Denon DHT-S516H Soundbar
£699/$799
IF YOU’RE AIMING HIGH with your audio equipment and your preferred setup doesn’t punch the air from your lungs and cause the complex network of nerves around your solar plexus to radiate in a frenzied manner due to the sheer power that it projects, then it’s probably not worth bothering with.
Denon’s DHT-S516H wireless soundbar and subwoofer combo produces these sensations and is a formidable all-rounder that is capable of handling thumping, textured music and the intricate swirls of your favourite movies with fine precision. And it definitely goes all the way up to 11. Louder than bombs The main soundbar unit, which feels surprisingly light, features two bi-amplified mid-woofers, two tweeters and advanced DSP processing thanks to a powerful 400MHZ 32-bit floating point DSP engine – the same processor found in Denon’s premium AV receivers. This, along with the with the extra two drivers in the wireless subwoofer, will add extra dimension and depth to your favourite movies and TV shows. For home cinema, the unit supports HDMI in/out with Audio Return Channel (ARC) and Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS decoding for immersive sound that makes you feel captivated in the action. And all of the cables you need – including Optical, HDMI, Ethernet and IR Blaster – are included in the box.
With HEOS built-in technology, the DHT-S516H doesn’t just embrace the wireless streaming of music, it offers it inside for a full-on orgy, with full
Tidal, Spotify, Tunein Internet Radio,
Soundcloud, Amazon Music, Napster and Deezer compatibility. The soundbar also accommodates Bluetooth and Airplay 2 connectivity, so linking it to your Mac or IOS device is always an easy option.
You can also play tracks from a connected USB drive and all of the high-quality and high-resolution formats are supported, including DSD (2.8MHZ, 5.6MHZ), FLAC, WAV, ALAC (192/24), MP3, WMA and AAC. All it’s missing is a remote control to conduct all of these features, but then there’s the HEOS IOS app for that. Through the app you can control all aspects of your sound, as well as individual units if you have other Denon receivers, systems and speakers arranged around your home in a multi-room setup.
The app also provides access to a range of EQS that are fully optimised for music and movie listening – Night Mode, for example, tones down the bass and makes the dialogue sound clearer when you need to quieten things down at night. Its sonic arsenal is very impressive. Crossing the streams Childishly easy to set up, all you have to do is connect the soundbar and woofer to the mains power (they connect to each other almost instantly without you having to lift a finger), download the app, input your Wi-fi password during the short app configuration process and then select the soundbar as an Airplay device on your Mac or IOS device. It only takes a minute.
Although you would expect something special for the price, the DHT-S516H ticks so many boxes that it runs out of ink. Without a shadow of doubt the best soundbar that we’ve heard. “This soundbar doesn’t just embrace the wireless streaming of music, it offers it inside for a full-on orgy”