Are SONOS’ Ace headphones better than AirPods Max? It’s a close call£449, sonos.com
To sum up SONOS in a sentence, the long-running company pairs high-quality audio with convenience. Through a wide range of home speaker setups and soundbars, it brought competent wireless audio to loft apartments everywhere when AirPlay was still a glint in Apple’s eye. The California brand’s reputation for excellent-sounding speakers and a closed wire-free ecosystem that ‘just works’ (most of the time), has made them a staple sound solution for homes and businesses everywhere. Its users, though, have long been looking for a solution to take their beloved SONOS sound and services with them on the road and, after a series of leaks and teasers, SONOS’s first headphones have arrived. Meet the Ace.

READ MORE: DALI IO-12 are incredible headphones that serve a hyper-niche audience

Headphone tech has evolved rapidly over the past decade after being fairly static for the previous three. Reliable Bluetooth audio gave way to a new range of consumer cans, with both Beats and the subsequent AirPods becoming ubiquitous accessories almost overnight. Throw in high-quality ANC, the ongoing development of spatial audio and the shift in consumer expectation of what good headphones sound, look and feel like meant that SONOS had to wait to get it right. As a result, despite them being its “most requested product” the Ace headphones arrive 19 years after the first SONOS product launched. But are they worth the wait?
SONOS Ace in black colourway. Image: Press
The Ace shows up in a fairly unremarkable case, but for a reason – SONOS has built the Ace with a focus on sustainability, with the case being made from recycled materials. Inside, you’ll find the headphones, USB-C charging cable and USB-C-to-3.5mm cable in a handy pouch. The headphones look great – they’re available in a black or white colourway, and our matte black pair looks very sleek and feels lighter than their 312g would suggest. They’re supremely comfortable, the memory foam earcups providing a satisfyingly enclosed feel without being too claustrophobic. They feel light on your head while still gripping on solidly: a strong start.
SONOS Ace in black colourway with accessories. Image: Press
Once you begin to connect your Ace to your device of choice, the first surprise kicks in: the Ace doesn’t connect to the SONOS ecosystem. It can’t be added as an output in the app, and you can’t switch from your speaker setup to the headphones as you walk out the door or move the soundtrack of your commute to your flat once you get home, something that we feel is an obvious use case.
These are Bluetooth headphones, and although they do have a Wi-Fi chip it’s not used to make them an extension of any existing speaker setups you might have. SONOS explains the technical reason behind this on its Subreddit, which is worth a read if you’re a long-term SONOS speaker user. Long story short, they’d be too big, the battery wouldn’t last long and they’d get too hot if the Linux computer that runs SONOS speakers was integrated into their headphones. The Wi-Fi chip instead is used for a feature called TV Audio Swap which we’ll get to later.
SONOS Ace in use. Image: Press
Wi-Fi aside, once the Bluetooth 5.4 chip is connected, the Ace sounds fantastic. SONOS has managed to avoid the temptation of an EQ curve that hypes key frequencies to impress on the first listen but ultimately leads to fatigue. They’re not flat like studio headphones, but more subtle in their sound stage, bringing highs to life without sizzle, and emphasising lows without oomph. Ultimately, they’re an enjoyable listen and when directly compared with one of their most suitable competitors – the Apple AirPods Max – they’re a lot less tiring over long listening sessions.
But, as they’re Bluetooth and lossless isn’t supported on iOS, you’ll have to reach for the USB-C cable on your phone and laptop to experience them in all their glory. And when you do, the difference is striking. Using TIDAL lossless over USB-C, the sound shines further, and although it goes against the wireless ethos of the SONOS brand, it’s the best way to experience the Ace. However, the mics don’t work over USB-C-to-3.5mm cable, which might be frustrating for gamers.
We wouldn’t recommend using these headphones for mixing but they are a lot of fun for producing and creating. The USB-C cable also does away with most of the dreaded Bluetooth latency — they don’t work in passive mode over 3.5mm, though, they always have to be on and charged. There is a two-band EQ in the SONOS app if you want to tweak further, although, once you are connected, they no longer appear in the SONOS app, presumably because Bluetooth is switched off. That needs to be fixed. The cable will also charge them as you work so you’ll be fully charged once you do set off again.
Speaking of battery, SONOS claim an impressive 30 hours even with ANC on. In testing, they last even longer. True to the sustainability mission, the battery is replaceable, as are the earcups, reassuring for the longer-term commitment the price would suggest. SONOS makes a big deal of the quality of the ANC and it is excellent. Tested against the AirPod Max, they don’t remove the outside world to the same extent, but it’s more consistent as you turn your head and move around. Aware mode allows you to let the outside world in, where required.
SONOS Ace in white colourway. Image: Press
Outside of music, one of the truly unique selling points of the Ace is TV Audio Swap, its ability to hot-swap between SONOS soundbars and headphones. This is the only way it truly integrates with existing SONOS setups and to be fair, it is very cool and very useful.
If you’re watching a movie, for example, and someone goes to bed, press and hold the control switch on the Ace and the audio will magically move to your headphones you can continue to listen in full Atmos glory.
The headphones support Spatial Audio and Head Tracking away from the soundbar, but it’s less relevant for music listening. It comes to life for TV, film and gaming though, and you can turn it on separately for each mode, which is handy. It was a little buggy before a firmware update solved our issues. This only works with Sonos’ flagship Arc soundbar so far, but support for the Beam and Ray is forthcoming.
Another fancy feature is TrueCinema. It allows you to mirror the soundbar’s Trueplay room acoustics tuning, to make the switch from room to headphones more realistic. It takes the acoustic profile of the room, tuned using sine sweeps from the soundbar, and reapplies that profile to your headphone audio to make it seem like you’re still sitting on your sofa listening from the speakers. Innovative, cool, maybe a bit odd, but also not ready at testing. SONOS say it’s coming later this year.
SONOS Ace earcups. Image: Press
SONOS’ Aces are not cheap headphones, at all. They don’t integrate with the existing SONOS ecosystem beyond hot-swapping from a soundbar, and it requires a cable to hear it at its best lossless quality (same as most Bluetooth headphones, to be fair). But they’re still a resounding success.
The sound is addictive — we find ourselves re-listening to albums to hear them on the Ace, not because there are new details or elements we didn’t spot before, but because they are so enjoyable to wear and to experience. They’re the most comfortable over-ears we’ve tried over long periods and, for this new world of remote work and endless Zooms, that’s as important as anything else in a headphone this expensive. It should be an all-rounder, and it is.
For producers, DJs and music makers, the TV Audio Swap may be more novelty than necessity but it is fun and useful if you own a SONOS soundbar. Fundamentally these are stellar-sounding headphones, with excellent battery life and travel-friendly ANC that can also double up as beatmaking cans once cabled in – unless you’re happy programming drums with Bluetooth latency, in which case we salute you.
Key Features

TV Audio Swap lets you hot-swap between headphones and soundbar
That warm, balanced SONOS sound
30 hours of listening time, charged via USB-C
Lossless and spatial audio capabilities with head tracking and Dolby Atmos
Bluetooth 5.4
Adjustable EQ
Custom-designed 40 mm dynamic drivers

The post Are SONOS’ Ace headphones better than AirPods Max? It’s a close call appeared first on MusicTech.

Mic preamps from Sabria Audio Sabria Audio are a pro-audio manufacturer based in Spain whose range currently consists of a trio of high-quality mic preamps, and will soon be extended to include a selection of 500‑series modules and more.

Album Review of "Set the Tone (Guns & Roses)" by Ghostface Killah (9/10)Mass Appeal

Producer: Various

Set the Tone is Wu-Tang’s very own Ghostface Killah’s 12th album, released on fellow emcee/friend from New York, Nas’ record label. Shy of one hour’s worth of solid, flavorful music, GFK is in true Ironman form.

“6 Minutes” features an intro from Jim Jones (Dipset), who “sets the tone” for the album, reflecting on drug dealing days listening to Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, which features Ghostface Killah. Songs like “Pair of Hammers,” “Scar Tissue,” and “Shots” carry this top-tier installment in GFK’s catalog.The post Album Review of "Set the Tone (Guns & Roses)" by Ghostface Killah (9/10) first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Bybit opens registration to Chinese nationals overseasData suggested that more than ten million Chinese nationals lived outside the country, giving Bybit access to a larger pool of crypto users.

Boeing’s Starliner overcomes leaks and engine trouble to dock with ‘the big city in the sky’Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft has successfully delivered two astronauts to the International Space Station, a key milestone in the aerospace giant’s quest to certify the capsule for regular crewed missions.  Starliner safely docked at 10:34 AM Pacific Time. After taking some time to equalize pressure between Starliner and the station, the hatch opened at around 12:46 […]
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Erica Synths and Richie Hawtin’s Bullfrog Drums will “teach you drum programming and sampling”Meet Bullfrog Drums, a new drum machine developed by Erica Synths in partnership with esteemed producer Richie Hawtin.
The yet-to-be-released machine expands the Bullfrog range, which offers educational music production tools to encourage aspiring producers of the future.

READ MORE: Rob Papen unveils “minimalist” one-knob plugin, UniMagic – but what does it do?

Bullfrog Drums is designed to teach drum programming and the basics of sampling. Its user interface is inspired by classic drum machines, and hosts everything you’ll need for building advanced drum patterns using sampled drum sounds.
The synth features seven sample-based drum voices, each with hands-on sample manipulation, including tuning, start point, sample length, attack, decay, overdrive and stereo panning.
Currently, the Bullfrog ecosystem consists of two other products – the Bullfrog and the Bullfrog XL (designed for teachers to use in front of a classroom)– which creatives will be able to combine with Bullfrog Drums to create a complete electronic music production and performance setup. Bullfrog Drums will contain an easy-to-programme CV/Gate sequencer for this.

Little detail on when it’s set to arrive is yet available, but it’s currently expected to land at retailers before the end of 2024. The Latvia-based brand also says that the product is a “logical and consistent step” in its combined efforts to inspire the next generation and make electronic music technology more accessible along with Hawtin.
“As a producer who’s created many percussion-only tracks under my Plastikman moniker, it only makes sense to add a drum machine to our developing Bullfrog ecosystem,” says Hawtin. “This exciting development will allow both novices and pros a new way to learn drum programming and enjoy some fun new capabilities that we plan to feature on our new machine!”
Check back on MusicTech for more information on Bullfrog Drums as we get it. You can also view more from Erica Synths in the meantime.
The post Erica Synths and Richie Hawtin’s Bullfrog Drums will “teach you drum programming and sampling” appeared first on MusicTech.

2024 Business Card Challenge: Tiny MIDI KeyboardThe progress for electronics over the past seven decades or so has always trended towards smaller or more dense components. Moore’s Law is the famous example of this, but even when we’re not talking about transistors specifically, technology tends to get either more power efficient or smaller. This MIDI keyboard, for example, is small enough that it will fit in the space of a standard business card which would have been an impossibility with the technology available when MIDI first became standardized, and as such is the latest entry in our Business Card Challenge.
[Alana] originally built this tiny musical instrument to always have a keyboard available on the go, and the amount of features packed into this tiny board definitely fits that design goal. It has 18 keys with additional buttons to change the octave and volume, and has additional support for sustain and modulation as well. The buttons and diodes are multiplexed in order to fit the IO for the microcontroller, a Seeed Studio Xiao SAMD21, and it also meets the USB-C standards so it will work with essentially any modern computer available including most smartphones and tablets so [Alana] can easily interface it with Finale, a popular music notation software.
Additionally, the project’s GitHub page has much more detail including all of the Arduino code needed to build a MIDI controller like this one. This particular project has perhaps the best size-to-usefulness ratio we’ve seen for compact MIDI controllers thanks to the USB-C and extremely small components used on the PCB, although the Starshine controller or these high-resolution controllers are also worth investigating if you’re in the market for compact MIDI devices like this one.

LVRN invests in Afro-Caribbean cultural platform Jerk X JollofThe investment 'underscores our commitment to empowering communities through music and culture,' LVRN says
Source

Foosbar: The World’s Best* Foosball Robot From Scratch[Xander Naumenko] is back with another bonkers project. This is the same creator that built a working 32-bit computer inside a Terraria world. This time it’s a bit more physical of a creation: a self-playing foosball table.
We’re not sure of the impetus for this idea, but we’re delighted to see the engineering it took to make it work. It sounds so simple. It’s just servos mounted on linear actuators, right? Oh, and some computer vision to determine where the ball actually is on the table. And the software to actually control the motors, pass the ball around, and play offense and defense. So maybe not so simple. All the code and some other resources are available under the MIT license.
As to while the claim of “best” foosball robot has an asterisk? That’s because, although we’ve seen a few potential competitors over the years, there isn’t yet a world foosball competition. We’re hoping that changes, as a tournament of robots playing foosball sounds like a sports event we’d show up for!

Sony Music Publishing wins Publisher of the Year at 2024 BMI Pop AwardsMiley Cyrus’ 'Flowers' was named Song of the Year.
Source

Playfair Audio: Dynamic Grading plug-in gets major update With the launch of v1.3, Dynamic Grading has gained a whole host of new features and improvements based on user feedback. 

UNIIQU3 on the art of sampling and the sonic identity of Jersey club
UNIIQU3 and fellow New Jersey icons Just Blaze and Rah Digga dive deep into the evolution of Jersey club, the art of sampling, and more.

Eventbrite study confirms fans are buying tickets much later than everTicketing platform Eventbrite shared a new study on US music ticket buyers at this week's National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) conference in New Orleans.....
The post Eventbrite study confirms fans are buying tickets much later than ever appeared first on Hypebot.

5 Music Collaborations worth exploringUnlock the secrets to musical success with these five game-changing collaborations. They show how teaming up with the right partners can skyrocket your career and create unforgettable music. by Chris. Continue reading
The post 5 Music Collaborations worth exploring appeared first on Hypebot.

Rob Papen unveils “minimalist” one-knob plugin, UniMagic – but what does it do?Rob Papen‘s latest plugin – UniMagic – is here to prove that complicated plugins aren’t always necessary. With a single control knob, the software allows users to thicken and modernise their sound without the faff of an overly cluttered UI.

READ MORE: Harrison Audio’s 32Classic Channel Strip plugin brings the iconic console sound to your DAW

At a glance, you wouldn’t be blamed for glancing over this minimalist plugin. However, UniMagic is rammed with over 50 presets suitable for tweaking vocal or instrumental tracks. In a preview video, the plugin can be seen working with single vocals, harmonies and even a steel string guitar.
The 0-100% knob makes adjusting a track clear and simple. There’s also a Spring Back switch to synchronise sound to tempo, with the option to select different time divisions.
Speaking about the plugin, Rob Papen writes: “You might think… what type of FX is this? But we simply say, don’t worry about that.” The plugin is a low-cost multi-tool, able to produce just about any sound a user might desire at a high quality.
“Put it this way: while flicking through UniMagic’s presets proves that effect plugins do not necessarily have to be packed full of overly-complicated features and
functions in order to create a great sound, its Ribbon controller allows users to finely adjust the sound by changing a pre-defined parameter within each
preset type,” says Rob Papen.
The plugin is currently available for $26. However, users who already own Rob Papen’s eXplorer-9 bundle can claim UniMagic for free by downloading Rob Papen’s latest installer.

The post Rob Papen unveils “minimalist” one-knob plugin, UniMagic – but what does it do? appeared first on MusicTech.