John.Higgins | The Verge

The premium AirPods 5 are the best open-ear earbuds Apple has made

2026-09-16T11:25:38-04:00

The AirPods 5 earbuds and case look identical to the AirPods 4.

It’s almost a guarantee that the new version of a product will be, at best, the same price as the old one, and often (especially in the past couple years) more expensive. But that’s not what Apple did with the AirPods 5. The $149 AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case are $30 cheaper than the AirPods 4 with ANC they replace. They have slightly better active noise cancellation, and they’re the first non-Pro AirPods with volume controls on the stem. Apple has never made wireless earbuds that offer as much for so little, and they make the base AirPods 5, which are $20 cheaper but don’t have wireless charging or volume controls, pointless.

Apple AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case

Score: 8

Pros	Cons
Cheaper than the AirPods 4 with ANC Improved sound Volume swipe control	Below-average battery life Confusing naming convention

Where to Buy:

The AirPods 5, like all non-Pro AirPods, use an open-ear design, meaning they don’t have silicone ear tips to form a seal in your ear canal. Last generation, Apple offered two versions of the AirPods: one with active noise cancellation and one without. This time around, there are still two models. But both models of the AirPods 5 include active noise cancellation. They both also have adaptive audio and transparency mode, plus live translation with an iPhone 15 Pro or later, and are IP57 rated (up from IP54 on the AirPods 4). The main differences between the $129 AirPods 5 and the $149 AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case — aside from the wireless charging case and the annoyingly long name — are the volume controls, battery life, and 20 bucks.

That extra $20 is well worth it. The wireless charging case is nice (it isn’t MagSafe, but it does work with the magnetic Apple Watch charger). But the most important change is that they finally have swipe volume controls. That’s one thing that’s been missing from all non-Pro AirPods until now. Part of the convenience of wireless earbuds is that you can leave your phone in your pocket or bag, and omitting volume control on the earbuds themselves defeats the purpose. With the two models so close in price, I can’t understand why Apple even released the base AirPods 5.

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Apple says that both models of the AirPods 5 have up to 50 percent better noise cancellation than the AirPods 4 with ANC, but the company doesn’t provide details about which frequencies are affected (we’ll have to wait for folks like SoundGuys to put them on their measurement rig). While the size and look of the AirPods remains the same, Apple redesigned the internal acoustic architecture, reworked the algorithm, and included denser mesh on the ports for slightly more passive attenuation (naturally reducing ambient noise), which helps achieve that ANC improvement. In my own subjective testing, I could hear minor benefits both with low-end airplane drones and when out at a busy restaurant picking up some burritos to go.

The AirPods 4 with ANC already delivered better noise-canceling than any other open-ear design I’ve heard (particularly clip earbuds), and the AirPods 5 do step that up. But don’t expect the kind of isolation you get from sealed earbuds like the AirPods Pro 3, which are often on sale for only $50 more.

The AirPods 5 (right) share the exterior design as the AirPods 4 (middle) and are inspired by the internal acoustic architecture of the AirPods Pro 3 (left)." data-portal-copyright="" />

Apple has always led the field with its transparency mode, but with the AirPods 5, there’s now barely any perceivable difference between transparency mode and not wearing the earbuds at all. With other earbuds, transparency mode generally boosts high-frequency ambient sounds a little, such as the sibilance of esses. Verge laptop reviewer Antonio Di Benedetto wore the new AirPods on a 5K run and found transparency mode to be preferable to ANC, as it gave great awareness without wind noise. It also never felt like the earbuds were in danger of falling out of his ears.

The redesigned internals also benefit the AirPods 5’s sound. There’s more bass response — something I felt the AirPods 4 were sorely lacking — and vocals have more clarity and aren’t as covered and muted as they were on the 4. Kim Deal’s singing on “Gigantic” by the Pixies is clean and easy to hear amid the distorted guitars that wash over the chorus, and throughout Surfer Rosa, the separation of instruments and voices across the soundstage impressed me. The AirPods 5 sound better than other open-ear earbuds I’ve heard.

With iOS 27, Apple has added a 3-band EQ for those who want to tweak the sound. It’s not exclusive to these buds and will work with the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max 2 as well. The different bands don’t majorly change the sound profile, but it’s nice that Apple has finally included something for those who want to play around with it.

Call quality is also better than on the AirPods 4. While my voice sounded a bit compressed to those I talked to, they didn’t have any difficulty understanding me, and traffic sounds were imperceptible. The occasional conversation from someone passing by or strong breeze would sneak through the attenuation, but it was never too distracting.

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The biggest disappointment with the AirPods 5 is their battery life. The buds are small, but only five hours with ANC on is below average and doesn’t even cover a cross-country flight. Battery life with the case got a slight increase from 20 hours up to 22 with ANC turned on. The base model AirPods 5 with ANC turned on get up to four hours on the earbuds, or up to 20 with the case. Putting the buds in their case for five minutes charges them up for another hour of listening.

If all you’re looking for is solid earbuds, there are lots of cheaper options that offer many of the same features. Earbuds like the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC and the Nothing Ear 3A are around $100 and have better noise canceling with sound quality that’s nearly as good. But neither of those have the same seamless integration with Apple products that the AirPods 5 do. And crucially, both of those are sealed earbuds, while the AirPods aren’t put into your ear canal at all, which some find more comfortable.

Apple’s open-ear earbuds design has never been my favorite. Silicone tips are more secure and provide superior active noise cancellation (although they come with their own fit challenges). But the AirPods 4 redesign, which felt more comfortable in my ears, started to sway me. Now with ANC at a cheaper price that includes volume control and a wireless charging case, the $149 AirPods 5 are great for someone who doesn’t like the feel of a sealed fit. I wouldn’t even bother with the less expensive AirPods 5.

Correction, September 15th: An earlier version of this article misstated the battery life of the AirPods 4 with ANC’s case. With ANC turned on it is 20 hours, not 30 hours.

There aren’t AirPods with cameras yet and I hope it stays that way

2026-09-09T19:00:04-04:00

New AirPods Pro with cameras were thankfully not announced at the September Apple event. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

September Apple events are always a swirl of information and new, exciting products, and today’s was no different. Apple announced its first foldable, the iPhone Duo, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max; active noise cancellation (ANC) is now on the cheapest AirPods model, the AirPods 5; and a Siri Recap feature comes to the Watch Series 12 and Watch Ultra 4. But missing were the AirPods Pro with cameras that have been rumored throughout the year and, according to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, are delayed until 2027. I’m happy about that and I hope we never get them.

I have too many concerns about a company — any company — putting cameras anywhere, especially in devices like earbuds that are now so ubiquitous in our daily lives. LED lights on glasses or earbuds do little to ease people’s minds when someone is recording them. And some Meta smart glasses users have shown people will hide their recording intentions. While recording in public in the US is generally legal, it can be very creepy. And with earbuds as common as they are, someone could wear them into sensitive situations unnoticed.

Rumors say that the cameras on the potential AirPods will be low-resolution and “aren’t designed” to take images or video, but instead use what they see to inform Siri AI and Visual Intelligence. That information could be used to help with turn-by-turn directions or identify writing and objects like books. Even with a low-resolution camera, it’s still potentially always gathering information about the world (and people!) around you. That invasion of privacy is something I cannot get past.

During today’s event, Apple introduced Audio Intelligence with the Apple Watch, which sounds like a precursor to the Visual Intelligence we’re expecting on the rumored AirPods Pro 4. In its support documentation, Apple points out that audio is not stored and there’s no way to access a recording, which could be the same for video data with Visual Intelligence, and that for its Siri Recap feature, any data used to create a summary is not even accessible by Apple. Any stored data — such as a Siri Recap or a bit of text the user can save with Live Rewind — is also end-to-end encrypted. People are not identified in the Siri Recap, either. Of course, none of this is live yet, so we’ll have to wait and see how well Audio Intelligence works once it’s released.

Functionally, a camera will only gather information if it can see things. What if you have thick, long hair? Or like to wear hoodie sweatshirts? Or fancy, elaborate jewelry? The AirPods would just turn into what they should be — earbuds. It’s possible the reason the AirPods with cameras have been pushed into 2027 is to find solutions to these problems. Or maybe part of the delay is Apple separating itself from the current public climate around cameras thanks to Meta and Flock.

The one immediate benefit of the AirPods with cameras could be accessibility. They could improve situational awareness for people with visual limitations or help hard-of-hearing users read lips. They could even figure out the person you’re speaking to and focus the AirPods’ mics on them for increased intelligibility.

When you take out privacy concerns or the fact that lots of people — and companies — look for opportunities to exploit people, there’s good that can be done. But it involves a lot of trust to be put in untrustworthy hands. I’m not sure I’m ready for that. Or if I ever will be. Whether any of us are ready or not, though, it seems the cameras are coming. The introduction of Apple’s Audio Intelligence on the new Apple Watch is evidence enough that the company is going all in on using sensors to analyze the world around us.

Apple announces AirPods 5 with ‘best-in-class open‑ear active noise cancellation’

2026-09-09T15:02:52-04:00

The two new Apple AirPods 5 models both include active noise cancellation. | Image: Apple

Today, Apple announced the AirPods 5, updates to the AirPods 4 series that was first released in 2024. Apple says the new buds feature “best-in-class open‑ear active noise cancellation.”

The AirPods 5 are redesigned with a new acoustic architecture, upgrades to adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC) with 50 percent better noise reduction than the AirPods 4, and improved sound.

A second model includes on-stem control — the first time Apple’s open-ear design includes it — allowing for volume adjustment by swiping up and down. It also has a longer battery life that provides up to five hours of playback — one hour more than the AirPods 4 with ANC — and supports Apple Watch and Qi chargers with the addition of a wireless charging case.

The base model AirPods 5 are available for preorder today for $129, and the AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case which have an improved battery is $149 ($30 less than the previous gen). Both models will be available on September 18th.

The AirPods 4 series was the first time Apple’s open-ear wireless earbuds came in a version with active noise cancellation and one without. Both versions shipped with the H2 chip, pinch controls, and identical sound. Even with their open-ear design, the AirPods 4 with ANC handle ambient noise impressively well.

John Ternus was the vice president of hardware engineering when the original AirPods were launched in 2016, so it’s fitting that the newest version of AirPods is announced during his first event as Apple’s new CEO.

Six years later, Sony revisits its legendary XM4 headphones

2026-09-08T16:05:05-04:00

The XM4C (in white) have the exact same visual design as the XM4 (in black) from 2020. | Photo: John Higgins / The Verge

Six years ago, Sony and Bose were in the middle of a noise-canceling battle, with each new model of headphones better than the last. In the fall of 2020, Sony released the WH-1000XM4 headphones to wide acclaim. They sat atop best headphones lists for years, thanks to their great sound, competitive ANC, and compact size, until they went out of stock. Now Sony has brought them back, with minor improvements, as the WH-1000XM4C.

The XM4C look identical to the original XM4 (although they now have a lavender option), with the same hinge design and ability to fold up. It’s a compact design that Sony moved away from when it released the XM5 in 2022, and then returned to (although not quite as compact) with the XM6. But it’s not just the look that’s returned. The XM4C still use the same QN1 processing chip and four microphones for ANC. That design is showing its age: The XM5 still used the QN1, but had eight mics. Last year’s XM6 have 12, plus the new QN3 chip.

In addition to the standard white and black, the XM4C will be available in lavender. | Image: Sony" data-portal-copyright="Image: Sony" />

Sony did update the XM4C’s sound profile to bring it in line with current models, and the headphones have a 10-band EQ in the Headphones app, instead of the 5-band on the XM4, plus a gaming preset. The XM4C also support Bluetooth 6 instead of 5. Surprisingly, the battery performance on the new headphones is slightly worse. Sony claims the XM4C get up to 27 hours of use with ANC on as opposed to 30 hours previously. Not a huge difference, and still more than enough for a cross-country trip.

The XM4C will be available later this fall for $300, which is $50 cheaper than the XM4 when they first came out (and $100 cheaper than the XM6 are now), but more than they could be found for before being discontinued.

I have loved the Sony XM4 since they came out, and still have my pair hanging on the side of my desk. Beyond nostalgia, though, I’m confused why they’re coming back. A review sample of the XM4C arrived at my door while I was writing this, so some deeper investigation will be coming soon. But the headphones industry has moved forward in the past six years, and I’m not sure there’s a need to go back. And the XM5, while they don’t fold up as nicely as the XM4C, are excellent headphones and currently available for $200 (though that price may be an effort to clear out inventory ahead of the XM4C).

Alongside the XM4C, Sony released the next generation of two of its less-expensive midrange and entry-level headphone lines: the WH-CH730N and WH-CH530. They both get the same 10-band EQ upgrade and gaming EQ preset as the XM4C, and the CH730N will now fold up into a more compact form.

The entry-level CH530 come in six different colors.

| Image: Sony" data-portal-copyright="Image: Sony" /> The $180 CH730N offer ANC with battery life up to 50 hours.

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The two headphones also get a boost to battery life according to Sony: The CH730N get up to 50 hours with ANC, and the CH530 get up to 55 hours (there’s no ANC on the CH530). A new safe mode in the app allows a user to limit the max volume output of the headphones. It’s a nice addition for parents looking to protect their kids’ hearing, although there’s no way to lock the limit once it’s been set.

The WH-CH530 come in black, cobalt, mint green, white, pink, and coral and cost $70. For $180, you can get the WH-CH730N in black, blue, oat, white, or pink. Both headphones are available now.

The Hello Kitty headphones will be available in pink, of course. | Image: Sony" data-portal-copyright="Image: Sony" />

Sony is also doing a partnership with Hello Kitty. Bundles include headphones — the WH-1000XM6, WH-CH730N, or WH-CH530 available in black or pink — a Hello Kitty-shaped carrying pouch, and Hello Kitty-branded bag. The bundles will be available in limited supply later this year on the Sony website only.

Correction, September 8: An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of the WH-CH730N in one instance.

The weird and wonderful headphones of CanJam 2026

2026-09-04T19:58:11-04:00

A collection of headphone manufacturers and fans come together for their love of great sound. | Image: CanJam Global

I’ve been reviewing headphones for a long time, and I’ve listened to everything from the barely serviceable to multi-thousand-dollar open-back headphones. But recently I’ve been uninspired by the state of mainstream options. Most are perfectly good — great, even — but they lack a distinct character. Something to remind me why I fell in love with headphones to begin with, landing me in this crazy career. I needed some revitalization. I needed to see something cool. I needed to be around other people with an emotional connection to headphones. I needed to go to CanJam.

CanJam is a small audio show produced by Head-Fi.org, the largest audio-focused online forum, with multiple events a year at different places around the world, including London, Shanghai, New York City, Dubai, and Southern California. It’s where mainly boutique manufacturers exhibit their latest headphones and related gear to enthusiasts constantly searching for the most accurate and engaging audio experience they can find. You won’t find Bose or Apple here — although Sony’s Pro division was there, as were some familiar names like Sennheiser and Audeze.

In all my years covering A/V gear, I’ve never actually made it to a CanJam. Either it wasn’t an interest for the outlets I was writing for, or personal obligations kept me from going. But this year, my first at The Verge, felt like the right time. So on August 29th, I braved the 405 from Los Angeles down to Irvine, California.

CanJam SoCal 2026 was in a convention space at the Irvine Marriott. Most exhibitors — including larger audio names like Sennheiser, Focal, and HiFiMan as well as niche brands like Astell&Kern and Noble Audio — had booths in the biggest room. Many set up listening stations with tablets running Qobuz (the streaming service of choice for audiophiles because of its hi-res lossless audio) to demonstrate their headphones, DACs, amps, media players, and even cables. Others were in quieter rooms off the main hallway, more conducive to listening. And crowding into those rooms and booths were a couple thousand audio enthusiasts.

The Chimera look gorgeous, but are bigger than most other in-ears.

| Image: Campfire Audio" data-portal-copyright="Image: Campfire Audio" />

My first stop was the Campfire Audio booth. Campfire Audio builds earbuds in Portland, Oregon; I’ve listened to its $1,500 Solaris and $300 IO in-ear monitors in the past. Today, though, was for an in-ear monitor that debuted at CanJam Singapore in May: the Campfire Audio Chimera. Most mainstream earbuds and headphones have a single driver per ear that has to reproduce every frequency from the lowest bass to the highest treble. Two if you’re lucky. The Chimeras have nine. It’s a “quad-brid” design, meaning they use four different types of audio delivery in a single IEM: a dynamic driver for bass and lower mids; a dual-diaphragm balanced armature (BA) for midrange clarity and two more for the high end; four electrostatic tweeters to add high-end air and spaciousness; and bone conduction for extra bass.

Because of the number of drivers, the Chimera are chonky: about the size of a piece of Bubblicious bubble gum. It took some finagling to get them comfortably in place. Once I did, though, I was immediately impressed. The low end was nice and full, without getting muddy or overpowering the frequencies above. An open high end gave space to allow cymbals to shimmer and decay while avoiding any abrasiveness. The real star, though, was the midrange. Both the quiet, conversational passages of Tracy Chapman and passionate wailing of Janis Joplin sounded as if they were right there in front of me. Even though I was listening while standing in a conference hall, the Chimera delivered one of the most detailed and enjoyable listening sessions I’ve had in a long time. But they’re also $7,500.

That pricing isn’t unheard of in the audiophile world — boutique, hand-built audio gear is always more expensive — but the Chimera are at another level, even compared to the rest of Campfire’s lineup. In addition to the design and engineering necessary to create a small(ish) in-ear with nine drivers all working together, much of that price is also because of materials and manufacturing. They have a carbon fiber and brass Damascus construction, with folded layers that create a topographical map design. And because of that process, the slight variations in finish make each Chimera unique. They also have a six-conductor cable that by itself is more expensive than most people’s earbuds, and include a microfiber cloth, IEM cleaning tool, and nine different tip options.

Planar magnetic headphones are big, but the detail they provide is incredible.

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Not every product at CanJam is that far out of reach, though. Fosi Audio had wired in-ears for under $150 that sounded good for the price, plus an interesting portable CD player. The Dan Clark Audio Aeon Core planar magnetic headphones — which aren’t cheap at $900, but still more accessible than the Chimera — had a nice, wide soundstage, where the background vocals in the Black Crowes’ “Remedy” wrapped around to sing from my left and right, with Chris Robinson in front. Snare hits snapped and cymbals sizzled, although on “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman the snare verged on being too much. I’ve been a fan of Dan Clark Audio headphones since the company was MrSpeakers, and I could easily envision myself relaxing on the couch with the Aeon Core.

The Aeon Core are closed-back headphones, so it was easy to concentrate on the music even with the bustle around me. But many audiophile headphones are open-back, and a busy show floor is not an ideal space for getting a good impression. I tried a pair of $1,449 HiFiMan Arya headphones with an onboard Wi-Fi receiver. Wi-Fi is still rare in headphones (although the recently announced Sonos Ace Ultras have it); it’s better at streaming lossless audio over longer ranges than Bluetooth. They sounded good, but with their open-back planar design it’s difficult to get a strong opinion.

These headphones have that nice vacuum-tube glow.

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On my last loop of the show floor to see if there was anything I missed, a glowing ear cup caught my eye. It was a vacuum tube. In a pair of headphones! The Écoute TH2, which were funded on Kickstarter last March, are supposed to replicate a high-end two-channel audio system, all in the headphones themselves. They have a built-in vacuum tube preamp with a 6P1 tube and dual-mono amplification (the left and right channels are driven independently from the DAC to each driver). They also have solid ANC (a show floor is great for testing that) and an 8-band EQ, and they’re really comfortable. On a live recording of “A Pirate Looks at Forty” with Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson, and Tim Reynolds, I felt the audience around me as if I was at the show. There’s a lot of high-end detail, but the upper frequencies are boosted too much for my taste (I didn’t get a chance to try and tone it down with the EQ). Still, the TH2 are an incredibly interesting pair of headphones.

And they are what’s great about a show like CanJam. I never would have known about the Écoute otherwise; there are so many headphones out there and only one me. Decades ago, CES used to be more about audio than robots, but there’s no going back where that’s concerned. It’s all the more reason why CanJam and shows like it need to stick around.

Anker announces its first over-the-counter hearing aids

2026-09-02T13:12:13-04:00

Anker’s first OTC hearing aids, powered by the Thus chip, are expected in coming months. | Image: Anker

In what could be fortuitous timing for hearing aid users, Anker announced its first over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids at IFA 2026. It was only a couple months ago when LXE Hearing, the parent company for Eargo and Lexie Hearing — two major OTC manufacturers in the US — decided to end US operations and exit the OTC hearing aid market. Now perhaps Anker can fill that void.

The receiver-in-canal (RIC) design has a main body that rests behind the ear. It uses Anker’s Thus chip, announced in April and first released in the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro earbuds series. The chip delivers the best voice isolation I’ve ever heard on any audio product and could be an incredible boon for the hearing aids.

Anker’s RIC hearing aids use four beam-forming microphones to focus on who the user is speaking to in front of them. They get up to 12 hours of use (up to 36 hours with the case) and gain two hours of use with a five-minute fast charge — Anker claims this is the quickest fast charge among its competitors.

There aren’t any additional details about exact models or US availability and pricing, but we should know more by the end of the year.

Anker’s Soundcore is bringing its incredible call quality to more headphones

2026-09-03T06:05:47-04:00

The Soundcore Space 2 Pro will be the first headphones to run on Anker’s Thus chip. | Image: Soundcore

After introducing the Thus processing chip in April and releasing it with the Liberty 5 Pro series earbuds, Soundcore is bringing it to more audio products. The Thus chip is behind the best call quality I’ve ever heard from a pair of earbuds or headphones, virtually eliminating ambient sounds from the speaker’s environment. At IFA 2026 in Berlin, Soundcore announced the Space 2 Pro headphones, AeroClip 2 and AeroClip 2 Pro open clip earbuds, and Liberty Buds 2.

The Space 2 Pro will be the first headphones to use the Thus chip and use a 6-microphone array for voice isolation. There are also eight microphones for the headphones’ adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC), which Soundcore claims is 1.5 times stronger than the ANC on the Space One Pro headphones across the 20Hz to 2,000Hz frequency range. (This covers the most important sound distractions including airplane drones and HVAC systems, as well as normal conversation.)

Soundcore’s latest version of its HearID listening preference test will create customized sound profiles, and the headphones support high-res audio via LDAC. Soundcore says the Space 2 Pro will get 60 hours of listening time at 50 percent volume (30 with ANC on) or 20 hours of talk time on a single charge. They launch on September 22 for $200, come in three colors — gray, white, and black — and will be available in the US, EU, and UK.

Soundcore is also expanding its clip earbuds offerings, updating the AeroClip and adding a Pro version. The AeroClip 2 looks to be similar to the AeroClip, but with the Thus chip, will retail for $170 (the same price as the original AeroClip), and come in black, red, white, and blue at launch on September 22.

The AeroClip 2 Pro will include Soundcore’s AI note-taking capability, which was also on the Liberty 5 Pro Max. But unlike the Liberty 5 Pro Max, with the AeroClip 2 Pro you can record online meetings and phone calls in addition to in-person interactions. The AeroClip 2 Pro includes a free AI transcription starter plan with 120 minutes per month for 24 months and the ability to subscribe for more transcription minutes. The 2 Pro clip earbuds use 11mm dual-diaphragm drivers, support LDAC hi-res audio, and should provide 10 hours of playback at 50 percent volume, with 30 hours total with the charging case. There’s no firm launch date or pricing yet for the 2 Pro, but we expect them later this year.

Finally, the Soundcore Liberty Buds 2 are small, 4.7-gram earbuds. They will also include the Thus chip for call clarity and use a 6-microphone ANC system. The Liberty Buds 2 will be available in purple, black, and white on September 22 for $130.

Sonos introduces new headphones, soundbar, and software in its biggest announcement in years

2026-09-01T09:56:35-04:00

The Sonos Ace Ultra are what the original Ace should have been — headphones for the Sonos ecosystem. | Image: Sonos

At an event in New York City, Sonos announced two new audio products — the Sonos Beam Ultra soundbar and Sonos Ace Ultra headphones, details of which were found in an FCC filing in early August — and a major update to its audio operating system dubbed Sonos 27. It’s the biggest single Sonos announcement since 2024, when a new app rollout upset its customers and sent it into damage control mode.

Software changes are core to Sonos’ announcements, with the company leaning heavily into AI integration with Sonos 27. This includes the company’s own Sonos 27voice assistant that it built in-house for music and system control. It’s coming as an early access, opt-in feature this fall. There’s also Sonos 27mcp, which gives the ability to connect any existing AI models such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini — although for some reason Google Assistant is still not natively supported. Sonos 27mcp launches in early access on September 8th.

In addition, users will be able to create up to 10 of their own agents through Sonos 27 to run, with whichever model they choose. These custom agents can be given different voices and roles. Brandon Holley, senior director of product development, gave examples of having a moody detective give you the morning news or a motivational coach whisper motivational aspirations when you wake up. Custom agents won’t be available until sometime in 2027.

Both Sonos 27mcp and the custom agents seem to expand the customization and control of a Sonos system beyond what the app and Sonos 27voice is capable of.

Features like a new 8-band EQ for the Sonos Ace Ultra have been added to the app. | Image: Sonos" data-portal-copyright="Image: Sonos" />

All products compatible with the current Sonos app can be controlled with Sonos 27mcp, and everything with a microphone works with Sonos 27voice. When the Sonos custom agents are available, they’ll work everywhere Sonos 27voice is enabled.

There are two new features being added to Sonos Fabric, which is the name given to its whole-home connected system. The wireless Play and Move 2 portable speakers can be used as surround sound speakers in a home theater system. Once in place, the speakers will automatically configure to their new positions and roles as surround speakers without needing to initiate setup in the Sonos app. It’s not possible to use this feature with a single Play or Move 2.

Compatible Sonos headphones will now be included in a Sonos home system and support moving sound between speakers and headphones — the system senses the closest speaker and will pass the audio from it to the headphones. Headphone linking, as Sonos calls it, will roll out as an early access feature on September 29th. Sonos hints that this is just the beginning of added features, but no further details about possible future options were given.

Improvements continue to come to the app, as well, again with feedback from the community, including the Sonos subreddit. Home, system, and search tabs will be added across the bottom of the screen, and a room sort option can be pinned to the top for easier access to a customizable list. There’s a cool feature that calls back to physical audio components: a virtual volume knob, you control with two fingers like you would in the real world. It’s not a major quality of life improvement, but it’s something that adds character and fun, and something I’ll probably use regularly. The new navigation, room sorts, and virtual volume knob starts rolling out on September 8 (although the volume knob will only launch on iOS at that time).

Lockscreen controls for volume and play/pause are also returning to the app, and started rolling out on August 17th. System health views to help troubleshoot issues and presets will roll out at some point later this fall.

It’s not just software announcements, though, as Sonos has two new products coming — the long-rumored Ace Ultra headphones and Beam Ultra soundbar.

If the Ace Ultra add to what was already great about the Ace, they could compete with Sony and Apple. | Image: Sonos" data-portal-copyright="Image: Sonos" />

The Sonos Ace Ultra are what the original Sonos Ace should have been from the beginning — an integrated part of the Sonos ecosystem. They are built upon Sonos’ Headphone Engine 2, which allows them to use the headphone linking feature rolling out at the same time as the headphones release on September 29th. A button on the headphones allows audio to be passed between a speaker and the headphones. No phone is necessary if it’s out of reach.

They look very similar to the Ace, with what appears to be slightly different button placement on the left ear cup. The Ace Ultra are also a little bigger, with a little more space in the ear cup, and 10 grams heavier. They have newly custom-designed 40mm drivers and 10 microphones for noise control (two more than the Ace) which Sonos claims makes their ANC twice as effective at noise cancellation than the Ace with “the frequencies that really matter,” as Brandon Holley told me. Those frequencies happen to be 65Hz (the general frequency of an HVAC) where the Sonos Ace Ultra are 2.2 times more effective, and 120Hz — the airplane drone range — where they’re 1.8 times better. No information is provided for performance with the chatter you might encounter at the coffee shop, for example.

An adaptive EQ adjusts the sound, compensating for any air leaks in the headphones’ fit due to glasses, jewelry, or hair. It includes both a 3-band and 8-band EQ to customize the sound for your taste. In addition to SBC and AAC codecs, the Ace Ultra supports aptX Adaptive Lossless over Bluetooth, and 16-bit/48kHz high resolution when connected with USB-C.

Battery life has improved by five hours, with the Sonos Ace Ultra offering up to 35 hours of listening with ANC on. A fast charge of three minutes gets an additional three hours of listening time.

Instead of just black and white, the Ace Ultra are also available in a muted blue agave and beige sand color. The headphones release on September 29th for $449.

The Beam Ultra adds up-firing speakers to its compact size, making it a true Atmos soundbar. | Image: Sonos" data-portal-copyright="Image: Sonos" />

The Beam Ultra is a completely redesigned 7.1.2 compact soundbar (as opposed to the 5.0 configuration of its predecessor), including two up-firing drivers to support Dolby Atmos spatial audio. The center channel mid-tweeter features a new waveguide, mechanic and acoustic design, and DSP, which includes four levels of AI speech enhancement for clarity.

While the Beam Ultra still has a compact design, to accommodate the additional speakers it is just under four inches longer than the Beam Gen 2. It comes in a black or white matte finish, and will be available for purchase on September 29th for $699.

With the headphones’ deeper integration into the Sonos ecosystem and the addition of up-firing drivers to the Beam Ultra, it looks like Sonos has made some great improvements to already solid products. But I won’t know for sure until I can dig into them for reviews. The app updates — particularly the AI integration — I’m a bit more cautious about. But Sonos is making the right move by rolling out the updates over time, allowing its users to opt in to early access instead of dumping it on everyone at once. This more measured approach could be what wins back the masses.

Roku’s first OLED TVs undercut the midrange competition

2026-09-01T10:26:30-04:00

The Roku Pro Series OLED TV. | Image: Roku

Just a few weeks ago the only midrange OLED options available were from LG and Samsung. But after Sony officially announced the Bravia 6 last week, Roku has now launched its first-ever OLED TV — the Roku Pro Series — which will be followed by the step-up Pro Series LX next month.

The Roku Pro Series has a 120Hz panel, four HDMI 2.1 ports, and supports Dolby Vision and HDR10 Plus. It also has auto low latency mode, FreeSync Premium, and VRR for gaming. A backlit Roku remote is included, and a remote finder button on the TV helps locate it when misplaced. The Pro Series LX is about twice as bright as the regular Pro Series, supports 144Hz VRR, and has a polarizer to reduce reflections. And of course both TV series use the Roku operating system.

The Pro Series is exclusive to Amazon for 2026, available now, and comes in 55- and 65-inch sizes starting at $999. The Pro Series LX will be available in October in 55 inches for $1,299 and 65 inches for $1,599.

Sony finally has a cheaper OLED to compete with midrange Samsung and LG TVs

2026-08-28T10:51:16-04:00

After it unexpectedly showed up on a wall-mounting compatibility chart on Sony’s site back in June, the company has announced the Sony Bravia 6 OLED TV. The TV sits below its other OLED TVs — the Bravia 8 and Bravia 8 II — as well as its Bravia 9 II and Bravia 7 II RGB LED TVs.

The Bravia 6 OLED comes in five sizes from 48 up to 83 inches and is priced to compete with the LG C6 OLED and Samsung S90H QD-OLED TVs. It has a 120Hz panel, runs on Google TV with Gemini, supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X and will have four HDMI 2.1 inputs. While the four HDMI 2.1 inputs could indicate the Bravia 6 uses a MediaTek Pentonic 800 SoC — one of the requirements for Dolby Vision 2 support — Sony would not confirm this.

In comparison to Sony’s premium OLEDs, the Bravia 6 comes with redesigned remote. Its streaming service buttons are at the top instead of the bottom, there’s a larger more centralized directional pad surrounded by the home, settings, and back buttons and volume and channel toggles towards the lower third. It includes a built-in mic for Gemini control.

Bravia 6 OLED pricing is: $1,300 for the 48 inch, $1,500 for the 55 inch, $2,000 for the 65 inch, $3,000 for the 77 inch, and $4,000 for the 83 inch.