Denon DHT-S218: Dolby Atmos soundbar launches for 269 euros

Dolby Atmos, Bluetooth LE Audio and an HDMI eARC connection in a compact and lightweight soundbar at a price of just €269.00? What sounds a little utopian at first, however, are actually details of the Denon DHT-S218, which is due to be launched shortly.

The Denon DHT-S218 in detail

With dimensions of 890 mm x 120 mm x 67 mm and a weight of 3.6 kg, the Denon DHT-S218 soundbar is comparatively compact and light. Nevertheless, its sound is impressive, as it contains two down-firing subwoofers (75 mm each) and two Racetrack mid-range speakers (90 x 40 mm) and two tweeters (25 mm each).

As a 2.1 system, these six drivers are intended to realize a spatial Dolby Atmos 3D sound, even though an upward-facing speaker and external speakers are missing. An additional subwoofer can be connected via a Sub Out connection for more oomph.

There is also an HDMI eARC connection, one HDMI 2.0, an optical output (Toslink) and an analog AUX In port to choose from. 4K UHD resolutions including VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision are possible via HDMI.

The Denon Dialog Enhancer, which is designed to improve speech intelligibility in films and TV shows in three stages, is also included. This makes it possible to specifically increase the volume of dialog without having to adjust the overall volume.

Wireless streaming via Bluetooth LE Audio

The Denon DHT-S218 also supports wireless streaming via Bluetooth and also supports the new Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio standard. In addition to SBC, the new LC3 codec is also supported as an audio codec.

The soundbar can also be paired with several devices simultaneously thanks to Multipoint. The DHT-S218 is apparently operated via the control elements on the top and by remote control. However, the official website does not provide any specific details.

Price and availability

The Denon DHT-S218 Dolby Atmos soundbar will be available in stores shortly. The manufacturer’s RRP is 269.00 euros. This puts the price of the new model on a par with its sibling DHT-S217 from 2022, which was not entirely convincing in terms of sound.