Sonos Beam Ultra and Ace Ultra are here, and they’re more connected than ever

After multiple leaks and rumors, Sonos has finally made its new hardware lineup official. The company has announced the Sonos Beam Ultra soundbar and Sonos Ace Ultra headphones, alongside its new Sonos 27 operating system and redesigned Sonos app.

Sonos Beam Ultra

The Beam Ultra is a compact soundbar, but the company says it delivers a much bigger sound than its size might suggest. It packs nine drivers, including two upward-firing drivers, and supports 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos surround sound. Sonos is also promising a wider soundstage, deeper bass, and clearer dialogue.

The soundbar includes an AI-powered Speech Enhancement feature with four adjustment levels. It can detect human voices and make dialogue easier to hear, while Night Sound can tone down loud sounds for late-night viewing. Trueplay is also available to tune the soundbar to the acoustics of the room.

Like the Beam Gen 2, the new Beam Ultra remains fairly compact. However, the company has clearly stretched the chassis to accommodate its nine-driver setup. The soundbar now measures 29.53 inches wide and 2.56 inches tall, and weighs around 2.8 Kg (6.35 pounds). It will be available in black and white color options.

Sonos is also making the Beam Ultra more flexible as part of its larger ecosystem. You can add a Sonos Sub for more bass and rear speakers for surround sound. The company is also introducing portable surrounds, allowing compatible portable Sonos speakers such as the Move 2 and Sonos Play to become rear speakers when moved into position.

Sonos Ace Ultra

The Sonos Ace Ultra is the company’s second-generation premium wireless headphone, and perhaps the more interesting of the two launches. While the original Ace could already switch TV audio from a compatible Sonos soundbar to headphones, the Ace Ultra is built much more directly into the Sonos system.

The headphones feature a new 40mm driver and a 10-microphone array for active noise cancelation. Sonos claims the new ANC provides up to 2.2x more noise reduction at 65Hz and 1.8x at 120Hz compared with the original Ace. There is also an Aware mode for letting outside sound in.

Battery life has also been bumped up to 35 hours with ANC enabled, and a three-minute quick charge can provide up to three hours of listening. The headphones also feature Adaptive EQ, which adjusts the sound based on how the earcups fit around your ears.

One of the most notable additions to the Ace Ultra is Headphone Engine 2. The new hardware allows the Ace Ultra to connect directly to a Sonos system over Wi-Fi. With the new “Headphone Linking” feature, users can press a button to move whatever is playing on a nearby Sonos speaker to the headphones, then press again to send it back to the speaker.

The Ace Ultra weighs 322 grams and comes in Black, Soft White, Agave, and Sand. It supports Bluetooth 6.0, USB-C audio, and aptX Adaptive Lossless, while the Sonos connection works over Wi-Fi.

Sonos 27 is the software that brings it all together

The two Sonos devices arrive alongside Sonos 27, which Sonos describes as the next generation of its audio operating system.

The update adds a bigger focus on AI, including Sonos 27voice, the company’s own assistant for music and mood curation, and Sonos 27mcp, which allows outside AI assistants and agents, including ChatGPT, to control a Sonos system.

Sonos is also updating its app with improved navigation. The company says the new interface was created based on feedback from its community. Sonos 27 will be available as a software update to all Sonos S2 products, with the new app navigation beginning to roll out on September 8.

The Beam Ultra costs $699, while the Ace Ultra costs $449. Both are available to pre-order starting September 1, with general availability beginning September 29.