Denon DHT-FS3 review

Denon’s compact soundbar is a real looker. Not only that, but the subwoofer’s a real looker too, with a piano black gloss adding extra sheen to your lounge. With such techy additions as X-SPACE Surround, a 150W power output, and an optional iPod dock, can the Denon DHT-FS3 out-perform the rest of the soundbars vying for your lounge space?


Pros
A bit like Kylie Minogue, this is compact and easy on the eye. Denon’s soundbar is a snap to set up, too, thanks to a simple menu system and three presets for different room sizes. It also steps up and delivers on the performance front, spreading surround effects far and wide, like flu-infected splutterer on the Tube (but in a nicer way), while keeping movie dialogue clear and bass effects satisfyingly deep.

Cons
For the price it would’ve been nice to see HDMI inputs supported for maximum ease of use with High-Definition gear and upscaling DVD players. Also, the accuracy of the surround effects is affected considerably by any soft furnishings in your room – the Denon struggles to “bounce” sound off a sofa!

Verdict
In the right room layout the DHT-FS3 can produce excellent pseudo-surround sound, with more booming effect than Brian Blessed with a megaphone. And despite its two-box configuration, the small size of the bar and sub make it very easy to live with. That said, the lack of any HDMI passthrough option and the fact that its surround sound is less effective in certain room layouts mean it’s not quite the world beater we were hoping for.

Sound

Style

Features

Value

Overall

Sounds like a spiffing Soundbar? Get chatting about the Denon DHT-FS3 on the PriceRunner forums.

Related Articles:

1. Group test: Home cinema soundbarsSetting up a home cinema needn’t be a hassle: if you want to avoid a mess of cable that makes your lounge look like a plate of spaghetti from your local Italian, and a load of hulking speaker boxes that make you feel like you’re in a night club, then you can opt for an [...]...
2. Yamaha YSP-40D review Yamaha was the first firm to commercially launch a home cinema soundbar, and we’re glad they did. But can the YSP-40D match the high standards the Japanese company has set itself? With a gut-busting array o connections, including two HDMI inputs, an HDMI output, two optical digital audio, two coaxial digital audio and two [...]...
3. Logic3 SoundStage 5.1 review Logic3’s most famous product is probably the JiveBox – that crazy-looking cuboid iPod dock. So, it’s got previous in the audio world. This soundbar offering from the company is a 5.1 all-in-one surround sound system. With a total power output of 150W, and measuring 1065×105x210mm it’s one of the buggest soundbars we’ve seen. So, [...]...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Rate this article