JBL has introduced four new soundbars with Dolby Atmos technology, and the lineup is completed by a 7.1.4 system with wireless rear speakers.
The flagship JBL Bar 1000 uses four drivers to create a bubble of surround sound, with support for both Dolby Atmos and the rival 3D audio format DTS:X.
Replacing the company's Bar 9.1 that launched in 2020, the Bar 1000 shares its predecessor's key feature of having two removable battery-powered speakers.
These can be conveniently placed behind the viewer to create a surround sound setup without the need to connect cables.
The system also comes with a 10-inch wireless subwoofer, and JBL claims the overall output measures an unnerving 880W.
As with the Bar 9.1, the new Bar 1000 uses JBL's multi-beam technology to help create a wider soundstage by bouncing sound off walls, while new PureVoice technology, found across the range, has aimed at optimizing the clarity of the voice.
Below the Bar 1000 in the new range is the JBL Bar 800, which also features removable rear speakers, but in a more compact 5.1.2 configuration, with just two speakers and a reduced output of 720W.
The Bar 800 also has a wireless subwoofer and the same 3D audio, voice assistant and streaming compatibility as its big brother, but it lacks JBL's MultiBeam technology.
A step further down is the JBL Bar 500, a more conventional 5.1 system with 590W of power that doesn't have removable rear speakers, but does include a wireless subwoofer and MultiBeam.
Completing the range is the entry-level Bar 300, a 5.0W 260 system that includes MultiBeam but does not include a separate wireless subwoofer, with bass delivered through an integrated woofer in the bar.
All four probes are compatible with the new JBL One app, which allows users to customize the equalizer as well as browse the integrated music services.
The JBL Bar 1000 and Bar 800 will go on sale in October, priced at €1149/€1000/€1149 and €899/€800/€899 respectively.
Meanwhile, the Bar 500 and Bar 300 will be available in September; the 500 will set you back €649 / €500 / €649 and the 300 will be priced at €399 / €350 / €399. Australian pricing is yet to be confirmed.
Analysis: Wireless rears point to a smooth future for home theater
Since flat-panel TVs still offer audio as an afterthought, the rise of the sound bar was welcome, if not surprising.
But instead of just giving the anemic sound your screen delivers a little more oomph, we're now entering an era where soundbar setups finally deliver the kind of satisfying experience that home theater systems can match. conventional home, while offering additional functionality and flexibility. .
Recent news about new theater setups from Sonos and Sennheiser, as well as a number of new models being unveiled at IFA this month, seem to point to a new wave of soundbars taking full advantage of advances in wireless technology.
JBL may have hit the sweet spot for surround sound with the JBL Bar 1000 and Bar 800 form factor; the convenience of being able to put wireless butts in your bedroom whenever you need them was a great idea when JBL introduced the concept with the Bar 9.1 in 2020.
This system was somewhat let down by poor dialogue performance and limited options for fine-tuning the sound, but with these new models designed to address both issues, could these new theater systems raise the audio bar?