When Dolby made a play for the headphones market in 2018, its tech-packed Dimension model offered excellent sound quality, but the $599 price was too high to take hold. Now Sonos, another key player in living room audio over the last decade, has entered similarly uncharted territory. After years of hints and rumors, the Sonos Ace ($449) arrives this week, and the company is delivering the refined design you’d expect along with some impressive audio quality. The way these headphones integrate with its speakers isn’t what many expected, but the feature works well. However, one thing that may mire an otherwise stellar debut is limited support for the Ace at launch.

Sound quality and ANC performance

Given Sonos’ sonic prowess, I had high expectations for sound quality on the Ace. Indeed, the company’s first set of headphones offers audio quality on par with its high-end speakers, with some home theater features thrown in. 40mm dynamic drivers deliver both power and clarity that put the Ace near the top of our list of best wireless headphones when it comes to sound performance. Bass is big and boomy for kick drum thumps on Bilmuri’s post-hardcore “Talkin’ 2 Ur Ghost,” but it's appropriately restrained on Wyatt Flores’ country foot-tapper “Milwaukee,” where there’s still plenty of detail in the more subdued rhythm section.

Like many Sonos speakers, the Ace excels with Dolby Atmos content. And that goes for both music and TV/movies. There's an Apple Music Live set from Luke Combs that was filmed at a country venue while most of those sessions are in a studio. With the Ace, you get a strong sense that you’re at the show. The reverb, singing crowd, loudness of the venue mix and the natural qualities of a live band are all enhanced on these headphones. When I watched Drive to Survive or the final siege in Rogue One, the Ace shone with the directional zooms of F1 cars and spacecraft.

The Sonos Ace supports lossless audio in two ways. The first is via a wired USB-C connection. The second is exclusive to recent Android devices. If you have one of those, you’ll be able to use aptX Lossless from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound platform that allows higher-quality sound over Bluetooth. This second option wasn’t available during the review period so I wasn’t able to test it, but Sonos says it will be ready when the Ace ships on June 5.

There aren’t many companies that come close to Apple with their ambient sound mode, but Sonos gives the AirPods Max some competition. Apple has mastered natural-sounding transparency audio and the Ace nearly attains that, providing one of the few setups where I could adequately hear my voice without feeling the need to shout. This is great when you need to have a quick conversation or use the Ace for a call. It also means you have a firm grasp on your surroundings, not a somewhat muted version of them.

Active noise cancellation (ANC) is another area where Sonos doesn’t have much experience, and it’s one of few stumbles on the Ace. Constant noise, while muted, is still discernible unless the volume is turned up. You’ll also need to set it at a considerable level to drown out human voices. It’s probably enough to get the job done in many scenarios, but it’s not on par with Bose or Sony.

TV Audio Swap and True Cinema

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Where the Ace flexes its Sonos wings is the ability to receive audio from one of the company’s soundbars. The feature, called TV Audio Swap, allows you to do so with the press of a button – either on the headphones or inside the Sonos app. Basically, the tool creates private listening in your living room when your family has gone to bed or at other times you don’t want to disturb them. After a quick setup to link the Ace with your Sonos soundbar, TV Audio Swap really is as quick and easy as pressing a button. And because a Sonos soundbar is connected to your TV via HDMI ARC, this works with streaming devices and game consoles that are routed through the speaker.

When you activate the TV Audio Swap, a Wi-Fi chip inside the Ace takes over to receive signals from the soundbar. Low-energy Bluetooth remains connected to your phone for controls and settings, but you won’t get device swapping like you would with multipoint Bluetooth. This means if you get a call, you have to un-swap for Bluetooth to reconnect (it also means your phone won’t ring in the headphones if TV Audio Swap is active).

Spatial audio and Dolby head tracking are only available when TV Audio Swap is on. You can disable one or both of those, but spatial audio does a good job of upmixing stereo content into something more immersive. A prime example is TNT’s broadcasts of the NBA playoffs. Regularly, the commentary trio is clear with a bit of crowd noise in the background, but after Sonos does its tricks, the announcers are more prominent and dynamic. Plus, the cheers of the crowd envelope you so it feels more like you’re in the arena.

Dynamic head tracking works well on the Ace, and Sonos uniquely implements it to make it less annoying when you need to move around. First, it’s not overly sensitive, so subtle movements like looking down at your phone won’t rejigger the sound positioning. Second, if you walk away from the connected soundbar, head tracking will deactivate until you’re back in close proximity. This means whatever you’re listening to is not stuck behind you when you walk away and it doesn’t constantly rotate around your head during a quick jaunt to the kitchen.

Billy Steele for Engadget

The main caveat here is that TV Audio Swap only works with the Sonos Arc soundbar for now. Sonos says support for both generations of the Beam and the Ray is on the way, but there’s no definitive timeline for it yet. What’s more, there aren’t any plans to allow a similar feature for users who have a pair of speakers for home entertainment purposes. The company didn’t rule it out as part of a future update, but for now if you have two Era 300 units flanking your TV, you’re out of luck. Audio swap is also only available in the iOS version of the app for now, so Android users will have to wait.

If you were hoping to send audio to the Ace as if it were a speaker in your Sonos multiroom setup, you’re going to be disappointed. There isn’t a hand-off feature to easily transition from your commute to home listening on a speaker either. Some iteration of those would’ve relied more heavily on Wi-Fi and thus impacted battery life, according to Sonos. Instead, the company opted for this clever sound swapping that only uses Wi-Fi when you’re piggybacking off of a soundbar.

Chances are if you’ve used a Sonos speaker, you’re familiar with TruePlay, which maps the acoustics of a room with the microphones in one of the company’s devices. There’s a version of that for the Ace, called True Cinema, but it works differently. True Cinema virtualizes surround sound for a room inside the headphones to make it seem like you’re not wearing the Ace at all. Sonos argues that if you replicate the acoustics of your living room for the headphones, it enhances the immersion. Unfortunately, this is one more thing that’s not ready yet, so I wasn’t able to test it.

Design

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Given Sonos’ attention to detail on its speakers, it's no surprise that it also obsessed over the design of its first headphones. The shape of the ear cups takes inspiration from devices like the Move 2 and the company opted for a mix of matte finishes, stainless steel and vegan leather to complete the high-end look. To me, the white version looks a bit more premium given the contrast of the silver metal accents compared to the tone-on-tone aesthetic of the black option.

A key design choice that contributes to the Ace’s chic is the hidden hinge. Whereas a lot of headphones fold in on themselves for storage, Sonos chose to simply have the ear cups rotate flat to fit in their carrying case. It’s a move Apple employed for the AirPods Max and one that companies like Sony have used in the past as well. Thanks to the svelte silhouette of the ear cups, and really of the Ace overall, these headphones don’t take up much space in a bag. What’s more, Sonos included a magnetic cord pouch for the case and both USB-C and USB-C to 3.5mm cables in the box. Your move, Apple.

The Ace is also very comfortable. Memory foam ear pads, a cushioned headband and a shape that fits well on big heads like mine really help. They feel lightweight and there’s no clamping pressure around my ears. And while I wasn’t able to test these on a flight, I could see the Ace being a great companion on a long-haul trip, especially since they remained comfy for the entirety of a movie using TV Audio Swap.

Battery life

Sonos promises 30 hours of use with the Ace with ANC active. That’s on par with flagship models from the likes of Bose and Sony, and it’s 10 hours more than AirPods Max. During my test with looping audio at 60 to 70 percent volume, I managed 30 minutes more than the company pledges. Sonos is clear that TV Audio Swap impacts its stated figure, so you’ll want to keep that in mind if you have a binge session coming up. But, I didn’t notice any drastic drain during my evaluations. If you do find yourself at zero, a quick-charge feature gives you three hours of listening time in just three minutes.

The competition

Billy Steele for Engadget

At this price, the primary competition for the Ace is the AirPods Max. Apple’s over-ear headphones are $100 more at full price, but we’ve seen them drop to $450 as recently as this month. Since they’re AirPods, they sync with iPhone, iPad and Mac to offer more convenience than the Ace. That includes automatic pairing with devices you’ve linked to iCloud, seamless switching when you get a call, hands-free Siri and Adaptive EQ sound tweaks. Spatial audio with head tracking is available on the Max too, and they’re comfortable to wear for long periods of time despite the premium materials.

A cheaper option, and the best ANC headphones for most people looking for active noise cancellation, is the Sony WH-1000XM5. Simply put, no other company offers the long list of features that Sony does on its flagship model. In addition to great sound and powerful ANC, the company’s tools like Speak-to-Chat, Adaptive Sound Control and DSEE Extreme audio upscaling expand the capabilities of the 1000XM5. Spatial sound via 360 Reality Audio is limited to certain services, but Sony built a comfy device that’s easy to enjoy for hours at a time for any content. Of course, the 1000XM5 is also considerably cheaper than the Ace at the current price of $330.

Wrap-up

After a years-long wait, Sonos delivered an impressive headphone debut with the Ace. There’s room for improvement in some areas and it’s disappointing that updates to the Android app, support for all of the company’s soundbars and a key home theater feature are arriving at a date that’s yet to be determined. There’s no doubt that Sonos built a great-looking set of headphones that sound excellent, but a bit more polish could’ve gone a long way.

Headphones aren’t the only new product Sonos rolled out today. The company also refreshed its cheapest portable speaker, the Roam. The Sonos Roam 2 has the same audio as its 2021 predecessor but adds more streamlined controls and a quicker setup. The $179 speaker is available today.

Sonos says the Roam 2 “delivers the same rich, detailed sound and bass” as the original model, so owners of the first Roam would only notice some subtle quality-of-life upgrades. One is a separate power and Bluetooth button, which solves a common gripe from its predecessor about its multifunctional power / sleep / Bluetooth button. Customers found that the overloaded button was confusing and often led to accidentally triggering the wrong behavior.

The company says setup is also more straightforward in the Roam 2. The previous model required you to set up the speaker over Wi-Fi, so you couldn’t quickly connect to Bluetooth until you’d gone through the (potentially cumbersome) process of pairing with a home network. That meant you couldn’t buy the speaker and immediately use it on a day at the beach or camping. The Roam 2 lets you quickly connect your phone or other device over Bluetooth, so you don’t have to mess with the much lengthier Wi-Fi setup until it’s time to pair it with a Sonos home system.

Leah Verwey

Besides adding a monochromatic logo that blends in better with the rest of the speaker, the Roam 2 appears to be the same as the original in other areas. It’s still rated for a solid 10 hours of battery life, has IP67 dust and water resistance and supports automatic Trueplay tuning to adjust its sound to any room’s acoustics.

As for sound, Engadget’s Nathan Ingraham was pleased with the original’s audio profile. “Fortunately, it sounds much better than its tiny size should allow,” he wrote in our review. “The Roam includes both a tweeter and a mid-woofer, rather than just a single driver, and that helps it produce clear highs and mids as well as more of a bass thump than seems plausible from a relatively tiny speaker. It also doesn’t distort or get overly boomy at max volume, a surprise for such a small speaker. Audio quality stays consistent throughout the volume range.” You can expect the same from the new model.

You can order the Sonos Roam 2 today from the company’s website and retail partners like Amazon and Best Buy. The $179 speaker ships in black, white, olive, sunset (orange-ish red) and wave (blue with a subtle gray tint) colorways.

After years of rumors and leaks, Sonos has finally pulled the wraps off of it's much-anticipated entry into a new product category. Today, Sonos announced the Ace headphones: a meticulously designed, feature-packed set of premium cans from the company that made its name with multi-room audio and stellar sound. But, that reputation was built on speakers and soundbars, and now Sonos is lending its mix of aesthetics, acoustics and tech to headphones. The Ace is first and foremost a set of Bluetooth noise-canceling headphones that can be used on the go, but it's also got some unique home theater chops that work in tandem with its soundbars. You'll have to wait a bit longer to try to the $449 headphones, but you can pre-order them now if you're already convinced. 

Design-wise, these Sonos headphones have a refined look that draws some inspiration from the company's speakers. Sonos opted for a mix of matte finishes, stainless steel and leather for its high-end look, keeping everything black on one version while using white with silver accents on the other. Even with the premium materials, the Ace weighs 11 ounces (312 grams). That's lighter than the AirPods Max which is 13.6 ounces (385 grams) thanks so some use of plastic. 

"It's all in the interest of doing something that's going to make this light and comfortable for the customer," Sonos CEO Patrick Spence told Engadget. "We knew it had to be premium, just like all the speakers that we've designed, but we felt like we could do this in a different way than anybody else." 

A key aspect of the Ace's design is the hidden hinge, which Sonos has placed in the ear cup. The company says this puts less stress on cabling than a folding mechanism, but it also argues that it just looks better. Sonos chose physical controls rather than a touchpad, assigning those functions to a multi-purpose button it calls the Content Key. Here, you have volume and playback controls along with the ability to switch between ANC and transparency modes. A single button on the opposite side handles power and pairing. Like Apple, Sonos uses removable, magnetic ear pads on its headphones, and plans to sell replacements in the future.

Inside, 40mm custom dynamic drivers power the Ace's sound. Sonos promises "impeccable precision and clarity" across the EQ with spatial audio and dynamic head tracking for increased immersion. These headphones also support lossless audio over Bluetooth if you're streaming from a device with Qualcomm's Snapdragon Sound. They also offer lossless listening over USB-C if you prefer a wired connection for that purpose. And if the stock tuning doesn't suit you, the company allows you to adjust bass, treble and loudness from the Sonos app. 

Billy Steele for Engadget

Active noise cancellation (ANC) is onboard the Sonos headphones and there's an Aware mode when you need to let in ambient sounds. The company says the Ace is equipped with eight beamforming microphones that pull double duty with ANC and voice targeting, so you'll be able to use them during calls. The headphones also have wear detection sensors which will automatically pause movies or music when you take them off. Sonos says you'll be able to use the Ace for up to 30 hours on a charge with ANC on, 10 hours more than the AirPods Max and on par with Sony's WH-1000XM5. The latter of which is our current top pick for best wireless headphones. 

None of this is a surprise given how many of the details broke cover before the official reveal, but Sonos did manage to keep secret how the Ace would interact with its other products. While the company's app will carry key features for the headphones, the interaction with other Sonos speakers is unique here. The Ace has a feature called TV Audio Swap that sends the audio from a Sonos soundbar to the headphones as long as you're in range. To make this happen, the company says the Ace switches to Bluetooth LE to maintain a connection with the app for controls and settings while Wi-Fi allows it to sync with a soundbar. At launch, the swap functionality will only work with the Sonos Arc, but the company says it will come to both generations of Beam and Ray in the future. 

"What we realized is for the majority of the population, and for the many use cases of headphones, the best way to do it is the Bluetooth first with connectivity to the system," Spence said. "Because what's more important to the customer is power management and battery life." 

There's also a version of the company's TruePlay tuning on the Ace, but it's called TrueCinema. When it arrives later this year, the feature will map the room your soundbar is in to create a complete virtual surround system inside the headphones. The goal here is to mimic the acoustics of the room you're in so that maybe you'll forget you're even wearing headphones. 

"It's more natural, because often times the headphones will be tuned to a perfect room," Spence explained. "We thought it was better to have it tuned to the room that you're actually in because it would create the effects that you would expect."

After some time listening to both music and movie clips on the Ace, I'm impressed with what the company has built in terms of sound quality. There's pristine detail and heightened immersion with Dolby Atmos content that make the headphones a complement to a home theater setup. However, the most surprising thing about the Ace to me was how well the TV Audio Swap feature works. 

Once the headphones have been added to your collection of devices in the app, all you have to do is press the Content Key button to switch the sound to what's coming from your soundbar. It's quick and easy, and there's no jumping, popping or other distractions when you hop back and forth. I can see a lot of people using them so that they can still hear the finer details of Dune or every shot of John Wick 4 when their family has gone to bed.

Even if your content isn't 7.1.4-channel Dolby Atmos, Sonos' 3D virtualization tech will upscale it so it sounds comparable. The company has also developed its own head tracking processing that learns from your position and the direction you're looking so that it's not constantly recentering if you look down at your phone. Unfortunately, the head tracking, spatial audio and the TV audio swap with Sonos Arc will only be available in the iOS version of the Sonos app at launch. Android compatibility is coming "shortly after."  

The Sonos Ace headphones are available for pre-order today from the company's website for $449 and will begin shipping on June 5th. While that's more expensive than flagship models from Bose, Sony and others, it's $100 less than the AirPods Max. 

Bose may be best known for its noise-canceling headphones, but the company makes solid portable Bluetooth speakers too. In fact, the company's SoundLink Flex made our best Bluetooth speakers list as a great option among contenders in its price range. Today, the company is adding to the SoundLink lineup with its largest portable Bluetooth speaker yet: the SoundLink Max ($399). While the overall design is similar to previous Bose devices, this model packs bigger sound and longer battery life into that expanded frame. 

Inside the SoundLink Max, three transducers and two passive radiators power "a spacious stereo experience" that includes bass performance that sounds like an even larger speaker, according to Bose. The company says this portable unit employs tech typically used in its soundbars and pairs that with digital signal processing to reduce distortion for "full, natural sound" across genres. Bose is promising that you'll be able to hear every aspect of a song clearly, no matter the musical style and no matter where the speaker is located. You'll also be able to adjust lows, mids and highs via the Bose app if the stock tuning doesn't suit your preferences. 

Bose

Bose opted for a powder-coated, silicone-wrapped steel enclosure for the SoundLink Max, which the company says offers a more refined look. The speaker is also IP67 rated, so dust, water, rust and dropping it shouldn't be an issue. This all makes the Max well-suited for outdoor use, and when you do take it on the go, you won't have to worry about recharging often. Bose says the SoundLink Max will last up to 20 hours, plus it can juice up your phone via a USB-C cable if needed. A removable rope handle will assist with transport, but Bose also makes a carrying strap if you prefer over-the-shoulder hauling. 

The SoundLink Max is equipped with Snapdragon Sound, which offers more consistent connectivity with recent Android devices, and aptX Adaptive that provides improved audio quality over Bluetooth. The speaker also supports Google Fast Pair and Bluetooth 5.3. 

Pre-orders for the SoundLink Max start today from Bose, and the speaker is schedule to ship on May 16. In addition to being the company's largest portable Bluetooth unit, it also ties the Bose Portable Smart Speaker for being the most expensive at $399. If you're looking for something smaller, the SoundLink Micro ($99), SoundLink Flex ($119) and SoundLink Mini II ($149) are also available from Bose. 

Marshall portable speakers are up to 25 percent off right now via Amazon. The sale includes the attractive and highly useful Middleton speaker, which is available for $237. This is a discount of 21 percent and marks a record low for the portable Bluetooth device.

The Middleton made our list of the best portable Bluetooth speakers, and for good reason. It’s the company’s flagship portable speaker, so it’s packed with both bells and whistles. It offers 50-watts of 360-degree sound and a rugged IP67 exterior. There are dual woofers and tweeters for the front and back, in addition to passive radiators along the side. In other words, people attending your backyard barbecue will have no problem hearing the tunes, and the same could be true of your neighbors.

The speaker also features the company’s Stack Mode, allowing it to easily pair with other Marshall speakers. This includes other Middleton units, the Willen and the Emberton II. We also enjoyed the multi-use joystick that can turn the unit on, change the volume, select tracks and adjust bass and treble.

Marshall’s Willen speaker is also part of this sale, with a current price of $90. That’s 25 percent off. This diminutive, yet powerful, speaker made our list of the best gadgets of 2023. We praised the sound quality, the reliable Bluetooth connection and the battery, which lasts over 15 hours per charge. It’s just about the perfect little speaker, especially for the price.

The sale goes beyond portable speakers. Marshall’s Minor III earbuds are on sale for $100, which is a discount of $30. These no-frills headphones feature custom-tuned 12mm drivers, touch controls and IPX4 water resistance. You can expect around five hours per charge, with the included charging case offering an additional 20 hours.

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When Samsung announced its unique Music Frame speaker at CES, the company left out two key pieces of information: price and availability. It's following up now that the device is nearly ready to ship. The Music Frame is up for preorder starting today for $400. Samsung says it's planning to starting shipping the speaker the week of April 8, so you shouldn't have to wait too long to use it. 

While the Music Frame will complement Samsung's Frame TVs, the speaker holds printed artwork rather than housing a display. But, you can swap the bezels for a different color as needed. Still, the idea if for otherwise obtrusive home theater gear to blend in rather than stick out. Music Frame is equipped with two woofers, two tweeters and two mid-range drivers and offers Dolby Atmos sound. The company says that having the woofers fire out the back and the other drivers face the front leads to a clear, natural sound profile. 

Samsung's SpaceFit tech is used to calibrate the audio to the room you place the speakers in so that their "wide radial sound range" stays in prime operating condition. Plus, Music Frame is compatible with the company's Q-Symphony tech that utilizes TV speakers as part of a home theater setup. You can also install two of them beside your TV for a stereo pair, with the ideal companion being the Frame. Samsung says Music Frame can also be used as rear speakers in the living room or as a standalone subwoofer. 

The Music Frame is a smart speaker too, offering access to Bixby and Alexa with a spoken cue. Plus, it's ready to be wall mounted or can sit on a table using the built-in stand. What's more, Music Frame can be used as a standalone Bluetooth or Wi-Fi speaker. That connectivity enables wireless Dolby Atmos, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Chromecast and AirPlay. Samsung's Tap Sound feature allows you to play whatever is on a compatible phone on the Music Frame by gently tapping the device on the speaker.

During my brief demo at CES, I was pleasantly surprised by the sound quality of this speaker. It's more powerful than I expected, with crisp, clear highs and mids. The bass was more subdued, but that could've been due to the clamor of the crowded demo area, so I'll reserve judgement there. I was also only able to hear selected music tracks, not the speaker being used with a TV. 

As part of the preorder process, Samsung is offering a $50 credit on its website if you preorder there before April 11. 

Beyond the sound's quality, we want two things when it comes to headphones: a lightweight design and noise canceling. Bose's aptly named QuietComfort wireless headphones make a case for both and, right now, do so at a record-low price. The 2023 QuietComfort headphones are currently available for $249, down from $349 — a 29 percent discount. The sale applies to all colors: Cypress Green, Moonstone Blue, Black and White.

The newest iteration of the Bose QuietComfort wireless headphones improves on the QuietComfort 45. While many of the features (which we'll get into) are quite similar, the 2023 model offers adjustable ANC models and an option to save custom modes. The headphones are our choice for the best noise-canceling wireless headphones for 2024.

Bose's QuietComfort headphones also offer a soft earcup and padded band for that comfort component. They provide 24 hours of battery life with a 15-minute charge providing another two and a half hours of juice. As for sound quality, the QuietComfort headphones offer high-fidelity audio and adjustable EQ for even greater customization.

The Ultra QuietComfort model is also on sale, with a 12 percent discount dropping the cost to $379 from $429. They offer Breakthrough Spatialized Audio, Bluetooth 5.3 and "luxurious comfort." If headphones aren't your thing, Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds are available for $249, down from $299. Plus, you can grab the SoundLink Flex Bluetooth Speaker for $129 instead of $149.  

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Samsung's The Frame TV has become a key part of its home entertainment lineup since the product debuted in 2017. The company has upgraded it a few times over the years, but at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, Samsung revealed a new audio accessory to accompany the TV that doubles as a showcase for art and photos. The company calls it Music Frame (HW-LS60D): a wireless speaker that once pulls double duty as home decor, much like its television counterpart. This unit doesn't have a screen, though, instead it holds printed photos or art that you'll need to swap out manually. However, the basic idea is the same: a piece of home theater gear with the appearance of a picture frame.

Inside are two woofers, two tweeters and two mid-range drivers. The speaker array is capable of Dolby Atmos audio and it leverages Samsung's SpaceFit tech to calibrate the sound to the room. The company says the Music Frame has a "wide radial sound range" so that it can deliver quality audio wherever you're sitting around it. The two woofers are rear firing while the other four drivers are front firing, a setup the company explains contributes to the speaker's clear, natural sound. Music Frame is compatible with Samsung's Q-Symphony technology that uses TV speakers along with any additional home theater audio gear to boost overall sound quality. 

The Music Frame can be used as a standalone Bluetooth or Wi-Fi speaker or as part of a home theater setup alongside a Samsung TV or soundbar. You can also install two of them on either side of a Frame TV for as a stereo pair or employ the Music Frame as rear speakers or even as a subwoofer. The device is ready to be wall mounted and it has a built-in stand if you'd rather set it on a table. Samsung also packed a full IoT hub into the Music Frame and made the speaker voice-enabled so you can employ your go-to virtual assistant to control music and more.

No word on pricing or availability for the Music Frame just yet, but that's usually the case for Samsung's CES product announcements. Those key bits of info typically come closer to the devices shipping, which is almost always after their January unveiling. 

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

Shopping for a home theater setup typically means buying a soundbar, subwoofer and rear speakers separately. Some companies may include a sub with the soundbar, but you don’t always get everything you’ll need for the most immersive sound in the same box with high-end models. Samsung includes all of those additional speakers with the HW-Q990C soundbar ($1,900), though you’re obviously paying a premium. The company offers Dolby Atmos along with a range of audio options and two HDMI inputs, beaming crisp 11.1.4-channel sound into your living room. The Q990C is a significant investment, but it’s also one-stop shopping.

Design

As the Q990C is Samsung’s high-end soundbar in its current lineup, it’s also the biggest. It’s 48.5-inches wide, which is actually about three inches less than the Sony HT-A7000. Of course, companies need the extra space on the flagship models to pack in all of the speakers. In Samsung’s case, the Q990C houses 11 front-facing drivers (including some side-firing), four up-firing drivers and an internal subwoofer. The separate wireless sub is also substantial at 16 x 16 x 8 inches and weighing in at 26 pounds. The wireless rear speakers aren’t huge, but they do have a three-driver setup with front-, side- and up-firing drivers where other companies might only have one.

Samsung opted for a mesh plastic covering for both the soundbar and rear speakers. It’s easier to keep clean than the typical speaker fabric. Samsung also kept things simple on the soundbar itself, putting just four buttons up top. Here, you’ll find a multi-function button that either turns the speaker on or cycles through the input sources. Volume controls and a microphone mute. From the front, a small display on the right side will show you input information, volume level and other settings. Instead all 90-degree angles the Q990C’s side panels follow the position of the side-firing speakers.

Setup

The initial setup for the Q990C is among the easiest I’ve ever completed for a home entertainment bundle. Once you power on the soundbar and connect it to the SmartThings app, the subwoofer and rear speakers are automatically added when you turn them on. There’s no waiting for anything to sync and I didn’t have to connect each thing individually. There are buttons on the sub and rears if you need to manually connect to the soundbar, but I never had to use them. The whole thing was quick and frustration-free, which gets you to the music and movies soon after unboxing.

Like many flagship soundbars, Samsung has included two additional HDMI inputs on top of the HDMI eARC jack you’ll use to connect your TV. Many more affordable, more compact models only have the eARC connection so you have to rely on your TV’s ports, but the pricier models typically offer additional options for connecting directly to the soundbar. Samsung says you can expect 4K/60 and HDR10+ passthrough on the Q990C, but not 4K/120 as the unit doesn’t have HDMI 2.1. That’s a big omission in a $1,900 soundbar being sold in 2023.

There’s also an optical input on the Q990C as well as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. The latter brings Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect and AirPlay to the mix. It also allows you to connect wirelessly to a compatible Samsung TV for audio. This means you can get Dolby Atmos to the soundbar with no cables running from your television, which is handy if you’ve already mounted the display flush with the wall. And if you have a compatible Samsung phone, you can enable Tap Sound which connects to the Q990C via Bluetooth when you gently touch the speaker with the handset. As an iPhone user, I wasn’t able to test this.

SmartThings app and other features

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

In addition to helping with setup, the SmartThings app is where you can tweak the Q990C’s settings. The current input and volume controls are the most prominent on the device screen, with sound modes, EQ and woofer level just below. There are also options for SpaceFit Sound, which automatically tunes the audio to the room, and Active Voice Amplifier, which combats room noise by optimizing on-screen dialog. The advanced settings menu offers voice and bass enhancement alongside a Night Mode, but all of these are on or off toggles with no further customization. SmartThings allows you to choose either Bixby or Alexa for the voice assistant you want to employ on the soundbar.

Samsung lets you choose between Standard, Surround, Game Pro and Adaptive Sound modes. The first doesn’t tweak the audio at all and it’s the only mode where the fully adjustable EQ is available (just bass and treble on the rest). For all of the others, the Q990C upscales 2.0, 5.1 and 7.1 audio to the 11.1.4-channel output the soundbar offers. Of course, all Dolby Atmos and DTS:X content is beamed out at 11.1.4, too. Surround mode is self-explanatory while Game Pro creates more immersive audio with 3D-optimized sound specifically for gaming. Adaptive Sound is the option I used most as it analyzes audio in real time to keep dialog sounding clear across a range of volumes for movies, news and sports. I found it the best-sounding preset for music, too.

In addition to selecting a sound mode in the app, you can cycle through them with a dedicated button the included remote. It also gives you access to SpaceFit Sound, Active Voice Amplifier, Voice Enhancement and more with a Sound Control button that’s labeled with the settings/gear icon. A Channel Level button lets you adjust the volume of each speaker, with Center level, Side level, Wide level, Front Top level, Rear level, Rear top level and Rear side level among the choices. There’s also a button for Tone Control, putting bass and treble tweaks just a few button presses away. These are all in addition to the standard power, input, volume (overall and subwoofer only), mute, pairing and playback options soundbar remotes typically have.

Sound quality

Thanks to the Q990C’s upscaling abilities, nearly every movie or TV show sounds more immersive than if you were listening in stereo or even with a 5.1 setup. Netflix’s Drive To Survive, which is offered in Dolby Atmos if you have the priciest Ultra HD plan, is still amazing with this soundbar for those of us on the more affordable monthly rate. The whir of the cars as they zoom past, pitlane noise and crunching crashes make the meticulously-shot series even better. Marvel shows and movies on Disney+ are available with Atmos and they sound amazing.

I can confidently say this is the closest I’ve come to a movie theater-like experience in my living room. The additional drivers in the rear speakers undoubtedly elevate the overhead sensation, contributing significantly more to directional audio than normal single-driver units. Fight scenes like the one that opens The Falcon and the Winter Soldier are loud and chaotic, but they sound more like you’re watching in real life, taking in the thud of each punch, the fire of every gun and the drone of choppers navigating the canyon.

The Q990C is also a great option for music. Crisp, clear highs and powerful, punchy bass compliment nearly every genre. Even at lower volumes, tunes like Sia’s “Everyday Is Christmas” come across layered rather than compressed. Vocals cut through clear and the bassline doesn’t overpower. The same goes for Turnpike Troubadours’ A Cat in the Rain where each member of the band stands on their own, with snare hits and country-rock vocals slicing through the mix. Bass from the large subwoofer is present but restrained, only as bombastic as it needs to be and never muddy or dull.

Samsung

The sound on those albums was impressive and I wasn’t even streaming them in Dolby Atmos. Tunes in the immersive format sound even more incredible on the Q990C. TesseracT’s prog-metal War Of Being is soaring and atmospheric, with the staccato guitars and slapped bass on tracks like “The Gray” showing off the dimensional quality of Atmos Music. Less intense genres like Tyler Childers’ Rustin’ In The Rain come across more like live performances than streamed albums. The sound is full, crisp and envelopes the room with guitars, piano, steel guitar and perfectly calculated drum hits, all supporting Childers’ trademark eastern Kentucky vocals.

This soundbar system works well in a multi-room setup, too, and you don’t need other Samsung speakers to do it. Thanks to AirPlay, you can easily select the Q990C and other speakers on your Wi-Fi network. I was able to consistently link the soundbar with a HomePod in another room with just a few taps in Apple Music. The audio performed consistently once the two speakers were linked and I never heard any dropouts or clipping when they were used in tandem.

One audio feature that I wasn’t able to test is Q-Symphony. This uses the speakers inside Samsung TVs in addition to the drivers in the soundbar setup. The company promises it “can optimize all the channels” for a “masterfully orchestrated sound experience.” I don’t have a Samsung TV, but the soundbar system sounds great without it. What’s more, this sort of thing isn’t unique to Samsung devices as Sony offers a similar tool called Acoustic Center Sync with its soundbars and TVs.

The competition

Sony’s HT-A7000 is the best alternative to the Q990C. It also does Atmos and music very well, but everything you add to it is an additional purchase. At current prices, the soundbar, the cheapest sub and rear speaker options will cost you $1,600 while soundbar alone is $1,000. There are better choices for both the woofer and rears, but those significantly raise the price.

The A7000 offers a lot of what the Q990C has on its spec sheet. That includes the two HDMI 2.1 inputs with 4K/120 passthrough. Sony includes compatibility with both Hi-Res and 360 Reality Audio alongside various pieces of virtual surround tech and a number of sound modes. The key differences between this and the Q990C is that the A7000 is a 7.1.4-channel setup, versus 11.1.4, and the aforementioned HDMI 2.1 support.

The Q990C is currently on sale for $1,400, but it’s unclear if that price cut is permanent. The $500 savings make the all-inclusive Samsung setup even more attractive, if you can live without HDMI 2.1.

Wrap-up

Samsung’s latest flagship soundbar is a sonic powerhouse. And, perhaps more importantly, it comes with the subwoofer and rear speakers you’ll need to make the most of it in the box. For the cost of what you’d pay for a soundbar alone from some of the company’s main competitors, you get the complete package, and one that’s easy to set up and customize as needed. The sound quality is great and Atmos content is as crisp and immersive as ever, so long as you have space to accommodate the bundle. The lack of HDMI 2.1 hinders performance for gamers, and that’s a glaring omission on a premium soundbar these days. The Q990C isn’t cheap, even at the current discounted price, but at least you’re getting everything you need in one go.

Several companies have taken shots at Sonos over the years when it comes to multi-room audio and self-tuning speakers with built-in voice assistants. These devices are a lot more common in 2023 than they used to be, so there’s a whole host of options if you’re looking for alternatives to the Move or Era. JBL is the latest to give it a go with new additions to its Authentics line of speakers. While audio may be its primary use, these devices are the first to run two voice assistants simultaneously without having to switch from one to the other. And on the Authentics 300 ($450), you get a portable unit that doesn’t have to stay parked on a shelf.

Design

Most wireless JBL speakers fit into three categories. They’re either rugged and compact, modern-looking boomboxes or internally-lit party units. For this new Authentics series, the company opted for a more refined design: all black with a gold frame around the front speaker grille. It’s certainly an aesthetic that fits in nicely on a shelf, without the raucous palette of some of the company’s smaller options. All three of the Authentics speakers look almost exactly the same with the main difference being size, although the 300 does have a boombox-like rotating handle the other two don’t. That’s because it’s the only portable option in the range with a built-in battery.

JBL describes the Authentics look as “retro,” but I’m not sure I agree. Sure, there’s a classic vibe thanks to the ‘70s-inspired Quadrex grille the company has employed in the past, but the finer details and onboard controls are decidedly modern. Speaking of controls, up top you’ll find volume, treble and bass knobs that illuminate the level as you turn them. Pressing in the center of the volume dial gives you the playback controls. There are also Bluetooth, power and Moment buttons along with a thin light bar that indicates charging status when the speaker is plugged in. Around back is a microphone mute switch, along with Ethernet, 3.5mm aux, USB-C and power ports.

Software and features

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

The features and settings for the Authentics speakers are managed inside the JBL One app. Here, you’re greeted with a list of the company’s products you own as well as their connected status, battery level and whatever media is playing on the device. After selecting the Authentics 300, JBL dumps you into the specifics, with battery level once again visible up top. A media player is just below, complete with the ability to sync Amazon Music, Tidal, Napster, Qobuz, TuneIn, iHeartRadio and Calm Radio so you can play them directly inside this app.

JBL offers some limited EQ customization. There’s a manual slider with options for bass, mid and treble, but that’s it. You won’t find any carefully-tuned presets or the ability to make more detailed adjustments along the curve. To get to your tunes quickly, JBL offers a feature called Moment. Accessible via the heart button on the speaker, this allows you to save a favorite album or playlist from the app’s list of supported streaming services. You can also specify volume and auto-off timing during setup.

Lastly, a word on streaming music over Wi-Fi. The Authentics line supports a range of options here, including AirPlay, Chromecast, Alexa, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect, all of which are more convenient than swiping over to the Bluetooth menu and pairing the speaker every time you use it. With Wi-Fi, playing music on the Authentics devices are just a couple of taps away inside of the app where you’re browsing and selecting music or podcasts from. The speakers also support multi-room audio via AirPlay, Alexa and the Google Home app

Double assistants, double the fun

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

JBL says the Authentics series is the first set of speakers to run two voice assistants simultaneously. Each of the three units can employ both Alexa and Google Assistant without you having to pick one or the other beforehand. This opens up availability across compatible smart home devices and it means your speaker choice isn’t as limited by your go-to assistant.

The speaker never had trouble hearing my commands and it didn’t mistake a query for one assistant with a question for the other. When you ask Google Assistant for help, a white light shows at the top center of the speaker grille. Summon Alexa and that LED burns blue until your convo is over. When you mute the microphones with the switch on the back of the 300, that light glows red and remains until you turn them back on. As is the case with any smart speaker, the voice command limitations are the general hindrances of the assistants themselves rather than any shortfalls of the speaker.

Sound quality

The Authentics 300 really shines with more mellow, chill music like jazz, bluegrass and acoustic-driven country. There’s a warm inviting sound with great clarity across those styles. When you jump to the full band chaos of metal and hardcore, or even the guitar-heavy but mellifluous tones of Chris Stapleton, the speaker’s tuning overemphasizes vocals and the lack of bassy thump creates a muddy overall sound.

Sure, you can dial up the bass with the physical controls or the EQ in the app, but that doesn’t add the kind of deep low-end that would open up the soundstage. It does improve the overall tuning of albums like Stapleton’s Higher, but there’s still an overemphasis on vocals. You can really hear the impact on The Killer’s Rebel Diamonds as Brandon Flowers almost entirely drowns out the backing synth on “Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine” from Hot Fuss.

At times though, the Authentics 300 is a joy to listen to. Put on some Miles Davis and the speaker is at its best. Ditto for the bluegrass of Nickel Creek, the mellow country tunes of Charles Wesley Godwin and classic Christmas mixes. However, the inconsistency across styles is frustrating. Interestingly, JBL says the Authentics speakers offer automatic self-tuning every time you power them on, but I didn’t notice much difference as I moved the 300 around.

Battery life

Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget

JBL says the Authentics 300 will last up to eight hours on a charge. Within two minutes of unplugging, the JBL One app already had the battery level down two percent while playing music via AirPlay 2, at about 30 percent volume. That may seem like a low level, but it’s good for “working music” on this speaker. After 30 minutes, the app was showing 88 percent, but things slowed down and I managed to still have 24 percent remaining when the eight-hours were up. During a test over Bluetooth, the percentages fell in a similar fashion, but I had no problem making it to eight hours at 50 percent volume (Bluetooth was quieter than AirPlay at 30 percent).

JBL does offer a Battery Saving Mode to help you maximize playtime when you’re away from home. This setting “optimizes” both volume and bass to extend battery life, according to the company. There’s also an optional automatic power off feature that kicks in at either 15 minutes, 30 minutes or an hour when you’re not connected to power and audio is no longer playing.

The competition

JBL offers two alternatives to the Authentics 300 within the same speaker range. The smaller Authentics 200 ($350) is more compact, but not portable, while the larger 500 ($700) is a high-fidelity unit with support for Dolby Atmos. Both still run two voice assistants at the same time and have both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, along with everything else the Authentics line offers. In order to support that immersive audio, the Authentics 500 has more drivers than the other two, with three 25mm tweeters, three 2.75-inch mid-range and a 6.5-inch subwoofer. I look forward to seeing if the extra components and added 170 watts of output power improve sound quality, but it only has slightly lower frequency response than the 300 (40Hz vs. 45Hz).

If you’re looking for something portable that can also pull double duty at home, the Sonos Move 2 is a solid option. It’s too big to haul around with ease, but it does support both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi along with improved sound and better battery life compared to version 1.0. There’s also startling loudness and a durable design. What’s more, it’s the same price as the Authentics 300 at $449. For something more stationary and immersive, you could get the Sonos Era 300 without paying more. My colleague Nathan Ingraham noted the excellent sound quality on this unit during his review, but he did encounter inconsistent performance when it came to spatial audio. There’s also no Google Assistant support on this model.

Wrap-up

When I try to come up with a final verdict on the Authentics 300, I find myself running in circles. For every thing I like about the speaker, there’s immediately something that I don’t. The company certainly deserves some kudos for being the first to run two assistants at the same time and for figuring out how to do that with no confusion or headaches. However, the inconsistent sound quality is a major problem, especially on a $450 speaker. And while the device offers better-than-advertised battery life, it’s larger size makes portability an issue. So unless you absolutely need to seamlessly switch between Alexa and Google Assistant, there are better-sounding options.