It’s affordably priced and surprisingly compact. But is it, y’know, filmic?
The DHT-S517's wireless subwoofer looks about half the size of subs typically included with 2.1 packages, while the bar itself measures just 105cm wide. So it's immediately apparent this is a soundbar system for those that really don’t have the room for a traditional 'bar and subwoofer package; it’s an audio upgrade for a TV (better suited to ones 55in and below), rather than a pint-sized cinema setup.
Looking up
It's perhaps unusual, therefore, that this model represents Denon's first foray into native Dolby Atmos playback on a soundbar, with a pair of physical upfiring drivers instead of the virtual Atmos DSP trickery seen on previous – larger – offerings from the brand.
Denon is a little coy about the system's power output, although retailer websites indicate the soundbar has a cumulative 50W-rated output, with an additional 100W allocated to the subwoofer. Not an excessive power plant then, but I found it goes loud enough without faltering in a smaller room.
Cosmetically, the design is spot on. Both the slender 6cm-high soundbar and sympathetically svelte bassmaker feature curved edges and are fronted in smart grey fabric, which will help it blend in with most decors.
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