Key Takeaways
- Wi-Fi connectivity can cater to audiophiles and gamers, offering a better audio quality experience than Bluetooth.
- Top-of-the-line noise cancelling is vital for Sonos headphones to rival competitors like Sony, Apple, and Bose.
- Customizable sound profiles and adjustable EQ should be standard for headphones at Sonos’ inaugural headphones’ $449 price point.
Sonos is rumored to be releasing a pair of wireless headphones this June, which is huge news from a company that is so well known for its speakers. If Sonos is going to break into a competitive market against the likes of Sony, Bose, Apple and Sennheiser, they’re going to need to make a pair of headphones that really stand out.
Sonos’ first headphones are reportedly coming this summer, and at a hefty price
The long-rumored headphones from speaker company Sonos could cost $449. Here’s how they might stand out from the competition.
With that in mind, there are some things I’ll want to see from Sonos to really be impressed with their entrance into the headphones market. And for a rumored price of $449, I sure hope these headphones are all of these things and more.
1 Wi-Fi enabled connection
Lossless audio on wireless headphones
Based on what we know so far, the Sonos headphones will be able to connect to your devices using Wi-Fi. This would be an incredible feature, since other comparably priced wireless headphones use only Bluetooth for wireless connectivity, which doesn’t allow for the greatest audio quality and has latency issues that can be bothersome.
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Wi-Fi connectivity would make these headphones perfect for audiophiles or anyone who wants to listen to lossless audio through wireless headphones. This would also be a great feature for gamers that want a versatile pair of headphones to take them throughout their day. Gaming with wireless headphones usually requires either using a 2.4GHz dongle, which is good for latency, but it can be annoying to keep track of a dongle, or Bluetooth, which at this point will cause latency issues between the game and the audio.
2 Top-of-the-line noise cancelling
Sonos is entering a very competitive ANC market
A pair of wireless headphones as expensive as $449 had better have some pretty serious noise-cancelling capabalities. The main competitors in this market, like the Sony WH-1000XM5, Apple AirPods Max, and Bose QuietComfort Ultra all have great noise-cancelling, so any potential Sonos headphones would have to match up with those to be worth consideration.
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Since this will be Sonos’ first pair of headphones, there’s no in-house noise-cancelling standard to beat, but I’m hoping they’ll be at least comparable to other top of the line headphones, so that these headphones will be useful for work, pleasure, and travel.
3 Pleasing sound profile and adjustable EQ
A good equalizer would ensure versatility
As a baseline, a pair of headphones at this price point should come with a good sound profile by default. A bit of a bass boost, but not enough to be overwhelming, makes for a great pair of consumer headphones. But not only do I want to see this baseline met, I also want it to be customizable. The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, headphones are a great example as they have an equalizer in the Sennheiser Smart Control app for fully customizable sound.
Not every person is going to love every sound profile. Some people want a more flat sound, so they can hear every instrument in the track as it was intended in the original recording, and some people want booming bass coming from their drivers. Having an equalizer option in the accompanying app would be incredible for ensuring the Sonos headphones are enjoyable for the greatest number of people.
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4 Sleek and thoughtful design
Sonos is no stranger to making good-looking products
Throughout the years, the options in the wireless headphones market have been getting a lot nicer looking. The Apple AirPods Max and the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are great aesthetic examples. Wireless headphones are a fashion statement for many, so it would serve Sonos well if these headphones not only work great, but are a great outfit accessory.
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Sonos speakers throughout the years often have a really nice rounded and sleek profile, so it would be really cool for them to do something similar with these headphones. Long lines, flat areas, and curved edges would look incredible on a pair of headphones, and I think Sonos could very easily strike a good balance between practicality and aesthetics.
5 A good microphone for calls
These days, mediocrity won’t cut it when it comes to mics
Personally, I like to use my wireless headphones throughout the day for a lot of purposes, from listening to music and podcasts to taking meetings and calls. Being able to rely on your headphones’ microphone for calls, knowing whoever is on the other end will be able to hear you clearly, is so important.
An ideal microphone in the Sonos headphones would be one that delivers clear audio in good conditions, but also one that can cancel out background noise fairly well. Other pairs of headphones like the Apple AirPods Max and Sony WH-1000XM5 do a great job of cancelling out background noise and wind, so I hope that the Sonos headphones can do the same.
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6 Durability and water resistance
Often overlooked, but deeply important
Something disappointing about a lot of wireless headphones on the market is the lack of water resistance. The Apple AirPods Max and Sony WH-1000XM5 both have no IP ratings, making them susceptible to damage if you take them outside or spill a bit of water on them. If Sonos wants consumers to be able to wear their headphones on the go as well as at home or in the office, having at least an IPX2 rating would be beneficial. Water resistance isn’t just for workout earbuds.
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7 Optional wired listening
For the times you want lossless and less latency
One of my favorite features in wireless headphones is when you’re allowed the option to use them wired instead of wireless, because while wireless is great, I could do without the latency sometimes. Anything wired will have latency, whether it’s using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, so having an option for the lowest possible latency while also being able to listen to the highest quality audio possible would make the future Sonos headphones as versatile as possible.
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Great wireless headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM5 and even the AirPods Max allow for wired connectivity, though the AirPods Max does make it hard, so it wouldn’t be unusual to include it, and would make the headphones a lot more worth it.
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