Marshall’s compact soundbar isn’t just a pretty face — I tested it and it feels like a genuine threat to the Sonos ecosystem

Size isn’t everything, and one should never underestimate how powerful a compact soundbar can really be. Just look at the Marshall Heston 60. Marshall’s second-ever soundbar is a joy to not only look at, but to listen to as well. Featuring Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, it creates spacious, immersive soundscapes. And even without the optional subwoofer, bass response is nothing short of outstanding.

With plenty of wired and wireless connectivity options available and a user-friendly companion app to boot, the Heston 60 is a masterclass in compact soundbars. It takes the fight to Sonos and Bose and emerges victorious. While there’s no physical remote included and it’s a little on the pricey side in the U.S., it’s worth the premium.

To find out if this is the best soundbar for you, read my full Marshall Heston 60 review.

Marshall Heston 60 review: Specs

Marshall Heston 60 review: Price & availability

The Marshall Heston 60 is one of the British brand’s two soundbars, and the little sibling of the Marshall Heston 120 ($999). It retails for $699 at Amazon U.S. / £499 at Argos U.K., meaning it’s a mid-range soundbar. It comes in either Black or Cream, and you also have the option to buy the optional Heston Sub 200 for $599 / £429 if you want more ground-shaking bass.

As a Dolby Atmos soundbar with DTS:X support, the Heston 60 finds itself competing with the likes of the Sony HT-S2000 ($499), but the Sony is nowhere near as compact. The Heston 60’s most notable opponents, then, are the Sonos Beam Gen 2 ($449) and the Bose Smart Soundbar ($499). All three are competent soundbars, but the Heston 60, in my opinion, offers more bang for your buck than the Bose, and is on-par with the Sonos. It’s a bit on the pricey side in the U.S. but if you want a classy compact soundbar, it’s worth the spend.

Marshall Heston 60 review: Design & features

• Wall-mountable and ideal for small and large TVs
• Plenty of connectivity options
• Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support for immersive sound

Marshall knows how to make a good-looking product. We’ve seen it with the Middleton II, the Monitor III, and the Bromley 750, and now with the Heston 60. It maintains a low-profile, classy design with gold accents and amp-like tactile controls. The Heston 60 measures 28.74 x 4.88 x 2.68 inches, so it’s great for small living spaces. It also weighs 6.08lbs so it’s light enough to move around as needed.

All the buttons are well-laid out and signposted, so you should have no issues getting to grips with them. They give tactile feedback when pressed. Alongside its good looks, the soundbar is built extremely well and feels premium.

My favorite design feature is the magnetic Marshall logo, which you can attach to any part of the soundbar, so you can optimize the look for wall-mounted use if you want.

Connectivity & setting up

There’s no dearth of connectivity options on the Heston 60. Around the back, you’ll find an HDMI eARC alongside 3.5mm aux in, RCA mono (sub out) and USB-C ports. Setting the soundbar up couldn’t be easier, as all you need to do is plug it into your TV and start watching your favorite movies and TV shows.

For wireless fans, you also get Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6, enabling you to play music over AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect. This gives the Heston 60 a leg-up over the Sony HT-S2000 which doesn’t support music streaming using Wi-Fi.

Image 1 of 2

It’s important to note that, like the Sonos Beam Gen 2, the Heston 60 doesn’t come with a physical remote — both lose here to the HT-S2000. Instead, you download the Marshall app on your smartphone to customize and control the soundbar, just like you would via a remote.

The app is extremely user-friendly and sports a clean interface. Pairing it with the soundbar takes seconds, and once you’re set up, you can customize the equalizer, swap between sources, calibrate it according to the room it’s in, and more. If you already use Marshall gear, chances are you'll be using the app already. This'll doubtless be an issue for some, but ask yourself: do you really need another remote to lose in your couch’s crevices?

Features

The Heston 60 packs Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, for immersive, spacious soundscapes. The latter places sounds precisely around or above you, making you feel like you’re at the movies. DTS:X compatibility is missing from the Sonos Beam Gen 2, which makes the Heston 60 a more attractive option for cinephiles.

The Heston 60 is well-endowed, too, as this 5.1 soundbar is powered by two 25W and five 5W Class D amplifiers which help it produce a maximum power output of 56W — 14W more than the bigger Sony HT-S2000. The soundbar covers a frequency response range of 45Hz to 20KHz but if you want some extension below the 45Hz mark, I’d recommend grabbing the aforementioned Heston Sub 200. But even without the sub, the Heston 60 boasts powerful bass response.

One thing missing from the Heston 60 is voice assistant support, which means you can’t just ask it to do something with your words alone. This is something that I haven’t seen on the Sony HT-S2000 either, but is present on the Bose Smart Soundbar and the Sonos Beam 2nd Gen. Not a dealbreaker for me, personally, but something to consider before you buy.

Marshall Heston 60 review: Performance

• Crisp and clear dialogues
• Consistent Dolby Atmos performance
• Powerful bass even without subwoofer

To test the Marshall Heston 60, I watched a variety of movies and TV shows, and listened to music. In all three areas, it performed formidably, exceeding my expectations of what a compact soundbar is capable of.

Movies

I kicked things off by watching ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ on 4K UHD Blu-Ray. In the opening scene, the bass sounded peerless through the Heston 60. For a compact soundbar, the bass felt room-filling. Kenny Loggins’ ‘Danger Zone,’ which soundtracks the opening scene of fighter jets taking off, sounded just as it would through a pair of high-end headphones, and it wasn’t too loud that it overwhelmed the bassiness of the metal clinking and ropes whooshing.

I then watched the final mission sequence and the Dolby Atmos performed beautifully here. The sound of missiles leaving the jets was highly detailed, and the human grunts through the pilot’s oxygen mask sounded just as clear — and I could feel the anxiety of the ground engineers. I felt like the jets were flying right overhead, which made for an immersive experience. The balance between high-frequency sounds and the low-end impact was thoroughly enjoyable. The bass felt expansive and bigger than you’d expect of a soundbar this size.

The Heston 60 features four different modes: Music, Movie, Night and Voice. The above testing was conducted with the Movie mode enabled, and I then swapped to Voice mode to see how well dialogues were enhanced in ‘F1: The Movie.’ I was genuinely impressed with the separation of voices, when the commentators were chatting with each other and drivers were communicating with engineers in the pit lane. Even though the bass was reduced in this mode, the low rumbling of the cars provided a good backbone. The sound of tires burning on the tarmac and raindrops falling on the track was also discernible.

It’s important to note that unlike the Sony HT-S2000 with its S-Force Pro Front Surround, the Heston 60 doesn’t create a virtual wraparound effect, so it doesn’t feel like sounds are bouncing off the walls. While it isn’t as immersive, it’s still excellent, and isn’t a dealbreaker, especially for a soundbar this dinky.

TV

Not everyone has access to Blu-rays, so it’s important to evaluate the Heston 60’s performance with non-4K UHD TV. I watched a few episodes of ‘Agatha All Along’ on Disney+ . Vocal clarity was exceptional through the soundbar, with clear sibilance and plosives, and even when there were multiple characters speaking at the same time, I could hear each voice clearly. Voices didn’t bleed into one another either.

I also found the balance between spoken dialogue and the backing soundtrack and ambient sounds to be outstanding. The bass engulfed the area around the TV and the couch I was sitting on, and gave the show a great backbone. Spine-chilling scenes, like when the Salem Seven are descending upon Agatha’s house in episode two, felt terrifying, as their shrieks worked harmoniously with the bass to deliver a horror-esque soundscape. I appreciated the fact that the high-pitched screams in the treble didn’t pierce either.

Music

I listened to music over Wi-Fi and on Qobuz, with the Heston 60 set to Music mode. ‘Echoes’ by Pink Floyd sounded probably the best it ever has to me. The build-up to the first verse, with the multiple instruments, sounded atmospheric with every guitar string pluck loud but not too loud that it sounded unpleasant. The layered vocals, again, shone through the Heston 60, and the low-mids felt thick and textured.

‘Drag Path’ by Twenty One Pilots sounded just as exquisite, with the eerie background sounds traveling from the left to the right and vice versa. The Heston 60 created a sort of dome that did justice to the song’s claustrophobic yet grand vibe. Percussion and hi-hats felt vibrant but not overzealous, similar to what the clean treble sounds like through the Marshall Monitor III over-ear headphones.

Marshall Heston 60 review: Verdict

The Marshall Heston 60 is a triumph. If you want a compact soundbar that doesn’t take up much space but produces loud and powerful sound, this is the one to get. With tactile controls and gold accents, it’s a sight for sore eyes. Looks aren’t everything, of course, and the Heston 60 boasts outstanding movie and TV show performance too.

Dolby Atmos performance is consistent across the board, making you feel like you’re at the cinema. Dialogues sound loud and clear while the treble and bass sound well-balanced. Although the Heston 60 doesn’t come with a physical remote, the user-friendly companion app lets you change its settings and functions straight from your phone — and if you own other recent Marshall gear, you'll be acquainted with this app already.

Is it worth dropping nearly $700 on the Heston 60 if you’re in the States? If it’s top-notch build and a stunning design you’re after, there’s no two ways about it: this is the soundbar for you.