JBL Bar 9.1 Soundbar with Surround Speakers and Dolby Atmos JBLBAR913DBLKAS review

The JBL Bar 9.1 system combines soundbar convenience with a level of immersive performance only achievable through dedicated surround and overhead effects speakers.

Rechargeable, fully wireless surrounds, Upfiring speakers for overhead effects, Easy to use auto-calibration, HDMI with eARC and Dolby Vision pass-through

Smart Mode processing difficult to switch on/off

JBL Bar 9.1 Soundbar with Surround Speakers and Dolby Atmos JBLBAR913DBLKAS review

The first Atmos soundbar from JBL is called Bar 9.1 and has detachable, completely wireless rear speakers. And here the focus is on muscle power for all it's worth.

Powerful sound, hard-hitting bass and true surround sound from wireless rear speakers. With Atmos sound both front and rear.

Sounds too grainy to beat the best.

JBL Bar 9.1 review: Wireless Dolby Atmos with a few flaws

Soundbars have a tough job. The really good ones somehow manage to replace a full 5.1 home theater surround system with just a single elongated speaker enclosure, and maybe a wireless subwoofer. Any soundbar that uses satellite speakers — whether wired to the soundbar or just wired to a power outlet — might produce better sound, but they do so at the cost of convenience and physical space, which is really the whole reason soundbars make sense to so many. That’s what makes JBL’s Bar 9.1 so compelling: Using a pair of battery-powered totally wireless satellites, it not only promises the true acoustic separation of physical speakers, it also throws Dolby Atmos into the mix for an immersive 3D experience — all for around $1,000. JBL has set itself a high, ahem, bar for the Bar 9.1. Does it succeed? Let’s find out. I personally don’t think soundbars should draw attention to themselves — at least not visually — and the Bar 9.1 makes every effort to keep its physical presence to a minimum. Fr...

Super simple setup; Big, powerful bass; Convincing Dolby Atmos and 5.1 sound; Convenient wireless speakers; Supports eARC, 4K, Dolby Vision;

Not enough inputs; Not enough EQ settings; Dialogue needs a boost; Mediocre for music;

JBL BAR 9.1 soundbar review: Putting the bar into bargain

This 5.1.4-channel soundbar features a fully immersive Dolby Atmos and DTS:X experience thanks to upward-firing speakers and a pair of detachable and rechargeable wireless rears. It's good value, with few compromises.

Full immersion; Powerful and well-integrated bass; Dolby Atmos and DTS:X; Detachable rear speakers; EARC support; Automated audio calibration; Proper display and decent remote;

Front soundstage could be wider; No HLG/HDR10+ passthrough; Only one HDMI input; No dedicated remote app;

JBL Bar 9.1 Soundbar with Surround Speakers and Dolby Atmos review

I really couldn't be happier with the sound quality on these, and this would be an easy 5 star review if it wasn't for the persistent connection issues. When on streaming services such as Netflix or Hulu, the sound completely cuts off for 3-5 seconds at a time, sometimes every few minutes, sometimes more than twice a minute. This is not an issue when connected via Bluetooth (on my phone, for example), but when the system is plugged into my TV via HDMI eARC, this happens regularly. Bought a month ago and has been happening regularly since. If it weren't for this issue, this system would be amazing all around - but this is almost a complete deal breaker.