The best 4K televisions are modern miracles of pristine imagery, 24/7 connectivity and slimline elegance, but they do tend to sound a bit basic. That’s partly down to the manufacturers’ laser focus on visual quality over everything else, and partly an unfortunate side effect of physics; it’s very hard to fit an effective set of speakers into something with the depth of a padded envelope.
So if you want your UHD TV to sound as impressive as it looks, chances are you need to add external speakers, and clearly there is no easier and cleaner way to do that than with a soundbar. Enter Denon, who have a soundbar to suit every budget, giving an instant boost to the audibility of dialogue, the epic quality of soundtracks and the boominess of guns going off and things exploding.
With a Denon soundbar, you can fill the room with sound, without having to pack it full of speakers and cables. Just one slimline unit can provide the full English sonic breakfast, including Dolby Atmos and Google and Alexa smart home control on the swankier models.
All these Denon soundbars boast the legendary Denon sound quality, but which is best for you? Read on to find out…
Denon Home Sound Bar 550
This range-topping beauty has won more awards than you can shake an Oscar at. Adding truly cinematic sound to your home AV setup, the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, for sound that truly envelopes you. Pair it with Denon’s Home rear surround speakers and a subwoofer, and you’ll have full-frequency music, fx and dialogue coming from in front, beyond and dive bombing you from above. All you need to add is popcorn for the full home cinema experience.
HEOS Built-In Technology means the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 can also be the heart of your multi-room music setup, while support for Alexa lets you control key features of the soundbar with your voice. And, of course, access the full gamut of Amazon’s sassy assistant’s abilities, from news to smart home control, music to dad jokes.
Denon DHT-S517
A more affordable option for those who don’t require multi-room or voice assistance, the Denon DHT-S517 still provides that same, immersive Dolby Atmos experience. With a wireless subwoofer included in the price, this is the complete package, with the joys of Denon sound further polished by dialogue enhancement and Bluetooth connectivity for easy streaming of your favourite music, direct from your phone.
Denon DHT-S216
Pouring Denon sound into an entry-level soundbar, the DHT-S216 offers plug and play simplicity, thanks to an HDMI ARC connection. You’ll be amazed at the sonic boost you’ll hear, compared to your TV’s built-in speakers. There’s even support for Dolby audio and immersive DTS Virtual:X, as well as Bluetooth for easy-peasy music streaming – all for less than £200!
Denon DHT-S316
This mid-range masterpiece, the DHT-S316 adds a wireless subwoofer to the heady sonic brew, meaning more bottom end with your stereo and surround sound. The price is still remarkably low for such a quality ‘bar.
Denon DHT-S416
If you like the look of the DHT-S316 but are thinking, ‘if only it had Google Chromecast Audio’, then look no further than its better-connected cousin, the DHT-S416. With Chromecast on board, you can stream the best tunes from your favourite streaming services in pristine, high-res quality. You can also add it to your Google Home set-up, and a multi-room array of Chromecast-compatible speakers. Did we mention there’s a subwoofer included in the price too? Well, there is.
