I’ve reviewed a lot of soundbars here at TechRadar – everything from mini budget-friendly models, all the way through to premium surround sound systems. And lately, we’ve been treated to a lot of excellent releases, even from some new market players.
For example, British hi-fi specialist KEF, launched its maiden soundbar, the KEF XIO. This all-in-one Dolby Atmos-enabled model impressed us with its premium design and great audio performance, and has achieved widespread acclaim. Similarly, Marshall took its first stab at the home theater world with the Marshall Heston 120 – a model I personally reviewed and absolutely loved – I even bestowed it with an elusive five-star rating.
The Heston 120 wowed me with room-swallowing bass, its amp-inspired aesthetic, top-drawer musicality, and, of course, its strong Dolby Atmos performance. So when Marshall recently confirmed the 2025 release of the smaller Heston 60 soundbar, it instantly became one of my most anticipated launches of the year. Here’s why I’m hoping it will be a hit.
Standing out in the small-sized crowd
A lot of the time, smaller Dolby Atmos soundbars come with grand promises of ‘immersive’, ‘3D’, or ‘spatial’ audio. But generally, that’s not really what you get.
I’ve tried out cheaper models, like the Majority Elias and Ultimea Nova S50 – both of which were compatible with Dolby Atmos. But neither particularly impressed me with expansive, immersive movie performance. And even when we tested the Sonos Beam Gen 2, we said that Atmos effects “could be more convincing”, and that it “doesn't seem capable of providing the full Atmos experience”.
But in the wake of the Heston 120’s success, I’m hoping that the Heston 60 can buck the trend of small soundbars falling flat when it comes to Dolby Atmos.
Marshall’s upcoming small soundbar is using a 5.1 configuration, so I’m not expecting the same degree of verticality as the 5.1.2 Heston 120, which is easily one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars around. Still, Marshall is promising “huge sound”, and if the Heston 60 can get even close to the capabilities of its larger sibling, we should be in for a real treat.
Even beyond Atmos, a lot of small soundbars struggle to produce ultra-clear dialogue and up-to-scratch music replication. And again, I’m anticipating that the Heston 60 will deliver on all of these aspects. It has distinct movie and music modes, supports Wi-Fi music streaming, and is packed with seven class D amplifiers. Promising stuff.
Zooming in on the Heston 60
So, other than Dolby Atmos compatibility, why else am I excited to get hands on with the Heston 60?
Well, first of all, it looks beautiful. I caught a glimpse of it in-person at the launch of the Heston 120, and was seriously digging its woven fret and faux-leather finish.
It doesn’t have its older sibling’s knurled metal knobs, but it does use attractive golden buttons for playback, source, and sound mode control. What’s more, the Marshall logo and control panel are both magnetic and can be re-positioned depending on which configuration you select. You can also get this model in Cream, if you want to shake things up a bit.
Another thing I’m pleased about is the Heston 60’s compatibility with the new and improved Marshall app, which has more detailed EQ options, a room calibration tool, and integrated music services – allowing you to access Spotify and Tidal connect, radio, and more.
The soundbar will also support DTS:X, an alternative immersive audio technology to Dolby Atmos. Pair that with its extensive connectivity options – including an RCA port and HDMI 2.1 passthrough – and there’s a lot to look forward to.
I’m yet to hear how the Heston 60 sounds, so until then I can merely hope that it will break the mold, and stand as a great-sounding bar that gets Atmos right. I’ll be testing it out myself when a unit is available for review, so make sure to stay tuned for my final thoughts.
The Marshall Heston 60 will launch on September 23, 2025 at Marshall's online store, and September 30 via select retailers. It will be priced at £499.99 / $699.99 / AU$999. A wireless subwoofer, the Marshall Heston Sub 200, will also launch at this time, and will cost £429.99 / $599.99 / AU$899.
Are you excited for the launch of the Marshall Heston 60? Perhaps you’re still eyeing up the Heston 120? Whatever the case, I’d love to hear your thoughts, so make sure to leave them down in the comments!
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