Marshall started out as a builder of stage guitar amplifiers. However, the brand has been used for a while now to stick on wireless headphones and speakers. The latest to bear the Marshall brand is a 5.1.2 channel soundbar called the Heston 120 that supports Dolby Atmos and DTX.
The Marshall Heston 120 has eleven drivers on board, each powered by a separate class D amplifier (2 x 50 Watt + 9 x 30 Watt), and should offer a wide sound under a television. Marshall said it was important that music should also sound good through the soundbar. Soundbars sometimes produce a bit too much bass, so that the rumbling sounds of films and series sound impressive. That works less well for music, for which a more neutral setting is usually better. Marshall has therefore brought in specially trained people especially to achieve this goal, also with experience in the automotive industry where music is of course also important.
One of the solutions Marshall has come up with is simple: just like the speakers, this soundbar is also equipped with the characteristic copper-colored buttons that can also be found on Marshall’s stage amplifiers. In addition to a volume knob, there is also a button to adjust the bass and treble and a push button to switch between modes for music, film, speech and a night mode that dampens loud sounds. For these basic settings, no app is needed.
Marshall also wanted to deliver a lot of value for the Heston 120. According to the manufacturer, development took a close look at higher-end competitors like the Sonos Arc Ultra and soundbars and speakers from Sennheiser, Sony and Devialet. “They’re a lot more expensive, but we really wanted to match them and I think in most areas we do, despite the price difference,” Rosell said. “We have a lot of respect for Sonos, especially for how they’ve managed to push the lower frequencies without having something huge in size. But we think the Heston 120 can match that and in some ways even better it. I think the bass performance we’ve got in the Heston is going to surprise people.”
Marshall also wanted to offer a total solution, also to keep it simple for the user. The Heston 120 could very well be used as a standalone, however, many soundbars are part of a larger system with rear speakers and a separate subwoofer. The Heston 120 will also be joined later this year by a wireless subwoofer Heston Sub 200 and a smaller soundbar Heston 60. Satellite speakers will also be added to the portfolio. In addition, the Heston 120 will support rear speakers from other brands via Bluetooth LE and Auracast.
Connectivity includes Bluetooth LE Audio (with Auracast), Ethernet (RJ45), WiFi 6, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and HDMI eARC with passthrough. There’s also an analogue RCA input for connecting a CD player or other source device.
Marshall Heston 120: price and delivery information
The Marshall Heston 120 is available from today for just under 1,000 euros, of course only in the characteristic Marshall black with copper accents. Marshall can optionally supply a wall bracket for the Heston 120.
