Denon DHT-S716H soundbar review

Name: Denon DHT-S716H soundbar
Brand: Denon

Sarah Brandon

Last updated: Nov 17, 2020

Quick verdict: Denon’s new premium soundbar is pricey, but it has a lot to offer for audiophiles and those wanting a better home theatre set-up.

Wall mountable
Impressive sound
Includes a remote

Not cheap
App isn’t intuitive to use
No Dolby Atmos support

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Denon DHT-S716H soundbar resting on a timber bench

Finder score: 4.0

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Japanese manufacturer Denon announced two new high-end soundbars earlier this year: the DHT-S716H and the DHT-S516H.

The DHT-S716H is a 3.0 channel soundbar designed to offer immersive sound for home theatre enthusiasts. I set it up at home for a few weeks to see if the audio performance measured up to the high price tag.

Design

Fabric-wrapped design
Shallow height means it can fit in front of most TVs
Can be wall mounted
3.0 channels
Remote included

The Denon DHT-S716H is designed to fit directly under your TV. At less than 3 inches tall, it can fit in in front of most TVs without blocking the bottom edge. If it does block your TV, you can easily mount it to your wall using the included keyhole slots. However, mounting supplies aren't included.
It looks like a typical soundbar, with a long rectangular design measuring 1,100x72x148mm. It's wrapped in fabric that looks sleek but picks up dust, dirt and fingerprint marks pretty quickly.
The back of the soundbar holds an impressive four 4K UHD HDMI ports and an ARC-enabled HDMI output. It also has a USB port, an ethernet port and a 3.5mm audio port.
The DHT-S716H comes with a simple remote with volume and playback controls as well as six quick select buttons that can be programmed with your preferred controls.
The box includes several cables that make it easy to get set up. All I had to do was put it in front of my TV, plug in the power cord and use an HDMI cable to connect it to the TV. All of the cables I needed were included in the box, but if you have a unique set-up, you might need additional cables.

Performance

Can be voice-controlled using an Amazon Alexa device
Supports Dolby TrueHD but not Dolby Atmos
Impressive sound quality
App isn't intuitive to use

Overall, I was extremely impressed with the audio quality of the DHT-S716H.
It has a rich, dynamic sound and the bass is deep enough to rumble. If you want more boom, you can pair it wirelessly with a subwoofer, but most people won't need to.
The DHT-S716H has two modes, movie and music, and it offers high-resolution Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.
It doesn't just work with your TV, you can also use it to stream music from services including Spotify and Amazon Music.
The DHT-S716H can connect directly to Wi-Fi using the HEOS app. The app is free but takes a little getting used to. The settings are split between different tabs in the app and it takes a bit of trial and error to figure out where everything is.
You can also connect it wirelessly to Amazon Alexa devices to control it with voice commands.
Once I got the app set up, it was easy to stream music from my mobile phone and Amazon Echo smart speaker.
If you already have more than one HEOS speaker, you can control them independently with the HEOS app, playing a different song in each room of your home.

Verdict

Great sound, but at a high cost

Should you buy it?

Denon's DHT-S716H soundbar offers an impressively deep sound considering it doesn't have a built-in subwoofer, but is it worth the asking price of $1,699?

It depends what you're looking for.

If you're an audiophile with limited space, the DHT-S716H packs a lot in a slim soundbar that you can easily mount on your wall. If you're looking for more bass for your buck, Denon also recently launched the DHT-S516H, a 2.1 channel soundbar and wireless subwoofer combination that retails for $1,699.

Pricing and availability

Price

RRP $1,699

Where to buy

Amazon

Specifications

Build

Dimensions

1,100x72x148mm

Weight

4.8kg

Power supply

100-240 Volts AC, 50/60 Hz

Colours

Black

Sound format

Dolby TrueHD and DTSHD Master Audio

Connectivity

Bluetooth

Yes

HDMI inputs

Optical input

3.5mm input

Sarah Brandon

Sarah Brandon is an editor at Finder specialising in technology and reviews. She has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from New York University and loves learning about why people do what they do. Sarah has researched and written about a wide range of topics, from air purifiers to AirPods. But no matter the subject, her number one priority is figuring out what information our readers need to make the best decisions.

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Denon DHT-S716H soundbar review