Marshall, the legendary pro audio brand best known for its legendary guitar amplifier stacks has some pretty cool news. Now they’ve officially introduced their very first soundbar, the Heston 120. This new addition to Marshall’s lineup represents a significant step into the home audio market, targeting consumers who seek a unique audio experience. The Heston 120 as it stands has been out for about three years. It produces fantastic audio performance and pays homage to the striking design that Marshall products are known for.
Gustaf Rosell, Marshall’s Chief Product and Innovation Officer, highlighted that the concept of a soundbar has been under discussion within the company for five years. The decision to introduce the Heston 120 stems from a desire to offer customers a product that combines performance with simplicity. Rosell talked about the challenge of developing a high-quality soundbar that makes an impression in a saturated market.
“Heston is a conscious design choice for people who want something different—we are not trying to hide. It’s a bold statement but not as bold as we could have been. I think we’ve found a balance that feels authentic.” – Gustaf Rosell
The Heston 120 boasts impressive specifications, featuring a 5.1.2-channel Atmos and DTS:X sound system. The unit is powered by 11 high-performance drivers, carefully distributed to provide exceptional sound coverage. This innovative design provides a remarkably immersive, wide sound field. Rosell pointed out Marshall’s commitment to providing the best quality sound for TV and the best listening experience for music. Marshall masterfully seeks to do this balance justice.
The soundbar comes with two HDMI inputs, of which one is eARC. It offers one RCA input, one subwoofer output, and an Ethernet port. At $1,000, the Heston 120 aims to compete in the premium end of the market. Rosell acknowledged the obstacles that accompany such a low price point. He added, “This is our highest ticket item. To be honest with you, that’s a little intimidating.”
To craft the Heston 120, Marshall recruited out-of-the-box talent. He hired top talent from the automotive industry to enhance its audio engineering prowess. Rosell commented on how important this partnership was, mentioning how it helped raise the bar for the product’s performance.
“But since it’s a new segment for us, we made the decision that we wanted to start at the high end. We don’t always do that, but in this case we thought it was important to make a statement—to show that we are really serious about it.” – Gustaf Rosell
Marshall has further compared the Heston 120 to larger rivals including the Sonos Arc Ultra and Sennheiser. Rosell expressed confidence in the product’s competitive edge:
“We benchmarked against the Sonos Arc Ultra, against Sennheiser, against Sony, even against Devialet—I mean it’s a lot more expensive, but we really wanted to match it, and I think we are doing in most areas, despite the price difference.” – Gustaf Rosell
The Heston 120 design is inspired by Marshall’s distinctive product aesthetic. Styling-wise, it picks up the spirit of their famous amps with more audacious flair, while dialing back the unapologetic brashness we’ve come to expect from the brand. Rosell commented on the need for differentiation in a market saturated with similar products:
“We have a lot of respect for Sonos, particularly in how it has managed to push the lower frequencies without having something huge in size. But we think can be on par—even better in certain ways. I think the bass performance we have in Heston will surprise people.” – Gustaf Rosell
The design of the Heston 120 pays homage to Marshall’s distinctive product aesthetic, reminiscent of its famous amplifiers while dialing back some of the boldness typically associated with the brand. Rosell commented on the need for differentiation in a market saturated with similar products:
“Many products in this area look pretty much the same. They’re trying to blend in, and when TVs are doing their best to hide themselves more and more, you do need to find the right tone.” – Gustaf Rosell
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