Marshall Heston 120 review: Excellent style, restrained sound

Beneath the surface are 11 individually driven speakers, including two 5-inch woofers, two midrange drivers, two tweeters, and five “full-range” woofers. The kit includes side drivers and loudspeakers to bounce sound off walls and ceiling for surround sound and 3D audio formats such as Dolby Atmos And datas:X.

On the back, you’ll find robust connectivity, including HDMI eARC/ARC for seamless connection to modern TVs, an HDMI passthrough port for connecting a streaming device or gaming console, Ethernet, an analog RCA connection for an older device like a turntable, and a traditional subwoofer that lets you side step Wireless sub marshall available. There’s no optical port, but since the optical doesn’t support Dolby Atmos or DTS:X spatial audio, that’s kind of a moot point.

Setup is pretty simple, but the huge size of the bar adds some complexity. It is three inches long and fits perfectly on many TVs. Conversely, the rubber feet that spread its 43-inch frame from your console provide almost zero clearance on the sides, and unlike rails like Sony’s Bravia Theater 9 or… System 6and there is no way to extend it. This makes it difficult to adjust the bar properly with all but the thinnest TV stands, which have become common even in Cheap TVs. After all, there’s a good chance you’ll need to mount your own TV to use the Heston device.

like Sonos Arc Ultrathere is no remote control, which means that adjusting the settings depends mainly on the Marshall app. The app is relatively stable, but it stuck during a firmware update for me, and it usually takes a while to connect when I first open it. These are minor quibbles, and your TV remote should serve as your main power and volume control.

Wi-Fi connectivity opens up the ability to stream music via Google Cast, AirPlay, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, and Internet radio stations, with Bluetooth 5.3 as a backup. Automatic calibration adjusts the sound to your room (with fun guitar tones), and in-app controls like multi-band EQ provide deeper options than physical knobs.

A special touch

Photography: Ryan Wanyata

Heston’s audio file 120 liked the first video I played, which was an episode of Bob’s Burger. The tape immediately displayed a sense of clarity, openness and overall definition that is uncommon even from major players in the field.