Denon bar adds height
We recently reviewed, in our biannual Best Buys Audio & AV reviewfest, the stereo Denon Home 550 soundbar, for which we expanded the channel count by adding other Home speakers as wireless rears. That was possible because it included the HEOS wireless multiroom system. But what it couldn’t do, except by 3D virtualisation, was height information from Atmos soundtracks.
Now Denon has announced the DHT-S517 soundbar, which doesn’t have HEOS, though it can receive streaming music via Bluetooth and talks wirelessly with its upright subwoofer, which has a six-inch bass driver.
Instead the DHT-S517 expands the channel count on the bar itself, adding a dedicated “full-range” 25mm centre driver between two-way stereo modules, each with a 25mm tweeter and racetrack-shaped 120×40mm drivers. There’s genuine height delivery from upwards-firing 66mm drivers on top of the bar. That should allow the bar and subwoofer combination to deliver genuine 3.1.2 from an Atmos or DTS:X soundtrack, and no doubt 3D-enhanced height from lesser signals. The DHT-S517 will receive Atmos/ DTS:X via HDMI back from TVs equipped with eARC, or from devices plugged into its single 4K HDMI input. Various sound modes mess with the sound, while there’s a ‘Pure’ mode for those who realise you shouldn’t do that.
RRP in Australia is $749. More info: www.denon.com.au