Sonos Ace Ultra vs Sony WH-1000XM4C

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Ace Ultra compared with WH-1000XM4C

	SonosAce Ultra	SonyWH-1000XM4C
Overview
Released
Released	September 2026	September 2026
Sound
Type
Type	Over-ear	Over-ear
Noise cancelling
Noise cancelling	Yes	Yes
Transparency mode
Transparency mode	Yes	Yes
Spatial audio with head tracking
Spatial audio with head tracking	Yes	–
Driver size
Driver size	40 mm	40 mm
Back
Back	–	Closed
Bluetooth codecs
Bluetooth codecs	SBC, AAC and aptX Lossless	SBC, AAC and LDAC
Chip
Chip	–	HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1
Lossless over USB-C
Lossless over USB-C	Yes	–
Drivers
Drivers	Custom-designed 40 mm dynamic driver in each cup	40 mm drivers with liquid crystal polymer diaphragms; powered wired frequency response 4 Hz–40 kHz. Impedance is 40 ohms powered on and 16 ohms off; sensitivity 106 dB/mW on and 101 dB/mW off.
Noise cancelling detail
Noise cancelling detail	Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation adjusts to changes in fit and surroundings; Aware mode with optional Voice Boost; sidetone lets you hear your own voice during calls	QN1 and two noise-sensing microphones per earcup; Personal NC Optimizer, Ambient Sound Mode, Quick Attention and Adaptive Sound Control
Audio features
Audio features	Dolby Atmos and dynamic Dolby Head Tracking with compatible content and devices; TrueCinema tunes playback to your room and compatible Sonos soundbar; TV Audio Swap supports two pairs, with head tracking available for one pair. Adaptive EQ plus 3-band or 8-band EQ and Loudness controls	DSEE Extreme upscaling, 10-band equaliser in Sony Sound Connect and 360 Reality Audio with compatible services; Bluetooth response 20 Hz–20 kHz at 44.1 kHz sampling, or 20 Hz–40 kHz with LDAC at 96 kHz and 990 kbps
Battery
Listening time (maker's claim)
Listening time (maker's claim)	Up to 35 hours	Up to 27 hours
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	Replaceable 1060 mAh lithium-ion battery; up to 35 hours with ANC or Aware mode on, or 50 hours with ANC off in the maker guide	The manual lists AAC/SBC playback up to 27 hours with noise cancelling or 34 hours off; LDAC up to 20 hours on or 27 hours off. DSEE Extreme, Speak-to-Chat and equaliser settings can shorten these figures.
Charging case
Charging case	–	USB-C charging; approximately 3 hours for a full charge; no USB audio playback
Fast charging
Fast charging	Three minutes from empty provides up to three hours of listening; full charge from empty in up to three hours. USB-C power adaptor sold separately	3 minutes gives about 1 hour of playback
Design
Weight
Weight	322 g	253 g (better)
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	6.0	6.0
Two devices at once
Two devices at once	Yes	Yes
Headphone cable
Headphone cable	Yes	Yes
Controls
Controls	Content Key slides for volume and presses for playback, calls and audio swapping; Noise Control button cycles noise modes or activates the connected device's voice assistant; Power/Bluetooth button; wear detection pauses and resumes playback	Touch panel on the right earcup for playback, volume and calls; separate power and noise-cancelling buttons; wear detection, Quick Attention and Speak-to-Chat; app-configurable Quick Access
Microphones
Microphones	Ten microphones for noise control, calls, Aware mode and TrueCinema	Two noise-sensing microphones per earcup; Precise Voice Pickup for Bluetooth calls
Fit and ear tips
Fit and ear tips	Adjustable stainless-steel headband; rotating ear cups with magnetically attached replaceable cushions; contrasting right-cup interior. Current UK page gives 322 g, while the maker guide gives 325 g	Adjustable headband, swivelling and folding earcups; colour-matched carrying case
Dimensions
Dimensions	Current UK page gives 193 mm height, 163 mm width, 90.8 mm ear-cup width and 45 mm ear-cup depth; maker guide instead lists overall depth 84 mm	–
Water resistance detail
Water resistance detail	No IP rating published; maker guide says the headphones are not waterproof	The manual states that the headset is not waterproof
Works with
Works with	Bluetooth multipoint to two devices, disabled by default; USB-C digital audio and supplied USB-C to 3.5 mm analogue cable, with Bluetooth disabled during cable use. Maker guide specifies aptX Lossless; SBC and AAC are listed by What Hi-Fi. Headphone linking over 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi on 2.4 or 5 GHz requires a compatible Sonos speaker and the Sonos app; opt-in Early Access, provided as-is and subject to change	Bluetooth A2DP, AVRCP, HFP and HSP. Multipoint switches music between two devices; SoundGuys and Tom's Hardware report that LDAC is unavailable in that mode. The supplied cable allows passive playback, disables Bluetooth and does not carry the headphone microphone.
Colours
Colours	Black, Soft White, Agave, Sand	Black, Platinum Silver, Lavender; official press photo shows Lavender folded
In the box
In the box	Headphones, travel case with removable cable pouch, 0.75 m USB-C to USB-C cable, 1.2 m USB-C to 3.5 mm cable, setup and warranty documentation; analogue cable is not compatible with third-party replacements	UK box includes headphones, carrying case and approximately 1.2 m headphone cable; USB charging cable supplied only with mainland China models