Jada Jones/ZDNET
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
ZDNET's key takeaways
The Marshall Heston 60 and Sub 200 are $700 and $600, respectively.
Both products uphold Marshall's vintage rock-and-roll-inspired design.
As the company releases more modular home audio products, it pushes on Sonos's foothold.
Disclosure: The cost of Jada Jones' travel to New York City was covered by Marshall, a common industry practice for long-distance trips. The judgments and opinions of ZDNET's writers and editors are always independent of the companies we cover.
After announcing its foray into the home audio market with the well-received Heston 120, Marshall makes its message clear: it has its sights on offering modular systems to consumers. Shortly after the Heston 120, Marshall announced the Heston 60 and Sub 200, a smaller, more compact version of the Heston 120 and an external subwoofer, respectively.
Also: Marshall's latest sound systems are making me reconsider splurging on Bose
I spent an afternoon with Marshall, demoing the Heston 60 and Sub 200, and it's unmistakable that Sonos is considered a close competitor. Well known for its array of smart speakers, subwoofers, and soundbars, Sonos's user interface, software ecosystem, and physical design language greatly differ from Marshall's.
Still, the specs and customer appeal are similar, though each brand excels in different categories. Here's where Marshall's new products win, and where they may have challenges getting loyalists to make the switch.
A familiar design
The Marshall Sub 200 in Cream. Jada Jones/ZDNET
Marshall's home audio products borrow the same design language as its portable and home speakers, paying homage to the company's longstanding connection to amp-making. The Heston 120, Heston 60, and Sub 200 feature tactile controls, polyurethane leather finishes, and brushed metal panels.
Staying true to its design principles opens the door to consumers looking for something different. The Heston lineup delivers for those looking for home audio products that should be seen as much as they should be heard. Conversely, Sonos's design language includes clean lines, soft matte finishes, and modern elements, creating products that blend into your home decor.
Also: I compared my Sonos Arc Ultra with an unlikely soundbar rival, and it went down to the wire
The Sub 200 looks more like Marshall's home speakers than a traditional black box subwoofer, and the Heston 60 closely resembles the Heston 120 but lacks the same tactile controls. Instead of knobs, it has buttons to accommodate its smaller form factor and allow space for internal audio components.
A more curated lineup
Sonos offers more home audio products than Marshall, although new arrivals could be on the horizon. Although Marshall's home audio lineup is considerably smaller than Sonos's, it gives consumers fewer choices, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The Heston 60's size and impressive sound can make it suitable for small to medium-sized rooms, and the Sub 200 does its one job well enough to elevate the Heston 60's bass response or add an extra layer to the Heston 120's powerful onboard low-frequency performance.
Also: Can't hear TV dialogue? This portable soundbar solved my audio problems for cheap
Marshall's lineup consists of two soundbars and one subwoofer. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) could be considered the Heston 60's counterpart, as they're similar in size and number of amplifiers and passive radiators.
The Heston 60 has two three-inch internal woofers, four passive radiators, seven Class D amplifiers, and five one-and-one-quarter-inch full-range speakers. It handles bass well without the Sub 200, which was surprising for its small cabin.
During my briefing, we watched a "Top Gun: Maverick" clip in Dolby Atmos with the Heston 60 and Sub 200. The Sub 200 adds a much deeper bass response to the Heston 60, and the compact soundbar's dialogue, song lyrics, and instruments had clear separation and impressive imaging. However, like Sonos's Beam (Gen 2), the Heston 60 doesn't have upfiring speakers, which limits it from offering a completely immersive spatial audio experience.
Also: I did not expect this Marshall speaker to rival pricier Bose and Sonos models like this
The Sub 200 and Heston 60 together are a worthy tag-team competitor to Sonos's midrange soundbar and subwoofer options. The Sub 200's specs more closely resemble Sonos's Sub Mini instead of its flagship Sub 4. With two five-and-a-quarter-inch woofers, you can feel the Sub 200's rumble, and Marshall claims it can reach depths as low as 30 Hz.
Embracing traditional connectivity
The Sub 200's inputs on the subwoofer's rear. Jada Jones/ZDNET
One of Sonos's main selling points is that its home audio products communicate with one another via your home's Wi-Fi network. This connectivity allows for wireless communication and integration of its speakers across product categories and rooms in your house. Using Wi-Fi connectivity for this reason is ideal, unless you have a penchant for legacy audio products.
Marshall's soundbars are equipped with Wi-Fi 6, but they don't use it to communicate with one another, and cannot communicate with Marshall's home or portable speakers. The Sub 200 connects wirelessly to the Heston 60 and 120 via Bluetooth LE – it's not compatible with Wi-Fi.
Also: I did not expect this JBL soundbar to outperform pricier models by Sonos and Bose like this
Once I test the Heston 60 and Sub 200, I'll have a solid opinion of the Sub 200's connection stability with the Heston 60, though Bluetooth LE promises around 100 feet of range indoors.
However, unlike Sonos's products, Marshall's Heston soundbars sport Aux In and Sub Out inputs, and the Sub 200 has a Sub In input to connect them to your analog players. The soundbars also support an array of audio codecs, including FLAC, ALAC, LC3, and WMA, compared to Sonos's AAC and SBC.
Also: The best soundbars of 2025: Expert tested and recommended
Overall, Marshall is proving itself to be a contender in the modular home audio market, looking to expand its existing consumer base. The company's commitment to music enthusiasts and analog lovers could attract Sonos fans who aren't happy with the company's app and software changes. Additionally, Marshall's products have a specific look that challenges the market's status quo aesthetic, and it does that very well.
But as I always say, a pair of rear speakers would complete Marshall's home audio offerings. Until then, I'll consider Marshall a budding yet fierce contender.