Following the launch of the highly anticipated Sonos Ace over-ear headphones, we were keen to see how the specs compared to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones.
As we haven’t yet fully reviewed either headphones, we’ve compared the specs of both and noted their key features, so you can gauge which ones might be better suited for you.
Pricing and availability
The Sonos Ace are the newest headphones of the two and currently have an RRP of £449 / $449 / €499. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra is similarly priced with an RRP of £449.95 / $429 / €499.95.
The Quiet Comfort Ultra is available in three colours: Black, White Smoke or Sandstone while the Sonos Ace is available in Black or Soft White.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra has three ANC modes
Both the Bose QuietComfort Ultra and Sonos Ace both feature Active Noise Cancelling technology that uses microphones to detect and actively reduce surrounding noise.
The Sonos Ace offers two ANC modes, including a Noise Cancelling Mode that blocks out external sound and an Aware Mode which blends external ambient sound with your audio so you can stay present in your surroundings.
The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones present three ANC modes. These include Immersion Mode which combines full noise cancellation and Bose Immersive Audio (spatial sound). Aware Mode which gives your audio transparency so you can hear your surroundings and Quiet Mode brings on the full ANC experience.
The Sonos Ace has dynamic head tracking
Sonos promises an “industry-leading” Dolby Atmos experience with dynamic head tracking, that “traces the smallest movements of your head” and adapts the sound to keep you centred in every scene.
The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have a similar feature with the Immersive Audio mode which is activated through the Bose Music control app (or through controls on the headphones). Essentially, this mode ‘spatialises’ the audio presentation and adds head-tracking to keep up with the movements of your head to create a more immersive experience that mirrors how we listen to music.
In our first impressions of the headphones, our reviewer found that “switching on Immersive Audio brings an undeniable improvement in the amount of space to the sound”.
The Sonos Ace has up to 30-hours battery life
Although both headphones offer long battery life, the Sonos Ace has the edge with up to 30-hours of listening time compared to the QuietComfort Ultra’s 24-hours.
In addition to longer-lasting stamina, the Sonos Ace also promises a three-minute rapid charge will result in up to an impressive three hours of listening time. Bose has a similar but less impressive fast charge option with a 15-minute charge offering up to two hours of listening time.
