Latest news with #Heston120
Man of Many
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Man of Many
Marshall Steamrolls Into TV Audio With Its First-Ever Soundbar
By Jacob Osborn - News Published: 8 June 2025 |Last Updated: 6 June 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 3 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. Undisputable masters of the amplifier, Marshall is dipping its toes in the TV audio category. And by 'dipping its toes,' we mean kicking the door open with both feet. So goes the new Heston 120, the brand's inaugural foray into the respective domain of modern soundbars. It draws upon six decades of experience and catches its stride at first attempt, combining superior engineering with inspired details to deliver the best of sound and style. Bring in wireless capability and you're getting a seamless sonic experience across TV and music alike. It's no secret that home entertainment systems have become micro-theatres unto themselves, making now a logical time for Marshall to expand upon its repertoire. The brand is already at the forefront of high-quality audio, and it jumps well ahead of the learning curve with its first soundbar. That is to say, the Heston 120 comes fully equipped with superlative specs, including 11 multi-facing drivers and built-in support for Dolby Atmos and DTS-X. Immersive sonics are all but guaranteed, complete with a rich and powerful low end. Marshall Heston 120 Soundbar | Image: Marshall Whether you're streaming shows, movies, or music, the Heston 120 offers wireless connectivity to TVs with HDMI eARC. For other external devices, the soundbar wirelessly integrates via HDMI pass-through, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. It also features an RCA input to connect with analogue turntables and receivers. Various sound modes dial up the versatility factor and allow you to seek the ideal sonic template based on the medium. You can adjust the sound modes along with other controls on the unit itself or through an adjoining app, which works from anywhere in the home and even offers room calibration. The Heston 120 is pure Marshall in terms of design and aesthetic. This is a brand that forges ahead without losing a sense of heritage, hence the furled metal knobs ripped straight out of its iconic amplifiers. Additional details like the wrapped leather trims, brushed metal panel, and analogue-style control panel make for similarly inspired design choices. Under the skin, meanwhile, everything is 'tailored and engineered to have very specific roles to give you an optimal audio experience,' to quote Ed Camphor, Audio Technology and Tuning Lead at Marshall Group. More than a premium soundbar, the Heston 120 is also the first entry in a brand new product range. Later this year, Marshall will introduce a smaller Heston 60 Soundbar and a Heston Sub 200 subwoofer. The audio brand continues to adapt to emerging standards and trends as if it hasn't aged a day since breaking onto the scene all those decades ago. And for that, we're thankful.
Stuff.tv
03-06-2025
- Business
- Stuff.tv
I had my doubts about Marshall's first soundbar, but the Dolby Atmos-equipped Heston 120 blew me away
Stuff Verdict A cracking Dolby Atmos one-boxer with huge sound, powerful bass and so many streaming options. But the retro look won't be for everyone. Pros Surprisingly useful physical controls Superb sound quality Really powerful bass Standout design So many streaming options Cons Different sources, quite different volumes No remote control Big competition – especially from Sonos The look won't be for everybody Marshall's history as a British amplifier specialist for guitarists and more has certainly been diversified upon in recent years. In 2010 it teamed up with Swedish company Zound to make Bluetooth speakers and then headphones like the excellent Monitor III ANC. That resulted in Zound buying Marshall in 2023 and re-branding the whole thing as The Marshall Group. The company has clearly been planning to expand its wares for a while and produce more types of Marshall-branded tech. Welcome then, to the Heston 120. It's a high-end one-box soundbar with full Dolby Atmos and DTS-X support and as such takes on the Sonos Arc Ultra but boasts a slightly lower price. That's by far from an easy task. But Marshall believes that enough of its devotees will want a soundbar that looks a little different than the norm and that is equally suited to music as well as TV. Is it enough? The company is certainly hoping so and more products will follow – a Heston 60 soundbar with virtual Atmos is coming later in the year to go up against the Sonos Beam. There are two big selling points of this soundbar. Firstly, that it supports pretty much everything under the sun in addition to the aforementioned Dolby Atmos and DTS-X. Naturally there's HDMI eARC support. But there's also HDMI passthrough, Bluetooth (including LE and Auracast), AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect. There's even analogue RCA so you can hook up a turntable for example. And then there's the physical knob controls (just like on Marshall's amps and speakers) for volume, treble and source select. More on those shortly. You can order Heston 120 in the US for $999 or Europe for £900/€999. How we test home cinema equipment Every prjector, sound bar and home theatre separate reviewed on Stuff is used for a minimum of a week's worth of daily watching and listening. We use a playlist of test footage made up of multiple genres to assess picture and sound, and use our years of experience to compare to other models. Manufacturers have no visibility on reviews before they appear online, and we never accept payment to feature products. Find out more about how we test and rate products. Design: not the most in-your-face, but it will be too much for some The design of the Heston 120 is unmistakably Marshall but is more subtle than it could look. The large Marshall logo might put some off, but it doesn't stick out as much it could. The physical controls (more on them opposite) only stick out a little above the top of the soundbar, so you won't be bothered by them when you watch TV. While some will view the physical knob controls (just like on Marshall's amps and speakers) as gimmicky I found it were genuinely useful for volume, especially when you're listening to music. You can also change source this way should you want. Changing the source between streaming (from a phone) and your TV was actually the only thing I didn't find worked so well about this soundbar. If you're listening to some music over AirPlay for example, then changing back to HDMI as a source didn't stick. And that's a shame, because the theory of it is good. Physically, Heston 120 was designed to have a low-enough profile to sit under most TVs, but it can also be wall-mounted easily. Happily there are also replaceable parts including the fret, end caps, drivers and even the circuit boards. Connectivity: so many options and a well-designed new app As we mentioned before, connectivity is king here and it really shows just how much effort Marshall put in. The company's design team obviously sat round a table and mused what the ideal bar would include. And they've pulled off a blinder in that regard. Naturally there's HDMI eARC support (and there's an included high-speed HDMI cable). But there's also HDMI passthrough, Bluetooth (including LE and Auracast), AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect. There's even analogue RCA so you can hook up a turntable, for example. A redesigned Marshall app also debuts alongside the Heston 120. You can set up the bar initially using this and you can optionally calibrate the sound to suit your room. This uses a simple test that takes just a few minutes. Naturally, you can use third-party apps to control music while HDMI is naturally auto-switching so it's unlikely you'll use the app much after initial setup which is swift and works well. Indeed, we've had numerous issues in the past setting up devices with Apple's AirPlay. Not so here. Wi-Fi settings are also shared easily. You can also select presets for quick access to a favourite playlist or internet radio station should you wish using the physical controls and you can flick between the sound modes – Music, Movie, Night and Voice. Sound quality: superb for both music and movies As you'd expect at this price, the audio hardware inside the 7kg bar is hefty in both weight and power. There are a huge 11 individual speakers and associated amps (2 x 50W, 9 x 15W, 150W peak power) arranged in a 5.1.2 configuration. So what does it sound like? When watching TV, the bar is adept at movies in particular, while I also enjoyed watching the sport and the F1 in particular. Dolby Atmos obviously takes it to a new level. I found some softer voices require you to raise the volume, even in the Voice mode is selected. But it's a great all-rounder, which you obviously need from a soundbar. Heston comes into its own when listening to music. The impressive range of sources and codecs should suit everyone and it is powerful. It's unsurprisingly happier with rockier tracks though bassier dance tunes are well catered for. And it's a warm, high quality sound that can easily fill a mid-sized room . If you want even more powerful audio, an additional Heston Sub 200 is coming later in the year for those who want even more bass punch. There's no word on pricing yet though. Marshall Heston 120 verdict Marshall has created a wonderful box of tricks here and the wide variety of streaming formats is a real boon for full music flexibility. The sound quality is exceptional and bass especially is a real strength. You really won't be disappointed by it, even if it's hard to recommend it against the Sonos Arc Ultra, especially if you want any kind of multiroom possibilities. And even though the physical controls are super, some won't like the look of the Heston. It's certainly a contrast to many sleeker soundbars. But overall, I really love how the Heston 120 sounds and performs. Like all great TV sound gear, it just works seamlessly with your TV and everything that plugs into it. And it's a real bonus that this bar just happens to be great for music, too. Stuff Says… Score: 5/5 A cracking Dolby Atmos one-boxer with huge sound, powerful bass and so many streaming options. But the retro look won't be for everyone. Pros Surprisingly useful physical controls Superb sound quality Really powerful bass Standout design So many streaming options Cons Different sources, quite different volumes No remote control Big competition – especially from Sonos The look won't be for everybody Marshall Heston 120 tech specs Output 150W; 2 x tweeters, 2 x mid-woofers, 2 x subwoofers, 5 x full range Connectivity HDMI 2.1 eARC, HDMI in (passthrough), Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, RCA stereo, RCA mono (for sub), USB-C, Ethernet, Streaming Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect Dimensions 110 x 14.5 x 7.6cm Weight 7.04kg
Tom's Guide
03-06-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Marshall Heston 120 Soundbar review: Rock n' roll styling meets movie magic
Price: $999/£899Colors: BlackSize: H x 2.9" D x 5.7" W x 43.3" Weight: 15.5 poundsConnectivity: WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, Ethernet, HDMI, AirPlay 2, RCA,USB-CBluetooth range: up to 30 feet (9 m)Custom EQ: YesVoice assistant: NoSurround: 5.1.2Multi-speaker connectivity: Yes The Marshall Heston 120 has a tough job on its hands. It not only has to prove that Marshall has the chops to live under your TV in the form of a multi-channel soundbar, but that it can do it better than any of the other options you can buy for a similar price. It seems that Marshall pulled its suspenders on, slapped its ripped jeans, and grabbed some pretty impressive sound gear from its gig bag to make its new soundbar a success. The Heston 120 is a very impressive soundbar to rival the likes of the Sonos Arc Ultra with a pair of built-in subwoofer drivers, excellent repairability, and that unique style that just screams 'crank it to 11.' To find out if it's going to land a place on our list of the best soundbars, I've lived with the soundbar for the last few weeks — and now I've come to my verdict: The Heston 120 is an excellent alternative to the competition, albeit with a couple of caveats for some users. Here's the whole Heston 120 story. What is it? Rock 'n roll soundbar from the kings of the genreWhat does it cost? $999/£899Who is it for? People looking for a new soundbar that looks the part, with top-notch inputs and great musical soundWhat do we like? Its sense of style, sound quality for movies and music, and its significant bassy rumble from its pair of sub driversWhat don't we like? It's expensive, and some might not appreciate its 'in your face' style At $999 / £899, the Heston 120 has been positioned against the likes of the Sonos Arc Ultra ($999 / £999), Samsung's latest flagship soundbars, and other premium surround options from JBL like the JBL BAR 1300X. In order to justify that price the Heston is built like a tank, features a unique, rock 'n roll-inspired design, and packs in some audio goodies for music lovers just as much as movie buffs. But that doesn't stop it from being in a precarious position, given that it doesn't quite offer the same surround options as the Sonos or the included subwoofer of Samsung's bars. In order to compete, the Marshall relies on its looks and musical tuning. Make no mistake, it is worth every one of the one thousand dollars it costs, but it joins a very crowded space. Marshall's home audio division has become known for a certain style: amp-like speakers and headphones, covered with premium fabric and brass accents. Expect control knobs galore, and a punk-rock attitude. The Heston 120 stretches that design out to fit a large TV stand, retaining all the key elements of the marque's house style — rugged endplates that look ready to hit the road on tour, a fabric mesh that would look at home on stage with Slash, and the all-important brass logo to top things off. The bronze colored control knobs on top wrap up the design, and I think it looks great. It's not going to fit into every single living room style because of its unique style, but it nails its audio credentials to the mast like little else. Going back to the size of the soundbar. You're going to need a big TV, and a large TV stand to boot. It's shorter than the Samsung soundbar options or the Sonos Arc Ultra by a fraction of an inch, but it makes up for it in depth. Make sure you do some measurements before buying to make sure that it fits — things were tight on my unit between my Samsung S90D, and even with an older TV on a larger stand. You can wall mount the soundbar with brackets sold separately if you have your TV hanging, although make sure you use beefy enough screws if you do. The soundbar is one of the heaviest I've tested, coming in at 15.5 lbs — 2 pounds more than the Arc Ultra. Build quality is excellent, with premium fabric making up the grille and excellent material choices all around. Even better is the potential for repair. Break something, and I'm told you'll be able to find parts like the end plates, grilles, and even internal components like drivers available to buy on the Marshall website, should you want to replace them yourself. You can even send the broken parts to Marshall to be recycled as well, which is a nice bonus. First off, while the Heston 120 is a WiFi-connected soundbar, it's not really a smart soundbar. There's no voice control support, so you'll be left changing the volume with your TV remote, on-device volume knob, or the new Marshall app. Beyond a lack of voice support, the only other connectivity option you're missing is an optical port — and given that it's 2025 and optical ports are ancient history to all but the most dedicated fans of data transmitted over laser, it's no great loss. Because, other than that? The Heston's inputs and outputs are better than just about everything else you can buy today. There are so many ports on the back of the Heston 120. There's a pair of HDMI ports, one for eARC and the other for passthrough, an Ethernet port for a more stable internet connection, a USB-C port that can be used to charge devices, and then an analog RCA connector so that you can connect legacy hardware like a turntable. There's no built-in phono pre-amp so you'll need one of the best turntables with one built in, but it's a lovely addition to really round out the inputs. Unlike the aforementioned Samsung or Sonos soundbars, there's also a generic mono-RCA output. While Marshall is working on a wireless subwoofer for the soundbar that will work like Sonos' Sub 4, there's a physical output for a separate subwoofer. That means you can choose your own sub to go with the soundbar. Wireless connectivity comes in the form of WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3, with all the lovely extras you'd expect. The Bluetooth connection enables Auracast, as well as the potential for more devices to connect to the soundbar. Marshall has been tight-lipped about what kind of devices to expect and how they're going to work when I asked about the potential for separate surround speakers, but I suspect we might see something in the future. Control-wise, you've got the aforementioned knobs across the top. There are three — volume, EQ, and source. They're all smooth and satisfying, and the latter two click down to switch between bass and treble, play and pause music, and select the source. Finally, there's the Marshall app. It's a completely new experience this time around, retaining the visual flair of the old Marshall Bluetooth app, but sprinkling in new WiFi features for internet connectivity. Once logged in, you can play music from various streaming services so that you don't have to dip into the Spotify or Tidal Connect menus separately, although both are supported. Every aspect of the soundbar can be controlled from the app, including EQ, sound mode, volume, source, and more. It's well laid out and simple to use — good app. Technically, you don't even need to connect the Heston 120 to the internet or the app if you just want to play sound from your TV. Plug it in, connect the HDMI eARC port to the correct slot on your TV, and… watch your stuff. Easy! You can, of course, go more in-depth if you want to use every setting and feature that the soundbar has to offer. Once you're all plugged in, you'll need to open up the app. From there, you'll connect to the soundbar and get the internet connection all set up. There are then sound options to dial in, and you'll want to start with the Room calibration. From there, you'll hear a series of different guitar plucking noises, and the app will load a sound profile. I had absolutely no connection issues during the setup process — it all just kind of worked. To further dial in the sound, you can use the bass/treble knob on the top of the soundbar, or within the app. You can also choose the different sound modes, including Movie, Music, Night and Voice. Music is automatically selected when you play music through the bar, and Movie when it's connected to your TV. Movie mode seems to boost bass, while Music seems to put more emphasis on mid-range frequencies. The latter two sound modes are necessary for Dolby certification, and I don't like them on anything you find them on. Night mode reduces the bass so that you don't wake anyone up when watching late at night, and voice mode raises dialog volume. They work, and for some users, they might be more useful than they were for me. If the Sonos Arc Ultra is the ultimate soundbar for watching movies, the Marshall Heston 120 is one of the best for listening to music. While most soundbars are a TV speaker first and music speaker second, the Heston 120 wants to be excellent at both. As a result, there really isn't a similarly priced soundbar that comes close musically. There's some great sonic control on display from the Heston 120. The audio is very well spaced out on account of the size of the bar, and instrument separation is very good. I gave Vola's I Don't Know How We Got Here a spin, and discovered an impactful, dynamic, and engaging listen waiting for me. Vocals were a particular strength, and there was surprising bass reproduction thanks to the pair of sub drivers inside the bar. Bass was more impressive in the Heston 120 than the Sonos Arc Ultra on its own, so there's less need to add in a sub should you want the floors to rumble during playback. There's support for Dolby Atmos music as well through Apple Music and Amazon Music Unlimited, and it sounds really good. There's all the extra space that you'd want from a spatial mix, with the likes of The Weeknd's Blinding Lights easily filling my living room. Elements showed good separation, and the spatial effect was up there with the likes of the Sonos Arc Ultra and a pair of Sonos Era 300s. There's still some of the thinning out I tend to find with any spatial audio arrangement, but that's a quirk of the format rather than the soundbar. It's movies you'll want Dolby Atmos for, and the Heston 120 is more than happy to provide. There is one caveat to movie sound though — the surround channels. The Heston 120 features a 5.1.2 setup, or 5 surround drivers, a subwoofer, and then two upfirers for Atmos. That's not as strong as the Sonos Arc Ultra's 9.1.4 surround, and it does show when you're watching your movies. The surround bubble is ever so slightly looser on the Heston, and the atmospheric effects from above are slightly more subdued. With that out of the way, the Heston 120 is still excellent for movies. The Atmos effect meant that the opening scene of Star Wars: Episode III sounded and felt massive, as Obi-Wan and Anakin darted through space, droids hot on their heels. Starships cruise from every direction, loud and lumbering. The sub driver gives greater low end than you'll find in the Sonos Arc Ultra as well, despite the slight downgrade in spatial effects. Standard surround mixes are excellent. The Nostromo cruises to your side in the opening to Alien, loud and intimidating. The Star Destroyer at the opening of A New Hope dominates the space, filling the room with the sound of its engines. This is a soundbar that's supposed to be good at both movies and music, and to excel at the latter, it seems some compromises have had to be made in the former — but this is still a great, cinematic experience. A word, finally, about the bass. The pair of sub drivers make for a bassier time than the solus Sonos Arc Ultra, although for larger rooms, you'll still want a separate subwoofer. Marshall will be offering its own wireless sub later this year, but thanks to the standard sub-out on the back of the soundbar, you can use your own. I hooked it up to the KEF KC62 and a Q Acoustics Sub80, and found setup easy, and an increase in the bass beyond that of even the Arc Ultra and Sub 4 combo. Why is this great? Because not only does it add more audio flexibility, it could save you money, with many budget-friendly bass makers to add more rumble to your movies. If you want the absolute best surround sound movie experience in a soundbar, then you're still best off with the 9.1.4-channel Sonos Arc Ultra. But the Heston 120 does throw a wrench into Sonos' well-oiled machine. The movie performance and surround sound of the Heston 120 are still excellent, and the bar provides plenty of Dolby Atmos fun when you want to watch the latest blockbusters. It also manages something that so many other soundbars don't seem to nail down; it remembers that a soundbar is the perfect audio center for a living room. Thanks to its excellent music playback and connectivity, the Heston 120 is actually, in my eyes at least, a better all-round product than the Sonos Arc Ultra. It's not for everyone with its styling, but its feature set means it stands out in a very busy space. For Marshall's first soundbar, it's an absolute triumph, and potentially a better buy for more users than the Sonos option and its continuously disappointing app. After all, it's nice when something just works.
Digital Trends
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
Marshall's first soundbar will change how we think about home theater
With its gold accents, prominent control knobs, and guitar amp styling, Marshall's hefty Heston 120 looks like no other soundbar on the planet. But what fascinates me about the company's first TV speaker isn't the styling (it looks exactly like I'd expect from a Marshall product), it's how it's been engineered to work with the company's equally iconic portable Bluetooth speakers: It uses Bluetooth. Wait, I know that sounds obvious, but bear with me because this is actually a new and intriguing change to the way soundbars work. Recommended Videos Marshall Heston 120 First, a quick 101 on the Heston 120. It's priced at $1,000, which should tell you right away that Marshall isn't messing around. That's the same price as the Sonos Arc Ultra and Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3, and only $100 more than the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar. It packs 11 drivers, including two dedicated subwoofers, and can process both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X in a 5.1.2-channel configuration. It has onboard mics that are used for room calibration, and it supports a wide array of protocols, including Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, and Tidal Connect. On the back panel, you get an Ethernet jack, an HDMI passthrough input with 4K/120Hz/Dolby Vision support, stereo RCA analog jacks (for a turntable or other gear), and a dedicated subwoofer output — something you rarely find on soundbars. Marshall has redesigned its mobile app to give people deep controls over the Heston as well as the company's full range of existing headphones, earbuds, and speakers. Expansion via Bluetooth Where things get interesting is on the wireless side of the equation. The Heston 120 supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3. That's not unusual — all three of its competitors I mentioned above have the same or similar specs. What *is* unusual is how it uses these connections, specifically Bluetooth. Marshall considers the Heston 120 an all-in-one speaker that's designed to work equally well for movies and music. However, the company also recognizes that some people want even more immersion from their TV sound systems, so it offers expansion via wireless speakers. Normally, when a soundbar is expandable with additional speakers, those connections are made via Wi-Fi (Sonos, Bluesound, Denon) or dedicated onboard transmitter/receivers (Bose, Sony, Klipsch). Bluetooth has never been considered a viable option because of issues around latency and limitations on transmitting multiple audio channels (e.g. low frequency, surround left, surround right) simultaneously. However, the Heston 120 is Bluetooth Auracast compatible — as far as I know, that's a first for a soundbar — a technology that overcomes traditional Bluetooth limitations. Unlike earlier Bluetooth standards, which could create audio lag of 100-300 milliseconds, Auracast can achieve a latency of as little as 30 milliseconds. That should be almost imperceptible for dialogue synchronization, and even less noticeable for low-frequency bass or surround sound effects. Moreover, an Auracast device, like a TV or soundbar, can transmit multiple discrete broadcasts. In theory, it could handle multiple wireless subwoofers, two or four surround speakers, plus one or more wireless headphones or hearing aids — each with a dedicated sound stream. More choice, more flexibility So what does this mean? Marshall's ultimate goal is to let you use any pair of Auracast-capable Bluetooth speakers as your Heston 120 left/right surrounds, and an additional Auracast subwoofer for low-frequency effects. Initially, however, the plan is more conservative. At launch, the Heston 120 will support a single Marshall-built wireless subwoofer and later in the year you'll be able to add two Marshall Bluetooth speakers as left/right surrounds. You'll have a lot of choice — all of Marshall's third-gen Homeline Bluetooth speakers are Auracast-ready — from the small but mighty Emberton III to the 120-watt Woburn III. Once they receive a planned firmware update, you can expect them all to work with the Heston as satellite speakers via Bluetooth. Typically, wireless surround speakers and subwoofers need to be plugged into a wall at all times. That provides power to the built-in amplifiers and their Wi-Fi network connections. Bluetooth, as a wireless technology, requires way less power than Wi-Fi, so if your Marshall portable Bluetooth speaker has a 20-hour battery, that's 20 hours of completely wire-free home theater listening. And if, for some reason, you don't have a Wi-Fi network, you can still assemble a multi-speaker system. Marshall points out that while Auracast is an open standard, each company can implement it as it sees fit, and that could mean that some Auracast speakers won't work with the Heston 120. JBL Auracast speakers like the Charge 6 — for example — can only share and access audio from other JBL Auracast speakers. Still, Auracast-enabled soundbars like the Heston are opening up a new era in home theater technology; one where we'll have a lot more freedom to choose the kind, number, and placement of speakers. It will also reduce the number of gadgets we buy. When your portable Bluetooth speaker can double as a surround speaker, that's one less device in our ever-expanding world of tech. More options coming soon Auracast-enabled soundbars are the first step toward greater flexibility and choice in home theater. Soon, there will be more alternatives. Dolby has promised it will launch a soundbar alternative technology called Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, which will let a compatible TV send multichannel audio to a variety of wireless speakers that you'll be able to place almost anywhere in your room. Fraunhofer IIS, the entity that gave us the MP3 file format, has its own version of FlexConnect — the somewhat awkwardly named UpHear Flexible Rendering. We haven't seen any commercially available systems based on either Dolby's or Fraunhofer's tech so far, but I expect that to change in 2025.
CNET
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
Marshall Soundbar Wants to Dial Your TV to Eleven
Marshall, a company known for its guitar amps and headphones, has unveiled its first soundbar, the Heston 120, which features Dolby Atmos playback and Wi-Fi streaming for $1,000. Read more: Best Dolby Atmos Soundbars of 2025 The Heston is a single, 5.1.2-channel soundbar with Dolby Atmos and DTS-X playback via both HDMI ARC and a HDMI pass-through connection. The speaker is fitted with 11 drivers designed to distribute sound around the room, and it features multiple modes including Music, Movie, Night, and Voice, plus room calibration. The Marshall Heston features a fabric cover and burled knobs Marshall The soundbar boasts the distinctive Marshall look combining knurled metal knobs, wrapped leather trims and brushed metal panel. It features preset buttons which can be programmed via the company's Marshall app. The Wi-Fi-equipped soundbar is also compatible with Google Cast, AirPlay, Spotify Connect, or Tidal Connect in addition to offering Bluetooth and Ethernet. The Heston 120 is the first of three models, including the Heston 60 and the Heston Sub 200 subwoofer, that are coming later in the year. At $1,000, the Heston 120 is a bold move for a company which has yet to produce a soundbar, and it is up companies which have produced premium soundbars for decades with models including the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar and Sonos Arc Ultra. The Marshall Heston 120 soundbar will go on sale on June 3.
