Encompass sound throughout us

There are loads of soundbars to select from, and plenty of of them are fairly good. However most of them do not include the flexibility to show right into a 7.1.4 system because the JBL Bar 1000 can. A part of its appeal is the flexibility so as to add each encompass sound and Dolby Atmos, aka spatial audio, to the combo at a worth that, whereas excessive, is suitable.

Is it among the many finest soundbars on the market? I will go away that so that you can resolve. Nonetheless, as our rating displays, the JBL Bar 1000 will get my hearty advice. There are just a few points with it, notably its restricted EQ controls, as we’ll talk about, however there are not any dealbreakers so long as you possibly can afford the excessive price ticket.

Worth and availability

JBL usually runs gross sales on their inventory, so that you would possibly get fortunate and discover the JBL Bar 1000 for cheaper than its normal price ticket. Nonetheless, it sometimes retails for $1,200. It is not a shocking worth as a result of it comes with a large subwoofer, two removable rear audio system, and Dolby Atmos. Nonetheless, that is above many individuals’s budgets when contemplating methods to improve their TV’s audio.

Design and {hardware}

Magnetic docking rear audio system add flexibility

The JBL Bar 1000 shouldn’t be a small soundbar. Measuring 47 inches in size, nearly 35 with out the detachable audio system, it should occupy loads of house in your setup. This isn’t a soundbar meant for these with a cramped residing scenario. As an alternative, it is a barely extra compact answer to a daily encompass sound speaker system. In any case, it is nonetheless solely 2.2 inches tall and slightly beneath 5 inches in depth.

Extra apparently, the rear audio system it comes with are detachable, which means that they magnetically clip onto the edges of the JBL Bar 1000 when you do not care about encompass sound (or must cost the audio system, as that is the way you get them totally juiced up).

And whenever you need encompass sound, you take away them and place them within the desired location. As an example, I put them on prime of my couch since I haven’t got any speaker stands or furnishings to relaxation them on. Since I need not plug them in, it is not the issue it may be with different encompass sound methods, as I do not want to determine a everlasting location for them.

Additionally, each the soundbar and the rear audio system have upward-facing audio system, indicated by the 4 within the 7.1.4 setup, to supply Dolby Atmos or spatial audio. So, the JBL Bar 1000 affords spatial audio on each channel.

Earlier than we overlook, there’s a fairly substantial subwoofer as nicely that connects to the soundbar wirelessly. It solely must be linked to an influence provide.

The extra ports are among the many different nice bodily additions past the encompass and spatial audio. Moreover one optical and USB port, to not point out Bluetooth connectivity, there’s one HDMI eArc port, which most individuals will use as they will have their streaming units, Blu-ray gamers, and consoles plugged immediately into the TV.

Nonetheless, there are three further HDMI inputs on the soundbar itself. For those who’ve run out of ports in your TV, you possibly can plug no matter supply – I used an Amazon Hearth TV Stick – immediately into the soundbar after which choose the enter by the soundbar or distant.

Lastly, as anticipated, the soundbar comes with a distant. It is not notably deep, however it does what it ought to. You possibly can change the general quantity, encompass and spatial audio volumes, subwoofer quantity, and inputs.

Options and app

Characteristic-rich however restricted EQ

Whereas encompass sound and Dolby Atmos are the primary sights feature-wise on the JBL Bar 1000, we’ll deal with their high quality within the subsequent part. For now, I need to talk about the JBL One app.

Because the controls on the soundbar are restricted to quantity up, quantity down, and an influence/enter button, and the distant has some primary controls, the JBL One app goes to be slightly extra complete.

Nonetheless, the emphasis is on “slightly” because the JBL Bar 1000 is held again, identical to the JBL Authentics 300 I not too long ago reviewed. Primarily, the EQ settings have a Low, Mid, and Excessive band that you may enhance or reduce. Most software-based EQs are no less than 5, if not ten, bands, with a few of them being parametric. Hopefully, JBL will enhance upon that transferring ahead.

The app permits you to create a “second,” which is a selectable preset, so you do not have to alter EQ settings, rear speaker/spatial audio ranges, and so forth. It is a good characteristic for individuals who prefer to fine-tune issues as soon as after which press a button to recall these settings.

You may also arrange Wi-Fi streaming with some apps like Spotify. Since I take advantage of Deezer as my most important streaming service, I might use AirPlay and Bluetooth to stream on to the soundbar when listening to music. I want utilizing AirPlay as I can nonetheless use my telephone concurrently with out all of the audio going by the soundbar. Alexa Multi-Room and Chromecast built-in are additionally out there, although I wasn’t in a position to check these.

Most likely one of the best a part of the app, nevertheless, is that you may press a button there as soon as you have positioned your rear audio system known as “calibrate,” that may calibrate the setup to the room that you simply’re in.

Efficiency and audio high quality

Loud, proud, with encompass sound

Because the JBL Bar 1000 pumps out 440 watts with a further 300 watts from the subwoofer, there’s greater than sufficient quantity for almost any house theater scenario. And, since there are 5 1.8 x 3.5-inch racetrack drivers, three 0.75-inch tweeters, and two upward-facing 2.75-inch drivers within the soundbar (every rear speaker has a tweeter and upward-facing driver of the identical dimension), the frequency vary is fairly full.

Regardless that it is a $1,000+ system, you will not get audiophile-level sound. That stated, it does sound good. There’s loads of bass available, due to that huge subwoofer. The mid-range is sweet and full if a tad too distinguished, so I’d have beloved extra management over the EQ.

And the high-end is balanced, although it will not blow you away with element or decision. In essence, for a shopper product, it sounds nice. For those who’re in search of audiophile audio, you will get higher audio at across the similar worth however must forgo the encompass sound and spatial audio.

Talking of, the encompass sound can also be superb. I recognize that the rear audio system might be put again on the soundbar to cost again up/get out of the best way. The spatial audio provides some dimensionality, however is pretty delicate. I do want it was a bit extra dramatic than it’s. I even set the soundbar up with two totally different TVs to ensure it wasn’t some unusual interplay with my major set, however I had the identical expertise throughout totally different TVs.

The competitors

There are many different soundbars with encompass sound inbuilt. Whereas some are the identical worth or extra, you could find some cheaper, such because the Vizio M-Sequence 5.1.2 Soundbar, priced at $499.99. After all, it is not fairly as strong, and the audio system should not wi-fi. It is also a bit heavier within the mid-range and solely has 200 watts of energy.

As talked about, most of the finest choices with encompass sound will value about the identical or extra. The Samsung HW-Q800C additionally prices about $1,000 and might combine fairly nicely with Samsung TVs (and likewise has Dolby Atmos help).

Must you purchase it?

Whereas expensive, JBL often reductions its merchandise, together with the JBL Bar 1000, so you possibly can look forward to a sale. On the time of writing, it is priced at $799.95. With that in thoughts, that is a straightforward soundbar to suggest, particularly if you will get it at a lower cost.

The JBL Bar 1000 has loads of energy available, sounds superb, together with its encompass sound, and has loads of options. The Dolby Atmos is a little more delicate than I would really like, whereas the EQ controls are about as underwhelming.

However, the soundbar expands the variety of units you possibly can plug into the TV, to not point out that you may calibrate it to your room. I additionally recognize that the rear audio system might be positioned on the soundbar for safekeeping or charging. All in all, it is a actually good soundbar.