Marshall's inaugural soundbar will transform our perception of home theater.

      With gold accents, prominent control knobs, and a design reminiscent of guitar amps, Marshall’s substantial Heston 120 stands out as a unique soundbar. However, what intrigues me more than its aesthetics— which are exactly what I'd anticipate from a Marshall product— is its engineering to work seamlessly with the company’s legendary portable Bluetooth speakers through Bluetooth connectivity.

      I know that may seem obvious, but stay with me, as this marks a novel and interesting development in soundbar technology.

      Marshall Heston 120

      Marshall

      Let's start with a brief overview of the Heston 120. Priced at $1,000, it clearly indicates that Marshall is serious about its offerings. This price point matches the Sonos Arc Ultra and Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3, and is just $100 over the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar.

      The Heston 120 boasts 11 drivers, including two dedicated subwoofers, and is capable of processing both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X in a 5.1.2-channel setup. It features onboard microphones for room calibration and supports various protocols like Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, and Tidal Connect. The back panel includes an Ethernet jack, an HDMI passthrough input with 4K/120Hz/Dolby Vision support, stereo RCA analog jacks for connecting a turntable or other devices, and a dedicated subwoofer output— a rarity in soundbars.

      Marshall has revamped its mobile app to provide detailed controls for the Heston as well as for its entire lineup of existing headphones, earbuds, and speakers.

      Bluetooth Expansion

      Marshall

      The noteworthy aspect lies in the wireless capabilities. The Heston 120 is compatible with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3. This isn’t unusual; all three competitors mentioned earlier have similar specifications. What sets it apart is the innovative way it utilizes these connections, particularly Bluetooth.

      Marshall regards the Heston 120 as an all-in-one speaker tailored for both movies and music. Yet, the company understands that some users desire an even more immersive experience from their TV audio, hence the option for expansion with wireless speakers.

      Typically, soundbars that allow for additional speakers connect via Wi-Fi (like Sonos, Bluesound, Denon) or dedicated onboard transmitters/receivers (like Bose, Sony, Klipsch). Bluetooth has generally been excluded from consideration due to latency issues and the inability to transmit multiple audio channels (such as low frequency, surround left, and surround right) at the same time.

      However, the Heston 120 is compatible with Bluetooth Auracast— reportedly a first for soundbars— a technology that addresses conventional Bluetooth constraints.

      Unlike older Bluetooth technologies that could create audio lag of 100-300 milliseconds, Auracast can achieve a mere 30 milliseconds of latency, making it almost undetectable for dialogue synchronization and even less perceptible for low-frequency bass or surround sound effects.

      Additionally, an Auracast device, like a TV or soundbar, can send out multiple distinct broadcasts. In theory, it could manage several wireless subwoofers, multiple surround speakers, and even wireless headphones or hearing aids— each with its own dedicated audio stream.

      Increased Choice and Flexibility

      Marshall Emberton III Marshall

      What does this entail? Marshall aims to allow you to pair any Auracast-capable Bluetooth speakers as your Heston 120 left and right surround speakers, with an additional Auracast subwoofer for low-frequency effects.

      Initially, the plan is more basic. At launch, the Heston 120 will support one Marshall-built wireless subwoofer, with plans to add two Marshall Bluetooth speakers as left and right surrounds later in the year.

      There will be plenty of options— all of Marshall's third-generation Homeline Bluetooth speakers are ready for Auracast—from the compact yet powerful Emberton III to the 120-watt Woburn III. Once the planned firmware updates are implemented, they should function with the Heston as satellite speakers via Bluetooth.

      Usually, wireless surround speakers and subwoofers require constant power from a wall outlet to support their built-in amplifiers and Wi-Fi connections. Bluetooth, being a wireless technology, consumes significantly less power than Wi-Fi, meaning that if your Marshall portable Bluetooth speaker has a 20-hour battery life, you enjoy 20 hours of completely wire-free home theater listening.

      Furthermore, if you find yourself without a Wi-Fi network, you can still create a multi-speaker setup.

      Marshall notes that while Auracast is an open standard, individual manufacturers can implement it differently, which might mean that certain Auracast speakers won't be compatible with the Heston 120. For instance, JBL Auracast speakers like the Charge 6 can only share and access audio from other JBL Auracast speakers.

      Nonetheless, Auracast-enabled soundbars like the Heston are pioneering a new era in home theater tech; one that offers greater freedom in selecting the