The JBL Bar 1300 comes with a wireless subwoofer and two detachable and rechargeable surround speakers. This 11.1.4 channel and 1,170-watt home theater system supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X audio formats. The JBL Bar 1300 is equipped with three 4K HDMI (eARC) inputs and a 4K HDMI output, as well as an optical input. It can also stream music wirelessly via AirPlay 2, Alexa MultiRoom Music, Chromecast and Bluetooth.
Available for €1,499, can the JBL Bar 1300 provide a true 3D surround sound like that of an AV receiver and speaker system?
JBL Bar 1300: packaging & accessories
The box contains the JBL Bar 1300, two wireless detachable surround speakers and wireless subwoofer. The manufacturer also includes a remote control with batteries, power cables for the bar and sub, and a basic HDMI cable.
There are also two L-shaped wall brackets for the soundbar and two U-shaped wall brackets for the surround speakers. Two covers also allow the sides of the soundbar to be covered when the surround speakers are detached.
JBL Bar 1300: presentation
The JBL Bar 1300 is the most powerful JBL soundbar in the American manufacturer’s catalog. Heir to the JBL Bar 5.1, it also has detachable and rechargeable surround speakers. Like the soundbar, these speakers are now equipped with vertical effect drivers to create a 3D sound bubble around the listeners.
The proprietary JBL Multibeam technology diffuses the sound towards the viewers, but also to the sides and upwards. The reflection of different sound beams on the walls and ceiling ensures a three-dimensional spatialization of the soundtrack. In addition, JBL has equipped this soundbar with an automatic sound calibration feature. This guarantees convincing 3D sound effects, regardless of the room’s configuration.
We are therefore in the presence of an 11.1.4 channel home theater system, with truly wireless surround speakers. These speakers are equipped with a battery offering up to ten hours of autonomy. The amplification totals 1,170 watts of power: 650 watts for the soundbar, 300 watts for the subwoofer and 110 watts for each of the surround speakers.
The JBL soundbar is equipped with an impressive 15 drivers: six full-range drivers and three tweeters for the front channels, two tweeters and two full-range drivers for the lateral effects and two full-range drivers for the front vertical effects.
The surround speakers feature a full-range driver and a tweeter for the rear surround effects, another full-range driver for the rear vertical effects and two passive radiators for more bass.
The subwoofer has a 10” driver. It is down-firing to deliver the bass evenly in all directions using the ground effect.
The JBL Bar 1300 can therefore reproduce the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X audio tracks found on Blu-rays and streaming services. To enjoy these soundtracks, you can simply connect a 4K Blu-ray player, a network media player, a game console or a set-top box to one of the three 4K HDR compatible HDMI inputs. Once connected to the HDMI eARC input of a TV, its eARC compatible HDMI output allows you to transfer the image of the sources (Blu-ray, DVD, console, set-top box…) to the TV and transfer the sound of the TV (DTTV, streaming applications…) to the soundbar, including in Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. To transmit sound from an older TV that does not support ARC/eARC, it is possible to use an optical cable (not included) to connect it to the soundbar.
The JBL Bar 1300 soundbar also features WiFi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity. WiFi opens the doors to wireless audio streaming via AirPlay, Alexa Multiroom Music (MRM) and Chromecast protocols from any compatible audio source.
Bluetooth allows you to stream music wirelessly to the soundbar, but most importantly, to use the two surround speakers as portable Bluetooth speakers. Each can be used independently, with the possibility of pairing them to provide stereo sound.
To make the JBL Bar 1300 soundbar easy to use, the manufacturer includes a remote control for the main functions. The JBL One app, which can be downloaded onto iOS and Android smartphones, offers the same features. It also lets you set up the soundbar, personalize the settings and access several online music services.
JBL Bar 1300: key specifications
- 11.1.4 channel audio system
- Automatic calibration
- 1,170 watts total power
- Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding
- HDR10 and Dolby Vision
- 4K HDR HDMI (eARC): 3 inputs/1 output
- Bluetooth, WiFi, AirPlay, Chromecast, Alexa Multiroom
- Wireless battery-powered surround speakers (10h autonomy)
JBL Bar 1300: listening conditions
We paired the JBL Bar 1300 to the LG 24LX3 OLED gaming screen via an HDMI eARC connection and an Audioquest Cinnamon HDMI cable. Connected to one of the soundbar’s HDMI inputs, the Pioneer UDP-LX500 4K Blu-ray player allowed us to play several 4K HDR Blu-ray movies with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X audio tracks. We also watched a few series on Prime Video directly from the LG 42LX3’s webOS interface.
JBL Bar 1300: our impressions
The JBL Bar 1300 benefits from a robust and meticulous build. The materials used are of high quality and the finish is impeccable.
The installation and set up only takes a few minutes. The soundbar and subwoofer are automatically paired when the power is turned on. The first time you use the soundbar, you must manually pair it with the surround speakers, after which the pairing is done automatically the next time you use the soundbar. Automatic calibration takes just a few minutes from a smartphone using the JBL One app.
The TV connected to the soundbar via HDMI ARC is automatically detected. When the ARC function is activated on the TV, the JBL turns on to begin playback when the TV is turned on.
For home theater, the spatialization provided by the JBL Bar 1300 impressed us. The front soundstage was very wide and the surround sound effects produced by the wireless speakers were precise, both when streaming The Last of Us and watch movies on Blu-ray.
In Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, the lateral and vertical effects provided a great sense of immersion with convincing 3D effects. On the beaches of Normandy (Saving Private Ryan) and in the Austrian glades of Vindobona (Gladiator), projectiles flew from all sides of the room with great realism. The subwoofer was responsive and showed no signs of saturation, even at high volume. Dialogue benefited from the Pure Voice technology, which preserved clarity and intelligibility.
Moreover, the ability to use the surround speakers as individual Bluetooth speakers is a real advantage. You can take them everywhere with you to listen to your podcasts and playlists for several hours. You can even recharge them with a mains charger via their USB-C port! Their sound was energetic, but suffered from a lack of clarity with slightly muddy mids.
Lastly, despite many attempts, it was impossible to pair the two speakers for stereo sound…
JBL Bar 1300: compared to…
LG S95QR
More power and more channels give the JBL greater impact and energy during action scenes. However, the LG S95QR’s front channels are more accurate and have more vertical range. The latter also offers more flexibility in the configuration of the different channels to customize the sound. For music, on the other hand, the JBL was the most impressive.
Samsung HW-Q990B
Twice as powerful as the Samsung model, the JBL Bar 1300 is unrivaled in its ability to plunge users in the heart of the action. We’re happy to forgive its lesser vertical range, as its energy and vitality work wonders. The Samsung HW-Q990B has the advantage regarding connectivity as it allows a wireless WiFi connection with Samsung TVs, with Dolby Atmos support, an exclusive feature of the Korean manufacturer.
JBL Bar 1300: who is it for?
The JBL Bar 1300 soundbar will appeal to those who want to enjoy an effective reproduction of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks, without the clutter of a classic home theater system and with greater freedom of placement when it comes to the surround speakers thanks to their built-in rechargeable battery. It will also be a good match for those looking for a versatile system, just as comfortable with movies and video games as music.
In addition, the two surround speakers can act as stand-alone Bluetooth speakers. That’s handy for playing music in different rooms of the house when you’re not using the whole system to watch a movie.
JBL Bar 1300: conclusion
With the JBL Bar 1300 soundbar, the American manufacturer displays its perfect expertise in spatialized surround sound. In a relatively small format, this system manages to deliver a three-dimensional sound worthy of much larger audio systems. The very expressive subwoofer and the flexibility of the wireless surround speakers are a real plus compared to competing systems. The ability to use these speakers as completely stand-alone Bluetooth wireless speakers is the icing on this excellent cake from JBL. What a treat!
We liked
- The precision and realism of the surround sound effects
- The impact and energy in the lows
- The truly wireless surround speakers
- The balanced musical reproduction
- The ability to recharge the speakers via USB
- The many options for audio streaming (Chromecast, AirPlay, Alexa, Bluetooth)
We would have liked
- More verticality in the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X effects
- To have been able to pair the surround speakers for stereo
