Sonos is set to launch its second-generation Ace Ultra headphones in September, featuring multiple colours, voice-command support, and deeper integration into its smart home ecosystem, signalling a strategic shift in its personal-audio offerings.
Sonos is preparing a more expensive second-generation headphone, according to Bloomberg, as the company looks to push its personal-audio business beyond the first Ace model it launched in 2024. The new product is expected to be called the Sonos Ace Ultra, and an FCC filing seen on Monday suggests it may arrive in up to five colour finishes, rather than the two offered on the original headphones. The timing also points to a September launch event already planned by the company.
The original Sonos Ace, introduced in May 2024 and released globally in June that year, marked the company’s first move into over-ear headphones. Sonos priced the model at $449 and positioned it as a premium Bluetooth product with active noise cancellation, Aware Mode and TrueCinema support for home cinema use. Even so, the first version drew attention for what it did not do: it did not fully tie into Sonos’ multi-room speaker ecosystem, which had been a major expectation among buyers and reviewers.
That gap appears to be part of what Sonos now wants to address. Bloomberg reported that chief executive Tom Conrad has acknowledged the company did not do enough to differentiate Ace in a crowded category or connect it strongly enough to the home-audio platform. Conrad has since framed Sonos’ longer-term direction around conversational computing and predictive intelligence in the home, with devices designed to understand how a household is used across rooms.
The filing for the Ace Ultra also appears to hint at voice-command support, which would fit that broader strategy. Sonos has already expanded its voice platform with controls for Philips Hue and Lutron Caseta devices, suggesting a gradual move from audio hardware towards a wider smart-home interface. That approach comes as rivals continue to deepen their own headphone features: Apple’s AirPods Max were updated in March with the H2 chip, stronger noise cancellation and Live Translation, while Apple has also said Siri AI will extend to AirPods in iOS 27.
Disclaimer: This content is intended for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to exercise their own judgement, conduct due diligence, or consult a qualified expert before acting on any information provided.
