Now it’s here; the Sonos Sub Mini will be available on October 6th. Sonos fans have been waiting for a home theater subwoofer cheaper than the $749 Sub.
Sonos officially introduced the Sub Mini today after design leaks and a delayed launch. It’s priced at $429, which is frankly lower than we were expecting; we deduced this wouldn’t go for less than $499, but we are delighted to be wrong.
The Sub Mini is open for preorder today and will be unleashed on October 6th. It arrives in either black or white, both featuring a matte finish.
Just how “mini” is the Sub Mini? Let’s see. It weighs 14 pounds, smaller than half of the 36.3-pound Sub. In addition, it stands 12 inches tall, corresponding to the Sub’s 15.3 inches, and the cylindrical layout has a 9.1-inch diameter. Those size and heft discrepancies suggest that Sonos’ two subwoofers now have their suggested usage cases.
Sonos says the Sub Mini is scheduled to be used in small- to medium-sized rooms; the regular Sub is still best readied for bigger spaces. The company anticipates the Sub Mini paired with the Beam or Ray for home theater audio. If you’re purchasing it for music, the Sub Mini runs well with a single or stereo Sonos One speakers or Ikea’s Symfonisk creations. “Sub Mini is also suggested for more miniature bookshelf speakers powered by Amp,”
The Sub Mini isn’t appropriate for home theater; it is for those desiring the best audio experience who should nevertheless opt for the current Sub. If you possess the flagship Arc soundbar or one (or two) Sonos Fives, that’s the course to follow. The same will probably be accurate for the company’s planned Five successors. Sonos will soon concentrate on other products with its home theater portfolio now rounded out.
Nothing prevents you from employing the Sub Mini with various Sonos products — even the short-lived Playbase is supported — but the rift line is clear. If you possess a top-end Sonos speaker, the Sub is for you. On the other hand, the Sub Mini could be the more practical solution if you’re endeavoring to save funds or your design is in a bit of space.
Both the Sub and Sub Mini share comparable design traits. The Sub Mini includes dual force-canceling 6-inch woofers that deliver “surprisingly deep, dynamic low end while minimizing buzz, rattle, or distortion, so you sense more immersed in every scene and song,” according to Sonos. In addition, the cutout in the center maximizes airflow to improve bass response.
Sonos’ subwoofers can run as low as 25Hz, but loudness is really what isolates them. As a result, the Sub could deliver output three to four times as loud as the Sub Mini. But there are other discrepancies. For example, you can include multiple Subs in a home theater setup for the ultimate bass experience, but that’s impossible with the Sub Mini. It’s just one per soundbar.
The Sub Mini is 1 foot tall, so locating a spot for it should be effortless. Like the standard Sub, Sonos devises a dedicated 5GHz wireless connection between the soundbar and subwoofer to stop dropouts and other audio frustrations.
You can adjust the bass level in the Sonos app, and similar to the company’s other recent speakers, adding the Sub Mini to your system should require a quick tap of your phone at the top of the product.
Like any other home theater setup, adding a Sub to your Sonos system can take it to the next level. Doing so allows the subwoofer to regulate the lows while entitling your soundbar or speakers to focus much more on treble and mids instead of juggling the whole frequency range.