Denon Soundbars
compared

Denon - Sound systems from the home theater specialist

The corporate history of Denon goes back to over 100 years of experience in the production of audio solutions and includes milestones such as its significant role in the development of the compact disc. The first AV receiver with Dolby Digital support also comes from the Japan-based company, which is why the manufacturer can definitely be understood as a home theater pioneer.

Today, Denon is still known for its hi-fi and home theater systems. Accordingly, there are also numerous soundbars in the manufacturer’s lineup. Especially the HEOS soundbars, which we will introduce in the following, are very popular.

Denon Logo

HEOS Soundbars compared

The HEOS soundbars from Denon are true all-round talents. They also share the common feature that they are all Multiroom compatible.

Denon DHT-S716H
DHT-S716H
Denon DHT-S516H
DHT-S516H
Denon Home Soundbar 550
Home Soundbar 550
Model year 2019 2019 2021
Channels 3 2.1 2 (3.2 virtual)
Dolby Atmos
DTS DTS HD-Master
HDMI 2.1
eARC
WLAN
Room size up to 25 m2 up to 25 m2 up to 25 m2
Subwoofer External
Satellites
Dimensions Height x Width x Depth 72 x 1100 x 148 mm 73 x 1018 x 104 mm 75 x 650 x 120 mm

Denon DHT-S716H 2019
Premium HEOS soundbar with center speaker

Room size
up to 25 m2
Channels
3

Denon DHT-S716H Connections

HDMI 2.0 InHDMI OutHDMI ARCDigital optical3.5mm Jack
Set
Soundbar
  • Center speaker
  • HEOS integrated
  • Multiroom option
  • HDR & Dolby Vision
  • Works with voice assistants
  • Expandable
  • Network connection
  • Numerous audio formats
  • Lots of ports
  • No subwoofer
  • No 3D sound
  • No eARC

The stylish design of the DHT-S716H already suggests a high-quality product. But Denon’s soundbar also has a lot to offer in terms of its contents: We are dealing with a 3.0-channel system with a total of nine drivers. Besides the center channel, which is supposed to ensure clear comprehensibility of voices and dialogs, the soundbar is also equipped with Denon’s Dialogue Enhancer.

Thanks to HEOS built-in, the soundbar can be easily connected to a wireless subwoofer or surround speakers. Three-dimensional sound is not supported by the device, but surround content in the form of Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS and DTS-HD Master is. A WiFi interface and Bluetooth are available as further wireless transmission options.

The DHT-S716H has an impressive number of analog connections. With no less than four HDMI inputs, all sorts of players and consoles can be connected to it. It also has a 3.5mm jack and HDMI ARC output.

Denon DHT-S516H 2019
HEOS Soundbar with external subwoofer

Room size
up to 25 m2
Channels
2.1

Denon DHT-S516H Connections

HDMI 2.0 InHDMI OutHDMI ARCDigital optical3.5mm JackUSB for playbackLAN-Ethernet
Set
Soundbar + Subwoofer
  • External, wireless subwoofer
  • Dolby & DTS Sound
  • Dolby Vision & HDR10
  • WiFi connection
  • Multiroom option
  • HEOS integrated
  • Many ports
  • Bluetooth & Airplay
  • Works with voice assistants
  • No eARC
  • No 3D sound
  • No center speaker

The Denon DHT-S516H is a classic 2.1-channel system. Unlike the S716H, this model comes with an external subwoofer that provides decent bass. Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus as well as DTS are supported as sound formats. Although this model does not have a center channel, the Denon Dialogue Enhancer is on board and ensures clearly understandable voices.

Since the S516H also has HEOS built-in, it can be easily connected to other speakers and thus expanded. Due to the feature, it is also compatible with Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant and can be controlled via voice command, but you need an external third-party device for that. To stream content wirelessly, Apple Airplay 2 or Bluetooth can be used besides the HEOS app.

As analog interfaces, the soundbar has an HDMI input and an output with ARC support as well as a coaxial, an optical input and an Ethernet interface. There are also an AUX input and a USB port for playback.

Denon Home Soundbar 550 2021
Compact HEOS Soundbar with virtual 3D Sound

Room size
up to 25 m2
Channels
2
(3.2 virtual)

Denon Home Soundbar 550 Connections

HDMI 2.0 InHDMI OutHDMI eARCDigital optical3.5mm JackUSB for playbackLAN-Ethernet
Dolby Atmos
Set
Soundbar
  • Virtual 3D sound
  • Network connection
  • HDMI eARC
  • Multiroom option
  • Dolby Vision & HDR10
  • Expandable
  • Bluetooth
  • Compact dimensions
  • Built-in Amazon Alexa
  • No height channels
  • No subwoofer

If you have a comparatively small TV or less space in general, the Denon Home Soundbar 550 is a good choice. After all, the soundbar with a width of only 65 centimeters is guaranteed to fit in any living room. Despite the small size, however, the soundbar should not be underestimated: Although it is a 2.0-channel system, it can even reproduce three-dimensional sound in the form of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

It doesn’t get much smarter than the Denon Home Soundbar 550. Since it has HEOS built-in, it connects easily with other speakers. In addition, it features Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Apple Airplay for wireless content transfer. Another great feature: You no longer need a third-party device to control the soundbar via voice, since Amazon’s Alexa is already integrated.

Since the soundbar comes with an HDMI eARC interface, it supports 4K@60Hz, HDR10 and Dolby Vision. Other interfaces include a classic optical port, a USB input, an Ethernet interface and an AUX input.