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- Design and build: a compact amp with practical touches
- Setting up the Heston 60: fast TV hookup, app for everything else
- Ports, wireless options, and controls explained
- How it performs with movies and TV
- Music playback and streaming quirks
- EQ, calibration, and user presets
- Price comparison and who should consider it
- Technical specifications at a glance
Marshall’s Heston 60 surprised me: a compact, vintage-styled soundbar that produces far more punch than its size suggests. It blends amp-inspired looks with features aimed at both movie lovers and music fans. Read on to see how it handles design, setup, sound quality, and whether it’s worth the premium price.
Design and build: a compact amp with practical touches
The Heston 60 borrows Marshall’s classic guitar-amp aesthetic but in a more restrained package than its larger sibling. The grille fabric, faux-leather cabinet, and script logo give it a distinctive profile.
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Visual choices and controls
Instead of large knurled knobs, the Heston 60 uses low-profile brass-toned buttons. That keeps the silhouette cleaner and avoids awkward protrusions when wall-mounted.
The control panel and logo are magnetic, so you can reposition them when you mount the bar on a wall. The Marshall app also lets you dim the small LEDs on the control strip.
Placement and serviceability
- The soundbar is roughly 28.7 inches wide and just over 2.5 inches tall.
- Wall-mount grommets are included and a removable rear cover doubles as a cable guide for tidy installs.
- At about six pounds, it’s light enough to move between rooms, and many parts are replaceable.
Setting up the Heston 60: fast TV hookup, app for everything else
For basic TV audio, connect HDMI eARC and power — both cables are supplied. Your TV remote can handle volume control after that.
To unlock streaming, firmware updates, room correction, and EQ presets, you’ll need the Marshall Wi‑Fi app (look for the gold icon). The app walks you through Wi‑Fi linking and a short calibration routine.
Note: the app can feel sluggish at times. It may take several seconds to reconnect after switching away to another app.
Ports, wireless options, and controls explained
What’s on the back
- HDMI eARC (for TV)
- 3.5mm analog input for turntables or legacy devices
- RCA subwoofer output to pair with any powered sub
- USB-C port (no HDMI inputs on the 60, so its purpose is limited)
The sub-out is a highlight. You can use Marshall’s optional Heston Sub 200 or any third-party powered sub via RCA. That flexibility can save money and let you tune bass to your room.
Wireless codecs and streaming
The Heston 60 supports Wi‑Fi 6 plus Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, and UPnP. Bluetooth 5.3 handles SBC, AAC, and LC3 streams. File support includes FLAC, ALAC, MPEG‑4, LPCM, Ogg, and WMA.
There’s no Ethernet jack and no included remote. The app or TV remote will be your primary control sources.
How it performs with movies and TV
Inside the bar are seven powered drivers: five full-range units and two dedicated woofers, each driven by its own amp. That setup gives the Heston 60 a more authoritative low end than many compact rivals.
On action films the speaker delivers strong presence and impactful bass. Small, compact explosions and rumble come through with surprising weight for a small bar.
Dialogue clarity varies. In quiet conversational scenes voices are crisp. When the soundtrack gets crowded, speech can become a little buried. The Voice mode helps, but boosting it too far reduces low-end warmth.
Dolby Atmos content is rendered via virtualization. You get a wider horizontal soundstage, but height effects are limited compared with soundbars that include dedicated up-firing drivers. The Heston 60 conveys movie emotion well, even if it can’t fully reproduce dramatic overhead effects.
Music playback and streaming quirks
As a music speaker the Heston 60 shines. The dual woofers add warmth and weight across genres, and Music mode generally sounds lively and engaging.
Streaming reliability depends on the protocol. Direct connect options like Tidal Connect and Spotify Connect, plus AirPlay, are solid. Google Cast performed well in general, though one reviewer noted low volume with Amazon Music on an iPhone.
Dolby Atmos Music is supported, but levels can be low unless you switch to Movie mode. Atmos mixes can sound wider, yet sometimes sibilant, compared with stereo.
If you plan to play vinyl, the Heston 60’s 3.5mm input gives it an edge over competitors that lack an analog option.
EQ, calibration, and user presets
The Heston 60 includes a built-in room correction routine. Results depend on your room; in some setups the change is subtle, in others it tames unruly bass.
- Sound modes: Music, Movie, Night, Voice
- Custom EQ: adjust and save a tuned curve per mode
- Programmable button: assign one favorite source or stream for one-touch recall
There’s no physical power switch. When idle, the speaker drops into low-power standby.
Price comparison and who should consider it
The Heston 60 lists for $699. Comparable compact soundbars include the Sonos Beam Gen 2 at about $499 and the Bose Smart Soundbar near $549.
You pay a premium for Marshall’s styling, stronger built-in bass, analog input, and flexible subwoofer options. If those attributes matter, the Heston 60 becomes an attractive choice. If you prioritize the clearest dialogue, full multiroom features, or the deepest Atmos immersion, rivals may be better buys.
Technical specifications at a glance
- Dimensions: 28.74 x 2.68 x 4.88 inches
- Weight: ~6 lb
- Drivers: 7 total (5 full-range, 2 woofers)
- Amps: 7 Class D (2 × 25W, 5 × 5W)
- Channels/config: Virtualized 5.1
- Ports: HDMI eARC, 3.5mm AUX, sub-out (RCA), USB-C
- Wireless: Wi‑Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3
- Streaming: AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, UPnP
- Audio formats/codecs: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, DTS‑X; FLAC, ALAC, LPCM, MPEG‑4, Ogg, WMA
- Colors: Black, Cream
- Included: HDMI cable, power cable, quick-start guide, wall-mount grommets
- Optional subwoofer: Heston Sub 200 ($599)
