HEOS App for Denon Home and Marantz

The Home product family is one of the classics in the competitive multi-room market, and like its predecessors, uses the manufacturer’s well-known HEOS app. The focus is less on a high number of different speakers. Rather, it lies in an integration of classic hi-fi and home theater components into the multi-room environment. For those who already own a compatible amplifier, AV receiver or corresponding compact system, the acquisition of additional zone speakers in other rooms is a logical consequence.

For two generations, Denon marketed its multi-room system components under the “HEOS” label. With the launch of the 3rd generation at the beginning of 2020, this name is reserved for the app. The system components themselves are sold under “Denon Home”. The design has also been fundamentally changed from somewhat plastic-heavy trapeze boxes to fabric-covered and more homey looks.

Compatibility with electronics: from multi-room to hi-fi system

There are currently only three Onebox models in the classic multi-room lineup of the Home family. It ranges from the small Home 150 to the large and very level Home 350. All three models can also be used as a stereo pair, provided you are willing to pay double the price. This is also advisable for the smallest model. Additionally, TV listeners can look forward to the Denon Home 550 Bar soundbar. This can also be expanded accordingly and thus creates a real movie feeling with surround in the living room.

Although all Heos components stream wirelessly via the in-house WLAN, there is no truly wireless speaker with battery operation.

The electronic components and the home theater/hifi components with compatibility to the Denon Home System and the HEOS app are exemplary. On the one hand, this is due to the great diversity in Denon’s portfolio itself. However, it is also due to the compatibility of many components from sister company Marantz. The range extends from small compact systems and home receivers to large AV receiver behemoths. Even some high-end and design components are among them.

Software: The own app called HEOS and more

Denon’s own app called HEOS has been around much longer than the Home Series speakers, since the introduction of the first Heos speakers in 2014. The control software, available for iOS and Android devices, is recognizably optimized for ease of use. It shouldn’t present anyone who has used Sonos with any major questions. However, it also does not quite achieve the variety and operating elegance of the prototype.

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Excellent feed options

In return, the HEOS system promises higher digital sound quality. Playing music through network-connected devices or services is not only possible via Bluetooth or Apple’s Airplay2 standard. Higher resolutions of the music data stream are welcome and provided for via the HEOS app and corresponding streaming services or data in the home network. A resolution of 192/24 is the maximum.

Using the system with streaming services is possible without any problems via the dedicated app. Amazon Prime, Amazon Unlimited, Amazon HD, Spotify, Deezer and Tidal are already integrated. Apple Music can be used without problems via Airplay 2 with suitably equipped devices. Only for users of Qobuz there is no really elegant playback option to the Denon/Marantz components.

Additional functions that make all the difference

The compatibility of all Denon/Marantz streaming components to the world of Roon music software is another strong argument for the whole system in multiroom system speakers like the Denon Home 150. After all, no direct competitor offers this except Bluesound.

The Denon Home components’ ability to spontaneously play music is particularly well done. Thus, not only do all system speakers have a USB slot for external storage, but also an analog input and Bluetooth pairing. And an Ethernet jack in case the WLAN reception at the location is not stable.

There is no automatic room calibration in the Denon Home System, but there is a very practical sound control for spatial equalization. In practice, it solves the vast majority of acoustic problems caused by positioning or room acoustics, such as excessively fat bass or muffled treble.

For these needs, the Denon Home System is ideal

The selection of classic multi-room zone speakers is good at Denon Home. But the system is neither as flexible as Sonos nor as consistently hifidel as Bluesound/Dali. Those who want a battery-powered speaker, wall-mounted speakers or a small soundbar will have to turn to other manufacturers, just like friends of stereo speakers of classic shapes.

Or set up a classic setup of receiver and passive speakers as the main system. The wide selection of Heos-compatible electronic components for HiFi or home theater ranges from small compact systems to massive A/V receivers. Especially those who want to have more or less full surround as their main system in a possibly more opulent living room will quickly appreciate the expansion of the multi-room environment with zone speakers.

The app is also sophisticated and offers many streaming options through open standards and numerous inputs on the components. The system also handles hires files without any problems, unlike competitors like Sonos. A special feature is the built-in Alexa compatibility, which makes a Denon Home-based multi-room system the first choice for friends of the Amazon voice assistant.