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WIRED
20-05-2025
- Business
- WIRED
Marshall Takes On Sonos With Its First Soundbar
Costing $1000, the Heston 120 is an undoubtedly ambitious debut. WIRED spoke with chief product and innovation officer, Gustaf Rosell, on how it's going to compete. All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. Moving into a new product category is a nervy undertaking for any company, and the current climate of tariff roulette only adds another level of uncertainty. But Marshall, manufacturer of iconic guitar amps and a growing portfolio of consumer audio products, is marching on regardless, with the launch of its first soundbar. And at $1000, the Atmos-capable Heston 120 is an ambitious first entry. 'This is our most expensive product. And honestly, that's a little bit scary,' Gustaf Rosell, Marshall's chief product and innovation officer, tells WIRED in an interview. '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. The idea of adding a soundbar to its line up is one that has been kicking around company discussions for the past five years, Rosell says, but been in production for about three of them. The result is the Heston 120, a 5.1.2-channel Atmos and DTS X soundbar, with 11 separate drivers positioned to offer a wide and high soundfield from a single box. Tuning a product for so many channels has been a new challenge for Marshall, and it brought new expertise on board to help—even pulling in talent from the automotive industry for their multi-channel experience. 'Right now we have two PhDs in house, it's that level of competence,' Rosell adds. 'We also worked really closely with Dolby to help us with some difficult measurements, to ensure that we are placing objects of sound accurately in a room.' The Heston 120 leans into Marshall's recognizable product design language, borrowed from its guitar amps. Courtesy of Marshall However, a particular focus for the sound team, Rosell tells us, has been about getting the balance right between sounding good for TV and also good for music—a common difficulty for multi-channel audio products. The Heston 120 certainly comes with plenty of music options to put it to the test, including AirPlay 2, Googlecast, and Bluetooth LE Audio, plus Tidal and Spotify Connect. 'Music playback is an area where we have been able to lean into our current expertise, and use some of the modelling from our portable speakers to ensure all of the drivers in the Heston 120 are working just as well together in a more classical stereo setup too. And if I'm to be a little bit bold, we've beaten everything we've heard from competitors. It's one of the things I am most proud of with this product." Another key focus for the team was the product's design, but not perhaps in the way that anyone familiar with Marshall products might think. While its speakers are well known for their distinct look, reminiscent of the brand's famous amplifiers, Heston 120 dials back that approach, just a bit. '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. 'But 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.' Rosell is under no illusion that Heston is launching into a busy, and competitive space. He concedes that the Heston 120 is not aimed at audiophiles who might want a more involved setup, but believes it can compete with the big names at its premium price point. '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." Does Heston represents a step up in performance for Marshall, and how it is positioning itself in the market, we ask? 'Yes I would say so,' Rosell replies. The Heston 120 is focused on a single box performance at the moment. Rosell says he has had feedback about the complexity of some soundbar setups now, and that he believes that Marshall customers prefer simplicity. With Heston, ease of use was key. The Heston 120 will two HDMI inputs, RCA connection and an ethernet connection for hardwiring a network connection. Courtesy of Marshall However, that isn't to say there isn't more in the pipeline for the company, for those who want it. The company plans to release a smaller soundbar, the Heston 60, and a wireless subwoofer, the Heston Sub 200, later on this year, plus there are plans to be able to add satellite speakers too—and not just from Marshall's product catalogue. 'We have been very keen from early on about using Bluetooth LE {Low Energy} and Auracast,' adds Rosell. 'That means our customers can use any other compatible products—subwoofer or satellites—to add to their experience. So yes, you can use something like Acton or even one of our portable speakers as satellite speakers, or you can use something from Sennheiser, for example. We are not for building proprietary environments when there is a good open standard. That's the way we think things should go." The Marshall Heston 120 is ready for pre-order now on the company's website and will be available from June 3.
CNN
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Samsung's The Frame TVs just went on sale for the first time in months
Whether you ask our editors or readers, they'll tell you Samsung's The Frame TV is as beloved of a home theater fixture as can be. These unique TVs live up to their name with a picture-frame-inspired design, and now that perfect balance of form and function is down to some of the best prices ever. Nearly the entire lineup of sizes, ranging from 43 inches up to massive 85-inch televisions, is on sale courtesy of Amazon and Best 43-Inch The Frame TV One of the smallest versions of The Frame is dropping to within $30 of the all-time low price. It's the second-best offer that I have tracked on this 43-inch model, which is the perfect size to set up in your bedroom or office. Read our review Samsung 50-Inch The Frame TV The ever-popular Frame TV is one of the best TVs because of its unique design. This edition is thinner and even more discreet on the wall, with a matte display to help cut down on our review Samsung 55-Inch The Frame TV Take 20% off the 55-inch version of this hybrid television and digital picture frame. This model packs the same 120Hz refresh rate and smart streaming features as the rest of the lineup. Read our review Samsung 65-Inch The Frame TV Samsung's The Frame TV doubles as an art display and is a perennial favorite at Underscored. The 65-inch version is one of the bestselling sizes from the lineup. We love it for movie nights, at-home tailgates and its whimsical art mode. Read our review Samsung 75-Inch The Frame TV Stepping up to the second-largest size earns you an even better deal. This model packs all the same form and function as the others but with a 75-inch matte display and 33% in savings. Samsung 85-Inch The Frame TV Samsung's largest The Frame TV is also down to its lowest price at a whopping $1,800 off. This is an extra $500 under the previous discount from back in January and only the second time it has dropped under $3,000. Samsung's The Frame isn't your average TV. The lack of black plastic bezels should be the first sign. These different models all trade in that classic design for a far more streamlined appearance that is designed to look more like a framed picture or artwork on your wall than a home theater centerpiece. Each one comes with a different screen size, but all feature 4K HDR QLED panels with 120Hz refresh rates. So, while you can take full advantage of the fun art features that beam gallery-quality paintings and drawings into your living room, it can also serve as a perfect option for movie night, football Sundays and daily viewing. These features give you a home theater upgrade that still looks the part but also blends into your home decor when not in use. Other notable features include AirPlay 2 support for those with an iPhone or MacBook, as well as four HDMI ports for plugging in your own devices. There's also onboard smart streaming technology for watching your favorite series. Today's deals on The Frame TVs apply to the previous-generation models. Earlier this year at CES 2025, our editors took a closer look at the newest versions alongside the higher-end Pro edition. The biggest adjustments are the newfound 144Hz refresh rate panels and NQ4 AI Gen3 Processors, two additions that won't make that much of a difference for most movie-watchers. My colleagues have yet to put the latest versions to the test, but based on specifications and first impressions, this year's incremental upgrades shouldn't move the needle. I'd still recommend these discounted models. It's not every day that Amazon and Best Buy markdown one of our favorite home theater centerpieces. The Frame TVs from Samsung have only been on sale once before this year, and that was back in January. Today's discounts offer the second-best prices of the year and a rare chance to save on nearly the whole collection of screen sizes. TVs are also one of the products that may suffer the most from tariffs. As the situation unfolds in the coming months, price increases are expected to go live for any consumer electronics imported from overseas. If you've been thinking about giving your home theater an upgrade with a new television, now may very well be the time to buy. Quite simply, our goal is to save you money. As senior deals editor, Rikka Altland hasbeen doing it for nearly a decade, and that kind of experience extends to the rest of our deals team. Being an advocate for buyers to make sure we're only recommending the best prices on the best products is what we're all about.
