Bose QC 35 II · Midnight Black
Over-ear · 2017
Sonos Ace
TV Audio Swap · Dolby Atmos · Wireless Home Theater
Sonos Ace takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Bose QC 35 II · Midnight Black lands at 84 and Sonos Ace at 87. That puts Sonos Ace ahead by 3 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Bose QC 35 II · Midnight Black if…
- ✓Flagship comfort + ANC on modern models
- ✓Premium build
- ✓Active noise cancellation (most models)
Pick Sonos Ace if…
- ✓Unique TV Audio Swap with Arc soundbar
- ✓Great ANC
- ✓Spatial audio
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testSound quality
Sonos AceTuning, detail, and staging
Sonos Ace leads on sound (90 vs 84).
Noise cancelling
Sonos AceANC strength for commute and travel
Sonos Ace leads on anc (90 vs 82).
Comfort
Sonos AceLong-session wearability
Sonos Ace leads on comfort (88 vs 83).
Value for money
Bose QC 35 II · Midnight BlackSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
Bose QC 35 II · Midnight Black more score per dollar ($349 vs $449).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Bose QC 35 II · Midnight Black | Sonos Ace |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Over-ear | — |
| Release year | 2017 | — |
| Driver | — | 40 mm dynamic |
| Battery | — | 30 h |
| Weight | — | 312 g |
| Codecs | — | aptX Lossless via Snapdragon Sound |
Bose QC 35 II · Midnight Black
- +Flagship comfort + ANC on modern models
- +Premium build
- +Active noise cancellation (most models)
- −Battery varies by codec
- −Some are Bluetooth-only
- −Price creep vs previous gen
Sonos Ace
- +Unique TV Audio Swap with Arc soundbar
- +Great ANC
- +Spatial audio
- −Swap feature only works with Arc/Arc Ultra
- −Sonos app issues
- −Heavy
FAQ: Bose QC 35 II · Midnight Black vs Sonos Ace
Which is better, Bose QC 35 II · Midnight Black or Sonos Ace? +
Sonos Ace scores 87 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 3. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Bose QC 35 II · Midnight Black worth the price? +
At $349, Bose QC 35 II · Midnight Black delivers a Specdex score of 84 — strongest in sound.
Is Sonos Ace worth the price? +
At $449, Sonos Ace delivers a Specdex score of 87 — strongest in features.
Does Bose QC 35 II · Midnight Black or Sonos Ace last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is better for sound quality, Bose QC 35 II · Midnight Black or Sonos Ace? +
Sonos Ace — leads on sound (90 vs 84). Tuning, detail, and staging.
Which is better for noise cancelling, Bose QC 35 II · Midnight Black or Sonos Ace? +
Sonos Ace — leads on anc (90 vs 82). ANC strength for commute and travel.