Sonos's Ace articles put call handling on the Content Key on the right ear cup: press once to answer or end a call, and long press to decline an incoming call. On an iPhone you can route all calls to a Bluetooth device in the iPhone's settings so a call answered on the phone still goes to the Ace. In the Sonos app, Settings, your headphones, Hardware Controls, Noise Control, Customizations has Sidetone, which lets you hear your own voice more clearly with Active Noise Cancellation on during calls.
If callers cannot hear you, check the Ace is the connected device and the selected microphone on the phone or app, that Bluetooth is solid blue, and that the microphone is not blocked by hair or a hood. Forget and re-pair if the call audio lands on the wrong device, keep within 30 feet, and update the headphones. With multipoint, a second device can take the call, so pause the other device. A phone call needs the Ace connected; the call time rating is 24 hours with Aware Mode or Noise Canceling on.
Differential
Likely causes of “Sonos Ace headphones microphone sounds bad or is not detected”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The Ace is not the active audio device
What separates it Callers hear nothing from the headphones because the Ace is not the active audio device
How to confirm Select the Ace on the phone and re-pair if needed
- 2
Multipoint routed the call to the other device
What separates it The call is on the wrong device because multipoint routed it to the other one
How to confirm Pause the other device or turn multipoint off
- 3
Sidetone is off with ANC on
What separates it You cannot hear your own voice and speak too loud
How to confirm Turn Sidetone on in the app, so that you can hear your own voice with ANC on
- 4
A blocked microphone
What separates it Callers hear a muffled voice because the microphone is blocked
How to confirm Clear the microphone openings, and keep them free of hair and fabric
- 5
A weak Bluetooth link
What separates it The call audio is choppy because the Bluetooth link is weak
How to confirm Stay within thirty feet of the phone, to keep the Bluetooth link strong
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The phone and the app used for the call
- Which side hears what: you or the caller
- Whether multipoint is on and Sidetone is set
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedCheck the connection
ReversibleCheck the connection, looking for a solid blue light, and the Ace selected on the phone.
Answer with the Content Key
ReversibleAnswer with the Content Key, pressing it once to answer or to end the call.
Check Sidetone
ReversibleCheck Sidetone, in Settings, the headphones, Hardware Controls, Noise Control and Customizations, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Clear the microphone
ReversibleClear the microphone, and keep the openings free of hair and fabric, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Check multipoint
ReversibleCheck multipoint, and pause the other device, so the call stays on the Ace, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Re-pair
ReversibleRe pair the headphones, by forgetting them on your device and pairing them again, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Call controls
- The Content Key presses once to answer or end and long presses to decline, per Sonos.
- Sidetone
- Sonos lists Sidetone as a Noise Control customization for the Ace and Ace Ultra.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If callers cannot hear you in several apps after re-pairing and a forced reboot, contact Sonos Support
- !If only one app fails, contact that app
- !If the microphone opening is damaged, contact Sonos
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Answering, ending and declining calls and the iOS routing note.
Sidetone and Adaptive Cancellation customizations.
Multipoint and reconnecting.
24 hours of call time.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
How do I answer a call?+
Press the Content Key once; long press to decline.
Where is Sidetone?+
Settings, your headphones, Hardware Controls, Noise Control, Customizations.
Why do callers not hear me?+
Check the Ace is the active device and the microphone is clear.
How do I route iPhone calls to the Ace?+
Use the iPhone's setting to route all calls to a Bluetooth device.
Does multipoint affect calls?+
A second connected device may take the call.
How long is the call time?+
24 hours with Aware Mode or Noise Canceling on.
Can I mute?+
Use your phone's own call controls to mute the microphone during a call.
Does the Ace Ultra do the same?+
Yes, the Ace Ultra does the same, and Sonos's articles cover both models.