Sonos may drop the price of its ailing Ace headphones and launch a higher-end model – but this rumored cut wouldn't be enough

The Sonos Ace headphones are nan firm's first task into nan headphone marketplace – and it looks for illustration that task hasn't been very successful. The ongoing woes astir nan Sonos app person done existent harm to nan brand, and Sonos itself says that nan play overshadowed nan motorboat of nan Sonos Ace.

Sonos has reportedly slashed its manufacturing targets for nan Ace by almost 90%, and now a caller study says it's considering a value trim to boost nan floor plan of nan ailing Aces.

That's according to Bloomberg, which says that Sonos has a two-pronged strategy. Prong 1 is to merchandise a higher-spec type of nan Ace for nan aforesaid price; prong 2 is to past trim $50 disconnected nan existent Ace headphones, bringing nan value down to $400.

Is $50 disconnected nan Ace enough?

Bloomberg says that nan plans are still being discussed, and that immoderate Sonos insiders don't deliberation nan existent scheme is simply a bully one. I'm inclined to agree, because arsenic we said successful our Sonos Ace review its capacity successful euphony and pinch sound cancelling isn't arsenic bully arsenic nan competition, notably Bose. And astatine $400, nan Ace headphones would still beryllium much costly than astir of their rivals.

If you look astatine nan best headphones correct now, tons of awesome models are overmuch cheaper than nan Sonos. Sony's WH-1000XM5 had an motorboat value of $399 and are now disposable for nether $300 during deals events.

When it comes to sound cancellation, nan champion successful people are Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, and these besides sound amended than nan Sonos Ace. Their charismatic value is higher astatine $429, but we've seen them discounted to $329 and pinch Black Friday looming they'll autumn again soon enough. $400 for nan Sonos Ace is not going to compete pinch this.

The Sonos Ace headphones are successful a reliable spot correct now because they're priced arsenic premium products from a premium marque – a strategy that worked really good for Apple's AirPods Max, which use some from nan headphones being fashionable and from nan loyalty of Apple fans. But Apple hasn't had months of furious customers and bad publicity astir its audio products, and Sonos has.

If nan Ace has immoderate chance of being a hit, Sonos can't trust connected its die-hard fans; it needs to meet buyers wherever they are, and to beryllium a amended bargain than nan competition. With Bose delivering amended sound and sound cancellation, that leaves 1 thing: price. A $50 driblet whitethorn not beryllium large enough.

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• Four months since they launched, there’s not been a time I haven’t worn nan Sonos Ace headphones