This article is part of our series Battle of the Brands, in which we compare category-leading products to their counterparts to determine which are actually worth your money.
Wireless headphones are becoming more like smartphones. The top models are built around an ecosystem that extends functionality to multiple apps, devices and platforms. No greater example exists than the Apple AirPods lineup, which is headlined by the luxury AirPods Max. These over-ear beauties share many upscale features with the AirPods Pro 2 and work with all Apple products, plus they have their own set of exclusive perks.
Not too far behind are the all-new Sonos Ace. These headphones leverage proprietary technologies to integrate seamlessly with your Sonos soundbar and several third-party devices. In addition, they house powerful specs underneath their beautiful shell, including active noise cancellation, Bluetooth multipoint and spatial audio.
Each model caters to their respective user base, but which is the better overall pick up? Let’s find out.
Sonos Ace vs. Apple AirPods Max at a glance
The long-awaited Sonos Ace have effective ANC, intuitive connectivity and versatile sound performance that surpasses many of the market’s best over-ear headphones.
Apple’s AirPods Max headphones deliver extreme comfort, strong noise reduction and terrific spatial sound at a premium.
Quick comparison
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Sonos Ace
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|---|---|
| Active noise cancellation | Yes |
| Ambient noise | Yes |
| Battery life (rated) | 30 hours |
| Fast charging | 3-minute charge = 3 hours |
| Wired support | 3.5 mm to 2.5 mm audio cable, USB-C to USB-C cable |
| Weight | 11.4 ounces |
| Colors | Black, Soft White |
| Charging | USB-C |
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Apple AirPods Max
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|---|---|
| Active noise cancellation | Yes |
| Ambient noise | Yes |
| Battery life (rated) | 20 hours |
| Fast charging | 5-minute charge = 1.5 hours |
| Wired support | Lightning-to-3.5mm audio cable |
| Weight | 13.6 |
| Colors | Pink, Green, Silver, Sky Blue, Space Gray |
| Charging | Lightning |
Apple’s stellar 3D audio versus Sonos’ excellent sound quality
The AirPods Max are not audiophile gems like the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 or Sony WH-1000XM5. However, they produce dynamic sound with rich bass that can be enhanced through different settings on the best music streaming services or when enabling spatial audio. Nearly all Apple Music tracks are encoded using ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) to stream at up to 24-bit/192 kHz for crisp, detailed presentation. Dolby Atmos content is engrossing, thanks to precise head tracking technology that demonstrates accurate sound placement and motion response.
Standard audio performance is where the Ace shine bright. Their detailed, nicely balanced and vibrant soundstage creates full-bodied sound that can be adjusted via EQ or Loudness Setting in the Sonos app. The latter makes bass and treble more effective at low volume. Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive codec ups the ante by dynamically scaling Bluetooth audio to expose more details in recordings. Sonos’ spatial audio format is satisfying and works with all stereo content. Motion detection is also spot-on.
TL;DR: Go with the AirPods Max if 3D audio is your bag, or the Ace for a more well-rounded listening experience.
The AirPods Max have superior noise cancellation
Four years later and the AirPods Max remain some of the best noise-canceling headphones money can buy. Low- and mid-frequency sounds are silenced. Some high-frequency sounds creep onto the soundstage, but they aren’t distracting. The real reward is Apple’s ambient listening mode, which, as we’ve said in our updated review, “brings in the world around you in a very natural way.” Ambient noises and voices sound loud and crystal clear.
Sonos’ ANC technology is adequate for uninterrupted listening at home. Rocking out to your favorite jams in rowdy environments won’t be so peaceful since the mics fail to suppress buzzy and high-pitched noises at an elite level. The Ace’s Aware Mode also struggles with vocal capture.
TL;DR: Expect better noise neutralization from Apple’s cans.
The AirPods Max win on integration and features
Consumers buy Sonos speakers for their seamless pairing with other Sonos products. The Ace headphones are no different. The Ace work well with Apple and Android devices and have multipoint technology to pair the headphones to two devices simultaneously. As for Sonos connectivity, they only work with the Arc soundbar, but will support three other speakers — the Beam (Gen 2), Beam (Gen 1), and Ray — in a future software update. Pairing the Ace to your Sonos home theater will let you enable exclusive features like TV Audio Swap and TrueCinema (set for release in a few weeks). The former switches audio between a Sonos speaker and the Ace, while the latter creates a personal 3D sound profile for the headphones by having your Sonos soundbar map out your listening environment.
The AirPods Max operate flawlessly with iOS and macOS devices. You can connect them to Android devices, but the Ace make this process simpler with one-tap Google Fast Pair. Linking the AirPods Max to your iCloud account allows for instantaneous pairing with all Apple devices. Find My integration is ideal for locating misplaced Apple products. There’s also this massive list of AirPods Max tips and tricks to help you master the headphones. Overall, Apple gives you far more features and a more adept first-party user experience.
TL;DR: The Ace are more platform-neutral and promise masterful compatibility with Sonos speakers, but the AirPods Max have more features and wider first-party support.
Sonos provides more playback options and battery life
Both sets of headphones offer wired and wireless listening, though the Ace support more audio inputs. You can either employ the bundled 3.5mm aux or USB-C cable for lossless audio on compatible devices. Meanwhile, AirPods Max owners must purchase a Lightning to 3.5mm or Lightning to USB-C cable for wired mode. Keep in mind that wired playback on the AirPods Max “will not be completely lossless” and that the company recently phased out the Lightning connector in favor of USB-C charging.
A full charge lasts longer on the Ace than the AirPods Max: 30 hours to 20 hours. ANC and spatial audio decrease playtime by about 5 hours, but Sonos equipped their headphones with strong quick-charging that generates 3 hours of listening time on a 3-minute charge. The AirPods Max net you 1.5 hours on a 5-minute charge.
TL;DR: The Ace will last longer and gives you more ways to listen.
Bottom line
The Sonos Ace win this battle based on several factors. Exceptional hi-res audio performance combined with robust connectivity and up to 30 hours of listening time in a handsome design make for a compelling, attractive package. They’re the clear choice for any Sonos user in search of wireless headphones to complement their Sonos audio setup.
Anyone with an iPhone, iPad, MacBook or Apple TV should have the AirPods Max on their skull. The functionality these cans exhibit with all Apple devices is nothing short of stellar. Noise cancellation and sound are on point, especially spatial audio. If only the headphones had a much lower price, held a charge longer and were more platform-neutral.