The Sub Mini was created to compete with the Ray sound bar, which is more expensive and larger. The $429 subwoofer was originally scheduled to ship much before its eventual release date of October 6, as The Verge first reported back in May. However, the company had to delay the launching of the Sub Mini by a few weeks due to a difficult financial quarter and weak demand for the budget-friendly Ray sound bar. The more compact, more reasonably priced subwoofer is almost here.
The Sonos Sub Mini is a great option for people who want to use their speaker for smaller rooms or who only need a small speaker. It has all the power required for movie night, and its design is nicer than the bigger, more expensive Sub. ..
Sonos Sub Mini review: Design
The new Sonos Sub Mini is a compact, cylindrical subwoofer that comes in black or white. It has a recognizable cutaway in the Centre, and two low-frequency speakers inside to eliminate case vibration. ..
The Sub Mini is a substantial speaker even though it is physically small (305 x 230 x 230mm) and weighs a substantial 6.35kg. It needed to be lifted out of the box and set down on the ground, which required some force. The Sub Mini has a new cylindrical body that looks fantastic, but it lacks one useful feature: it cannot be laid horizontally and slid out of the way, like underneath a sofa.
The original Subwoofer was a beautiful piece of engineering, but it required some extra space to be used. Although you can usually connect the Sub Mini wirelessly, there is an Ethernet port underneath.
Features
The Sonos Sub Mini has a number of capabilities, such as Trueplay tuning, which allows you to place the Sub Mini for the greatest sound. The Sub Mini will adjust volume in accordance with the Sonos component it is paired with, and you may control EQ levels and loudness using the Sonos app. In case you need to justify why you purchased the Sub Mini, or perhaps more likely, if the neighbors have complained and you need to lessen the booming late at night, you can also disable it so that you can hear the difference between when it is on and when it is off.
The Sonos app has a Phase Control feature where you can select between 0-degrees and 180-degrees. However, if your sub is in a different area of the room from your sound bar or speaker, it’s worth experimenting with this setting to see if it helps them to integrate better. We left the Sub Mini on 0-degrees as it was positioned directly below the Sonos Beam (2nd Gen).
The Sonos Sub Mini is a great option for those who want to add some bass to their music experience. However, it cannot be paired with up to two additional Subs. You should instead look at the more potent original Sonos Sub if you want more bass.
Connectivity
The Sonos Sub Mini is a small, NFC-equipped speaker that connects to an existing Sonos network. It’s easy to connect and has a built-in amplifier for playing music. The only downside is that it can only connect to other Sonos products.
Sonos Sub Mini review: Sound Quality
The Sonos Sub Mini is a good fit if you’re looking for a richer, deeper foundation for the home theatre sound from your Sonos sound bars without it being in your face or extreme. Its sound is not powerful—in fact, I’d say it’s a little too polite and restrained right out of the box—but it offers a level of bass extension that none of the Sonos sound bars can match, so there’s no doubt that it represents a significant improvement for all of them. ..
The Sonos Sub Mini is a small, wireless sound bar that seamlessly integrates with other Sonos speakers to create a massive soundstage. ..
A subwoofer is a great addition to any home theater system, as it can add depth and power to low frequencies that are otherwise absent. This means that scenes with lots of bass, like explosions and acoustic instruments, will sound more realistic. ..
The Sonos Arc is a little better, but still sounds constrained. The Sonos Ray and Beam in particular feel like the bass is coming from the small bar unit.
Sonos Sub Mini review: Performance
The Ray sound bar with which it was paired by the Sonos Sub Mini produces remarkably well when enhanced. Since we’ve been using the Ray, we’ve been pleased with the more even tonality and clarity it adds to my TV viewing, sounding better than the built-in speakers on my TV screen. The unity the Sub Mini delivers when it is merged with the Ray’s low frequencies is perhaps most instantly impressive. ..
Sonos has not specified the frequency range the Sub Mini operates in or offered any crossover controls to let you change the frequency at which one speaker switches to the other. The bass output of the Sub Mini only goes down to 25Hz, though. The frequency handling is optimally handled to acoustically suit your environment during the speaker pairing and tuning process. ..
Our initial effort produced an output that was so overzealous that the high bass output shook the living room windows during the opening scene to “Top Gun: Maverick,” so we had to repeat the process twice to find a balance that we liked in our room and seating position on the sofa.
A second try at Trueplay tuning was necessary to bring the output down to a more subdued level, and the Sonos S2 app’s Sub Level slider was helpful for fine-tuning when a bit more bass texture and timbre was occasionally needed. The problem with adding a sub to a setup is that you’ll want to use it with all kinds of content the more you realize the advantages it brings to your degree of aural engagement. However, Subtlety Always Prevails, and the Sonos Mini will deliver without being intrusive if the output is correctly optimized to the surroundings.
The Sonos Mini Sub performed better musically than we had anticipated, giving tracks that can sound a little lifeless through the sound bar energy and pace. The sub’s love of rhythm is evident in Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” which also allowed us to follow Nile Rodgers’ guitar work while the fast-paced and driving beat did its bouncy energy thing in the background. Simply put, the track sounds more interesting and funky with the Sonos Mini Sub installed.
Price and availability
The $429/£429/€499 price tag on the Sonos Sub Mini is a major concern. By spending three times as much on this product as the Ray or Beam, Sonos is pricing its Sub Mini out of reach for most consumers. We believe that most people who are willing to spend that much on a sound system would have instead just purchased the more affordable $899/£899/€999 Sonos Arc. ..
The Sub Mini is significantly less expensive than the $749/£749/€849 Sub (Gen 3), and if you already own a Ray or Beam and are looking to upgrade, or you have a pair of even more compact Sonos speakers, adding a Sub Mini makes much more sense than throwing out your entire setup and switching to the Arc. Is it worthwhile to spend hundreds of dollars merely to increase the bass in the mix? Maybe. possibly not However, unless you already have a contract with Sonos, you won’t be considering this. In that case, this is your best available option.
Final Thoughts
The Sonos Sub Mini is a wireless speaker that gives the company’s sound bars and smaller speakers a bigger boom and better range for a somewhat more affordable price. Although the company’s sound bars and smaller speakers have plenty of power on their own, for home theatre enthusiasts, there’s nothing quite like the rumble of a sub in scenes with lots of action. Except for the portable Roam and Move, all of Sonos’ speakers and sound bars can be wirelessly paired with the Mini. But the smaller Ray or Beam sound bars work best with it. ..
