Denon Home 150 NV Compact Wireless Speaker

Denon has just dropped the new Home 150 NV, a compact WLAN speaker that ditches the integrated microphones. For those who are wary of always-on mics in their devices, this might be a breath of fresh air.

The Home 150 NV is geared up for multiroom setups with HEOS Built-in, allowing seamless integration with other compatible devices. It also supports Apple AirPlay 2, so streaming from your iPhone or iPad is a breeze. Under the hood, it's a mono speaker featuring two drivers: a 25mm tweeter and an 89mm woofer. If you're looking for stereo sound, you can link up two units to create a stereo pair.

Hi-Res audio support is on board, catering to those who appreciate every detail in their music. Connectivity options are solid, with 3.5mm analog input and USB ports, plus Bluetooth for wireless streaming. With Wi-Fi connectivity, you can tap into streaming services via the HEOS app, including Spotify, Amazon Music HD, Pandora, TIDAL, and more.

Design-wise, the Home 150 NV brings a minimalist aesthetic that's reminiscent of Sonos speakers, available in both black and white finishes. The top panel features touch controls for volume, play, and pause, along with three quick select buttons to save your favorite internet radio stations.

An added bonus is that the speaker is Roon Ready, which is great news for those who've invested in Roon's ecosystem for managing high-resolution music libraries. For network connectivity, there's an Ethernet port if you prefer a wired connection.

Physically, the speaker measures 120 x 187 x 120 mm and weighs about 1.7 kg. It's compact enough to fit into most spaces without drawing too much attention.

The Home 150 NV is essentially a sibling to the existing Home 150, with the key difference being the absence of microphones and voice assistant support. If you don't need features like Alexa or Google Assistant built-in, the NV variant is tailored for you.

Price-wise, Denon lists the Home 150 NV at 199 euros. However, it's worth noting that the original Home 150, which offers the same sound quality and includes microphones, can be found at some retailers for around 159 euros, despite its official MSRP of 249 euros.

So, if you're eyeing a solid wireless speaker without the always-listening mics, the Denon Home 150 NV presents a compelling option, even if it doesn't come with a price cut compared to its predecessor.