Sonos SUB Pro Reviews

The Sonos SUB is a massively expensive subwoofer made to be part of the full wireless speaker family for an equally giant price: $699 right out of the box. You do get free shipping and unlimited support from Sonos, and we’re to understand that there’s a slightly less glossy version of this machine coming soon that’ll cost just a bit less than this first release. If you’re willing to pay $699 for a component in your hi-fi speaker arrangement, you certainly wont be disappointed in the SUB. Have a peek at the column/review Small Sonos: Is multi-room music overkill in a tiny apartment? by Chris Davies for additional insight with the Sonos PLAY:3 and the overall Sonos experience.

I’d venture to guess that, for most folks, this system will rock your world. It certainly beats the heck out of a single speaker, especially if you’re hosting a party. I’m sure everyone will be impressed and ask how this medium-sized system can kick out the jams like this. Adding another Play:3 or Play:5 plus a SUB is a terrific upgrade for any of your zones, providing more energy and musicality. With the SUB, a Sonos system is no longer just for background music; you’ll actually want to sit in front of it and really listen to your tunes. Wow, what a concept.

From our experience, the Sub is one of the better subwoofers in the field, wireless or otherwise. It adds forcefulness without turning the sound into mush. Making it worth the cash outlay is the challenge, even if it's much less of a problem than we first thought going in. It's not just the audio quality disparity that gives us pause; it's the idea of pairing the $299 Play:3 with a subwoofer that costs more than twice as much and won't necessarily sound proportionately better. Keeping that in mind, the Play:5 or two Play:3s result in a very effective combo when a Sub rides sidesaddle. Sonos, as always, is asking for a premium to get the full effect -- our ideal mix of a Play:5, a Bridge and the Sub costs an eye-watering $1,147. That being said, it very literally feels worthwhile if it's replacing a full, conventional home audio arrangement, not just a pair of bookshelf speakers. As long as you're genuinely committed to the idea of networked speakers rather than just dipping a toe in the pool, the Sub is transformative enough to validate the price.

As Sonos has continued to expand and go "mass market" some could say it has forgotten the core music audience it started out to impress. Not so any more. This is Sonos returning to its roots and delivering a music device that is all about sound. The Sonos Sub sounds great, offering plenty of bass, and if you are happy to turn the levels up, tooth-rattling amounts of noise. The big concern will be that your neighbours aren’t going to enjoy your newfound love for sound, and it’s something we would definitely suggest you should consider if you're not in a detached house in the middle of nowhere. This isn't for everyone, something even Sonos admits, but for those intrigued enough to pay double what you would a regular sub-woofer you won't be disappointed.