Denon Heos 1 with Go Pack: Portable Multi-room Wireless Speaker Review
The Denon Heos 1 multi-room wireless mini speaker produces brilliant sound and is IPX4 water resistant when coupled with the Go Pack. The optional Go Pack attaches to the bottom of the Heos 1 with just a quick twist and allows for easy portability giving you up to 6 hours of portable wireless playback.
You can also stream music from Spotify, Rhapsody, TuneIn, and Pandora, iHeart and SiriusXM on your iOS or Android Smartphone, Kindle Fire, or from your PC or Mac via DLNA and Twonky.com a DLNA media compliant software application.
The Heos 1 is the smallest in the Heos line of wireless speakers that also features an Heos 5 and Heos 7 model. Standing at only 8 inches combined with the Go Pack, the Heos 1 is the perfect speaker to tag along with you around the house. Deskside, showerside, patio table, kitchen or poolside is where the Denon might be best suited for use.
Denon Heos 1 Specs
The Denon Heos 1 requires the supplied 100~240 Volts AC, 50~60 Hz, auto-switching power adapter. Connectivity support for the Heos 1 includes a direct RJ-45 aka Ethernet port, Bluetooth or dual band 802.11 N wireless. For convenience and compatibility there’s also a 3.5mm input jack available and supports playback from a USB stick. The Heos 1 measures 7.44 x 5.08 x 5.04in or 189 x 129 x 128mm and weighs 3.13lbs or 1.42kg.
In the box is the Heos 1 wireless speaker, 3.5mm setup cable, power adapter and an Ethernet cable. On the top of the unit we find a Volume Up/Down rocker button, Mute and LED to indicate that you are in Mute mode.
Go Pack Specs
The optional Go pack offers up to six hours of portable playback with a 2600mAh Lithium-ion rechargeable battery. The Go Pack neatly and easily attaches to the bottom of the Heos 1, twist and lock in place.
The Go Pack features a 4 point LED battery strength indicator and weighs .71bs or 32kg and measures just 1.3 x 4.92 x 4.65 in or 33 x 125 x 118 mm.
The Go Pack not only adds portability and power but also provides Bluetooth connectivity via the supplied USB dongle.
Wireless Setup
Wireless setup on the Denon Heos 1 is about as easy as it gets, quick and painless. Though you are required to use a proprietary 3-pole 3.5mm cable each time you move WiFi networks since it will not remember more than 1, so don’t lose it. Download the Denon app. You’ll need to connect the wire from your phone/tablet’s headphone jack to the aux port on and then press the connect button on the Heos 1. Go to your settings and add a speaker, enter WiFi password and you’re done.
There is no physical remote, you must use your iOS, Android device, or Kindle Fire to operate the unit. The App software and Heos 1 seem to play quite nicely and reliably on both iOS and Android. You can find a working demo of the app on www.denon.com. iOS 7+ , Android 2.3+
The Physical
The Heos 1 with Go Pack has a slick design and looks great in black with it’s minimalist design with modern angles. A cool blue glow emits from the bottom of the Heos 1 when powered and exists throughout the Heos line of products.
The Heos 1 mini wireless speaker and Go Pack weigh quite a bit with a combined weight of almost 4lbs standing 8 inches tall. The added weight does however add stability. Seams are tight and line up, makes me feel like the unit is well made.
There’s no power button. With so many devices running these days, it’s nice to actually turn things off sometimes. The Heos 1 has no power button and remains in a constant ready state. It’s makes it great for instant gratification/connection but with the constant power draw, it would be nice to put it to sleep.
Sealed Speaker Enclosure and IPX4 Water Resistance
The sealed speaker enclosure of the Heos 1 makes the unit humidity resistant and additionally waterproof, or more specifically splashproof. The provided splashguard plugs int0 the USB port, covering the ports on the Heos 1. While an integrated rubber gasket on the Go Pack seals out any moisture from entering the power connection points and presto the Heos 1 becomes IPX4 water resistant.
The speaker enclosure is sealed so while you can’t submerge the unit, you can safely operate this in your steamy bathroom when you take a shower and/or have it withstand a few splashes from the sink with or without the Go Pack.
The Performance
Inside the Heos 1 we find 2 active drivers a mid-woofer and soft dome tweeter powered by a dual-channel Class D digital amplifier that provide excellent overall sound where detail and sound quality matter.
With the increase in bandwidth and technology readily available today, make sure you are using a high quality audio file, FLAC or MP3/WMA’s with higher sample and bit rates 192kbps+ at 44.1kHz/48hKz for the best results.
Remember that your speaker and amp is only pushing what your source file is providing so use better quality and you’ll be impressed with the richness of this little Heos 1 mini speaker.
The Heos 1 is a mini speaker and cannot match a dedicated subwoofer with it’s midwoofer. That said, the Heos 1 can easily fill a room with volume larger than it’s size and mid-woofer provides enough thickness for rich sound. The Heos 1 features advanced DSP or Digital Signal Processing, custom EQ and crossover fine tuned to produce a wide dynamic range of audio with low distortion.
Many wireless speaker systems will disconnect or need to be reset, the Heos 1 is always ready to go and responsive on the wireless network. We did not experience many, if any instances where we had to reboot, reset or pair the device again. Once it’s connected, it’s reliable and sounds beautiful.
You are able to pair multiple (up to 32) Heos 1, Heos 3, Heos 5, Heos 7 units within your wifi network. Additionally the Heos Drive, Heos Amp, Heos Link, Heos Extend and Heos Home Cinema. We are unfortunately unable to report on the operation of multiple units, however reports are favorable and suggest excellent sound when coupled with an additional Heos 1 for sync’d stereo sound. Listing to the quality of audio from a single Heos 1, I can only imagine that pairing two Heos 1’s sync’d in stereo sound would be rich and immersive.
Conclusion
The Heos 1 features a slick modern design with a sealed speaker enclosure making it perfect for humid locations, it’s even splashproof. It’s unobtrusive size makes it easy to place anywhere but looks nice too if you prefer to draw more attention to it. Denon Heos 1 Portable Multi-room Wireless Speaker combines excellent sound quality, modern design with versatile connectivity. The optional Go Pack adds powered portability and IPX4 Water Resistance along with Bluetooth connectivity via USB dongle for the ultimate in versatility. The Heos 1 with Go Pack are great to take along with you around the house on the deck, kitchen, showerside, office, man cave and make a great gift for the Holidays.
Available in Black and White
Denon Heos 1 $199
Heos 1 Go Pack $99
