Sonos Sub Mini vs. Roku Wireless Bass: Which Budget Subwoofer Should You Buy in 2025?

TL;DR:
Sonos Sub Mini delivers deeper, cleaner bass and smarter room-tuning, but it costs 3× more than Roku Wireless Bass. For Roku-TV or Streambar owners who just want inexpensive rumble, Roku’s sub is the obvious pick. For anybody already in – or planning to join – the Sonos ecosystem, Sub Mini remains the best-sounding compact woofer you can buy.

1. Why Budget Wireless Subwoofers Are Booming in 2025

The average TV’s built-in speakers still bottom-out above 70 Hz, leaving explosions, synth drops, and game sound-effects feeling thin. Over the past three years, nearly every sound-bar brand has rolled out a wireless companion sub so you can park the woofer anywhere there’s an outlet and let Wi-Fi handle the signal. Entry prices have finally fallen below $150, putting “best wireless subwoofer 2025” searches into mainstream territory.

That brings us to today’s fight: Sonos Sub Mini vs Roku Wireless Bass – a classic performance-versus-price matchup that also doubles as Roku subwoofer vs Sonos ecosystem showdown.

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2. Quick-Look Specs

3. Audio Performance

3.1 Bass Depth & Impact

• Sonos Sub Mini reaches 25 Hz, so you feel that chest-rattle on ‘Oppenheimer’ or EDM drops. Dual opposed drivers cancel cabinet vibration, keeping the bass clean even at high volume. In side-by-side listening, Sub Mini produces noticeably lower extension and tighter punch than Roku’s sub. Digital Trends

• Roku Wireless Bass hits ~50 Hz before rolling off, which is still plenty for sitcoms, sports, and casual gaming. You’ll hear the thud but not the sub-sonic rumble, and the ported box can chuff at max output. Still, for its £129 price it’s impressively composed. Amazon

Winner: Sonos Sub Mini – if depth and clarity matter more than dollars.

3.2 Loudness

Sub Mini’s unspecified Class-D amps are estimated around 200–250 W; Roku publishes 60 W RMS. In small-to-mid rooms (< 200 sq ft) both can get loud enough to annoy neighbours, but Sonos has extra headroom that keeps distortion in check at party levels.

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4. Design & Size

• Sonos: Cylindrical “tunnel” aesthetic (matte black or white) that disappears next to a couch. No front grille = less furniture-friendly for pets/kids, but the sealed design means no port dust.

• Roku: Slim, shoebox-shaped cabinet tucks under a TV console. At 6.7 in deep it fits on narrow shelves; the front fabric grille is more traditional. Finish feels cheaper than Sonos’ polycarbonate shell.

For décor-conscious buyers, Sub Mini’s modern cylinder wins. For ultra-tight furniture gaps, Roku’s narrow depth may fit better.

5. Ecosystem Compatibility

6. Connectivity & Setup

• Roku: Plug in power, press Pair on Roku TV or Streambar; Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) link auto-selects 2.4 or 5 GHz. Takes < 60 s from box to boom. Roku

• Sonos: Add Sub Mini in the Sonos app → join existing 5 GHz mesh → run Trueplay (iOS mic sweep) for room EQ. Total ≈ 3 min, but Android users need a friend’s iPhone for tuning. B&H Photo Video

Both allow flexible placement up to ~30 ft from the host speaker.

7. Price & Value

• Roku Wireless Bass is the cheapest credible wireless sub on the market at around $129. Bundles with Streambar drop effective cost below $100. Digital Trends

• Sonos Sub Mini holds its $429 MSRP and rarely dips below $399 even on Black Friday. Yet its performance per cubic inch remains class-leading, and resale values stay high.

If you can spend triple, Sub Mini rewards you with audiophile-grade control. If not, Roku delivers huge bang-for-buck.

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8. Real-World Recommendations

1. Roku TV binge-watchers in studio apartments – Roku Wireless Bass is all you need for sitcoms and sports without shaking the building.

2. Sonos Beam Gen 2 owners in condos – Sub Mini adds cinematic sweep without overpowering neighbours; Trueplay keeps it tight.

3. Gamers on a desk-setup – Sub Mini’s sealed design avoids port noise during rapid-fire explosions; latency over 5 GHz is negligible.

4. Movie fanatics with dedicated rooms – Neither “mini” will match a 10-inch 250 W monster; consider Roku Wireless Bass Pro or full-size Sonos Sub 4 instead. Amazon

5. Multi-room music fans – Only Sonos offers seamless whole-home grouping, so Sub Mini is your ticket to synchronized bass in Party Mode.

9. Final Verdict

• Buy Sonos Sub Mini if you live in the Sonos world (or plan to), crave deep 25 Hz slam in a compact box, and can justify the $300 premium for better fidelity and smarter tuning.

• Buy Roku Wireless Bass if you already own a Roku TV/Streambar, have ≤ $150 to spend, and mainly want fuller TV sound, not audiophile nirvana.

• Skip both if you need an open, brand-agnostic sub – look at Bluetooth or line-level models instead.

Bottom line: In 2025, the best subwoofer for small rooms is the one that matches your ecosystem. Sonos wins on sound quality, Roku on affordability.

10. FAQ (rich-results ready)

Q: Can I pair Sonos Sub Mini with a Roku TV?
A: No. Sonos hardware only talks to other Sonos speakers over its proprietary 5 GHz link. Digital Trends

Q: Does Roku Wireless Bass support Dolby Atmos?
A: Subs don’t process Atmos; your Streambar handles object-based audio. The sub simply amplifies low-frequency effects.

Q: How many subwoofers can I use?
A: Roku lets you add one Wireless Bass per system; Sonos also limits you to one Sub Mini, though you can pair two full-size Subs in stereo if you upgrade later.

11. Buyer’s-Guide Snapshot (for Google Discover cards)

• Best for Value: Roku Wireless Bass ($129)

• Best for Sound: Sonos Sub Mini ($429)

• Room Size Sweet Spot: ≤ 225 sq ft

• Setup Time: Roku 1 min • Sonos 3 min (with Trueplay)

• Key Differentiator: Sub Mini reaches 25 Hz; Roku stops around 50 Hz