These Sonos headphones are better than the Sony and Bose alternatives – especially at this price

The Sonos Ace have a flat design, which gives them a distinct look.

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The first-ever Sonos headphones gave tough competition to the Sony XM5s and Bose QC Ultras of the world when they launched in 2024. And after a year of release, the Sonos Ace headphones have held up really well. I find myself going back to them, even after using the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen). And this Black Friday discount makes the Sonos Ace the best deal I’ve seen so far.

Sonos is offering a 30% discount on its ever-so-reliable headphones. The Sonos Ace are now available at an all-time low price of $279 — down from $399, which is $50 less than the $449 launch price. So, you are getting $170 off from the 2024 price. This is not only the best Black Friday deal for Sonos soundbar users like me but also for those who are looking for a pair of flagship headphones, but don’t want to spend over $350 on the 2025 models.

Also: Best Black Friday headphones deals

Why I keep coming back to the Sonos Ace headphones

Sonos Ace have colored meshes inside the earcups.

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

I have worn and carried the Sonos Ace in my backpack often since their mid-2024 release. I love the vibrant, lively, and dynamic sound with a strong bass and treble response. They aren’t as bass-heavy as the Sony XM6 and have a wider soundstage than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra. As my colleague Jada Jones says, “The Ace don’t sound as detailed as the Sony XM6, but their bold sound profile has a cinematic feel primed for enjoying music, movies, and TV shows.”

Moreover, they look great while doing so. I have the White model, and it looks classy. The Bose QC Ultra 2 in White look more elegant, but Sonos Ace’s flat earcups have a distinct look to them. They are modern and stylish, yet easy to use. There are several design choices that make them intuitive in usage. For instance, the mesh inside the magnetic earpads has color accents to indicate left and right, so I don’t have to look for L or R.

I also love the button controls on my Sonos Ace. On the right earcup, you get a Content key, which controls volume (up and down) and playback (single/double/triple press). It is accompanied by a round ANC control button for toggling between active noise cancellation and aware mode. The left earcup houses a slim, elongated Power button and a USB-C port for charging and music playback.

Also: Why I still recommend the Sonos Ace over competing models

Sonos Ace also look nice in Black color.

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

These distinct shape choices for different buttons make it more intuitive to use than the button-clad Nothing Headphone (1) and touch-sensitive Sony XM6. They are on par, if not better than, my Bose QC Ultra 2 in terms of control.

If you have a Sonos soundbar, the Sonos Ace have a feature that’ll make your ownership experience more fulfilling. I tend to go back to my Sonos headphones because they are paired to my Arc soundbar. Their TV Audio Swap feature allows me to enjoy watching movies on my 65-inch TV without disturbing anyone at night. Bose has a similar feature, but the Sonos just works better.

The company recently rolled out a software update that enhances Ace’s adaptive noise cancellation capabilities. It is said to account for your hair, glasses, and hats in real time to compensate for sound leakage. In my experience, the ANC performance is weaker than Sonos and Bose, but perfectly serviceable — one that would consider pretty good at the new $279 price tag.

Overall, the Sonos Ace are stylish, elegant-looking pair of headphones that offer a comfortable fit, lively sound, intuitive controls, and good ANC performance. My white case hasn’t aged well, but I love its slim design, and it fits easily in my backpack. They are my pick for the best Black Friday deal.

Also: The best early Black Friday deals we’ve found so far

How we rated this deal

The Sonos Ace are an excellent buy for people who want impeccable comfort and sound from their next pair of headphones. They were released last year and recently received a software update that substantially enhanced their performance. Additionally, this Black Friday discount is the lowest price we’ve seen these headphones since their June 2024 release. For those reasons, we give this deal a 4/5 Editor’s deal rating. 

When will this deal expire?

Deals are subject to sell out or expire at any time, though ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best product deals for you to score the best savings. Our team of experts regularly checks in on the deals we share to ensure they are still live and obtainable. We’re sorry if you’ve missed out on a deal, but don’t fret — we constantly find new chances to save and share them with you on ZDNET.com. 

How do we rate deals at ZDNET?

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In 2025, we refined our approach to deals, developing a measurable system for sharing savings with readers like you. Our editor’s deal rating badges are affixed to most of our deal content, making it easy to interpret our expertise to help you make the best purchase decision.

At the core of this approach is a percentage-off-based system to classify savings offered on top-tech products, combined with a sliding-scale system based on our team members’ expertise and several factors like frequency, brand or product recognition, and more. The result? Hand-crafted deals chosen specifically for ZDNET readers like you, fully backed by our experts.

Also: How we rate deals at ZDNET in 2025