IFA: Sonos upgrades Beam Ultra with Atmos and pairs Ace Ultra with music speakers

At the IFA trade show, Sonos has unveiled two new audio products: the Beam Ultra speaker, which supports Dolby Atmos with dedicated height channels, and the Ace Ultra wireless headphones, capable of sharing music streams with other Sonos speakers via a feature called “Headphone Linking.” The updates come ahead of the autumn season, when consumers often turn their attention back to home entertainment systems rather than relying solely on smartphones for audio playback. The Beam Ultra positions itself between the budget-friendly Soundbar Ray and the premium Arc Ultra model. It features two upward-facing drivers designed specifically for Dolby Atmos content, offering a more immersive experience compared to the previous Beam generation, which simulated height effects through software alone. The updated center speaker in the Beam Ultra is said to deliver clearer dialogue reproduction, while the overall channel configuration expands to 7.1.2, enhancing spatial audio performance. Despite these upgrades, the physical size of the soundbar remains largely unchanged, though its price has increased from 449 euros to 699 euros. Pre-orders began on September 1, with delivery starting on September 29. Meanwhile, the Ace Ultra wireless headphones introduce a new level of integration within the Sonos ecosystem. Like its predecessor, the Ace Ultra includes both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, but it now offers the ability to transfer ongoing music streams between itself and other Sonos speakers. This functionality, known as “Headphone Linking,” allows users to switch seamlessly between listening through the headphones or playing the audio through connected speakers. Initially available only with TV speaker output, this feature is now extended to all supported Sonos speaker models, including the Arc, Beam, Era, Play, Ray, Roam, and Five series, as well as the Sonos Amp amplifier. The Ace Ultra also benefits from improved noise cancellation, thanks to ten microphones instead of eight, providing double the effectiveness in blocking ambient sounds. With active noise cancellation enabled, battery life increases from 30 hours to 35 hours. The price remains unchanged at 449 euros, with color options expanding to include “Agave” and “Sand” alongside white and black. In addition to hardware updates, Sonos is rolling out new software features aimed at improving user experience. Starting on September 8, the company will update its system software with new speaker configurations and AI-driven functions, all under the “Early Access” label, indicating potential for initial bugs or limitations. The operating system, previously unnamed, will be officially branded as “Sonos 27,” accompanied by a corresponding app named “Sonos 27 App.” This new version introduces equalizer presets and diagnostic tools, allowing users to fine-tune audio settings beyond just adjusting bass and treble. A web-based version of the app is also in the works, though a launch date has not yet been announced. Sonos is also making its Bluetooth-powered speakers more versatile by enabling them to function as rear speakers in a home theater setup. Models such as the Play and Move 2 can now serve as alternative rear speakers alongside stationary Wi-Fi-connected speakers, increasing flexibility in multi-room audio setups. Alongside these enhancements, a new generative AI-powered voice assistant, dubbed “Sonos 27 Voice,” is set to complement the existing simple voice controls.