Sonos Sub Gen 3 vs Sub Mini: Don't Make The Wrong Decision 😱

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The introduction of a more affordable Sonos Subwoofer option means that users now have a choice to make between the Sub Gen 3 and the Sub Mini. But how do they compare against each other? Let's find out!

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:12 Design
02:28 Setup
03:32 Internals
04:17 Sound Performance
10:03 Verdict

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[gottagetaname]

Mini for me! Smaller room with a Beam 2 and it truly is a No Brainer! LOVE the combo.❤️

[Yartin]

I have the big sub in a 13’x11’ room and have never thought “this is too much.” Absolutely love it paired with the Playbar and two Ones and I wouldn’t want to downgrade or upgrade any of it. Amazing for films and music.

[karldavies]

I’ll add this as it may help others decide… I got the Arc with no sub as I was upgrading my 10 year old Yamaha and wanted true Dolby Atmos with the up firing speakers. My room is 14ft by 13ft so I didn’t go for the sub gen 3 as it is expensive and heard many reviews about it being too powerful. Just got the mini and I’m really pleased, it definitely improves the Arc to a large degree and fills the room. On reflection I think the big sub would have been too much; I like the sound quality from the Arc and with the mini it’s perfect for my room. PS both products purchased from Smart Home Sounds and the service was brilliant!

[ambrogykleks]

I made the best decision in my life - got my sub mini few days ago and it’s worth every penny! I love the sweet fatty bass on my living room. Moreover, I love the design as well!

[krissacann]

We paired an Arc with two surround SLs and the bass wasn't quite sufficient in our medium size room. We added the sub mini and WOW we were pleasantly surprised. Plenty of bass and it really took our system to the next level and now sounds amazing.

[slm]

Hi,

Great review. Do you mind specifying what size room you consider "large" vs "small/Medium"?
TY

[nathanpodmore]

I have the Beam Gen2 paired with 2x Play 3s as rears, adding the mini sub was amazing

[adamg]

Lots of comments but at the end of the day it comes down to personal preference and room size. I had the mini and after one day brought back and went for gen3. Room size absolutely makes a difference. In a bedroom or comparable size room mini would be amazing. In a den or living room 20x20+ the mini is simply swallowed up. No feel of the base to make u jump. No feel when listening to music to make I want to move. With gen3 - u feel everything all over the house. Room size again makes a massive difference so factor that in. Then it’s personal preference. Do u listen to base heavy dance and house and techno or do u listen to rock, classical etc where base may not be as impactful to the listening experience. Only u can answer that. Not the rest of us for ya 😉. In the end it’s Sonos so can’t go that wrong.

[bsl]

Sub Gen got it set up with the Beam 2.... Awesomeness !!!!

[imaginova]

Might just be me, but I find the frequent zooming in and out whilst you're talking irritating. Love your content and quality though!

[shield]

Sub Gen 3 outperforms the mini far and wide. The mini is great for paring SL's for music as I have done but if you're looking at surround and have the space the Gen 3 is the way to go.

[MrVisde]

I bought the sub mini and love it! I’ve tried it out in our living room (vaulted ceiling) and family room (standard). The rooms are the same size, but the bass sounds a little fuller in the room with standard ceiling height. I’m not sure the Gen 3 is noticeably better to warrant the higher price tag and bigger footprint. Sub mini is exactly what I was waiting for from Sonos.

[bbruce]

I was ecstatic when Sonos introduced the Sub Mini. I wanted a sub for my Sonos Beam Gen 1 but could not justify a Sub Gen 3 for a bedroom setup. The Mini has improved my TV and music listening experience dramatically. Well done Sonos!

[bradcolby]

Just streamed Top Gun Maverick with sub mini and the experience was theater worthy. Amazing for the price paired with my Sonos Beam

[mikegaravito]

I just bought the mini for my living room… and I love it!! Paired with my One’s I use only for music 🎶, my living room is not too big so it’s perfect 👍

[mdwitt]

THIS VIDEO WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL! THANK YOU SO MUCH! KEEP UPTHE GOOD WORK!

[Phantom]

I find it amazing how at this point Sonos has blown away Bose. Sonos is by far the best product for a while now.

[amanbat]

Here's my experience: I have a Beam gen 2 with two One-SLs in my 11ft x 21ft basement. I got a Sub mini. If I put the sub mini right next to my TV where it stays about 3 feet from the corner, I get a decent base but nothing really to brag about. I do not feel the thump, although the quality of the base is quite good. If I move it to the corner, then the base gets considerable heavy, but on the downside it also gets boomy and hurts my head while watching a base heavy movie scene as the base vibrates and sounds cheap. Now I'm debating with my wife and hoping to get a Gen 3 to try. If I succeed, I'll provide an update. But so far, I did not find all those bold comments about the Sub-mini to be true.

[carlsmith]

Do you guys have a PlayBar to test the Subs on? Would be interesting to hear your views. Also would there be much benefit in using the Sub Mini with the Five or other speakers based on music alone? Thanks and great content as always 👍🏻.

[Budschidau]

I bought the mini immediately after release, tested it for 5 days and returned it as it was just a subtle improvement of the mids and highs in combo with the Beam Gen 1 and 2 Symfonisk. Got the Gen 3 now for 599€, this is what I call a sub. Will keep it.