In 2025, the war between high-quality audio devices has taken a twist. On the one hand, there is the Sonos Ace, which is the first pair of headphones from the company that provides the user with the legendary Sonos audio experience at home in a personal space.
Opposite it is the AirPods Max, the high-end over-ear headphones of Apple, which have dominated the high-end market since their release. Both gadgets are aimed at the same users who require among the highest standards of sound quality, intelligent functions, and integration; however, they apply to entirely different listeners.
You can be confused about whether to invest in the immersive power of room-filling Sonos or the portable and noise-cancellation power of AirPods Max. Still, with this extensive comparison, you can learn all you need to know before purchasing in 2025.
Design & Comfort
When it comes to design, Sonos Ace and AirPods Max couldn’t be more different. The Sonos Ace is built as a pair of high-fidelity over-ear headphones, making it Sonos’s first attempt to go beyond soundbars and speakers.
The build features premium aluminum arms, plush memory foam earcups, and a weight of around 312 grams, making them lighter than AirPods Max. Comfort has been a key focus for Sonos, ensuring the Ace can be worn for long listening sessions without fatigue.
Meanwhile, AirPods Max carry Apple’s signature industrial design with stainless steel frames, breathable knit mesh headbands, and high-density foam cushions.
While their design screams luxury, the weight comes in at around 384 grams, which some users still find heavier for extended wear. However, Apple’s balanced headband reduces pressure and distributes weight effectively, giving it an edge in overall comfort for shorter daily use.
The other distinction is in aesthetics. The Sonos Ace has minimalist matte finishes (Black and Soft White) that follow the Sonos home audio ecosystem. However, the AirPods Max have a greater choice of color (Silver, Space Gray, Sky Blue, Pink, and Green), which makes them a more custom-oriented style statement.
Overall, Sonos Ace is more comfortable and lightweight, whereas AirPods Max are more fashionable. The option will be whether you place importance on long session comfort or the visual character of your headphones.
Sound Quality & Spatial Audio
It is the sound performance that is the point of this comparison. Sonos has created its legacy based on the ability to provide a rich, versatile sound in living rooms, and with Sonos Ace (2025), the same DNA applies to personal listening.
The Ace has custom-designed drivers and automatic tuning to provide studio-level accuracy in their low, mid, and high response. It also works perfectly with the ecosystem of Sonos, i.e., you can add the Ace to the personal extension of a home theater. You feel like changing your Sonos Arc soundbar to private listening on your Ace; the sound is instant, lossless, and immersive.
The AirPods Max (2025 update), meanwhile, continue to impress with their high-fidelity sound and computational audio. Apple’s use of the H1 chips in each earcup allows for real-time EQ adjustments, ensuring consistent sound regardless of volume or environment.
Their strength lies in a wide soundstage and incredible separation of instruments, making them ideal for music lovers who appreciate detail and clarity. Paired with Apple Music’s Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, the AirPods Max still rank among the best headphones for immersive, cinema-like listening.
Where the Sonos Ace shines is in its cinematic depth — it’s engineered for movies and long-form entertainment, creating a sense of sitting in front of a soundbar but in a private space.
The AirPods Max excel in music precision and personal immersion, especially for Apple ecosystem users. If your priority is home theater versatility, Sonos Ace may be the stronger choice, while AirPods Max remain unbeatable for everyday music listening.
Noise-Cancellation & Isolation
Noise control is another significant difference between these two devices. AirPods Max feature one of the industry’s best Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) systems, with six outward-facing microphones detecting external noise and two inward-facing microphones monitoring what you’re actually hearing.
This allows Apple to constantly adapt and cancel out unwanted sounds, whether you’re on a busy flight, a noisy commute, or just working in a café. Apple’s Transparency Mode is also a standout, letting you hear voices and surroundings without removing the headphones.
The Sonos Ace, on the other hand, doesn’t focus heavily on ANC. Instead, it relies on passive noise isolation via its plush ear cushions and secure over-ear seal. While this provides decent quietness for home use, it doesn’t match the active suppression you get from the AirPods Max.
That said, Sonos designed the Ace more for indoor cinematic listening rather than travel-heavy use, which explains the difference in priorities.
The AirPods Max outperforms them with its world-class ANC due to the high level of portability offered to users who travel a lot or work under noisy conditions. However, in the case of at-home immersion, natural isolation of Sonos Ace is more than adequate and arguably more open to long viewing times.
Latency, Watching Video & Gaming: Fixing Delay
Latency performance, particularly when it comes to video streaming and gaming, is one of the most hotly debated aspects of Sonos Ace versus AirPods Max in 2025. The Sonos Ace is home theater-friendly, yet since it sends audio over the air to Sonos soundbars, it has a minor delay of 75ms that can be felt by some users when viewing television.
Although this is not a problem with movies, hardcore gamers would be distracted by the delay during fast-moving circumstances. This year, Sonos has added software refinements, bringing down the latency in some of its features, but it is still no match for the ultra-low sync of specifically gaming headsets.
The AirPods Max, however, benefit from Apple’s custom low-latency wireless architecture. When paired with Apple devices like iPhones, iPads, or Macs, video and audio synchronization is nearly seamless.
For gaming on iOS or Apple TV, the experience is smooth, and Spatial Audio with head-tracking adds another immersive layer. That said, outside of the Apple ecosystem, performance isn’t as strong, and users may notice slight lag on non-Apple devices.
In summary:
- Sonos Ace is excellent for movies and TV, but it is not built with competitive gaming in mind.
- AirPods Max offer better latency for both video and gaming, especially within Apple’s walled garden.
If low-lag performance is your priority, AirPods Max take the crown, but if you’re after a cinematic private theater experience, Sonos Ace delivers.
Connectivity, Battery, Price & Verdict
When comparing Sonos Ace vs AirPods Max in 2025, connectivity and pricing play a decisive role.
Sonos Ace integrates seamlessly into the Sonos ecosystem, allowing you to pair it with Arc, Beam, and other Sonos speakers. Switching between TV audio and private listening is effortless, and the Ace supports Bluetooth 5.4 with multipoint connections for phones and tablets.
Battery life is a strong point: up to 30 hours on a single charge, with fast-charging that delivers 3 hours of playback in just 10 minutes. The retail price for Sonos Ace is set at around $449, making it slightly more affordable than Apple’s headphones.
AirPods Max, meanwhile, thrive in Apple’s ecosystem. Features like one-tap pairing, iCloud syncing, and seamless device switching make them a dream for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users. They support Apple’s proprietary AAC codec but lack higher-resolution Bluetooth codecs like LDAC or aptX.
Battery life clocks in at 20 hours with ANC and Spatial Audio enabled, which is decent but shorter than the Sonos Ace. The AirPods Max still retail at $549 in 2025, keeping them firmly in the luxury price bracket.
Final Verdict
- Choose Sonos Ace if you want: cinematic sound for TV and movies, integration with Sonos speakers, long battery life, and a lighter build at a slightly lower price.
- Choose AirPods Max if you want: class-leading noise cancellation, seamless Apple ecosystem integration, better latency for gaming/video, and a premium build with multiple color options.
Both are premium products, but your decision boils down to whether you want the ultimate home theater headphones (Sonos Ace) or the best all-around luxury ANC headphones (AirPods Max).
FAQs
Which is better, Sonos or Apple headphones?
Sonos Ace is better for home theater and movie lovers, while AirPods Max excel in portability, noise cancellation, and seamless Apple integration.
Does Sonos Ace work well with an iPhone?
Yes, Sonos Ace supports Bluetooth 5.4 and works smoothly with iPhones, though it doesn’t offer Apple-exclusive features like Spatial Audio syncing.
Are Sonos Ace good for the gym?
Not really — Sonos Ace is designed for comfort and cinematic sound, but their size and weight make them less ideal for workouts.
Who is AirPods’ biggest competitor?
The AirPods Max’s biggest rivals are high-end headphones like Sonos Ace, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, and Sony WH-1000XM5.