August Audio Fest at Best Buy & the Denon HEOS 5

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

Music is an amazing thing. It can set a mood or be an escape. Music just makes me happy. If I’m home, it’s playing in the background. If I’m driving, I’m singing along (loudly) to what’s playing on my satellite radio. When I’m grocery shopping, I’m bopping around the store with my headphones on. My computer is in my kitchen, and I spend a lot of time in that area, so I have some decent speakers connected to it. The rest of my house, however, has been dull and speakerless. Until now.

The Denon HEOS 5

HEOS by Denon is a Wireless Multi-Room Sound System comprising a family of great-sounding music players for your whole home. Using your iOS or Android phone or tablet, you can enjoy your favorite streaming music services, Internet radio, or your own music collection. I’ve been using the HEOS 5 ($399.99), which is perfect for medium to large rooms such as dining rooms, larger bedrooms, offices, or smaller living rooms.

In the box, you’ll find the speaker, all of the cables you need, and a Quick Start Guide. The guide is illustrated and easy to follow, and it had me up and running in just a few minutes. Look at how simple it is:

Plug it in. (It all starts with power.)
Download the free HEOS by Denon App from the App Store or Google Play.
Launch the HEOS App and add your device.
Crank up the music, sing, and dance.

Weighing in at 6.6 lbs., it’s a sturdy and solid piece of equipment, yet it’s easy to move from room to room, especially with the help of the built-in handle. As long as you have somewhere to plug it in and can connect to it with your iOS or Android device, you’re good. I’ve been happily streaming Pandora or Spotify everywhere I go.

Using the AUX or USB input, you can listen to music directly from another source, such as an MP3 player. I do this fairly often too, and although I still need to control it from my phone, I like being able to access my personal collection in addition to the music streaming services I use. Whether it’s Pandora, Spotify, or my MP3 player, my new HEOS 5 let’s me listen to my favorite music anywhere in my house….and it sounds great.

Yep, the sound from this speaker is amazing. It’s clear, even at really loud volumes, and I’m very impressed with the bass that comes out of this little guy; most speakers tend to disappoint me on that feature. I found that I had to adjust the treble and the bass settings for the best overall sound quality, but it was easily accomplished through the HEOS App. Now I’m performing Step 4 (from above), all over the house. Possibly a little too often.

As I mentioned, HEOS is a system, so you have the option of taking your one speaker from room to room like I’ve been doing, or you can set up multiple speakers around your home. Denon even offers other speaker sizes so you can choose the configuration that works best for you. The HEOS 3 ($299.98) is ideal for smaller rooms, such as bedrooms or bathrooms, and is easy to move around the home. The HEOS 7 ($599.98) is ideal for large spaces, such as living rooms, great rooms, etc. You can play the same song in all of your rooms, or you can have each speaker doing something different. Neat, right?

You can find the entire HEOS System at Best Buy, who happens to be having an event this month that you’re going to love.

August Audio Fest

From 8/3/14 through 8/30/14, August Audio Fest is happening across all Best Buy stores, where they will feature audio specials, events, and more to help you enhance your home entertainment experience and upgrade your sound with additional components, speakers, and headphones. They’re gathering the best offers on the best audio products throughout the entire month. Visit a Best Buy store to test and try the latest and greatest in audio, from portable Bluetooth speakers and headphones to home theater solutions and car audio. Audio Fest is an event you don’t want to miss if you’re a music lover. While you’re there, I highly recommend demoing the HEOS 5 if you can!

Best Buy has the best selection of audio products–come in and let Best Buy teach you how to upgrade your sound. LOVE THE WAY YOU LiSTEN.

Thank you to Best Buy for sending me a complimentary Denon Heos 5 to try and helping me escape my kitchen a little more often.