The Denon HEOS 1 Wireless Speaker is an attractive network and Wi-Fi connected speaker that delivers good sound anywhere in your house for $199.99. With the HEOS app, you can stream music to the speaker using a few different music services. The HEOS 1 Go Pack adds Bluetooth connectivity, splash proofing, and a 6-hour battery for $99.
The HEOS 1 Wireless Speaker system is meant to fill your house with sound using a network of HEOS 1 speakers in each room. When you’ve got all of your speakers set up, you can fill your house with one type of music or let each of your rooms have its own sound. During setup, you can name each HEOS 1 speaker for a different room, so you can easily choose which speaker you’d like to stream to using the HEOS app.
The HEOS 1 utilizes a dual driver system with two active drivers, a wide range mid-woofer and a soft dome tweeter. This speaker also features advanced Digital Signal Processing, which can deliver full range sound with custom EQ settings. Be warned though, audiophiles, the HEOS 1 doesn’t stream anything higher than CD quality sound. One really nice thing about the HEOS 1 is that the speaker enclosure is sealed to provide moisture and humidity protection so you can keep the HEOS 1 in the bathroom for those who like to dance in the shower.
The HEOS 1 has excellent build quality as well as impressive weight. It weighs 3.13 lbs and is almost 8 inches tall. The Go Pack will add another inch to it’s height and another 0.7 lbs to its weight. There are only three control buttons on top: mute, volume up, volume down. While this simplicity looks nice, you’ll need a smart device with the HEOS app in order to control the music. Without one, you’ll be lost.
The HEOS 1 has a USB port as well as an Aux-In jack to allow you to plug in your favorite USB portable devices or other music devices to stream through the HEOS 1. The HEOS 1 also has built-in Wi-Fi as well as an Ethernet jack for either wireless or wired network connectivity, with which you can stream one of many music services like Pandora, Spotify, SiriusXM, and more through the HEOS app.
Speaking of the HEOS app, let’s talk a little about the companion app. You’ll need the HEOS app in order to stream music to your HEOS 1 speaker. You use the app to set up your speaker as well as stream music to your speaker. Through the app, you can choose from the following music sources: Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn, Rhapsody, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, Soundcloud, Tidal, Rdio, music straight from your phone’s memory, music servers on your network, anything connected to the HEOS’s USB jack, or through the Aux-In jack.
The sound quality that the HEOS provides is good for its price. It’s well rounded, but a little light on bass. When compared to it’s closest competitor, the Sonos:1, the sound quality is lacking, but still very good. If I were to describe the sound quality of the HEOS 1, I would say that it has an “open” sound.
The HEOS 1 Go Pack is a neat accessory that not only provides a 6-hour battery for truly wireless music, but it also includes a USB Bluetooth adapter for wirelessly streaming music away from a network, as well as a rubber cover for the rear controls and jacks that adds another layer of splash proofing. The Go Pack is a base that easily twists onto the bottom of the HEOS 1 and has four LED lights that tell you how much juice is left in the battery and a power button that turns the battery on and off. With the Go Pack, you can easily take the HEOS 1 camping, tailgating, or out for a picnic without having to worry about wires or water.
I’m impressed with the HEOS 1 because it provides good sound for its price point but it also has advanced features like Wi-Fi connectivity that helps it shine above the other portable speakers. The addition of the Go Pack solidifies the HEOS 1 as a top speaker in the price range since it adds the three great features that I’ve already mentioned.
You can purchase the HEOS 1 from Amazon for $199, while the HEOS 1 with the Go Pack will set you back another $99.
Source: The HEOS 1 and HEOS 1 Go Pack were provided to me as a review sample by the manufacturer.
What I Like: Great build quality; Attractive speaker; Sealed speaker enclosure for humid environments; Good sound quality; Many music service options; USB & Aux-In jacks; Addition of the Go Pack makes the speaker so much better.
What Needs Improvement: Sound quality could be improved; HEOS app is a requirement for use.