We think it’s the shape. The sonos Arc also has a round design, but it’s oriented sideways instead of upright. At 12 inches tall and 9.1 inches in diameter, it’s small enough to easily find near your TV. And, as you might expect, it seamlessly connects wirelessly to your existing Sonos system. Sonos added an NFC pad on top to tap the phone to make setup even easier.But if you prefer wireless over wireless, there’s an Ethernet port.
Sonos says the Sonos Sub Mini is recommended with a Sonos Beam, Sonos Ray, or Sonos One device…and will work with a Sonos Arc or Sonos Five, though they already have “strong bass.”
Sonos has finally made the much-leaked Sub Mini official. This looks exactly like the upgrade the Sonos Arc was hoping to get by taking the dual-driver design of the full-sized Sonos Sub and making it a smaller, more affordable version of his one. The Sonos Sub Mini will be available from his 6th October and will cost $429 / £429 / AU$699. Available in white or black to match the overall Sonos aesthetic. Its round design is a little different than other Sonos products, but it still fits well overall. Sonos says the oval cutout shape is the same as the Sonos Beam 2nd Gen and Sonos Ray when viewed from above.
Highlights
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I think the Sub Mini could be very popular with Sub Mini owners for this reason. This is assuming they’re actually a good match (a quick test reveals), otherwise Sonos could be missing a big trick. Promote to both Ark Owner and Beam Owner. (I can’t imagine many Sonos Ray owners opting for an expensive subwoofer over an actual soundbar, but I’ll test it with the Sonos Ray as well.)
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I think it would be just as good for the Sonos Arc as it would be for a smaller soundbar in my situation. I use the Sonos Arc for creating directional sounds with its excellent dynamic range and wide range of speakers, but the full-size Sonos Sub is too big, too powerful, too expensive, and my modest It won’t make a meaningful addition to your living room.However, I do notice a lack of bass extension on the Ark, especially when compared to other soundbars I’m reviewing. I’ve written about this before with the Samsung soundbar/sub-combo included in.