For fairly a while, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 has dominated the roost as the very best small Dolby Atmos soundbar that cash can purchase. It might be compact, nevertheless it conjures up a surprisingly vast soundstage, with very clear all-round audio, nice codec help, and a smooth look.
However lately, I bought the possibility to evaluation a brand new small Dolby Atmos soundbar – one coming from a relative minnow on this planet of house theater.
That’s proper, I’m speaking in regards to the newly-released Marshall Heston 60. Just like the Sonos Beam Gen 2, Marshall’s mannequin stands at simply over two ft in width, making it perfect for these working with smaller TVs or a restricted quantity of house. In some areas, I’d contemplate the Heston 60 to be even higher than the Beam Gen 2. However what makes it so particular? I’ll break it down under.
Awesome Atmos in a small package
Finding a small soundbar with impressive Dolby Atmos isn’t always easy. A lot of the more confined options out there skip on Atmos entirely, and some models that have attempted it, like the Majority Elias and Ultimea Nova S50, have struggled to persuade me.
That’s not the case for the Heston 60 though, which – like the Beam Gen 2 – delivers a strong Dolby Atmos performance. While testing for my review, I tuned into The Batman, and in one scene it genuinely sounded as if a swarm of bats flew over my shoulder.
Similarly, a jet flying towards me, and then up and overhead in Top Gun: Maverick was surprisingly true-to-life, and I was seriously impressed with the vertical extension produced by such a compact model. In our Sonos Beam Gen 2 evaluation, we talked about that the soundbar’s command of peak could possibly be higher, so it was unbelievable to see the Heston 60 excel on this space.
Even once I listened to Dolby Atmos mixes by way of Tidal, the soundbar continued to carry out admirably. In fact, you gained’t get the expansiveness of the full-sized Marshall Heston 120, however the cautious separation and positioning of varied devices and the surprisingly spacious impression the soundbar created actually met my excessive expectations.
Even in relation to the audio fundamentals, the Heston 60 nails it. When flicking between TV audio system and the soundbar, dialogue readability went from semi-obscured to ultra-clear and outlined. Bass output may be very stable too – one thing we additionally appreciated in regards to the Beam Gen 2. Explosions erupt with appreciable impression, and low-end heavy scores sound weighty and immersive.
In fact, you gained’t get earth-shaking low-end output from the Heston 60 – it is a small mannequin with a reasonably modest 56W most energy output. However you’ll be able to wirelessly pair it to the Marshall Heston Sub 200, which extends all the way down to 30Hz and supplies extra enveloping, cinematic bass. That is offered individually nevertheless, and prices nearly as a lot because the Heston 60 itself at $599.99 / £429.99 / AU$899.
Anything you can do…
The Heston 60 isn’t only a Beam Gen 2 competitor because of its effective Atmos, though. It also packs a bunch of features that Sonos omitted on its 2021 release.
One key difference is that the Heston 60 supports the DTS:X surround sound format – something Sonos left off the Beam Gen 2 (and even its more recent releases like the Sonos Arc Ultra). So, should you’re somebody that makes use of that codec when viewing 4K UHD Blu-rays, say, you then’ll be higher off with the Heston 60.
I additionally appreciated the extra various set of connectivity choices on the Heston 60. Though it omits an ethernet port – which you get with the Beam Gen 2 – it helps 3.5mm and USB-C, in addition to Bluetooth and RCA Mono. The latter allows you to join a sub as much as your soundbar by way of a wired connection – I tried this with the Heston 120 and it labored like a dream.
Marshall’s soundbar additionally brings Auracast help to the desk, a extra expansive set of EQ choices, and a magnetic management panel for wall mount utilization.
And despite the fact that I like the trendy, smooth type of the Beam Gen 2, the pure class of the Heston 60 is simple. Its enticing golden particulars, woven fret, and fake leather-based end are completely beautiful, and make the soundbar really feel like an actual assertion piece.
Once more, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 continues to be an amazing soundbar. And contemplating it launched again in 2021, it nonetheless greater than holds its personal in opposition to the best Dolby Atmos soundbars. Nonetheless, it is good to see some real competitors within the small-sized class, and its clear that Marshall has cast a really succesful rival within the Heston 60.
The best soundbars for all budgets
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