Denon has announced the launch of a new soundbar, the Denon DHT-S217. It is a Dolby Atmos compatible sound bar with Bluetooth and built-in subwoofers for a very reasonable price. This new sound bar is the successor to the DHT-S216 and offers similar functionality plus several improvements. For example, the ability to create virtual Dolby Atmos sound and the addition of a pair of dedicated down-firing drivers just for bass.
The new Denon DHT-S217 is one step below the Denon DHT-S517, which we told you about a few months ago. The DHT-S217 has been designed for users looking to enhance the sound of their TV without being overly complicated, as it has everything built in. has some dimensions of 890 x 120 x 67 mm, weighing 3.6 kg, and it sports a fairly common design on Denon soundbars. Thus, the front part and much of the upper area have a black acoustic fabric finish, while the buttons are located in the middle of the upper part.
On a technical level, we are dealing with a 2.1 sound bar that includes a 3.5-inch mid-range driver and a 1 inch tweeter for each of the left and right channels, plus two internal 3-inch down-firing subwoofers. That is, a total of 6 integrated speakers. You also have the option of connecting a wired external subwoofer through the sound bar’s subwoofer output connection.
Having no up-firing speakers, the Denon DHT-S217 takes advantage of Dolby Atmos 3D technology to create virtual Atmos sound. Of course, without testing it, it is difficult to know how effective this technology is, but its main benefit is the absolute simplicity of the system, since all we have to do is connect the bar to the TV through the HDMI eARC connector.
The Denon DHT-S217 is compatible with PCM, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Atmos formats. That is, it is not compatible with DTS formats. The bar offers four different sound modes: Movie, Night, Music and Pure. Pure mode offers the option of bypassing all surround processing, as well as any other alterations, for users who prefer an unaltered sound.
In addition to including the different sound modes, the Denon DHT-S217 is equipped with different technologies to improve audio. It has the function Dialog Enhancer, which enhances dialogue with three different modes: Low, Medium, and High. It is ideal for enhancing listening to movies and sporting events, especially when viewed at low volumes.
It also includes a Bass adjustment, a function that controls the low-frequency output of the internal and external subwoofers (if used). All of these functions can be controlled from a small remote that comes with the soundbar. And in terms of connectivity, in addition to the aforementioned HDMI eARC, the Denon DHT-S217 includes optical connection and one analog audio input (Aux) 3.5mm.
Denon DHT-S217: availability and price
It is important to note that the Denon DHT-S217 does not have WiFi connectivity and it does not have Ethernet connectivity, so it is not part of the Denon HEOS system. What it does include is bluetooth connectivityso we can send you music from your mobile or tablet.
The Denon DHT-S217 will go on sale next May in specialized stores with an official price of €269.
