Home » Technology » New headphones from Heavys and Sonos are a great addition to your collection.

New headphones from Heavys and Sonos are a great addition to your collection.

Recently I was able to try out two new headphones, one from Heavys and the other from Sonos. Both headphones have distinct sound profiles and features that cater to different tastes.

The Sonos headphone’s seamless integration in the brand ecosystem is impressive. They provide a rich audio experience, with an excellent build quality.

Heavys headphones are known for their powerful bass and innovative design. This makes them an excellent choice for audiophiles looking for a more intense auditory experience.

Both models have unique advantages that reflect the changing landscape of premium headphones.

What is Heavys?

The Heavys headphones were designed to maximize the music experience for metal fans. They made headlines in recent years. A Kickstarter campaign launched by Axel Grell, former Sennheiser expert and heavy metal music lover, in early 2022.

Heavy headphones (Photo courtesy of Author)

I am not and never will be a heavy metal fan. I’m interested in the Heavys to see how well they perform with people who are more into mainstream pop music.

To be clear, I tested the Heavys on my iPhone 15 Pro Max, using Apple Music’s lossless version and the hi-res Lossless version.

The Heavys are slightly more heavy than other over-the ear headphones, thanks to the matte black finish and heavy-duty materials. The logo is embossed and stenciled on the headband in white.

The Heavys, despite being heavy, have plush ear pillows that are comfortable and tight around the head.

Easy to use, but with a strong design

The controls on the undersides of both earcups are solid, and snap into place when activated. However, I found that they were easier to use before putting the headphones on. The volume control on the right ear cup is easy to use while moving.

Travel is made easy with a molded carry case, and the Heavys are foldable. Apple AirPods Max – my favorite at-home headphones – is too large for travel. AirPods Max’s ear cups do not swivel so it can be difficult to wear them around your neck.

Heavys’ eight drivers deliver music directly to the ears for a superior sound experience. Five mics are also included in the headphones, which is a critical feature for smartphone conversations.

When I walked on busy roads in the morning, I enjoyed using the Hell Blocker active noise cancelling headphones with their amusing names. Heavys supports Bluetooth BLE 5.1 and USB C/analog. Its battery life is close to the advertised 50 hours.

Sadly, unlike many other headphones, Heavys do not come with a dedicated application for firmware upgrades and EQ. According to Heavys, a standalone app will be released before the end of this year.

Heavys delivers superior audio quality

The sound quality of this product is paramount for metal fans. As I mentioned earlier, I used an iPhone and Apple Music’s lossless or hi-res mode to test the Heavys.

The default settings were too muffled for my taste and had too much bass. So I changed the EQ, which improved the sound quickly to my satisfaction.

A deep, rumbling, voice was heard when turning on or off, activating Hell Blocker ANC or pairing. It reminded me strongly of Duke Nukem from “Mortal Kombat.” It’s obvious that Heavys has a great sense of humor.

The musical genres I chose for my test included Frank Sinatra, Barbara Streisand, Tony Bennett, and musicals such as “Man of La Mancha,” “Wicked,” „Promises, Promises,” “Camelot,” «1776», and “They’re Playing Our Song.”

The audio experience was quite immersive with a balanced, clear sound. The overture of “Man of La Mancha”, was so clear, I could clearly hear each instrument in the ear cup. This is exactly how it had been musically arranged back in 1965.

The Verdict on Heavy Headphones

Heavys, a new product on the market, is a great value at $269 compared to other more expensive options like Apple’s AirPods Max.

The Heavys are also excellent from a design perspective. The lack of a smartphone application for firmware updates is disappointing. This would undoubtedly improve the sound in future and allow a more customized audio experience. Putting those caveats aside, the Heavys are a welcome addition to the crowded over-the-ear headphone market — even if you’re not a heavy metal music fan.

Currently, heavys can only purchased from the company. website.

Sonos Ace arrives on the scene

Sonos has finally released its first headphones after years of anticipation.

These headphones are the latest additions to the wireless home theater system maker’s product line. They feature elite craftsmanship, exceptional sound, and seamless connection with its soundbars.

Sonos Ace Headphones (Photo by Author).

The addition of high-end features like active noise cancellation, Dolby Atmos spatial audio, and high-end audio are all attractive and justify the $449 price tag.

These headphones look as good as they sound. There are a few issues with the Ace’s functionality, but Sonos could fix them over time.

You’ll love the Ace, particularly if, like me, you are a fan of Sonos. Let me elaborate.

Impeccable Sound

Apple AirPods Max can’t match the audio quality of Sonos Ace. These headphones are pre-loaded with Sonos’ signature audio. The sound is detailed, well-balanced and vibrant. The midrange reproduction is among the best of the class. The highs and bass are both rich.

The electric guitars, Burt Bachrach’s synths, and the bright, uplifting overture to “Promises, Promises”, sounded every bit as powerful as when I heard them in a Broadway live production that I attended in 2010. The vocal clarity was also excellent and I found myself singing the title song in private.

Active noise cancellation (ANC), when turned off, boosts bass. Sonos’ app offers an EQ for customizing the sound. The loudness control makes the bass and treble sound more powerful at low volumes.

The best music streaming services use high-end audio codecs like AAC and SBC.

Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive/Lossless is a great way to dynamically scale Bluetooth audio and reveal more nuance. The performance of Tidal is unmatched, and its desktop features enhance output in wired mode.

You can enjoy lossless audio with the included USB-C and auxiliary cables. The results were great, even though the midrange on some tracks was overemphasized.

Sonos 3D Sound format is fantastic and includes dynamic head-tracking for a virtual soundscape. Apple Music’s spatial audio content sounded immersive and natural, and the motion detection was accurate.

Sonos has developed two exclusive features exclusively for the Ace. TV Audio Swap is the first feature, and it switches audio between Sonos soundbars and Ace headphones. TrueCinema is another option, using a Sonos soundbar for mapping your room and optimizing the Ace headphones’ acoustics.

Sleek and Stylish Design

Sonos speakers are some of the swankiest home products and double as fancy décor. The Ace is not any different. You can earn cool points by placing them on your living room headphone stand. They have a clean and minimalistic look that is in line with the brand. Material refinements like the dark aluminium yokes, plush leather padding and the headband/earpads are a great way to create a comfortable and well-fitting product. A matte finish is also a nice addition, as are the slim microphone grilles.

Sonos’ control layout was creative. The content key on the right earcup provides tactile feedback every time you slide the slider up or downward to control the volume. It also clicks when you press the button to pause or to play. The right earcup has a content key that provides a tactile feedback experience every time you move the slider up or down to control volume and a satisfying click when you press it to pause or play.

The slim carry bag is beautifully crafted. Sonos claims that the case is made from 75% recycled bottles. However, the felt on the exterior feels like premium material. The headphones fit perfectly in the groove and the felt pocket stores all accessories conveniently without taking up any extra space. The headphones are a joy to travel with on my next trip.

Ecosystem integration is intuitive

Sonos wants the Ace to be able to seamlessly integrate with all of your other Sonos devices. The Sonos ecosystem makes it possible for the Ace to be used with your Sonos Home Theater thanks to features such as TV Audio Swap, TrueCinema and TrueCinema. These benefits are not for you if you do not own a Sonos Speaker.

TV Audio Swap is a good option for watching sports and blockbuster films alone. This is especially true after the rest of my family has gone to sleep. It’s much easier to use than manually pairing headphones and then re-pairing them.

TrueCinema has to be Ace’s best feature. The headphones create a 3D sound signature by using your Sonos bar to map your listening space. It sounds great and could be an important selling point for Sonos when they release it in the next few weeks.

Sonos Arc, the only device that supports these features, will be updated in the future to include Beam (Gen 2), Beam and Ray.

The Ace is compatible with iOS/macOS, and Android devices. Apple MFi, Google Fast Pair and Google One-Tap Pairing provide instant pairing regardless of the phone. The headphones are equipped with multipoint technology to connect them to two audio sources at once.

The Ace is not WiFi compatible, and does not require that it be configured through the Sonos application. It is true that the Sonos app can be useful when troubleshooting.

Achieving a good call quality and noise cancellation

The Ace is a great noise cancelling headphone, but it’s still not as good as Apple AirPods Max and Bose QC Ultra. The noise-canceling headphones were able to block out a large amount of ambient sound.

The technology was very helpful for reducing household noises like TVs, kitchen appliances and outside disturbances. Loud noises like sirens or construction tools caught my attention.

The strong wind resistance prevented harsh whooshing sounds from being produced. The aware mode did a good job of monitoring my environment but the microphones were not very good at capturing voices. The Ace noise cancelling headphones will be as good as other headphones with future firmware updates.

Battery Life is Lower than Advertised

Sonos rates Ace’s battery at 30 hours, with ANC enabled. The battery life I tested was 25 hours or more, which is longer than the Apple AirPods Max. When using ANC, the battery life fell by about three hours. The use of spatial audio reduced the playtime to around 20 hours.

But I am happy to say that Sonos is one of the best in this category for quick charging. Three hours of usage can be achieved with a three-minute charging. This is a great feature for travelers.

Buggy Companion App

The Sonos app sometimes froze up or failed to recognize that my headphones were paired. The app offered several benefits when it was recognized: a battery indicator, an EQ and toggle controls for the main functions.

The EQ also isn’t very sophisticated and only allows adjustments for bass, treble and output balance between channels. Sonos, just like its competitors, should have had multiple EQs.

A software update that was supposed to take 10 minutes took 30 minutes, probably because it was the first major upgrade of the product since its launch.

Ace Better with other Sonos speakers

The most significant challenge for consumers is that many of the Ace’s sound features work only with the Sonos Arc soundbar.

The Beam and Ray will also eventually have these perks, but the Ace is less functional if you do not already own a Sonos Soundbar.

Premium Price

Sonos would have benefited from launching the $449 Ace with a lower price. These headphones cost more than the $399 Bose Ultra, which is probably the best noise cancelling headphone that’s often on sale.

Ace is priced lower than Apple’s AirPods max, which retail for $549. However, these headphones are also regularly discounted to as little as $429. Sonos would be able to offer Ace at a discounted price if it priced the headphones in the $399 range.

Bottom Line

Since I am a Sonos user, I can appreciate the value of these headphones. Since years, I have invested heavily in Sonos’ smart wireless audio ecosystem. Active noise cancellation and excellent sound quality are both impressive.

The Apple AirPods Max are too bulky for me to carry around.

Integration into the Sonos eco-system will improve and I value this. You can find cheaper alternatives if Sonos is not your thing. For me, I think the Ace is amazing in terms of design, sound, integration and price. Sonos’ first venture into headphones is a notable and solid achievement.

You can buy the Sonos Ace Headphones directly from SonosAmazon and other major electronic retailers, such as Best Buy, are also worth mentioning.