Denon has announced a major free firmware update to its Home range of wireless speakers and soundbars that bestows them all with Alexa powers.
The update brings the voice assistant to the Denon Home 150, 250, 350, and Denon Home Sound Bar 550 — with no external Alexa-enabled devices required for the built-in voice assistant to work.
Owners can use voice controls on these products by turning on the built-in mics from within the Denon HEOS app, and linking their devices to an Alexa account. The front light strip on each device will let you know if the microphone is activated, after which, you can do ask Alexa to do your bidding.
The update will also activate two new capacitive buttons on the top panel of Denon Home speaker devices. The first mutes the microphone, while the other allows Alexa to actively listen, letting you issue voice commands without having to say “Alexa” first.
In addition to the new Alexa smarts, owners of the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 can also use a pair of Denon Home speakers as wireless rear surround channels. The update also tweaks the soundbar's bass response for a more precise, faster, and controlled sound.
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