Denon’s Home Sound Bar 550 boasts Dolby Atmos and Alexa smarts

This story is part of CES, where our editors will bring you the latest news and the hottest gadgets of the entirely virtual CES 2021.

Denon has announced the smart all-in-one Home Sound Bar 550 ($599) at CES which includes support for Dolby Atmos/DTS:X and 4K HDMI (eARC).  

Denon says the soundbar has “the ability to deliver Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D surround sound from a six-driver array” and offers a number of streaming protocols including HEOS, Apple AirPlay 2 or Bluetooth. The only thing missing for Android users is Chromecast built-in. The soundbar is also Roku TV Ready.

While the 550 is cheaper than the Sonos Arc ($799) it appears to lack the Arc’s height speakers and therefore may only simulate Dolby Atmos. Denon isn’t alone in this cost-cutting measure, soundbars like the Sony HT-G700 and JBL Bar 5.0 use virtual Dolby Atmos in place of actual speakers.

The 550 has onboard microphones, which will be enabled in Spring 2021, to allow communication via the Amazon Alexa assistant. You can opt to leave the mics off if you like, too.

The all-in-one can be bolstered with the DSW-1H wireless subwoofer (599 £599, AU$1099). Users can also install other HEOS speakers and compatible receivers (like the Denon AVR-960) to use as part of a multi-room setup.

The Denon Home Sound Bar 550 will be available in the US from February 2021, with UK and Australian pricing and availability yet to be announced. Expect it to be the same price as the subwoofer, though, at £599 and $1,099.