STACK #264 October 2026

TECH FEATURE

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Sonos has upgraded both sides of the listening equation.The new Beam Ultra Soundbar brings bigger Dolby Atmos sound, while the Ace Ultra Headphones take your music – and even your Sonos home audio - wherever you want to listen. Better still, these two really come into their own when they work together. Words Bec Summer SONOS ULTRA SOUNDS BETTER TOGETHER

What's changed?

BEAM

Previous generation: Beam (Gen 2): Five internal speakers; Dolby Atmos Ultra upgrade: Nine drivers, dedicated up-firing drivers, true 7.1.2 Atmos, AI Speech Enhancement, Bluetooth

ACE Previous generation: Ace: ANC, 30-hour battery, TV Audio Swap Ultra upgrade:

New driver, Adaptive ANC with ten mics, up to 35 hours, Adaptive EQ, and direct Sonos system linking

Sonos Beam Ultra Smart Soundbar The Beam Ultra proves you don't need a monster soundbar to make blockbuster movies sound massive. Its compact body houses nine drivers – four more than the Beam – including dedicated upward-firing drivers that create true 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos. Think rain overhead, a car racing across the room, or a soaring soundtrack filling the space. Dialogue gets an upgrade too. AI Speech Enhancement offers four levels of adjustment, handy when actors mumble beneath explosions, while Night Sound reins in loud effects after everyone else has gone to bed. Trueplay tunes the sound to your room. Beam Ultra can grow with your audio needs. Add a Sonos Sub for deeper bass, compatible rear speakers for surround, or use it for music throughout the house.

Sonos Ace Ultra ANC Over-Ear Headphones The Ace Ultra aren't simply Sonos's latest premium headphones – they're part of the Sonos system. New Sonos-designed 40mm drivers deliver detailed, balanced sound, while a ten-microphone setup powers Adaptive ANC with up to twice the noise cancellation of the original Ace at key frequencies. Adaptive EQ compensates for glasses, hair, and changes in fit, keeping the sound consistent as you move. You get up to 35 hours with ANC on, plus three hours from a three-minute rapid charge. Aware mode lets the outside world in, while Sidetone keeps your voice sounding natural during calls. But the main feature is Headphone Linking*. The Ace Ultra can connect directly to compatible Sonos speakers over Wi-Fi, letting you move what's playing around your Sonos system to your headphones – and back again - using the Content Key. The Ace Ultra Headphones come in four matte finishes: Black, Soft White, Agave and Sand – from understated to stand-out.

Black

Agave White

Sand Black

White

One system, two ways to listen

This is where things get clever. The Beam Ultra can expand with a Sub and compatible Sonos speakers for rear surround, while the Ace Ultra gives the same system a private listening mode. Kids asleep halfway through an action movie? TV Audio Swap can move the Beam Ultra's TV audio – including Dolby Atmos - straight to Ace Ultra. TrueCinema tunes the headphone experience to your compatible

soundbar, while dynamic head tracking helps keep the sound anchored around you. The Ace Ultra goes beyond TV audio, too. Headphone Linking* lets you push whatever is playing on your Sonos system – music, TV, local library, or vinyl – to the headphones and back. That's the big difference here: speakers and headphones that behave like parts of the same audio system.

34 OCTOBER 2026

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* Headphone Linking launches in Early Access and requires a compatible Sonos speaker, Wi-Fi and setup through the Sonos app.