Marshall’s latest sound systems are making me reconsider splurging on Bose

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Marshall debuts the Heston 60 compact soundbar and Sub 200 external subwoofer.
• The Heston 60 features spatial audio formats, wireless audio streaming, and an array of Bluetooth audio codecs.
• Both products are on preorder, with availability on Sept. 23.

In June, Marshall released its first home audio product, the Heston 120 soundbar, promising consumers that more products in the Heston lineup were on the way. Now, Marshall’s lineup includes the $700 compact Heston 60 soundbar and the $600 Sub 200 external subwoofer. 

Also: Marshall’s first soundbar rocks as a mainstream alternative – here’s my take

Marshall’s Heston 120 was an exceptional home audio debut, easily competing with our favorite standalone soundbar from Sonos, the Arc Ultra. Marshall’s compact Heston 60 and flagship external subwoofer aim to solidify the brand’s position in the modular home audio market, offering consumers more products to fit their space.

Heston 60 

The Heston 60 is a compact soundbar compared to the larger, flagship Heston 120. It has seven Class D amplifiers, two three-inch onboard woofers, and five one-and-one-quarter-inch full-range drivers. Like the Heston 120, the Heston 60 features Dolby Atmos and DTS:X spatial audio formats. It supports Bluetooth with Auracast, and Wi-Fi 6 for Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, and Tidal Connect wireless streaming.

Also: JBL’s newest speaker ushers in a new price category, appealing to broader consumer needs

The Heston 60 doesn’t support as many wired audio playback options as the Heston 120, but still includes HDMI eARC, Aux in, Sub out, and USB-C. However, Marshall continues to commit to appealing to music lovers, offering an array of compatible audio codecs, including ALAC, FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, WMA9, and more. 

The Heston 60 holds the same distinctive Marshall design elements as the Heston 120, including knurled knobs for tactile controls to resemble the company’s iconic amps, polyurethane leather finishes, and a woven salt-and-pepper fret. 

Also: Google may finally launch a new Home speaker after 5 years – here’s the clue

Unlike the Heston 120, the Heston 60 comes with wall gromets for mounting, and the soundbar’s “Marshall” logo is magnetic and removable to favor the user’s preferred orientation. According to Marshall, the Heston 60 has waveguides, a speaker structure meant to control sound direction and reduce distortion, to preserve the soundbar’s audio performance regardless of its position. 

Sub 200

The Sub 200 is Marshall’s first external subwoofer, offering customers additional bass to complement their soundbar. Instead of Wi-Fi, it uses Bluetooth 5.3 LE wireless connectivity. Inside the casing are two, five-and-one-quarter-inch woofers and two Class D amplifiers. The subwoofer’s custom presets, audio modes, and room calibration controls are housed in the Marshall app, where users can also access their Marshall soundbar’s settings and controls. 

Also: I did not expect this Marshall speaker to rival pricier Bose and Sonos models like this

The Sub 200 abides by Marshall’s design characteristics, defined by physical knob controls and grungy, rocker-inspired aesthetics. According to Marshall, the Heston 120 and Sub 200 are self-repairable, with replaceable parts including the Heston 60’s fret, end-caps, drivers, and circuit boards, and the Sub 200’s fret, feet, drivers, and circuit boards. However, Marshall has not yet disclosed how much spare parts will cost.

The Marshall Heston 60 and Sub 200 are available for preorder on Marshall’s website. They will be available in full on Sept. 23 and at select retailers on Sept. 30. Both products are available in Black and Cream.

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