Sonos 'Sub Mini' Design Leaked Ahead of Official Announcement

[MacRumors]

Sonos is set to release a smaller, more affordable subwoofer that will be able to wirelessly pair with the Sonos Ray and the rest of its existing soundbar lineup, a new report has confirmed.

According to The Verge, Sonos is working on a smaller version of its $749 Sub, called the Sub Mini, which will be capable of pairing with the company's second-generation Beam, the Arc, and the Ray, which was unveiled earlier this month.

In an earlier leak, Sonos described the Sub Mini as a "smaller, cylindrical subwoofer," and that is pretty much reflected in a rendered version of the actual product seen by The Verge.

The main thing that distinguishes the Sub Mini hardware is an elongated, pill-shaped vertical cutout right in the middle of the device. It just so happens that the regular Sub has a rectangular cutout, so Sonos seems to have settled on this both for functionality and as a design trait of sorts. In the case of the Sub, there are acoustic ports on both sides, so it would follow that the Sub Mini will have a similar internal layout — albeit with smaller, less powerful components.

The full features list, dimensions, price, and release date have not been disclosed, but the subwoofer is likely to follow the same design signature as other recent and upcoming products in its home theater lineup.

Apart from the Ray soundbar, Sonos also announced this month that it will be launching its own voice control system for its speakers, allowing users to say "Hey Sonos" to control compatible music services, including Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, Pandora, and Sonos Radio.

Article Link: Sonos 'Sub Mini' Design Leaked Ahead of Official Announcement

 

[GhostOS]

Sonos x Dyson fan collab incoming!

 

[RouterCFW]

Looks like a bin

 

[segundo]

If Apple is going to release a sound bar or a new full size HomePod in June, now would be a good time to leak it.

I hope they don't underestimate the impact a lower priced sub will have on Sonos sales.

 

[Godspeed8230]

Looks like a bin

You mean the Mac Pro?

The New Mac Pro Looks Like A NYC Subway Trash Can

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www.businessinsider.com

 

[Leon Ze Professional]

Looks like a bin

Nothing wrong with looking like a round file. Round files are incredibly useful devices for avoiding record management systems.

 

[Unggoy Murderer]

Still not really sure how much value Sonos represents anymore.

After some showroom testing, my parents went with an LG soundbar (SN11RG) with a sub and two satellite speakers (with upwards-firing drivers). The cost of the LG setup nearly half of the cost of the equivalent Sonos setup, and in my own opinion, the sound and material quality wasn't really any different.

Sonos as a company has also made some pretty nasty decisions. They pretty much bricked an "unsupported" speaker line, and they also had a "recycle mode" that would permanently disable the speaker.

 

[ggibson913]

I would be interested if it supported the first Gen Beam. I am not sure I want to purchase a whole new setup for the bedroom

 

[Patchwork]

If Apple is going to release a sound bar or a new full size HomePod in June, now would be a good time to leak it.

I hope they don't underestimate the impact a lower priced sub will have on Sonos sales.

While I’m somewhat biased as have quiet a lot of Sonos gear including the Arc and Sub, I can see a cheaper sub being popular. Given how Apple handled the original HomePod I‘m not sure if I’d be tempted to go for an Apple sound bar as you’ll never know if Apple just decides to drop it and do something else.

Then again Sonos aren’t immune from doing stupid things, such as bricking series 1 speakers if you decided to use them to get a discount on series 2. Thankfully they no longer do this though you do miss some features in a mixed series 1 and 2 system (can’t remember exactly what as now entirely series 2).

 

[markfc]

I'll wait for Apple's new HomeBar and HomeBar Pro.
Can't wait for the Integrated HomePod, FaceTime, AppleTV and Dolby Atmos Speaker system with wireless Sub.

 

[schneeland]

After some showroom testing, my parents went with an LG soundbar (SN11RG) with a sub and two satellite speakers (with upwards-firing drivers). The cost of the LG setup nearly half of the cost of the equivalent Sonos setup, and in my own opinion, the sound and material quality wasn't really any different.

If you don't need the multiroom audio feature, they are indeed rather overpriced. Even if you do, they are not exactly cheap IMO, but then you can at least justify it with their ease of setup and handling.

 

[Patchwork]

I would be interested if it supported the first Gen Beam. I am not sure I want to purchase a whole new setup for the bedroom

Hopefully it will be as the current sub is compatible with the first gen beam (not that I’ve tried it as replaced first gen beam with the Ark and sub at the same time).

 

[ScottR]

I wish they'd fix the Beam's muddy, unintelligible dialog or release a center channel speaker instead of a sub.

 

[kiranmk2]

Very strange that this didn't launch with the Ray last week. I don't see the point of releasing two products that are clearly meant to be paired together months apart.

 

[Unggoy Murderer]

If you don't need the multiroom audio feature, they are indeed rather overpriced. Even if you do, they are not exactly cheap IMO, but then you can at least justify it with their ease of setup and handling.

Ah yeah, the multi-room stuff is decent for sure (admittedly I was thinking of things more in a home cinema context).

 

[MacOH21]

gimme gimme gimme!

 

[dynamojoe]

I love my Play:5 but after struggling with my in-laws Sonos 1 (won't work, wired or wireless, new app or old) and the privacy-invading decisions in their new app I'll never buy another of their products again. Period. There's no bloody way I should have to give a speaker my exact location and access to see everything on my network. If they ever require the Play5 to use the new app, it goes up on ebay. Screw 'em. I'll stick to simple bluetooth speakers.

 

[kejur]

I wish Apple would come out with a small sub that matches the Homepod Mini. The Minis could definitely benefit from some extra low end.

 

[tedwill]

I love my Sonos sub, but it's a little overwhelming for a small room. The smaller sub will sell well. I am surprised that Google or Amazon hasn't acquired Sonos. Apple would be an ideal company to buy Sonos. I have speakers all over my house and none of the bigger players - Google, Apple or Amazon can match their sound quality. But I don't see Sonos surviving much longer against these giants.

 

[Zboi]

Still not really sure how much value Sonos represents anymore.

After some showroom testing, my parents went with an LG soundbar (SN11RG) with a sub and two satellite speakers (with upwards-firing drivers). The cost of the LG setup nearly half of the cost of the equivalent Sonos setup, and in my own opinion, the sound and material quality wasn't really any different.

Sonos as a company has also made some pretty nasty decisions. They pretty much bricked an "unsupported" speaker line, and they also had a "recycle mode" that would permanently disable the speaker.

I bought a sonos beam gen 2 with two Sonos SL speakers during Black Friday a couple of years ago for $550 all together from Best Buy. Every time I have guest over they always complement the sound. All tech is heading in the direction of equipment becoming obsolete. Apple does it all the time without much though from others.

 

[tedwill]

I bought a sonos beam gen 2 with two Sonos SL speakers during Black Friday a couple of years ago for $550 all together from Best Buy. Every time I have guest over they always complement the sound. All tech is heading in the direction of equipment becoming obsolete. Apple does it all the time without much though from others.

Actually, after a lot of complaints, they didn't "brick" the obsolete line. You create a separate "zone" for older speakers and they work just fine. Though wired speakers fare better over time- I have a set of Energy speakers from the early 90s that still sound amazing with a Denon receiver. I can connect all of that to my Sonos setup with the Sonos Port.

 

[Unggoy Murderer]

I bought a sonos beam gen 2 with two Sonos SL speakers during Black Friday a couple of years ago for $550 all together from Best Buy. Every time I have guest over they always complement the sound. All tech is heading in the direction of equipment becoming obsolete. Apple does it all the time without much though from others.

It's fine for equipment to become obsolete, you can't expect manufacturers to support them forever. It's absolutely not okay to brick a working device and say "Here's £100 towards a newer one, go spend some more money". That's pretty much what Sonos did, and there was no way to undo it after people unknowingly installed the "software update".

 

[iksretep]

Not bad sounding speakers, but Sonos on MacRumors ... interesting, yes I know it's Apple "related", but then again ConEdison is related as well - it supplies energy to Apple devices for those in the NY area yea?

I once considered Sonos to replace my living room and bedroom sound systems, but while I doing research, Sonos decided to "brick" some of their older speakers - so I went with another brand, and will probably do the same in the future. Again, sound is great ... but their device bricking practice for "just a speaker" is not my thing.

 

[npmacuser5]

Sonos focused on the sound side. I have shifted my sound purchases from others to Sonos. Now if they came out with headphones, complete transition.

 

[thettareddast]

That's pretty much what Sonos did, and there was no way to undo it after people unknowingly installed the "software update".

Wrong.

Sonos still publishes the legacy Sonos S1 controller, to play all the legacy speaker products.