As the least costly soundbar with Dolby Atmos we have encountered, the Monoprice SB-300 stands out from the competitors. As you’d count on, the Dolby Atmos functionality of the SB-300 is digital, that means there’s not a devoted set of upward-firing drivers however somewhat Digital Signal Processing is utilized to create the phantasm of peak. But though the value is true, digital Atmos has its limitations. Does the SB-300 do sufficient to make it value including to your listening room? Read on to search out out extra.
The SB-300 is 39.4 inches broad, 2.9 inches excessive, and 4.2 inches deep and weighs in at six kilos making it match for mid-sized televisions. The SB-300 is all-black with gently rounded corners for a clear, fashionable look.
An LED show is within the middle of the speaker behind the plastic grille and just under a row of management buttons. Monoprice doesn’t present particulars as to what’s contained in the enclosure, but it surely seems to be dome tweeters on the outer ends with oval-shaped drivers at their inside edges and a pair of ports flanking the LED show.
Amplification is specified as 50 watts for every of the 2 channels. Connectivity features a very shocking three HDMI inputs in whole, one with HDMI eARC help for connection to your TV. There are additionally coaxial and optical digital inputs, a USB connection, Bluetooth, and a 3.5mm analog enter. There isn’t any Wi-Fi or Ethernet functionality, however that is already a surprisingly loaded setup in your cash
The SB-300 comes with a distant, HDMI and three.5mm audio cables, and wall mount {hardware}.
Audio efficiency
I linked the Monoprice SB-300 soundbar to my LG OLED by way of HDMI and located it to be a strong enchancment over the interior audio system. The completely different EQ modes together with film, music, sport, and voice can be found in addition to bass/treble controls. Listening to the information and sitcoms with the voice mode DSP engaged, the SB-300 was extra ahead with vocals, however I discovered the Music mode to be my favourite for many listening because it was fuller bodied whereas sustaining vocal intelligibility.
It might play louder than my tv with out distortion however not almost as loud as a pair of small bookshelf audio system. As I expanded my listening to dramas and procedurals, the SB-300 showcased respectable bass for its measurement, rolling off round 50 Hz. This gives sense of what was happening however if you’re used to a subwoofer, the shortage of bass will nonetheless be noticeable.
Unfortunately, there’s no subwoofer output, so you may’t add one after the very fact. That’s not all that shocking at this worth, but it surely does restrict your choices.
So how does the Monoprice SB-300 carry out with Dolby Atmos? I’ve been watching numerous “Locke and Key” on Netflix and the Dolby Atmos processing did vertically develop the soundstage upward throughout a number of the struggle scenes between the present-day Locke and the Revolutionary War troopers in addition to the scenes with “ghosts” flying above the opposite solid members.
This was in all probability helped by reflections off the drywall ceiling about three to 4 ft above the soundbar. The Atmos impact is far lower than with soundbars with devoted upfiring drivers, such because the Vizio M-Series 5.1.2, which additionally presents a devoted subwoofer and encompass audio system, however you may additionally pay at the very least double for Vizio’s bar.
Competition and comparability
In trying by means of present choices, there have been a few choices that have been aggressive. (See our Soundbars web page for all of the soundbars we’ve reviewed.)
The JBL Bar 2.0 ($129) has 40 watts every for 2 full-range drivers in a barely smaller bundle. Like the Monoprice unit, wi-fi connectivity is proscribed to Bluetooth. The JBL has simulated encompass however no Dolby Atmos or DTS:X capabilities.
Yamaha’s SR-B20A ($199) has built-in three-inch “subwoofers” to go together with the midrange cone and dome tweeters and DTS’ Virtual:X rather than the digital Dolby Atmos discovered within the Monoprice SB-300. Like the opposite two soundbars, its wi-fi connectivity can be Bluetooth solely.
Conclusion
The Monoprice SB-300 presents spectacular options, together with extra connectivity choices than anticipated, and a modicum of digital Dolby Atmos. It will enlarge the soundstage and supply higher efficiency than what you might be getting along with your tv at an important worth.
The SB-300 carried out competently for my tv viewing and background music wants. However, if you’re trying to make use of this soundbar as your essential music or film playback system, and you’ve got the price range, I’d advocate paying a bit extra for one of many higher-end fashions from Monoprice or others.
As the least costly soundbar with Dolby Atmos we have encountered, the Monoprice SB-300 stands out from the competitors. As you’d anticipate, the Dolby Atmos functionality of the SB-300 is digital, which means there’s not a devoted set of upward-firing drivers however quite Digital Signal Processing is utilized to create the phantasm of top. But though the value is true, digital Atmos has its limitations. Does the SB-300 do sufficient to make it price including to your listening room? Read on to seek out out extra.
The SB-300 is 39.4 inches broad, 2.9 inches excessive, and 4.2 inches deep and weighs in at six kilos making it a superb match for mid-sized televisions. The SB-300 is all-black with gently rounded corners for a clear, fashionable look.
An LED show is within the heart of the speaker behind the plastic grille and just under a row of management buttons. Monoprice doesn’t present particulars as to what’s contained in the enclosure, nevertheless it seems to be dome tweeters on the outer ends with oval-shaped drivers at their inside edges and a pair of ports flanking the LED show.
Amplification is specified as 50 watts for every of the 2 channels. Connectivity features a very shocking three HDMI inputs in complete, one with HDMI eARC assist for connection to your TV. There are additionally coaxial and optical digital inputs, a USB connection, Bluetooth, and a 3.5mm analog enter. There is not any Wi-Fi or Ethernet functionality, however that is already a surprisingly loaded setup to your cash
The SB-300 comes with a distant, HDMI and three.5mm audio cables, and wall mount {hardware}.
Audio efficiency
I related the Monoprice SB-300 soundbar to my LG OLED through HDMI and located it to be a strong enchancment over the inner audio system. The totally different EQ modes together with film, music, sport, and voice can be found in addition to bass/treble controls. Listening to the information and sitcoms with the voice mode DSP engaged, the SB-300 was extra ahead with vocals, however I discovered the Music mode to be my favourite for many listening because it was fuller bodied whereas sustaining vocal intelligibility.
It may play louder than my tv with out distortion however not almost as loud as a pair of small bookshelf audio system. As I expanded my listening to dramas and procedurals, the SB-300 showcased respectable bass for its dimension, rolling off round 50 Hz. This offers a superb sense of what was occurring however if you’re used to a subwoofer, the dearth of bass will nonetheless be noticeable.
Unfortunately, there’s no subwoofer output, so you possibly can’t add one after the actual fact. That’s not all that shocking at this value, nevertheless it does restrict your choices.
So how does the Monoprice SB-300 carry out with Dolby Atmos? I’ve been watching a variety of “Locke and Key” on Netflix and the Dolby Atmos processing did vertically develop the soundstage upward throughout a number of the combat scenes between the present-day Locke and the Revolutionary War troopers in addition to the scenes with “ghosts” flying above the opposite solid members.
This was most likely helped by reflections off the drywall ceiling about three to 4 ft above the soundbar. The Atmos impact is way lower than with soundbars with devoted upfiring drivers, such because the Vizio M-Series 5.1.2, which additionally presents a devoted subwoofer and encompass audio system, however you will additionally pay no less than double for Vizio’s bar.
Competition and comparability
In wanting via present choices, there have been a few choices that had been aggressive. (See our Soundbars web page for all of the soundbars we now have reviewed.)
The JBL Bar 2.0 ($129) has 40 watts every for 2 full-range drivers in a barely smaller bundle. Like the Monoprice unit, wi-fi connectivity is restricted to Bluetooth. The JBL has simulated encompass however no Dolby Atmos or DTS:X capabilities.
Yamaha’s SR-B20A ($199) has built-in three-inch “subwoofers” to associate with the midrange cone and dome tweeters and DTS’ Virtual:X instead of the digital Dolby Atmos discovered within the Monoprice SB-300. Like the opposite two soundbars, its wi-fi connectivity can also be Bluetooth solely.
Conclusion
The Monoprice SB-300 presents spectacular options, together with extra connectivity choices than anticipated, and a modicum of digital Dolby Atmos. It will enlarge the soundstage and supply higher efficiency than what you might be getting along with your tv at an amazing value.
The SB-300 carried out competently for my tv viewing and background music wants. However, if you’re wanting to make use of this soundbar as your fundamental music or film playback system, and you’ve got the price range, I’d suggest paying a bit extra for one of many higher-end fashions from Monoprice or others.
The Denon Home Sound Bar 550 ($650) is a lovely, smaller-sized soundbar that simply suits into most rooms. Despite the compact measurement the soundbar is function wealthy and filled with a robust digital sign processing (DSP) system. The built-in HEOS performance additionally permits the 550 to behave as a part of a zoned music system along with its function as a tv soundbar. We put the soundbar to the take a look at, together with trying out its digital spatial audio expertise, to see if it lives as much as its comparatively excessive value level.
High Points
Great connectivity choices
Stylish and trendy design
High-resolution music help
Good sound high quality, particularly with the non-obligatory subwoofer
The 550 shares its industrial design with the remainder of the present Denon Home lineup, a darkish grey fabric overlaying the entrance and sides, rounded corners, and a matte black exterior. A proximity-sensing contact panel on the highest lights up when your hand approaches. Overall, the looks is delicate, elegant, and trendy.
The Sound Bar measures roughly 26 inches large, three inches tall and about 5 inches deep. The chassis seems to be largely plastic however feels stable and weighs in at 7.3 kilos. The 550 comes with a small distant however I believe you’ll find yourself utilizing your tv’s distant and the HEOS App to manage your 550. Under the hood are six lively drivers and two passive radiators.
Denon packs quite a lot of options and know-how within the 550’s comparatively compact chassis. Those Include Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, HEOS multi-room audio, and Amazon Alexa help through onboard microphones. The soundbar can also be Roku TV Ready, which means it’s optimized to work with TVs powered by the Roku TV OS. Unlike the competing Sonos Beam (gen 2), the 550 provides two HDMI ports, one among which provides 4K/HDR video passthrough, and one with HDMI eARC for connection to your TV. Sonos’ cheaper bar provides just one HDMI eARC port so you may’t join an exterior supply machine straight. The 550 additionally helps high-resolution audio as much as 192kHz/24-bit FLAC, WAV, ALAC information, or 5.6MHz DSD audio information.
All the soundbar’s audio system hearth ahead so any of the peak channel sound results for spatial audio codecs like Dolby Atmos are dealt with nearly through a DSP engine. This means it received’t be as immersive as soundbars with devoted upfiring audio system.
If you aren’t conversant in HEOS, it’s Denon’s Sonos-like multi-room audio system that’s integrated in lots of new Denon and Marantz elements in addition to a line of Denon Home audio system. Most Denon Home audio system can be utilized alone or paired with an similar second speaker to type a stereo pair or join a number of audio system all through your own home community.
The Denon Home Sound Bar 550 takes {that a} step additional, capable of join with the Denon Home Subwoofer ($599) in addition to a pair of Denon Home audio system which might be arrange as rear channels, once more, much like Sonos. For this evaluate, I used a pair of Denon Home 150 audio system ($249, every).
The subwoofer has an eight-inch, downward-firing woofer in a clear, black enclosure that measures roughly 13 inches large and deep and simply over fourteen inches tall. The Denon Home 150 is the smallest speaker within the lineup with a 3.5-inch midrange driver and 1-inch tweeter in an enclosure that stands about 5 inches large, 6 inches deep, and eight inches excessive.
Setup and efficiency
I related the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 to my LG OLED through HDMI with eARC. There are additionally Toslink and analog 3.5mm inputs if wanted, however solely the HDMI connection will help Dolby Atmos content material. Network connectivity is on the market through the Ethernet port or dual-band Wi-Fi.
At first, I did my listening with solely the Denon Sound Bar 550 related with out the subwoofer or rear audio system. The Sound Bar 550 was nice with the morning information or dialogue-intensive exhibits, particularly with the dialogue enhancement mode set to low or medium. I discovered the excessive setting to be clear with dialogue however at the price of making the general tonal stability too mid-forward.
In addition to Dialogue Enhancer mode (off, low, medium, and excessive), there’s a Night mode (on or off) and a Sound mode (Stereo, Pure, Dolby and DTS). There is an EQ setting that has changes for Bass and Treble. Watching “Wheelman” on Netflix, the dynamic Atmos soundtrack expanded horizontally a lot additional than the 550’s compact measurement would recommend. But as anticipated, it would not create the identical sense of immersion as you may get with extra superior bars that make use of devoted upfiring drivers, akin to Vizio’s cheaper M-series 5.1.2 soundbar.
Bass and dynamics have been a bit restricted, this was most noticeable as I elevated the quantity. When I bought near most quantity the standard of the sound started to degrade and change into harsh. Then once more, there ought to be little motive for most folk to push the quantity to these ranges.
The subwoofer is modest in measurement, so it was not shaking the room, however after I added it to the system it reproduced sufficient bass to supply weight to the soundtrack to maintain it partaking. I believe including the subwoofer engages a crossover within the 550 as having the subwoofer within the system elevated dynamics and enabled the bar to play louder whereas sustaining its composure.
The subsequent step was including the Denon Home 150s for the rear channels. In watching the chase scene on the finish of “Wheelman” the 150s did an excellent job reproducing the rear results which created a way more enveloping sonic expertise.
I additionally used the 550 and Denon Home Subwoofer mixture to take heed to music. With Laura Marling’s “Only the Strong” from the album Song For Our Daughter (Qobuz, Chrysalis Records) the soundstage expanded barely past the soundbar’s bodily boundaries, and the subwoofer supplied sufficient oomph for the bass on the acoustic soundtrack to maintain it balanced even at increased ranges.
Kicking it up a notch with Dominique Fils-Aimé’s “Rise” from the album anonymous (Qobuz, Ensoul Records), the Denon Home 550 and subwoofer’s soundstage opened up, particularly entrance to again. It did an excellent job of reproducing the vocals however there was some thickening of the bass.
Lastly, the Eagle’s “Hotel California” from the album of the identical title (Tidal, Elektra) was reproduced with a good larger soundstage. Closing my eyes, I may inform the place the artists have been positioned relative to one another however not with the identical solidity as I can with my free-standing speaker programs.
Competition and comparability
In trying by means of present choices, there have been a few choices that have been aggressive. (See our Soundbars web page for all of the soundbars we now have reviewed.)
The Sonos Beam Gen 2 ($449) can be the closest competitor. The Sonos additionally comes with Trueplay, which provides room connection for these with an iPhone (it’s at present not obtainable for Android). These soundbars are comparable in measurement and each can help you add audio system in a encompass setup or for multi-room audio. Sonos additionally provides its bigger and extra succesful Arc soundbar ($849) with upward-firing audio system.
If you are searching for more practical Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersion, you could possibly additionally take a look at the Vizio M-series 5.1.2 soundbar, which provides upfiring drivers and in addition comes with encompass audio system and a subwoofer for a beginning value of round $500. However, it doesn’t supply the advantages of Wi-Fi streaming or the flexibility so as to add and join a number of audio system all through your own home.
Conclusion
The key phrase in Denon Home Sound Bar 550 System is “system.” The Denon Home 550 is extremely versatile in that it may be used alone for a primary set up however may also 0be integrated with encompass audio system and/or a subwoofer, or as a part of a whole-house audio system. The sound high quality is sweet at decrease and reasonably loud volumes however you’ll need to add the Denon Home Subwoofer if you’d like impactful bass response and better quantity playback.
My colleague Mark Henninger actually loved the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 wi-fi headphones, so I used to be fascinated about reviewing the corporate’s latest flagship mannequin, the Px8. I used to be a bit skeptical that this pair of headphones with comparatively comparable seems and specs would justify a $699 price ticket, $300 greater than their siblings. But these on the lookout for top-notch audio efficiency will discover rather a lot to love in B&W’s step-up wi-fi headphones.
Starting with the laborious carrying case, the 2 newest pairs of headphones from B&W seem very comparable, however the Px8 has a leather-based zipper pull tab compared to the material tab on the Px7 S2 case. The interiors are totally different colours, however each safely defend the headphones and supply a compartment for cables. The Px8 seem to interchange a few of the plastic components with aluminum. The Px7 S2’s vegan leather-based can also be changed with Nappa leather-based right here.
The outer faces of the Px8’s earcups have brushed aluminum plates with a brilliant, beveled edge. The Px8 are available tan or black relatively than the Px7 S2’s gray, black, and blue colour choices.
It’s contained in the Px8 the place a very powerful modifications are discovered. While each headphones characteristic angled, 40-millimeter drivers, the Px8’s upgraded drivers are a brand new Carbon Cone materials coupled to an up to date drive system and encompass. Bowers & Wilkins claims this new driver system is vital to the Px8’s improved element.
While many producers declare that every new technology offers enhancements, right here we see particular modifications to again it up. The new cone materials ought to be stiffer than the prior iteration and the bigger drive construction ought to present higher management.
The Px8’s Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) system presents the standard three settings: noise canceling, ambient noise pass-through, and off. The Bowers & Wilkins App which works with each the Px7 and Px8 was up to date to incorporate integration with Tidal, Deezer, Qobuz, TuneIn, NTS music providers. Within the settings, you’ll be able to regulate the ANC mode, the Quick Action button, the sensitivity of the wear and tear sensor, and extra.
Setup and match
Getting going with the Px8 is as simple as you’d anticipate from a pair of flagship headphones. I charged up the batteries with the provided USB-C cable and shortly had 30 hours of battery life at my disposal.
Pairing the Px8 with my iPhone was easy sufficient, and Android units can make the most of Google Fast Pair for even simpler connection. The headphones assist multipoint pairing, which means a second machine will be linked concurrently if you want. You’ll additionally discover a 3.5mm cable for those who want to plug in.
The Px8 are barely heavier than the Px7 S2 at 320 grams / 11.3 ounces, however the padding and match have been comfy on my larger-than-average head, in addition to on my teenage son’s a lot smaller noggin. The left earcup has the Quick Action button which will be configured to activate your voice assistant or toggle ANC modes. The proper earcup has energy, quantity, and multifunction controls in addition to a USB-C port on the underside. There aren’t any contact or swipe controls.
Audio efficiency
Listening to “bury a buddy” from Billie Eilish’s album When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go (Tidal, Interscope) I discovered that Eilish’s vocals have been solidly positioned within the middle of my head, other than the laborious pan results. This observe is crammed with deep, synthesized bass notes which have been highly effective and articulate.
Switching forwards and backwards between the Px8 and the Px7 S2 with this observe and others, the distinction within the decrease frequency replica was noticeable and repeatable. The Px8 prolonged decrease however with extra element and management which appears to vary the tonal stability to decrease the bass presence as in comparison with the Px7 S2. The Px8 nonetheless provide sturdy bass however are tuned to a extra impartial presentation.
Lori Liberman’s model of “Killing Me Softly” from her latest album, Truly (Qobuz, Drive on Records) is about as totally different from Billie Eilish as I may get whereas staying with feminine vocals. This well-recorded album was nicely portrayed on the Px8 with Liberman’s voice, guitar and piano all delicately however firmly positioned.
I seen nearly all the identical nuanced particulars within the Px8 as I discovered once I listened to this piece on my reference stereo system, which at present consists of a PS Audio DirectStream DAC feeding a McIntosh C-500 preamplifier and the amplifier part of a Krell FBI which drives Revel F328Be audio system.
ANC and Ambient Passthrough mode
I blended it up a bit when touring on a current journey to Chicago, making use of all six of the Px8’s microphones for each noise canceling and phone calls. The Px8’s noise canceling was extraordinarily good at suppressing the standard flight noise, however I feel it was only a notch behind the Bose QC45 and Sony WH-1000XM5. The put on sensor labored reliably, pausing the music once I pulled the earcup away to talk with my household.
I discovered the passive isolation to be barely higher with the Px8’s Nappa leather-based ensconced earpads as nicely, making the pass-through mode much more useful once I wanted to listen to the world round me.
Competition and comparability
In wanting by way of present choices, there have been a few choices that have been aggressive. (See our Headphone web page for all of the choices we’ve reviewed.)
The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 ($379) are Bose’s reply for a high-end, luxurious product. They have a contemporary aesthetic and stable construct high quality, and are clearly a good bit cheaper, however the Bowers & Wilkins headphones pull forward with sound high quality. I didn’t get to match noise canceling on these and the Px8 back-to-back however, primarily based upon reminiscence, they’re comparable in effectiveness.
Apple’s Air Pod Max ($549) additionally characteristic premium building and a few of the greatest noise canceling out there. The Apple headphones are greater and heavier however have a wealthy characteristic set, particularly if you’re within the MacOS and/or iOS world.
In comparability to my wired, passive reference headphones from Mr. Speakers Aeon Flor (closed again) or Audeze LCD XC, the Px8 had a narrower soundstage and missed that final little bit of element however these different choices are designed for use in a completely totally different surroundings and with high quality, outboard amplification.
The different headphones I feel can be stiff competitors are Bowers & Wilkins’ personal Px7 S2 ($399). They provide comparable styling and far of the Px8’s efficiency at a considerably cheaper price level.
Conclusion
The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 headphones increase the bar on premium, noise-canceling headphones each in construct and sound high quality. Throughout many listening classes, they offered a full and heat sound whereas nonetheless clearly reproducing particulars that have been smeared or misplaced in lesser headphones.
In comparability to my favourite wired headphones, the Px8 impress me by how a lot efficiency they supply in a smaller, self-contained bundle. Adding wi-fi connectivity and noise-canceling in such a high-performing bundle means that you can convey a little bit of your audio luxurious with you on the highway.
My colleague Mark Henninger actually loved the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 wi-fi headphones, so I used to be eager about reviewing the corporate’s latest flagship mannequin, the Px8. I used to be a bit skeptical that this pair of headphones with comparatively comparable seems to be and specs would justify a $699 price ticket, $300 greater than their siblings. But these on the lookout for top-notch audio efficiency will discover loads to love in B&W’s step-up wi-fi headphones.
Starting with the laborious carrying case, the 2 newest pairs of headphones from B&W seem very comparable, however the Px8 has a leather-based zipper pull tab compared to the material tab on the Px7 S2 case. The interiors are completely different colours, however each safely defend the headphones and supply a compartment for cables. The Px8 seem to interchange a number of the plastic elements with aluminum. The Px7 S2’s vegan leather-based can also be changed with Nappa leather-based right here.
The outer faces of the Px8’s earcups have brushed aluminum plates with a vibrant, beveled edge. The Px8 are available in tan or black quite than the Px7 S2’s gray, black, and blue coloration choices.
It’s contained in the Px8 the place crucial modifications are discovered. While each headphones characteristic angled, 40-millimeter drivers, the Px8’s upgraded drivers are a brand new Carbon Cone materials coupled to an up to date drive system and encompass. Bowers & Wilkins claims this new driver system is vital to the Px8’s improved element.
While many producers declare that every new technology supplies enhancements, right here we see particular modifications to again it up. The new cone materials ought to be stiffer than the prior iteration and the bigger drive construction ought to present higher management.
The Px8’s Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) system provides the standard three settings: noise canceling, ambient noise pass-through, and off. The Bowers & Wilkins App which works with each the Px7 and Px8 was up to date to incorporate integration with Tidal, Deezer, Qobuz, TuneIn, NTS music providers. Within the settings, you possibly can modify the ANC mode, the Quick Action button, the sensitivity of the damage sensor, and extra.
Setup and match
Getting going with the Px8 is as simple as you’d count on from a pair of flagship headphones. I charged up the batteries with the equipped USB-C cable and shortly had 30 hours of battery life at my disposal.
Pairing the Px8 with my iPhone was easy sufficient, and Android units can make the most of Google Fast Pair for even simpler connection. The headphones help multipoint pairing, that means a second system will be linked concurrently if you want. You’ll additionally discover a 3.5mm cable if you happen to favor to plug in.
The Px8 are barely heavier than the Px7 S2 at 320 grams / 11.3 ounces, however the padding and match had been comfy on my larger-than-average head, in addition to on my teenage son’s a lot smaller noggin. The left earcup has the Quick Action button which will be configured to activate your voice assistant or toggle ANC modes. The proper earcup has energy, quantity, and multifunction controls in addition to a USB-C port on the underside. There aren’t any contact or swipe controls.
Audio efficiency
Listening to “bury a pal” from Billie Eilish’s album When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go (Tidal, Interscope) I discovered that Eilish’s vocals had been solidly positioned within the heart of my head, aside from the laborious pan results. This monitor is full of deep, synthesized bass notes which had been highly effective and articulate.
Switching backwards and forwards between the Px8 and the Px7 S2 with this monitor and others, the distinction within the decrease frequency replica was noticeable and repeatable. The Px8 prolonged decrease however with extra element and management which appears to alter the tonal steadiness to decrease the bass presence as in comparison with the Px7 S2. The Px8 nonetheless supply sturdy bass however are tuned to a extra impartial presentation.
Lori Liberman’s model of “Killing Me Softly” from her latest album, Truly (Qobuz, Drive on Records) is about as completely different from Billie Eilish as I may get whereas staying with feminine vocals. This well-recorded album was effectively portrayed on the Px8 with Liberman’s voice, guitar and piano all delicately however firmly positioned.
I observed nearly all the identical nuanced particulars within the Px8 as I discovered once I listened to this piece on my reference stereo system, which presently consists of a PS Audio DirectStream DAC feeding a McIntosh C-500 preamplifier and the amplifier part of a Krell FBI which drives Revel F328Be audio system.
ANC and Ambient Passthrough mode
I blended it up a bit when touring on a latest journey to Chicago, making use of all six of the Px8’s microphones for each noise canceling and phone calls. The Px8’s noise canceling was extraordinarily good at suppressing the standard flight noise, however I believe it was only a notch behind the Bose QC45 and Sony WH-1000XM5. The put on sensor labored reliably, pausing the music once I pulled the earcup away to talk with my household.
I discovered the passive isolation to be barely higher with the Px8’s Nappa leather-based ensconced earpads as effectively, making the pass-through mode much more useful once I wanted to listen to the world round me.
Competition and comparability
In wanting by present choices, there have been a few choices that had been aggressive. (See our Headphone web page for all of the choices we now have reviewed.)
The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 ($379) are Bose’s reply for a high-end, luxurious product. They have a contemporary aesthetic and strong construct high quality, and are clearly a good bit cheaper, however the Bowers & Wilkins headphones pull forward with sound high quality. I didn’t get to match noise canceling on these and the Px8 back-to-back however, based mostly upon reminiscence, they’re comparable in effectiveness.
Apple’s Air Pod Max ($549) additionally characteristic premium building and a number of the greatest noise canceling obtainable. The Apple headphones are greater and heavier however have a wealthy characteristic set, particularly if you’re within the MacOS and/or iOS world.
In comparability to my wired, passive reference headphones from Mr. Speakers Aeon Flor (closed again) or Audeze LCD XC, the Px8 had a narrower soundstage and missed that final little bit of element however these different choices are designed for use in a very completely different surroundings and with high quality, outboard amplification.
The different headphones I believe shall be stiff competitors are Bowers & Wilkins’ personal Px7 S2 ($399). They supply comparable styling and far of the Px8’s efficiency at a considerably cheaper price level.
Conclusion
The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 headphones elevate the bar on premium, noise-canceling headphones each in construct and sound high quality. Throughout many listening classes, they offered a full and heat sound whereas nonetheless clearly reproducing particulars that had been smeared or misplaced in lesser headphones.
In comparability to my favourite wired headphones, the Px8 impress me by how a lot efficiency they supply in a smaller, self-contained bundle. Adding wi-fi connectivity and noise-canceling in such a high-performing bundle means that you can deliver a little bit of your audio luxurious with you on the highway.
Cleer’s new Crescent wireless smart speaker looks more like a piece of art than an electronic accessory – making it fit seamlessly with most home decor.
Focal’s Kanta series speakers are full of trickle-down tech from the company’s Utopia and Sopra series and feature beautiful cabinets at a fraction of the price.
The current Denon Home wireless speaker lineup replaces the second generation HEOS speakers in the Denon lineup. The name “Denon Home” is a break from the previous HEOS brand, but the HEOS technology platform remains in place despite the rebranding. The incorporation of the HEOS platform enables all the new speakers, older HEOS speakers, and HEOS-enabled receivers to work together in a multi-room system regardless of generation.
When I first saw the new lineup, my first assumption was that a fresh coat of paint had been applied to the second generation HEOS speakers we reviewed a few years ago. Once I had my hands on the speakers, though, it quickly became apparent that they were new products from the ground up. In a discussion with Denon’s Paul Belanger, Category Director for Denon Home, he walked me through the feature set of the current lineup. All of the new speakers benefit from a much more powerful DSP. The prior HEOS speakers all used a fourth-generation processor, but the current Denon Home 150, 250, and 350 employ a sixth-generation chip – the same used in more complex soundbar products – which provides higher-level decoding and processing than previously available.
The Denon Home 350 also has newly designed drivers, more power, and increased cabinet volume compared to the speaker it effectively replaces, the HEOS 7. Similar upgrades can be found across the lineup.
All of the new speakers support AirPlay® 2, Bluetooth, and dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity and are high-resolution audio capable, with the ability to play MP3, WMA, ALAC, WAV, FLAC, and AAC files up to 192 kHz/24-bit resolution as well as DSD 2.8 and 5.6 MHz files. Support for AIFF was previously reported as being “on the way,” but that was quite a while ago. Finally, HEOS integrates with most major streaming services, including Tidal, Spotify, Pandora, Tidal, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music HD, TuneIn, and more. And if wireless connectivity doesn’t meet all your needs, there are also USB, 3.5mm analog, and Ethernet connections. Music from the physical inputs can be played on any HEOS-enabled device on the network.
My review system is comprised of a pair of Home 250 speakers and a single Home 350. I compared the Home 350 to the HEOS 7, as they are both the biggest speakers in their respective lineups, and the first thing I noticed was the more conservative styling of the 350. The futuristic, untraditional shapes of the original HEOS series have been replaced with a clean and modern aesthetic that is also more timeless. The Denon Home lineup comes in a black or white with coordinated light or dark cloth grilles. The rectangular speakers have rounded vertical edges at the transition to the side panels, and there is a small status light on the bottom center of the front panel and a connection panel at the bottom of the back side.
Something I really liked is the touch panel on the top, which features a proximity sensor that lights up when your hand approaches. It’s not only easy on the eyes, but also provides access to basic controls and quick-select buttons. The latter are new to the current generation and provide instant access to user-selectable favorites.
The Home 350 lost the HEOS 7’s headphone jack, but the entire lineup also lost the power bricks and wall warts in favor of simple power cords, so that’s a feature tradeoff I was happy to accept. The Home 350 has six drivers, each with its own Class-D amplifier. The smaller Home 250 has four drivers powered by Class-D amps, as well as a passive radiator.
Amazon Alexa should be enabled via a firmware update by the time you read this article, with Google Assistant potentially coming in the future. I personally do not want active microphones all over my house, but thankfully, the active microphone is opt-in rather than opt-out, something Amazon could learn from.
Setting Up the Denon Home Speakers
The speakers arrived securely packed in full-color retail boxes with easy-to-follow instructions tucked inside. I had the speakers unpacked and plugged in about to the time it took me to type this sentence. I used the HEOS app on my iPhone to get all the speakers connected to my pre-existing HEOS account in just a few minutes. A few more minutes for updates to download and install and I was ready to go.
If you don’t already have a HEOS account, it only takes a few minutes to set up, and it’s free. The account saves your settings, preferences, music service logins, favorites, and playlists. One new feature that impacts setup is a “Speaker Placement” setting that allows for one of three equalization options to be selected: open space, next to one wall or shelf, or next to two walls. For those of you who are not familiar with room acoustics, speaker placement relative to walls can impact tonal balance. Typically, placing a speaker near a wall can reinforce bass, and corner placement can further emphasize bass response. It is a bit more complex than this, but Denon’s equalization settings help to optimize the sound in any location. While sticking with the Denon equalization options will provide more consistent sound regardless of placement, I would encourage you to try the different equalization options to find the sound profile you prefer.
How Do the New Denon Home Speakers Sound?
I started my critical listening as simply as possible: with a single Home 250 on a countertop, away from any walls, and with the open-space EQ setting. The Home 250 is in between the HEOS 3 and 7 speakers I already owned, but similar in size to an early generation Sonos Play:3. The Home 250 can play louder than any of them except for the HEOS 7 speaker, but what impressed me more was the quality of the sound. It’s more detailed and better balanced than either of the prior generation HEOS speakers or the admittedly much-older Sonos unit.
Listening to Chris Stapleton’s “What Are You Listening To?” (Tidal, Mercury Nashville) the vocals and guitar were well balanced, with enough detail to pick up the layering of the main and backup vocals. When I connected a second Denon Home 250, the soundstage evolved from a vaguely defined amorphous area to one with better defined boundaries and with more specific positioning of the individual sound elements within.
These improvements were all the more apparent when I played one of my favorite tracks for evaluating soundstage: “Bird on a Wire” by Jennifer Warnes from her album Famous Blue Raincoat (Tidal, Cypress Records). This well-recorded track will render a very precise soundstage, with each instrument in its own spot when played back on a good stereo system. The single Denon Home 250 provided a general idea of where the artists were arranged from left to right, but adding the second unit provided not only increased lateral definition, but also depth.
I replayed these same tracks through the Denon Home 350, which provided more bass, which translated into more weight and impact in the drums and bass guitar. The midrange area also sounded better-defined, especially on guitar and vocals. Warnes’ voice had more body, and I could make out slightly more detail than with even a pair of 250s. That said, if you are into electronic dance music or other bass heavy material, you will likely want to add the optional subwoofer to any of the Denon Home speakers. Whether it is the drums from the Eagles’ “Hotel California” or the synthesized bass line from one of Billie Eilish’s tracks, the Denon Home speakers did a good job conveying what was happening and even provided some mid-bass impact in a moderately sized (twelve by 17 foot) room, but could not reproduce the deeper, foundational bass notes.
There was no surprise that the larger and more powerful 350 could play significantly louder and deeper than the 250 before the compression circuitry kicked in. The DSP controlling the compression circuitry did a good job protecting the speakers without being too obtrusive, in that it gently increased compression as the volume was increased. This prevented the harsh distortion of an overdriven driver or amplifier, while also minimizing the intrusion on the music.
The Downside
I would like to see the platform support more file formats (AIFF) and services (such as Qobuz and Roon) that are favored in the audiophile community. As of now, Qobuz and Roon are supported only via AirPlay.
Lastly, I encountered some connectivity problems in which the app said it could not connect to my device and recommended closing all the other apps running on my device. This happened infrequently, and was relatively easy to clear, but was annoying nonetheless. I am hoping the next app update will address this.
How Does Denon Home Compare to the Competition?
The are several competing wireless speaker ecosystems that provide similar options, the most obvious being Sonos. Sonos offers a wider variety of speaker options including a battery-powered portable model.
Where Denon Home pulls ahead is with its integration with current Denon and Marantz receivers and the multi-zone Link source and amplification units, providing unmatched scalability options within its own ecosystem.
Bowers & Wilkins’ Formation is another wireless system that, like Sonos and Denon Home, features powered speakers and source unit options. My limited experience with the B&W Formation system left me impressed with both the audio performance and build quality. While the B&W units are not directly comparable to the others, expect to spend more for a similarly scaled B&W system.
Final Thoughts
The Denon Home 250 and 350 are extremely easy to use and provide sound quality that is noticeably improved from prior generations. The quick select buttons addressed one of my pet peeves, not just with previous HEOS speakers, but with the entire category. With most wireless speakers, you need your phone (or another device) to play music, but with the quick select buttons you can immediately access one of your favorite sources.
The scalability of the HEOS ecosystem means you can use a single speaker, a pair of speakers for better imaging, or integrate with speakers and components throughout your home or office. While the number of Denon Home speaker options is relatively limited, the HEOS ecosystem provides numerous options to listen to music from your library, a favorite streaming service, or off of a guest’s phone.
Would I replace my two-channel rig with a Denon Home speaker (or a pair of them)? No, but I don’t expect a sub-$1,000 speaker to compete with a system in the mid-five-figure range. That said, I have spent more time listening to the Denon Home speakers than my reference rig, since they’re simple and easy to move, while providing ready access to just about anything I want to listen to, where and when I want listen.
