Sonos looking to battle Apple & Beats in high-end headphone market

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2019
Sonos is reportedly poised to challenge Apple and other high-end headphone makers, entering that market by 2020 with some unique features in tow.

Sonos AirPlay 2 reveal


The company is in early development of a wireless over-the-ear set expected to ship for $300 or more, Bloomberg sources said. As with its most recent room speakers, the product will allegedly support multiple music services and voice assistants.

The sources didn't identify those assistants, but some Sonos products already support Amazon Alexa, as well as limited Siri control by way of AirPlay 2. Google Assistant compatibility is due sometime this year.

Offering native multi-assistant support would give Sonos a clear advantage over Apple's Beats products, which can only interact with assistants on a connected iOS or Android device. AirPods do have Siri integration, but don't go any further.

Apple has been rumored as working on self-branded over-the-ear headphones with high-end features like noise cancellation. At one stage it was thought that they could ship by the end of 2018, but the project may have been delayed by multiple redesigns, joining other vaporware accessories like a wireless AirPods charging case and the AirPower charging mat.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 12
    eideardeideard Posts: 428member
    B&O rules.  Everyone else appears to be getting just as expensive.
  • Reply 2 of 12
    Oh Sonos...we have enough choices for wearables.  Stick to what you are good at.  Bring Atmos. Update your PlayBar and Sub.  Leave diversification to others.
  • Reply 3 of 12
    eideard said:
    B&O rules.  Everyone else appears to be getting just as expensive.
    Swing and a miss. Shure SE-846 blow them out of the water. They are cabled but the sound quality can not be touched by anything Apple or Beats can offer. Second come the B&W PX over the ears and pulling in a powerful third are the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless. I have a pair of BeatsX that I use for the gym. For critical listening they suck. 
  • Reply 4 of 12
    Sonos is reportedly poised to challenge Apple and other high-end headphone makers, entering that market by 2020 with some unique features in tow.

    Sonos AirPlay 2 reveal


    The company is in early development of a wireless over-the-ear set expected to ship for $300 or more, Bloomberg sources said. As with its most recent room speakers, the product will allegedly support multiple music services and voice assistants.

    The sources didn't identify those assistants, but some Sonos products already support Amazon Alexa, as well as limited Siri control by way of AirPlay 2. Google Assistant compatibility is due sometime this year.

    Offering native multi-assistant support would give Sonos a clear advantage over Apple's Beats products, which can only interact with assistants on a connected iOS or Android device. AirPods do have Siri integration, but don't go any further.

    Apple has been rumored as working on self-branded over-the-ear headphones with high-end features like noise cancellation. At one stage it was thought that they could ship by the end of 2018, but the project may have been delayed by multiple redesigns, joining other vaporware accessories like a wireless AirPods charging case and the AirPower charging mat.
    Apple and Beats don’t belong in the same sentence as high-end. Anyone that thinks Apple or Beats headphones are high-end have no clue about high fidelity sound. 
    boltsfan17beowulfschmidt
  • Reply 5 of 12
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    Apple and Beats don’t belong in the same sentence as high-end. Anyone that thinks Apple or Beats headphones are high-end have no clue about high fidelity sound. 
    Couldn't agree more. Beats are definitely not even close to being high end headphones. 
  • Reply 6 of 12
    Sonos makes decent stuff. Competition is a good thing.
  • Reply 7 of 12
    I wish Apple would just buy Sonos and get it over with.
  • Reply 8 of 12
    AppleExposedAppleExposed Posts: 1,805unconfirmed, member

    Sonos is reportedly poised to challenge Apple and other high-end headphone makers, entering that market by 2020 with some unique features in tow.

    Sonos AirPlay 2 reveal


    The company is in early development of a wireless over-the-ear set expected to ship for $300 or more, Bloomberg sources said. As with its most recent room speakers, the product will allegedly support multiple music services and voice assistants.

    The sources didn't identify those assistants, but some Sonos products already support Amazon Alexa, as well as limited Siri control by way of AirPlay 2. Google Assistant compatibility is due sometime this year.

    Offering native multi-assistant support would give Sonos a clear advantage over Apple's Beats products, which can only interact with assistants on a connected iOS or Android device. AirPods do have Siri integration, but don't go any further.

    Apple has been rumored as working on self-branded over-the-ear headphones with high-end features like noise cancellation. At one stage it was thought that they could ship by the end of 2018, but the project may have been delayed by multiple redesigns, joining other vaporware accessories like a wireless AirPods charging case and the AirPower charging mat.
    Apple and Beats don’t belong in the same sentence as high-end. Anyone that thinks Apple or Beats headphones are high-end have no clue about high fidelity sound. 

    Bet your ass Apple is high end.


    If you compare $1,000 wired Seinnheisers to tiny AirPods then sure, but who even comes close to the quality and innovation in an earpiece that tiny? No one.

    lolliverbadmonkwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 12
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,152member
    Apple has been rumored as working on self-branded over-the-ear headphones with high-end features like noise cancellation. At one stage it was thought that they could ship by the end of 2018, but the project may have been delayed by multiple redesigns, joining other vaporware accessories like a wireless AirPods charging case and the AirPower charging mat

    While I agree that at present AirPower and wireless AirPods fit the description of vapourware, it’s a bit harsh to say the rumoured over the ear headphones are also when they are in fact only rumoured. As in not announced.

    also, beats are mid range, not high end.

    also also: Mark Gurman? Probably bullshit.
    edited January 2019 lolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 12
    Beats are mid-fi. It's hard to imagine Sonos will be any different, as their home speakers are somewhere between lo- and mid-fi.

    I'll stick with my B&W P7 phones.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 12
    Bet your ass Apple is high end.


    If you compare $1,000 wired Seinnheisers to tiny AirPods then sure, but who even comes close to the quality and innovation in an earpiece that tiny? No one.

    Not even close.  I have B&O, Bose, Beats and Beyerdynamc T-1 headphones.  None are high end except the Beyerdyamic.  Until you actually listen to a good pair of high end headphones you really don’t understand.  Also name brands mean nothing, Beyerdyamic and Seinnheiser both make $100 headphones, but you have to listen to their hi-end model to be blown away.   Granted high end models are typically 600ohm so you need a grand or more for a decent headphone amp to power them, no plugging directly into your phone or computer.  For direct mobile connect Apple beats aren’t bad, they just aren’t a Beyerdyamic T5 which is considered to be the best portable headphone out there (disclaimer, I don’t own that model because any place I’d wear them, like on a plane, there would be too much background noise)

    However for the gym, the beats are perfect, the Bose are great for flying and the B&O were just a disappointment, then again B&O consumer audio is nothing like B&O hi fi equipment where a speaker may cost you 25k and a whole home theater setup over 100k. 

  • Reply 12 of 12
    k2kwk2kw Posts: 2,075member
    Sonos makes decent stuff. Competition is a good thing.
       As a Sonos owner/user I'm wondering if it will let me listen to my TV through my sonos system at night so I don't wake anyone up.   I'm not sure the world needs just another blueTooth headphone.
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