Marshall Heston 120 Review: Premium Style, Restrained Sound

Under the aboveground are 11 individually powered speakers, including 2 five-inch woofers, 2 midrange drivers, 2 tweeters, and 5 “full-range” drivers. The postulation includes some side-firing and upfiring drivers to bounce dependable disconnected your walls and ceiling for situation dependable and 3D audio formats similar Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

Around back, you’ll find coagulated connectivity, including HDMI eARC/ARC for seamless transportation to modern TVs, an HDMI passthrough larboard for connecting a streamer oregon gaming console, Ethernet, RCA analog transportation for a bequest instrumentality similar a turntable, and a accepted subwoofer that lets you side-step Marshall’s disposable wireless sub. There’s nary optical port, but since optical doesn’t enactment Dolby Atmos oregon DTS:X spatial audio, that's benignant of a moot point.

Setup is beauteous simple, but the bar’s hefty size adds immoderate complications. At 3 inches tall, it’s a pugnacious acceptable beneath galore TVs. Conversely, the rubber feet that diffuse its 43-inch agelong framework from your console connection astir zero clearance astatine the sides and, dissimilar bars similar Sony’s Bravia Theater 9 oregon System 6, there’s nary mode to widen it. That makes it pugnacious to acceptable the barroom down decently with each but the thinnest pedestal TV stands, which are becoming communal adjacent successful inexpensive TVs. All that to say, there’s a bully accidental you’ll request to equine your TV to usage the Heston.

Like the Sonos Arc Ultra, there’s nary remote, meaning adjusting settings chiefly relies connected the Marshall app. The app is comparatively stable, but it froze up during a firmware update for me, and it usually takes a portion to link erstwhile archetypal opened. Those are insignificant quibbles, and your TV distant should service arsenic your main power for powerfulness and volume.

Wi-Fi transportation unlocks euphony streaming via Google Cast, AirPlay, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, and net vigor stations, with Bluetooth 5.3 arsenic a backup. Automated calibration tunes the dependable to your country (complete with amusive guitar tones), and in-app controls similar a multi-band EQ supply much in-depth options than the carnal knobs.

Premium Touch

The Heston 120’s dependable illustration impressed from the archetypal video I switched on, which happened to beryllium an occurrence of Bob’s Burgers. The barroom instantly showcased a consciousness of clarity, openness, and wide explanation that’s uncommon adjacent from large players successful the space.