How to Set Up the Marshall Heston 120 for the Best Stereo Sound at Home
By 8mm Audio Experts | Soundbar Setup Guide
Marshall has spent decades shaping the sound of live music. With the launch of the Marshall Heston 120 Dolby Atmos Soundbar, the brand brings that heritage into the home theatre world.
Unlike many soundbars designed purely for television audio, the Heston 120 was built with a strong emphasis on stereo music performance alongside Dolby Atmos movies and streaming audio.
This guide explains how to set up the Heston 120 properly to get the best possible stereo sound performance in your home.
Design and Build
The Heston 120 immediately stands out thanks to Marshall’s classic amplifier-inspired design.
The 110cm-wide chassis features Marshall’s signature black leatherette finish and a textured front grille with the iconic gold Marshall logo.
On the top panel, a brushed metal plate houses rotary knobs for volume, bass, and treble. Each knob is surrounded by illuminated LED rings, allowing you to see your adjustments even in dim lighting.
Three programmable shortcut buttons allow quick access to preferred sources or sound modes.
Driver Configuration
The Heston 120 is a 5.1.2-channel soundbar with eleven drivers powered by eleven Class-D amplifiers.
- Three front-facing drivers for the front soundstage
- Two side-firing drivers for wider stereo imaging
- Two up-firing midwoofers for Atmos height effects
- Two up-firing tweeters for high-frequency height detail
- Two rear-facing bass drivers
- Four passive radiators for bass extension
This architecture allows the soundbar to deliver both immersive movie sound and strong stereo music playback.
Step 1: Proper Placement
Position the Heston 120 directly below your TV on a flat surface.
Ensure the following placement conditions:
- The soundbar sits near ear height relative to your seating position.
- The top of the bar remains unobstructed so Atmos drivers can reflect sound off the ceiling.
- The soundbar is not placed inside a closed cabinet.
For the best stereo performance, place the soundbar centered with your television and main seating area.
Step 2: Connect via HDMI eARC
Connect the soundbar to your TV using an HDMI cable from the Heston 120’s HDMI eARC port to your TV’s HDMI eARC input.
This connection allows the soundbar to receive Dolby Atmos audio from streaming services such as Netflix, Apple TV+, and Amazon Prime Video.
Enable HDMI CEC on your TV so the TV remote can control the soundbar volume.
Step 3: Connect External Sources
The Heston 120 includes an HDMI input with 4K 120Hz passthrough.
You can connect devices such as:
- 4K Blu-ray players
- PlayStation 5
- Xbox Series X
- Streaming boxes
The video signal passes through the soundbar to the TV while the soundbar processes the audio.
Step 4: Connect to Wi-Fi
Download the Marshall mobile app and follow the setup process to connect the Heston 120 to your home Wi-Fi network.
The soundbar supports Wi-Fi streaming through several protocols:
- AirPlay 2
- Spotify Connect
- Tidal Connect
- Google Cast
- Bluetooth 5.3
For the best audio quality, Wi-Fi streaming methods such as Tidal Connect or AirPlay are recommended over Bluetooth.
Step 5: Connect Turntables or CD Players
The Heston 120 includes a stereo RCA input on the rear panel.
This allows connection of external analogue sources such as:
- Turntables with built-in phono preamps
- CD players
- External DACs
This feature is uncommon among modern soundbars and makes the Heston 120 particularly attractive for music listening.
Choosing the Right Sound Mode
The Heston 120 offers several listening modes accessible through the Marshall app or top panel controls.
Music Mode
This is the recommended mode for stereo music listening. It minimizes spatial processing and maintains the original stereo mix.
Movie Mode
Movie mode activates the full spatial processing engine for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X content.
Voice Mode
This mode emphasizes dialogue clarity by raising the center channel and reducing bass output.
Night Mode
Night mode reduces dynamic range to make late-night viewing quieter without losing dialogue clarity.
EQ Settings for Stereo Music
The Marshall app provides simple bass and treble controls.
For most rooms:
- Start with both bass and treble set to neutral.
- If your room has hard reflective surfaces, reduce treble slightly.
- If the room contains heavy curtains or carpets, slightly increase treble.
- Reduce bass slightly if the room is small and bass feels overpowering.
These adjustments help optimize the soundbar for your specific listening space.
Bass Performance
The Heston 120 includes two rear-facing subwoofer drivers supported by four passive radiators.
This design allows the soundbar to deliver strong low-frequency output without requiring a separate subwoofer.
For larger rooms or deeper bass requirements, Marshall plans to offer the optional Heston Sub 200 wireless subwoofer.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Excellent stereo music performance
- Strong bass from built-in subwoofer drivers
- Support for both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
- Premium Marshall amplifier-style design
- Wide range of streaming options
Cons
- No automatic room calibration
- No built-in voice assistants
- Requires a wide TV console due to its size
Final Verdict
The Marshall Heston 120 stands out among premium soundbars thanks to its focus on stereo music performance in addition to cinematic audio.
With its strong bass output, wide stereo imaging, and extensive connectivity options, it performs equally well for music streaming and home theatre use.
For listeners who want a soundbar that delivers both powerful movie sound and satisfying music playback, the Heston 120 is a compelling option.
