Sonos is a major player in the world of home audio, with its range of super-connected wireless speakers and audio bar making it a trusted brand for audio files and casual listeners.
Now it looks like the audio business is about to enter a new market, after patents and confirmation of a mysterious product launch on March 9 sparked rumors about the first Sonos headphones.
With Sonos’ reputation for delivering excellent speakers and the rumors of integration with its existing multi-room system, the expectations for the rumored wireless headphones are high.
In many ways, the Apple AirPods Max lived up to the hype and delivered excellent sound and unmatched connectivity with iOS devices – though in other ways they disappointed, without basic features despite their incredibly high price.
While the Sony WH-1000XM4 is still the headphone to beat, we’m excited to see Sonos approach its first over-the-head headphone compared to Apple’s – and if the company gets it right, it could outperform the AirPods Max wave. water, and even give Sony money.
To fix the basics
Before we see the special features that Sonos can use to make its headphones stand out above the competition, it’s crucial that the company gets the basics right.
This means that the first Sonos headphones require excellent connectivity, a long battery life of 30 hours or longer, a comfortable, stylish design and active noise cancellation of the class.
Although it has yet to be confirmed by the company, a series of patents have given us some clues as to the features they can sport, basically and otherwise.
The first is wireless connectivity via Bluetooth – and to compete with the large number of wireless headphones on the market, Sonos has to opt for the latest Bluetooth 5.1 codec.
The pursuit of the latest wireless standard should ensure that Sonos’ first headphones maintain a strong connection with other devices – but that’s not the only thing on our connection list.
We would like to see support for aptX Adaptive, which makes it possible to transmit 96 kHz Hi-Res Audio files wirelessly. We’ve already seen how this technology has been adopted by the Bowers & Wilkins PX7, and it’s a welcome addition for audiophiles who venture into the first Sonos headphones.
The patent also describes noise-suppressing technology, which is an increasingly sought-after feature for ear-to-ear headphones. Hopefully Sonos will use a customizable noise cancellation as seen with the Sony WH-1000XM4; this smart technology adjusts the level of noise suppression to your environment in real time, increases for harsh environments and turns down for quiet environments.
Of course, Sonos will have to get the design right to compete with the best headphones in the world. Sonos products usually follow a sleek, minimalist design aesthetic, in black and white color variations.
We expect to see more of the first Sonos headphones, with minimal external hardware and a smooth user interface, which may use touch-sensitive housings that allow you to control your music playback without digging your phone out of your pocket.
Unbeatable sound
Sonos already has a great reputation when it comes to the sound performance of its wireless speakers and sound bars, and we expect more of the same from its first headphones.
The brand is regularly at the top of our product recommendation lists, with the Sonos Arc soundbar, portable Sonos Move speaker and Sonos One wireless speaker all offering an exceptional sonic experience.
That said, the first Sonos headphones should indeed sound very good for the best AirPods Max, which we blew away with their wide, balanced soundtrack, excellent detail and rhythmic accuracy and fantastic imagery.
Sonos can try to emulate this by hiring similar drivers; the AirPods Max features 40mm neodymium drivers, which include dual neodymium magnetic motors to reduce distortion.
Connect it to Hi-Res Audio support, and Sonos can indeed make many audio files very happy.
We’ll also be interested in seeing if Sonos provides support for immersive audio technologies like Dolby Atmos for headphones. The AirPods Max feature Apple’s proprietary Spatial Audio technology, making them excellent headphones for watching movies and TV shows.
Play to his strengths
Sonos is a giant in the world of wireless audio solutions for multiple rooms, and by playing its strengths, it can blow the Apple AirPods Max and other competitors out of the water.
And that can be a reality. The most interesting feature revealed in the Sonos headphone patent describes how the wireless headphones can communicate with existing Sonos speakers, with what the company calls ‘swapping’:
“If a specific piece of content is currently playing on the wireless headset, an exchange changes the playback to play the content on one or more other devices in the local network.”
So in theory, you can listen to music on your Sonos headphones and quickly switch the music to your Sonos speaker, whether it’s part of a multi-chamber sound system or a standalone smart speaker like the Sonos One or the Sonos Move.
This is definitely an exciting prospect, and it will really distinguish the rumored headphones from the competition.
Addressing Apple’s shortcomings
When the AirPods Max was launched at the end of 2020, we were not sure what to expect. Apple has never made an over-the-ear wireless headphone before, and although the AirPods and AirPods Pro gave us an idea of the connectivity features we can see, things like design, sound quality, and usability were largely a mystery.
And we were pleasantly surprised. The Apple AirPods Max was one of the best sounding headphones we’ve ever tested, and their sound suppression is well ahead of Sony WH-1000XM4 and the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700.
However, the high price, limitations for Android users and the lack of 3.5mm audio port mean that we only recommend it for iOS users with a lot of money to save – and no interest in Hi-Res Audio.
That oversight, coupled with their high price, is why we would not recommend the AirPods Max as the best wireless headphones you can buy today. in the world of personal sound.
For what it’s worth, the patents we’ve seen suggest that the first Sonos headphones will provide a 3.5mm audio port, so audio files can use a wired connection for pristine music playback, and you can also use the headphones use when battery is empty. dry.
It can be more difficult to address the price problem. Sonos products rarely go cheap and we do not expect the brand’s first headphones to be any different. However, if it can suppress the Apple AirPods Max of $ 549 / £ 549 / AU $ 899 even a little, it may be enough to put its first cans ahead in the battle for your ears.
In any case, we do not think that Sonos will price its headphones lower than the Sony WH-1000XM4, which costs $ 349.99 / £ 349 / AU $ 549, but if that were the case, and we have the special Sonos features that we heard about, the first Sonos headphones can even compete with Sony’s cans and take the crown as the best headphones in the world.
Of course, we’ll have to wait to see what Sonos unveils on March 9th. There is every chance that the new product will be a wireless speaker, with rumors about a smaller, cheaper version of the Sonos Move also being connected.
Just as we loved the Sonos Move (and would welcome a more budget-friendly model), we’re really hoping for a headphone. After all, if the given specifications are to be believed, it could shake up the world of personal audio in a way we have never seen before, even from the first Apple over-the-head headphones.