Powerful JBL Bar 1300 Dolby Atmos soundbar launches locally

JBL Bar 1300 soundbar launch

Forget the wired sound system for your home entertainment setup, wireless is where it’s at. One of the latest examples of the technology comes in the form of the new JBL Bar Series of soundbars. Led by the flagship JBL Bar 1300 model, the cinema-like audio gear brings Dolby Atmos, DTS:X 3D Surround Sound, and detachable wireless speakers to kit out your living room.

Alongside the JBL Bar 1300, the company has four other models aimed at different budgets. These include the JBL Bar 1000, 800, 500, and 300 soundbars, each with different feature sets that correspond with the different price points.

Clear dialogue is a must-have feature in any modern soundbar. JBL’s answer to this is a technology called “Harman’s PureVoice”, which uses an algorithm to make it easier to hear voices. The idea is that you should still be able to hear dialogue even amidst competing loud sounds – looking at you, Tenet. All of the newly launched soundbars include PureVoice, so you’ll benefit from the feature regardless of how much you spend.

An additional feature across every JBL Bar model is wireless integration with the JBL One app. With the app and a Wi-Fi connection, you can seamlessly connect the soundbars to your preferred music streaming service, all while tweaking EQ settings to your liking. Voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant all come supported, too. And, if you want to cast audio without using the JBL One app, the soundbars also support AirPlay 2, Alexa multi-room playback, and Chromecast.

What makes the JBL Bar 1300 stand out from the range?

At $1,999.95, the 1300 model is the most expensive of the new soundbars, which makes sense when you look at its internals. To start with, it has a 1170W output, making it the most powerful. It also has the best capacity for generating true Dolby Atmos due to housing six up-firing drivers, which makes it feel like the audio is coming from all directions.

Plus, the JBL Bar 1300 has two detachable wireless surround speakers you can place around your living room. In the olden days, running a surround sound system required delicate cable management. Now, you can coordinate speakers much more easily, thanks to the battery-powered wireless units. That, and a 10-inch wireless subwoofer ensures you get plenty of strong bass sounds.

From now until July, the JBL Bar 1300 is a Harvey Norman exclusive, but the other new soundbar models are available at other home entertainment retailers.

Specifications

Here’s a rundown of each new soundbar’s internals and what the different models offer.

JBL Bar 1300JBL Bar 1000JBL Bar 800JBL Bar 500JBL Bar 300
Channels11.1.47.1.45.1.25.15.0 All-in-one
Total speaker power output1170W880W720W590W260W
Detachable rear channelsYesYesYesNoNo
True Dolby AtmosYesYesYesVirtualVirtual
DTS:X 3D surround soundYesYesNoNoNo
MultiBeamYesYesYesYesYes
HDMI eARC with 4K Dolby Vision pass-throughYesYesYesYesYes
Upfiring drivers64200
Subwoofer10” Wireless10” Wireless10” Wireless10” WirelessBuilt-in
HARMAN PureVoiceYesYesYesYesYes
JBL One AppYesYesYesYesYes
Price$1,999.95$1,499.95$999.95$749.95$529.95

As you can see, you get increasingly more in return for how much you spend. Even though the cheaper models may not get true Dolby Atmos or detachable wireless parts, you still benefit from PureVoice and app integration. JBL speakers have a good reputation, so we’re keen to listen to the new soundbars when we get the chance.

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