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The Sub Mini is Sonos’s smaller, cheaper wireless subwoofer, a sealed cylinder with two 6-inch woofers designed mainly for the Beam and Ray soundbars. It adds the low end those compact bars can’t reach. Reviewers agree it does that well, with caveats about price and which soundbar you pair it with.
Sonos Sub Mini
A discreet, well-built wireless sub that adds clean, controlled bass to a Sonos Beam in a small room. It’s pricey for what it is and only works with Sonos.
- Two 6-inch force-cancelling woofers
- Two Class D amplifiers
- Sealed cylinder
- Down to 25 Hz (Sonos spec)
- Wi-Fi and Ethernet; Trueplay
If you own a Beam and a small to medium room, this is the most sensible bass upgrade. With an Arc or Arc Ultra, or in a bigger room, the full-size Sub 4 is the better match.
- Quick, controlled bass with no rattles, per What Hi-Fi?
- Compact and easy to hide
- Wireless setup in the Sonos app
- Pairs especially well with the Beam (Gen 2), per What Hi-Fi?
- Expensive for a small sub
- Works only with Sonos products
- Less convincing with the Ray or the Arc, per reviews
Key specifications
| Spec | Sonos Sub Mini |
|---|---|
| Drivers | Two 6-inch woofers, facing inward (force-cancelling) |
| Amplification | Two Class D amplifiers |
| Enclosure | Sealed |
| Low-frequency extension | Down to 25 Hz (Sonos spec) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi (2.4/5 GHz), 10/100 Ethernet |
| Tuning | Auto EQ with paired products; Trueplay (iOS); bass, treble, loudness in the app |
| Size and weight | 12.01 × 9.06 × 9.06 in (H × W × D), 14 lb |
| Finishes | Matte black or white |
How it sounds
Movies and TV
What Hi-Fi? found the Sub Mini’s bass quick and controlled, with no unwanted rattles, and rated the Beam (Gen 2) as its best partner. It added depth and weight to film effects that the Beam alone can’t reach. Its range is narrow, though: the same review found it a weaker match for the Ray and not enough for an Arc or Arc Ultra.
Music
Sound & Vision pointed to a fixed crossover, which means you can’t fine-tune where the sub takes over from the soundbar, and judged it best suited to small rooms. For music in a small space it still fills out the low end usefully; in a bigger room it simply runs out of reach.
Setup tips
- Run Trueplay. It needs an iOS device, but it makes a real difference to how the sub blends.
- Keep it near the soundbar to start; see where to place a sub with a soundbar.
- Stand it upright. Unlike the Sub 4, the Sub Mini isn’t designed to lie on its side.
- Don’t overdo the level. Set the sub level so you notice the bass when it’s off, not all the time.
How it compares
| Sonos Sub Mini | Sonos Sub 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Drivers | Two 6-inch, opposed | Two opposed woofers |
| Cabinet | Sealed cylinder | Slim, ported, upright or flat |
| Rated extension | 25 Hz | 25 Hz |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Best with | Beam or Ray, small rooms | Arc, Arc Ultra, larger rooms |
The Sonos Sub 4 has much more headroom and is the better partner for an Arc or Arc Ultra; see our Sonos Sub 4 review. If you aren’t tied to Sonos, a soundbar or receiver with a wired sub output opens up cheaper, more powerful options; see our best subwoofers for Sonos and wireless subwoofers.
Who should buy it
- Sonos Beam owners in a small room.
- Anyone who wants a discreet sub that’s easy to hide.
- Apartment dwellers who want controlled bass without rattles.
- Sonos users who want an easy wireless setup.
Who should look elsewhere
- If you have an Arc or Arc Ultra, choose the Sub 4.
- If you have a Ray, What Hi-Fi? rated it the weakest pairing; consider upgrading the bar first.
- If you don’t use Sonos, it won’t work at all.
FAQs
Does the Sub Mini work with the Arc?
It can be paired, but What Hi-Fi? found it isn’t enough for an Arc or Arc Ultra. The Sub 4 is the better match.
Can I use two Sub Minis?
No. Sonos supports one Sub Mini per system.
Can it lie on its side?
No. It’s designed to stand upright.
Sub Mini or Sub 4 with a Beam?
For a small room, the Sub Mini; for a larger room or if you plan to upgrade to an Arc Ultra later, the Sub 4.