Overview

The Denon Home Sound Bar 550 is a compact 2.0-channel soundbar built around a six-driver array: two 0.75-inch (19 mm) tweeters, four 2.2-inch (55 mm) full-range drivers, and three 2 × 3.5-inch (50 × 90 mm) passive radiators for bass reinforcement [2][4]. It provides one Full HDMI Input and one HDMI eARC output, enabling device passthrough plus TV audio return. Passthrough supports 4K/60 and HDR10/Dolby Vision; measured bandwidth is 4K/60 4:4:4 at 8-bit (not 10-bit) [1][4]. The bar integrates HEOS multi-room, AirPlay 2, and Alexa (built-in), and plays hi-res files up to 192 kHz/24-bit (FLAC/ALAC/WAV) and DSD 2.8/5.6 MHz via network/USB [2][3][8].

Scientific Validity

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Independent measurements show a slightly boomy but generally neutral response with low-bass roll-off (LFE 55.8 Hz, high-frequency extension 18.8 kHz). Peak loudness is modest (87.8 dB SPL) with noticeable compression at max volume (DRC 5.50 dB). Weighted THD is 0.57 at 80 dB and 1.25 at max; audible artifacts remain limited at typical listening levels but rise when pushed. There is no room correction, and the 2.0 layout uses a phantom center, so dialogue precision trails bars with discrete center channels. All figures per RTINGS lab tests [1].

Technology Level

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Above-average engineering for the size: HDMI input + eARC (rare at this size) with 4K/HDR passthrough [1][4], HEOS multi-room with AirPlay 2/Alexa [2][3], and native hi-res/DSD playback [2][8]. Dolby Atmos/DTS:X decoding is present, though without up-firing drivers. Lack of room correction and the 8-bit 4K/60 passthrough limitation prevent a higher score.

Cost-Performance

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• Review target current market price (US): 699 USD [4].
• Comparator (cheapest equal-or-better option): Sonos Beam (Gen 2) at 499 USD (official price) [6]. It measures equal-or-better on multiple axes (gets a bit louder with less compression; lower LFE ~50.4 Hz; adds Trueplay room correction), but lacks an HDMI input, which can be normalized with an HDMI 2.0 switch (~20 USD) [5].
• Calculation: CP = (499 + 20) ÷ 699 = 0.742… → 0.7 (rounded to one decimal).
• Why Beam 2? Comparable compact Atmos bar with superior measured center/surround performance and room correction; adding a low-cost HDMI switch closes the input gap [5][6].

Reliability & Support

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Denon’s ecosystem and HEOS app receive feature updates (e.g., Alexa added via firmware in 2022). US retailer documentation lists a 2-year warranty for the bar. Build quality is solid; long-term model-specific failure data is limited. Overall support posture is good for a mainstream brand [1][4].

Rationality of Design Philosophy

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A rational compact design that prioritizes connectivity (HDMI in + eARC) and ecosystem features (HEOS/AirPlay 2/Alexa) while extracting respectable output from a small enclosure via a six-driver + passive-radiator scheme. Sensible trade-offs; missing room correction is the main gap [1][2][4].

Advice

If you need a compact soundbar with HDMI input for device passthrough and value HEOS multi-room integration, the Sound Bar 550 offers solid connectivity and measured performance. For most buyers, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) provides superior measured output, room correction, and better dialogue clarity at a lower price, though you’ll need an HDMI switch to match the input functionality. Consider the 550 if you specifically want its connectivity features and HEOS ecosystem integration [1][5][6].

References

[1] RTINGS.com — “Denon Home Sound Bar 550 Review”, https://www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/denon/home-sound-bar-550 (accessed 2025-08-23).
[2] Denon — Product Info Sheet (PDF), driver/layout & features, https://www.denon.com/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-denon_northamerica_shared/default/dw166ec0e3/downloads/denon-home-550-info-sheet-en.pdf (accessed 2025-08-23).
[3] Denon — Owner’s Manual (PDF), supported formats, https://www.denon.com/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-denon_northamerica_shared/default/dw382d6e38/downloads/denon-home-550-owners-manual-en.pdf (accessed 2025-08-23).
[4] B&H — “Denon Home Sound Bar 550”, price & HDR/DV passthrough listing, https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1612697-REG/denon_denonhomesb550_home_sound_bar_550.html (accessed 2025-08-23).
[5] RTINGS.com — “Sonos Beam (Gen 2) Review”, performance & lack of Full HDMI In, https://www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/sonos/beam-gen-2 (accessed 2025-08-23).
[6] Sonos — Beam (Gen 2) official price, https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/beam (accessed 2025-08-23).
[8] Denon Manuals — Supported codecs (incl. DSD), https://manuals.denon.com/DenonHomeSB550/EU/EN/OBAOSYmpktkrmt.php (accessed 2025-08-23).

(2025.8.23)