Sonos Is Working on New Headphones Called "Ace Ultra," Filing Shows
A government filing by Sonos has revealed details about a new pair of wireless headphones expected to replace the current Sonos Ace model this fall. The filing was published by the US Federal Communications Commission, the agency that regulates wireless devices, and was first reported by Lowpass. What Hi-Fi? and other outlets have also reviewed it. Much of the filing is blacked out, but several details are still visible.
One document includes an oval-shaped diagram, likely showing the ear cup, with the name "Sonos Ace Ultra" printed on it. That name does not appear anywhere else in the filing. The device is officially called model S52A in the rest of the paperwork. The filing lists five color options: greige, shadow black, agave, blush, and sand.
The filing shows testing for Wi-Fi connections, which means the headphones might connect directly to your home internet rather than only using Bluetooth, the short-range wireless link most headphones rely on. This matches reporting from Tech Times, which says the headphones will have stronger Wi-Fi and tighter integration with other Sonos products. Sonos built its business on speakers that stream music over Wi-Fi throughout a home, so adding that same feature to headphones would help them stand out from competitors.
Sonos CEO Tom Conrad mentioned a successor to the Sonos Ace during a company earnings call, though the filing itself does not include pricing or a release date. What Hi-Fi? reports that the filing points to a launch next month, and multiple outlets expect an announcement at a September 2026 event.
The current Sonos Ace headphones are listed on Sonos's website as the "Ace 4.6" premium noise-canceling headphones at $299. They came out over two years ago, so this would be the first update to the product line. The current Ace connects using Bluetooth and USB-C, but the new filing's Wi-Fi testing suggests the successor could talk directly to Sonos speakers without needing a phone in between. The filing does not specify exactly how that connection would work.
The color choices are worth noting. Greige and shadow black are available on the current Ace. Agave, blush, and sand are new, suggesting Sonos wants more visual variety rather than just upgrading the technology inside. Whether these are different materials or just new colors is not clear from the filing.
The blacked-out sections are extensive enough that important details remain unknown. There is no confirmed information about the speaker size inside the headphones, battery life, how the noise cancellation works, sound quality features, or whether a voice assistant is included. Lowpass's reporting hints at a voice assistant, but the documents themselves do not confirm it. What is visible is limited to the model number, the Wi-Fi testing, the color options, and the "Ace Ultra" label on one diagram.
Sonos entered the headphone market with the Ace as its first product that was not a speaker. The move was watched closely because it tested whether Sonos could take its whole-home audio system and extend it to something you wear. A second version with built-in Wi-Fi would build on that idea, potentially letting the headphones join a Sonos speaker setup directly, switching music sources, grouping with speakers, or streaming without a phone attached.
The bigger question is whether Sonos can compete in a headphone market where profits are slim and established brands are hard to beat. Adding Wi-Fi and closer integration with its speaker systems is a reasonable way to stand out, but it also makes the headphones harder to design, since Wi-Fi uses more battery, requires more software, and needs to work smoothly with other devices. The September event should make clear how much of this Wi-Fi feature is ready for customers versus still being worked on.
