Sonos is still the leader when it comes to wireless, multi-room audio systems. With a dead-easy setup routine, well-designed controller apps, and the ability to play music from both your local stash of MP3s and all the big streaming services, the palindromic home audio supplier is playing with a winning hand.
Now Sonos has released a subwoofer to complement its array of wireless Play speakers and Connect amps. It's simply called Sub. The $700 powered speaker component isn't cheap (none of the Sonos stuff is) but it does add excellent definition and low-end heft to any existing Sonos system.
The Sub's glossy, piano-black case is shaped like a big, square doughnut with a rectangular hole in the center. That central cavity is where all the sound is directed. Two 4.5-inch by 7-inch rectangular divers, each with its own class-D amp, face each other from opposing sides of the cavity. The speaker enclosures are ported into the cavity, too, with one port at the top and one at the bottom.
In my testing, the Sub greatly improved the overall richness of the Sonos system here at the Wired office. We have a pair of the Play:3 bookshelf speakers, which, due to their compact size, are on the weak side when it comes to bass reproduction. Adding the Sub gave our system the low-end oomph it's always been missing.
Setup is ridiculously easy. If you already have a Sonos system, just plug the Sub into an outlet wherever you want it to live, fire up your Sonos controller app (I used my iphoness) and add it to your system's existing mesh network. You can tune the output level and the tonal coloring of the speaker using a simple test suite within the controller app. Setting up an entirely new multi-speaker system is equally as easy, and only involves an extra step or two.
The Sub sounds fantastic. Sonos speakers have always sounded excellent to my ears, and if you're a fan of the audio your Play or Connect system already puts out, the Sub will only make it sound better. It adds just the right amount of subtle depth, driving everything below about 90Hz, and enhances all different kinds of music. I actually found the amount of detail in the default settings to be a bit too understated, so I used the iphoness app to crank up the output levels. All the necessary adjustments can be made using your phones or tablet, which is refreshing.
Yes, the price is very high. And yes, you can buy a subwoofer as good as this one for far less than $700. But you're not paying the premium to get superior audio quality, you're shelling out for the Sonos experience – the easy setup, the plethora of music choices, and the joy of having multiple powered speaker components all working in concert without wires and without a controller amp.
And since it only works with Sonos systems, it only makes sense if you're a "Sonos person." But provided you're already comfortable with paying the company's high prices, the Sub is a worthy addition to your wireless rig.
WIRED Sound is excellent, on par with the rest of Sonos' speakers. Well-designed dual-driver subwoofer with dual class-D amps offer efficient and distortion-free boom. Sleek looks make the 16-inch-tall box disappear into your ultra-modern decor. Just over 6 inches tall when laid flat, so it can slip under a couch or table.
TIRED That's a lot of Simoleons. The tall, square-shaped doughnut design can be too bulky for some rooms, even laid flat.
