Latest news with #SonosBeamGen2
NBC News
28-04-2025
- NBC News
I test headphones for a living: the Sonos Ace are my favorites
As a tech reporter for NBC Select, I test a lot of headphones — over-ear headphones, open earbuds, workout headphones, everyday wireless earbuds, you name it. When people ask me what my favorite is, it can be hard to answer because I'm always trying something new — I rarely settle into a favorite for long. But I realized I do have a preference, at least at home: the Sonos Ace headphones. It is the pair I always go back to when I am done testing. Here's why. What are the Sonos Ace? Sonos is best known for its wireless home speakers and soundbars (we're big fans of the Sonos Beam Gen 2 and Sonos Era 300), and the Sonos Ace are the brand's first pair of headphones. At $450 they compete with headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM5 ($399), Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones ($429) and Apple AirPods Pro Max ($549). They have all the features you would expect with that price tag — stellar sound quality, long battery life, strong noise-cancelling and transparency modes, wired and wireless connectivity and the ability to connect to multiple devices at once. Weight: 312.9g | Battery life: up to 30 hours with ANC on, over 30 hours with ANC off | Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4 (up to 2 devices), wired | Noise cancellation: yes | Transparency: yes | Carrying case: hard case included | App: Sonos (iPhone and Android) Why I love the Sonos Ace I've used the Sonos Ace for about a year after the brand sent me a pair for review in 2024. They are my go-to headphones for rest, relaxation and entertainment. If I am on my iPad or watching TV, chances are the Sonos Ace are on my head. What I like Exceedingly comfortable I've tested dozens of over-ear headphones — the Sonos Ace are near the top of the list when it comes to comfort. They are one of the few pairs of over-ear headphones I can put on my head and largely forget about. They don't feel too heavy, too hot or clamp too strongly. Part of the reason why is fit. The headband has a seamless telescoping band, no notches or hinges to be found. In practice, that means I can dial in my fit and never feel like I am 'between sizes' so-to-speak. The earcups and headband have soft and supportive memory foam that hasn't worn down much in the year I've worn them. Intuitive controls and effortless connectivity The Sonos Ace have my favorite on-ear controls of any over-ear headphone, full stop. There are three physical buttons, the power button, the noise-cancelling mode button and a larger, sliding, rocker-style button the brand calls the content key. Slide the content key up and down to adjust volume, press it in to play, pause, or skip tracks and hold it down to start a TV audio swap. All the controls are responsive and work consistently. TV audio swap in particular is seamless and painless. If you have a Sonos soundbar, you can press and hold the content key, and the Sonos Ace will instantly connect to your TV audio. To be fair, you can connect any Bluetooth headphones to any new TV these days. But the Sonos Ace does it the fastest, with the least amount of effort. The same can be said of swapping between other devices — the Sonos Ace can connect to two devices at once, and will automatically disconnect from a saved device if you need to add a new connection. Great sound and call quality Like other over-ear headphones at this price, the Sonos Ace sounds fantastic. They take a balanced approach — not pumping up the bass or blasting the vocals, leading to an even feel that never becomes grating. While listening to instrumental music there was an open and detailed soundstage, with each instrument clear and distinct in the track. When listening to pop music the vocal mixes were especially powerful and clear. And the SFX from action movies sound close, punchy and dramatic, as intended. What could be better The Sonos app If you treat the Sonos Ace like any other pair of over-ear Bluetooth headphones, they are simple, elegant and excellent. It's when you start poking around the Sonos app that you are more likely to run into issues. In my mind, the Sonos app is still mostly useful for Sonos home speakers — the Sonos Ace feels a bit like an afterthought, in my experience. Here's the thing though: I basically never need to open the Sonos app to enjoy my Sonos Ace. Unless you love tinkering with settings and EQ, you probably won't need to either. Who are the Sonos Ace for? The Sonos Ace are for anyone who wants a pair of premium, comfortable and streamlined over-ear headphones. They take design cues from competitors like Apple AirPods Pro Max and Sony WH-1000XM5, but the end result feels distinct and compelling. They are my go-to home headphones, and make everything from podcasts to the latest shows and movies more immersive and more enjoyable. Why trust NBC Select? I am a reporter at NBC Select who covers technology and fitness including recent stories on point-and-shoot cameras, smartwatches, running shoes and more. I've been using the Sonos Ace headphones for almost a year. For this piece, I compared the experience of using the Sonos Ace headphones to other over-ear headphones I've tested over the years.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Amazon deal of the day: Slash $100 off our favorite soundbar, the Sonos Beam Gen 2
All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission. Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Jan. 31: OUR TOP PICK Sonos Beam Gen 2 $399 (save $100) Get Deal BEST BLUETOOTH SPEAKER DEAL Sony ULT Field 1 $98 (save $31.99) Get Deal BEST SECURITY CAMERA DEAL Google Nest Floodlight Cam $229.99 (save $50) Get Deal BEST STREAMING DEVICE DEAL Roku Express $17.99 (save $12) Get Deal BEST SMART SPEAKER DEAL Sonos Era 100 $199 (save $50) Get Deal Not every deal you see on Amazon is actually a deal. Sometimes listing prices are inflated and other times an item has been sitting at its "sale" price for months on end. If you're looking to score some deals that are actually worth grabbing, stick with us. We've sorted through the chaos of Amazon's daily deals pages and handpicked a few impressive discounts we think are worth it on Jan. 31. Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If these aren't getting the job done, check out our picks from Jan. 29 and Jan. 30. Many of those deals are still live, including 50% off our favorite budget earbuds and $100 off the most powerful iPad. Opens in a new window Credit: Sonos Sonos Beam Gen 2 $399.00 at Amazon $499.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal Our favorite soundbar to pair with your TV, the Sonos Beam Gen 2, is back on sale for just $399 — that's $100 or 20% in savings. The second-generation soundbar improves on all of the things we already loved about the first-generation Beam, which Mashable tech reporter Raymond Wong said "hits the sweet spot on price, design, sound quality, and features." The upgraded model features a new grill, a better processor, and Dolby Atmos compatibility to its already immersive sound, convenient voice assistant support, and spectacular clarity. Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony ULT Field 1 $98.00 at Amazon $129.99 Save $31.99 Get Deal Mashable's shopping and reviews editor Miller Kern took the Sony ULT Field 1 for a spin and found its sound quality, customizable EQs, and bass-pumping ULT setting to be particularly impressive selling points. While the battery life could be a little bit better, ultimately, she gave the Bluetooth speaker a glowing 4.5 out of 5 stars. It's usually $129.99, but as of Jan. 31, it's on sale at Amazon for just under $100. That's 25% in savings. Read our full review of the Sony ULT Field 1. Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Nest Floodlight Cam $229.99 at Amazon $279.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal Want to shine a brighter light on what's happening around your home when you're away or asleep? The Google Nest Floodlight Cam is a solid option (particularly for dedicated Google users) and is on sale for $50 off as of Jan. 31. It packs all of the same features as the Google Nest Cam, but adds super bright LED floodlights and 180-degree motion detection that can identify who or what is outside your home. Its built-in intelligence feature sends you alerts through the Google Home app to let you know if there's a person, animal, or vehicle approaching — no subscription required. Opens in a new window Credit: Roku Roku Express $17.99 at Amazon $29.99 Save $12.00 Get Deal As our friends at PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis) noted in their review, "If you still have a 1080p TV, the Roku Express is one of the most economical ways to breathe new life into it with streaming apps and services." The HD streamer plugs into your TV for easy setup and gives you access to hundreds of free channels on the Roku platform, as well as all of your favorite streaming apps. If you have a 4K TV, you'll probably want to grab the Roku Express 4K+ instead, but for non-4K TV owners looking for a budget option, this is your best bet. Snag it on sale for only $17.99 — that's 40% in savings and less than a dollar away from its best price ever. Opens in a new window Credit: Sonos Sonos Era 100 $199.00 at Amazon $249.00 Save $50.00 Get Deal If you're looking for a smart speaker to fill up your home with high-quality sound, the Sonos Era 100 is a great pick. It replaced the Sonos One (which we loved) in 2023 and brought a few major upgrades, including refreshed controls on top with a capacitive volume control and voice assistant control. It also has a taller build and added two tweeters to produce stereo sound on its own. It's regularly $249, but you can save 20% as of Jan. 31 and get it for $199. None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.
