Marshall Heston 120 first review: This ballsy soundbar caught me off guard, in the best way

Can a soundbar swagger? Having spent time with the Heston 120, Marshall’s first soundbar, I rather think it can. The Heston 120 is a Dolby Atmos enabled all-in-one with a leatherette-clad 150W power plant, and attitude aplenty.

At £899.99, it enters a crowded space of Dolby Atmos-equipped sound systems, but while most seem content to be anodyne planks, the Heston 120 dares to strut. We like its style.

I had an early listen at the Heston 120’s UK unveiling at Chateau Denmark, a fittingly over-the-top venue in London with genuine rock scene pedigree. Clearly this new Marshall was on familiar turf, and it put on quite a show…

The brand’s signature leatherette finish and classic logo give it a tactile charisma that no commodity rival can match…

The Heston 120 delivers both multi-channel audio, be it Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, and stereo from an 11-driver array. Unlike many Dolby Atmos bars in this price bracket, it doesn’t rely on a separate subwoofer to drop deep. And yet, the low frequency extension is substantial.  

Marshall isn’t relying on virtualisation here. You get side-firing and angled up-firing drivers, along with a forward facing array that projects sound out and into the room. Utilising 11 class D amplifiers, power output is distributed as 2 x 50W, and 9 x 30W. 

The resulting soundstage is wide and involving. The Heston 120 earns its immersive stripes through careful tuning, thoughtful driver design, and intelligent dispersion.

Design wise, the Heston 120 rocks. Measuring 1100 x 145 x 76mm, there’s real joy in how this soundbar looks and feels. Marshall’s amplifier heritage isn’t just hinted at, it’s upfront and proud. Knurled knobs for volume, treble, and bass sit atop a brushed metal panel, while the brand’s signature leatherette finish and classic logo give it a tactile charisma that no commodity rival can match.

You could argue that the analogue control panel is retro theatre, but there’s something refreshingly direct about reaching for a dial, eliciting a bright red backlight, and hearing immediate results. 

When it comes to connectivity, the Heston 120 offers two HDMI ports, one with eARC, the other pass-through with full 4K 120Hz from games consoles, and comes with Dolby Vision support. Wireless support embraces AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, and Tidal Connect, as well as Bluetooth LE Audio with Auracast. An analogue input is available for legacy gear, and there’s a phono subwoofer output, should you be mad enough to demand extra bass.  

Perhaps disappointingly, there’s no remote control included, but Marshall has developed a new app which offers EQ controls, room calibration, and streaming presets.

What truly sets the Heston 120 apart is how well it handles music. I ran through a few familiar two-channel tracks, Lou Reed’s ‘Walk on the Wild Side’ and Ghost’s ‘Mary on a Cross’, and was struck by its sense of energy and space.

Marshall makes full use of the soundbar’s generous driver array, even for stereo content. Not in a gimmicky way, but with considerable restraint, creating a more defined sense of staging. Vocals are locked centre and have body, guitars chop like they always do through Marshall amplification, and there’s a surprising amount of spatiality.

If you’ve never really considered using a soundbar as your main music source, the Heston 120 might well change your mind. This ballsy soundbar is tighter than Justin Hawkin’s catsuit.

With movies, that 5.1.2 soundstage finds even greater purpose. That sense of movement becomes more pronounced, and dramatic. There are highs and lows. Treble definition is excellent, without sounding spitchy, and bass is profound. 

The Darkness, Cribs, and the spirit of fun

To promote the Heston 120, Marshall has partnered with MTV and The Darkness for a tongue-in-cheek reboot of Cribs, where Dan and Justin Hawkins open the doors to their rock palace, the ‘Hawk’s Nest.’ It’s ridiculous, self-aware fun, a reminder that while Marshall is serious about sound, it hasn’t forgotten how to have a good time.

This may be marketing with a wink, but it also captures the essence of the Heston 120. This isn’t a soundbar for cinephiles, it’s for people who crank up ‘Permission to Land’ , want their movies to rumble and their records to sing.

It’s for everyone who appreciates gear with knobs.

Marshall’s soundbar debut is worth the wait

The Marshall Heston 120 is not the cheapest, nor most spec-heavy soundbar on the market – but it might well prove to be one of the most entertaining, particularly if music matters to you as much as movies. Its distinctive rock ‘n’ roll style, ribald musicality, effective Dolby Atmos implementation, and tactile appeal set it apart from more anonymous rivals.

I’ve spent years listening to soundbars, yet this one caught me off guard, in the best way. Marshall has waltzed into the world of TV audio with the confidence of a band that’s been headlining for decades. 

Later this year, Marshall will expand the line with the Heston 60 soundbar, for smaller screens,  and the Heston Sub 200. If they sound anything like the 120, this could be the start of something very… loud.

The Heston 120 is available for pre-order now at Marshall.com for £899.99, shipping from June 3. It will arrive at select retailers from September 16.