the bad What works Premium build and sound Competitive ANC TV Audio Swap with a Sonos Arc is excellent What doesn’t Best features need other Sonos gear Sonos app and software trust issues Late to the category Who it’s for Buy it if you own a Sonos soundbar and want headphones that integrate with it. Skip it if you have no other Sonos gear, in which case the XM6 or QC Ultra are safer buys. Alternatives worth a look Sony WH-1000XM6, the all-rounder. Bose QuietComfort Ultra, the comfort pick. The verdict: Good headphones with a real party trick, sold by a company you may or may not trust right now. Sources Sonos
