Better bass in a pretty package for $429

Sonos makes scads of high-end speakers with equally high MSRPs, sold on the merits of their looks, audio quality, and ecosystem. Today, as an alternative to its $749 Sub subwoofer, the company has announced the Sub Mini, a pared down subwoofer that's appreciably less expensive than the full-size monster and packs its bassy punch into a cylinder that's about a foot tall.

The $429 Sub Mini is, obviously, meant to be used in smaller rooms than the Sub. Its footprint is about half what the larger Sub's is, and at 14 pounds, it'll be easier to move around than the chunky, 36-pound full-size version. Sonos says the Mini's sound is still as robust as you'd expect out of a subwoofer this expensive, though: it's using two 6" woofers, which Sonos says are positioned to face the inside of the speaker to create "a force-canceling effect." Like most Sonos products, the Sub Mini can be linked to most recent, amplified Sonos speakers, as well as Ikea's Symfonisk line, though the company recommends pairing it with either a Sonos Ray or Sonos Beam sound bar, or a pair of Sonos One speakers (which happen to be one of our favorite smart speakers on the market today).

Sonos says that the cylindrical design of the Sub Mini provides "a structurally sound form factor that reduces buzz and rattle." Whether that claim holds water remains to be seen, but the low-profile round shape will surely be easier to hide in your living room than larger, rectangular subwoofers are.

The Sonos Sub Mini goes on sale starting October 6 in most territories Sonos operates in, though Sonos notes China and India will see it at an undisclosed later date.

Taylor was an amateur phone nerd for the better part of a decade prior to joining Android Police in 2018, where he's since authored more than a thousand articles about all things Android. Taylor serves as Gadgets Editor, and you'll see his byline on editorials, reviews, comparative buyer's guides, and technical explainers, as well as the occasional piece of breaking news. He's got soft spots for personal audio, wearable tech, smart lights, and mobile photography. There's a good chance he's carrying a Pixel phone right now. In his time away from AP, you'll probably catch Taylor hanging out with his two dogs, playing Xbox, or out shooting with his beloved Fuji X-T20. Send him memes and fan mail at taylor@androidpolice.com.