JBL Bar 1000 Review: Innovative Dolby Atmos Soundbar Experience

Immerse yourself in the unique Dolby Atmos sound with JBL Bar 1000’s detachable speakers and powerful surround sound technology.

Breaking the Soundbar Mold with JBL Bar 1000

If you’ve ever shopped for a soundbar, you know the drill: a long speaker bar that sits under your TV, possibly joined by a bulky subwoofer and two side speakers. That was the standard, predictable look and setup. JBL, however, decided to shake things up with their JBL Bar 1000 soundbar. At first glance, it’s a classic soundbar with a subwoofer, but appearances can be deceiving. The real magic lies in the two detachable side speakers you can freely place around your room, creating a truly immersive Dolby Atmos listening experience.

For two weeks, I hooked the JBL Bar 1000 up to my Philips OLED807 monitor via HDMI eARC in the living room and tested it across various content: Dolby Atmos-enabled blockbusters like the original Transformers, anime such as Pokémon Journeys, and gaming sessions on PS5. The results? Let’s dive into the details.

JBL Bar 1000 Features That Set It Apart

• Dolby Atmos & DTS:X multi-beam surround sound
• HDMI eARC support
• Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, Chromecast, and Bluetooth connectivity

The standout feature? Those detachable side speakers. This 7.1.4-channel beast pumps out a massive 880 watts of power and fully supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X for rich, multidimensional soundscapes. DTS:X enhances spatial audio further, turning your living room into a personal cinema. JBL also throws in their PureVoice technology to sharpen dialogue clarity—because missing a single word in an intense scene is the ultimate bummer.

When it comes to connections, the Bar 1000 covers all bases: one HDMI eARC port, three regular HDMI inputs, optical input, USB, and Ethernet. Streaming music directly to the soundbar is a breeze via AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Bluetooth, Alexa, and other smart assistants. The JBL One app integrates services like Spotify and Tidal, while voice control works via Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, or Siri.

A neat bonus: the detachable speakers come with wall-mount brackets, and you can charge them via USB-C when off the dock. Speaking of charging, the speakers last about 25 hours fully charged. The only catch? There’s no way to check the battery level on the speakers themselves—you only get a notification on the soundbar’s display when they’re running low.

• Feature Rating: 4.5 / 5

Setup That Feels Like a Breeze

Setting up the JBL Bar 1000 was shockingly simple—honestly, one of the easiest installations I’ve ever experienced. All I had to do was connect the soundbar via HDMI eARC and launch the JBL One app on my phone. The app instantly recognized the device and guided me to connect it to my Wi-Fi network. After a quick password input, the system updated its firmware in about five minutes and was ready to rock.

The app then walked me through calibrating the detachable speakers. Placing them in different spots around the room, I heard a pulsing tone from the speakers and soundbar for each placement. Just five minutes later, calibration was complete. Truth be told, I spent more time unpacking the box than I did setting up the system—now that’s impressive.

One minor gripe? The included cables were a tad short for hiding neatly behind my TV setup. If you’re like me and prefer a clean look with cables tucked away, you might need to grab longer power cables (easily found for under $10).

• Setup Rating: 4.5 / 5

Sound Quality: When Dolby Atmos Shines

• Dolby Atmos and surround sound deliver a spectacular experience
• Dialogues come through crystal clear
• Limited sound customization options in the app

With detachable speakers calibrated, it was time for the ultimate test. The movie buff in my household (a.k.a. my partner) insisted on starting with Transformers on Netflix. The opening action-packed scenes with helicopters swooping through the air and the towering robot unleashing alien weapons immediately showcased the Bar 1000’s spatial prowess. Explosions, flight, and gunfire were all pinpointed perfectly in the room.

However, dialogue clarity didn’t feel as sharp as I’d hoped. I peeked into the app to tweak the PureVoice feature but found no manual toggle—it appears to be enabled by default. This leads to the biggest shortcoming of the JBL Bar 1000: the app’s sound settings are extremely basic. You get a simple equalizer and volume control for the detachable speakers—no fancy presets or profile saving.

For Transformers, I fixed the dialogue issue by cranking the mid-range frequencies to max and pushing the detachable speakers’ volume to the highest level. Voilà—the sound became just right for my ears.

I can’t help but wish this unique soundbar had a more advanced equalizer or the ability to save custom sound profiles. After all, dialogue-heavy dramas might benefit from enhanced vocals, but in fast-paced games, you might want to hear ambient sounds more prominently.

Unfortunately, not all content supports Dolby Atmos. For example, watching Pokémon Journeys highlighted the difference. Without Atmos, voices came only from the main soundbar, while other sounds split between it and the detachable speakers. The sense of space was noticeably less immersive.

Surprising Gaming Sound Performance

PS5 games don’t support Dolby Atmos natively, but JBL Bar 1000 still produced impressive spatial audio during gameplay. Playing Wild Hearts video game, I could distinctly hear birds chirping to my left or right, the sound of rushing rivers, and even enemy and teammate movements. This precise audio positioning gave me an edge, making the gaming experience feel much more alive.

• Sound Quality Rating: 4.5 / 5

Is JBL Bar 1000 Worth Your Investment?

Every explosion, helicopter, and shot was pinpointed clearly in our living room, though dialogue clarity could use a little tweaking.

– Enthusiastic JBL Bar 1000 user

So, if you’re tired of the same old soundbar setup and crave a genuine Dolby Atmos experience with the freedom to place speakers wherever you want, JBL Bar 1000 is a solid choice. Its sound staging, especially for movies and games, is remarkable, and the effortless setup means you’ll be enjoying immersive audio in no time. Just keep in mind the limited app controls and short cables, which are minor quibbles.

FAQ

• What makes JBL Bar 1000 different from typical soundbars?
  It features detachable side speakers that can be placed anywhere in the room, creating true Dolby Atmos 3D sound.
• How long do the detachable speakers last on a full charge?
  Approximately 25 hours, with charging supported both in the dock and via USB-C.
• Does the JBL Bar 1000 support voice assistants?
  Yes, it supports Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Siri for voice control.
• Can I use the soundbar for gaming on PS5?
  Absolutely. Even without native Dolby Atmos support in games, the Bar 1000 provides excellent spatial audio.
• Is the setup process complicated?
  Not at all. The JBL One app guides you through quick and straightforward installation and calibration.

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