The Sonos Beam Gen 2 has been the best Dolby Atmos soundbar money can buy for a while now. Although it is compact, it produces a surprisingly wide soundstage with full and very clear sound, excellent codec support and an elegant appearance.
But recently I got the chance to test a new little Dolby Atmos soundbar, which comes from a relatively small dwarf in the home theater world.
That’s right, I’m talking about the new Marshall Heston 60. Like the Sonos Beam Gen 2, the Marshall model is just over 2 feet wide, making it ideal for those working with smaller TVs or limited space. In some areas I would consider the Heston 60 even better compared to the Beam Gen 2. But what makes it so special? I’ll break it down below.
Good vibes in a small package.
The Marshall Heston Sub 200 shown on the left can be connected wirelessly to the Heston 60 via the Marshall app.
Finding a small soundbar with impressive Dolby Atmos isn’t always easy. Most of the more limited options forgo Atmos altogether, and some models that tried it, like the Majority Elias and the Ultimea Nova S50, struggled to convince me.
However, this is not the case with the Heston 60, which, like the Beam Gen 2, offers solid Dolby Atmos performance. When I tested my review I heard it the babysitterand in one scene it looked like a swarm of bats flew over my shoulder.
Similarly, a plane flies towards me and then flies over me Top Gun: Maverick It was surprisingly realistic and I was very impressed with the vertical expansion that such a compact model allowed. In our review of the Sonos Beam Gen 2, we said that the height control on the soundbar could be better. It was great to see the Heston 60 excelling in this area.
Even when listening to Dolby Atmos mixes via Tidal, the soundbar still performed well. Of course, you don’t have the space of the full-sized Marshall Heston 120, but the careful separation and placement of the various instruments and the surprisingly spacious impression that the soundbar creates certainly lived up to my expectations.
Even when it comes to basic sound, the Heston 60 is a success. Switching from the TV speakers to the soundbar took the clarity of the dialogue from semi-dark to ultra-bright and clear. The bass response is also very solid, which we also appreciated on the Beam Gen 2. The explosions resonate with great force and the heavy bass sounds powerful and ghostly.
Of course, you won’t get incredible bass performance with the Heston 60; it is a small model with a rather modest maximum power of 56W. However, you can pair it wirelessly with the Marshall Heston Sub 200, which drops down to 30Hz for fuller, theater-worthy bass. However, this is sold separately and costs almost as much as the Heston 60 itself, at $599.99 / £429.99 / AU$899.
The only thing you can do…
The control panel (and the Marshall logo) are magnetic, allowing you to optimize its position for traditional or wall-mounted positions.
However, the Heston 60 does not only compete with the Beam Gen 2 because of its effective Atmos. It also offers a number of features that Sonos left out in its 2021 version.
One of the biggest differences is that the Heston 60 supports the DTS:X surround sound format, something Sonos left out in the Beam Gen 2 (and also in newer releases like the Sonos Arc Ultra). For example, if you use this codec when watching 4K UHD Blu-rays, you’ll be better off with Heston 60.
I also like the Heston 60’s more variety of connectivity options. While it doesn’t have an Ethernet port, which the Beam Gen 2 does, it does support 3.5mm and USB-C, as well as Bluetooth and RCA Mono. The latter allows you to connect a subwoofer to the soundbar via a wired connection; I tried this with the Heston 120 and it worked well.
The Marshall soundbar also offers Auracast compatibility, an expanded range of equalizer options and a magnetic wall-mounted control panel.
And while I love the sleek, modern styling of the Beam Gen 2, there’s no denying the sheer class of the Heston 60. The beautiful gold accents, woven band and faux leather finish are absolutely beautiful and make the soundbar look like a real statement.
Again, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 is still an excellent soundbar. And with a 2021 release, it continues to hold its own when it comes to the best Dolby Atmos soundbars. However, it is good to see real competition in the small model category and it is clear that Marshall has created a very capable rival with the Heston 60.
