What you need to know
- Denon has announced a new soundbar with AirPlay 2 support.
- The soundbar also supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround sound.
As reported by MacRumors, Denon has announced the Home Sound Bar 550 (opens in new tab), a new soundbar that includes support for AirPlay 2. Owners will be able to stream music, podcasts, and more from their iOS devices to the soundbar.
You'll also be able to stream audio over Wi-Fi and using Bluetooth.
In addition to AirPlay 2, users can wirelessly stream music to the Home Sound Bar 550 via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, allowing for music to be streamed from services like Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, TIDAL, and others. The sound bar can be connected to a TV with a single HDMI cable, and it is "Roku TV Ready" to work seamlessly with Roku TVs.
The soundbar, with its six-driver array, also supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround sound.
With a six-driver array and "expertly tuned" digital signal processing, Denon says the Home Sound Bar 550 is built to deliver "best-in-class audio quality." The sound bar supports both the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround sound formats, and a feature known as HEOS allows for wireless multi-room audio with other Denon speakers.
The company says that, while smart assistant control is not available at launch, users should be able to use Alexa to control the soundbar this spring.
The Home Sound Bar 550 can be controlled with the included remote or most universal remotes, the HEOS app for iPhone and iPad, or the built-in illuminated control panel that lights up automatically as an outstretched hand approaches. Denon says users will also have the option to enable Alexa voice control on the sound bar starting in spring 2021, and states that the built-in microphones will not be enabled without explicit user permission.
The Home Sound Bar 550 (opens in new tab) will be available from authorized retailers for $599 starting in February of this year.
