JBL Bar1300 1170W 11.1.4 Ch Soundbar with Detachable Surround Speakers
Experience cinema-quality sound right in your living room with the JBL Bar1300. This powerful 11.1.4-channel soundbar delivers 1170W of total output, bringing movies and music to life with True Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. The detachable wireless surround speakers create real surround sound, while MultiBeam technology ensures immersive audio from every angle. Stream your favorite tunes via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and control it all with your voice using Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri. With multiple connectivity options and easy setup, this soundbar transforms your home entertainment. The sleek black design complements any decor, and at 1376mm wide, it's perfect for larger TVs. Get ready for an audio upgrade with the JBL Bar1300, model number 6254235.
Experience cinema-quality sound right in your living room with the JBL Bar1300. This powerful 11.1.4-channel soundbar delivers 1170W of total output, bringing movies and music to life with True Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. The detachable wireless surround speakers create real surround sound, while MultiBeam technology ensures immersive audio from every angle. Stream your favorite tunes via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and control it all with your voice using Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri. With multiple connectivity options and easy setup, this soundbar transforms your home entertainment. The sleek black design complements any decor, and at 1376mm wide, it's perfect for larger TVs. Get ready for an audio upgrade with the JBL Bar1300, model number 6254235.
Experience cinema-quality sound right in your living room with the JBL Bar1300. This powerful 11.1.4-channel soundbar delivers 1170W of total output, bringing movies and music to life with True Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. The detachable wireless surround speakers create real surround sound, while MultiBeam technology ensures immersive audio from every angle. Stream your favorite tunes via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and control it all with your voice using Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri. With multiple connectivity options and easy setup, this soundbar transforms your home entertainment. The sleek black design complements any decor, and at 1376mm wide, it's perfect for larger TVs. Get ready for an audio upgrade with the JBL Bar1300, model number 6254235.
Experience cinema-quality sound right in your living room with the JBL Bar1300. This powerful 11.1.4-channel soundbar delivers 1170W of total output, bringing movies and music to life with True Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. The detachable wireless surround speakers create real surround sound, while MultiBeam technology ensures immersive audio from every angle. Stream your favorite tunes via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and control it all with your voice using Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri. With multiple connectivity options and easy setup, this soundbar transforms your home entertainment. The sleek black design complements any decor, and at 1376mm wide, it's perfect for larger TVs. Get ready for an audio upgrade with the JBL Bar1300, model number 6254235.
in 3 offers
The lowest price for JBL Bar1300 1170W 11.1.4 Ch Soundbar with Detachable Surround Speakers right now is $1,994.00 at The Good Guys, compared across 3 retailers.
The all-time low was $988.00 on 31 Dec 2025 — today's price is 102% above the lowest ever. It has been notably cheaper before — worth setting a price alert.
Prices last updated 11 June 2026.
Last updated at 11/06/2026 01:09:04
JBL Bar1300 11.1.4 True Atmos Soundbar
Next-day delivery $26
JBL BAR 1300, Black
Delivery between Fri – Wed $50
- BAR-1300X 11.1.4ch Soundbar and Subwoofer with Surround Speakers with a 7S-PS4-US1 4-Outlet Power with Omniport USB (2022)
Delivery between 17–20 June $29
originally posted on JBL
do not buy! This will not connect to Bluetooth and the subwoofer has trouble keeping connection! It sounds great. It seems like the bees knees but it just doesn't work and neither does their staff! They give me the typical Google response as if I haven't looked up or tried to do anything at all and when I tell them that doesn't work, I get no answer back. Here I am with a ridiculously expensive sound bar that won't connect to Bluetooth. Stay connected to Bluetooth or have the subwoofer stay hooked up which is only a foot and a half away. I understand other devices mess with it and it's connection but how terrible of a connection can it have for it to not work one and 1/2 feet away ? Apparently pretty Incredibly atrocious because that's what I'm stuck with and will ... Moredo not buy! This will not connect to Bluetooth and the subwoofer has trouble keeping connection! It sounds great. It seems like the bees knees but it just doesn't work and neither does their staff! They give me the typical Google response as if I haven't looked up or tried to do anything at all and when I tell them that doesn't work, I get no answer back. Here I am with a ridiculously expensive sound bar that won't connect to Bluetooth. Stay connected to Bluetooth or have the subwoofer stay hooked up which is only a foot and a half away. I understand other devices mess with it and it's connection but how terrible of a connection can it have for it to not work one and 1/2 feet away ? Apparently pretty Incredibly atrocious because that's what I'm stuck with and will be stuck with. I'm hoping that you won't be stuck with the same thing. I'm stuck with because it's the most frustrating thing to deal with. Also, the sound bar will only let the TVs picture and sound go through AVR if it's hooked up to my Amazon cube first. It will not display any picture or video if my DVD player, Xbox, or any other type of device is hooked up to the HDMI when the TV is turned on yet if I plug-in the Amazon and go to an app then Hurry up and change the HDMI from the back of the Amazon to the back of whatever I want to use then it works magically how weird? And I've got no assistance with figuring out why or how it does this so it's been 2 1/half years years of me suffering with a sound bar they cost hundreds of dollars more than I would ever pay. Save yourself the trouble and go a different route probably a different company because the lack of service and assistance for the sound bar is mind blowing. It's almost like they do this on purpose just so they can make the good money off you and release a new product as soon as it doesn't work, have a great day and happy shopping.they flagged my post for some "profanity "probably because they don't like the fact that I am leaving a real review made by a real person so here's this to let you know that they are also blocking what I have to say about how atrociously ridiculously incredibly unorganized lack of thought and honestly just laziness behind this product which I had way too high of hopes for. I doubt I'll even get a portable speaker from them ever again peace. p
originally posted on JBL
JBL does it again. I recently purchased (2) flip 6 portable speakers and I was so impressed with the sound they projected that I knew I had to buy a JBL sound bar for my living room TV as well.I originally went to Best Buy to hear the 1300X sound bar in person and I was fair from impressed with the display soundbar in the store. It was so bad I almost bought another brand.But again I went back to my original thought how could they make a portable speaker sound so well and not make a sound bar to the same quality.I pulled the pull and purchased the 1300X and all I can say is wow. This is absolutely the best sound. I could’ve ever imagined from a sound bar surround system that includes hard pounding 12 inch down fire sub.I doubt you’ll find a better sound bar any ... MoreJBL does it again. I recently purchased (2) flip 6 portable speakers and I was so impressed with the sound they projected that I knew I had to buy a JBL sound bar for my living room TV as well.I originally went to Best Buy to hear the 1300X sound bar in person and I was fair from impressed with the display soundbar in the store. It was so bad I almost bought another brand.But again I went back to my original thought how could they make a portable speaker sound so well and not make a sound bar to the same quality.I pulled the pull and purchased the 1300X and all I can say is wow. This is absolutely the best sound. I could’ve ever imagined from a sound bar surround system that includes hard pounding 12 inch down fire sub.I doubt you’ll find a better sound bar any where on the market. It’s better than going to the theater. The magnetic side speakers that disconnect from the main sound bar create the ultimate experience when viewing movies that bring action from the rear.The best part of this purchase was buying it during Black Friday for $700 off regular price.The only people that hate this sound bar are the cops, due to all the neighbors calling to report a shooting in my neighborhood from my action movies. Some of them take their break at that time just to enjoy the theater experience of the JBL 1300X 👍🏻🇺🇸❤️
originally posted on bestbuy.com
All the major brands that make soundbars tend to have a top tier, "best" line. This is the top tier model that JBL has brought to market. A couple of years ago, when JBL introduced this concept of having rear channel speakers magnetically attached to the front soundbar, I was intrigued. It promised wireless surround, truly, no power cords or anything, and a respectable battery life for those satellites. Then when you weren't using them they would charge on the main bar. Really cool idea. Now this concept has carried into the ATMOS era with this soundbar. There are up firing channels on the soundbar, but also on the separates. It provides a calibration tuner that is effortless and does seem to work to my ears. Once I used this tool, the surround effects in both movie ... MoreAll the major brands that make soundbars tend to have a top tier, "best" line. This is the top tier model that JBL has brought to market. A couple of years ago, when JBL introduced this concept of having rear channel speakers magnetically attached to the front soundbar, I was intrigued. It promised wireless surround, truly, no power cords or anything, and a respectable battery life for those satellites. Then when you weren't using them they would charge on the main bar. Really cool idea. Now this concept has carried into the ATMOS era with this soundbar. There are up firing channels on the soundbar, but also on the separates. It provides a calibration tuner that is effortless and does seem to work to my ears. Once I used this tool, the surround effects in both movie tracks, from both Blu-Rays and streaming, like an atmos title on Netflix for example, did have height as well as strong separation for surround. The unit has the ability for you to adjust both the strength of the surrounds and the surround effect, so if you have a small room you can make the surround less pronounced so that it doesn't overwhelm the front stage, but in a large room, this unit can pump out huge sound! Speaking of, the subwoofer provided with this unit is a beast. It's also configurable with intensity levels of 1 to 5, and truly I have to stay at 3 or below, depending on what I'm using, because 4 and 5 are bone shaking. It's a down firing sub, so it travels the floor well. I used a couple of movies with Dolby atmos as well as DTS Master Audio tracks to get a sense of the decoding this unit can do. It handled both really well, providing clear separation and as mentioned before, a real sense of height in a room with 15-foot ceilings. I also have run through it Apple Music spatial audio tracks that in my experience have done a great job of feeling spatial. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, streamed to this unit by Airplay from my iPhone had Freddy Mercury traveling around my room. It has been a real middle of the action experience. The unit is easy to set up, has three HDMI inputs that offer HDR pass through so you can use it as a high def video hub to augment your TV, and app for this unit offers a rudimentary, but effective equalizer function for a little more tweaking. From a price standpoint, I realize this is a pricey prospect. But for a soundbar experience, and in a space that needs wireless to achieve a surround sound experience, this soundbar delivers a clear, hard-hitting, and immersive sound that for me was a surprise and a joy to experience. I highly recommend it if your budget allows.
| AC Power Adapter | AC 100-240V |
| Wireless Networking | Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 6 |
| Number of Channels | 11.1.4 |
| Total Output Power (RMS) | 1170W |
| Frequency Response (Hz) | 33 - 20k |
JBL Bar1300 11.1.4 True Atmos Soundbar
Next-day delivery $26
JBL BAR 1300, Black
Delivery between Fri – Wed $50
- BAR-1300X 11.1.4ch Soundbar and Subwoofer with Surround Speakers with a 7S-PS4-US1 4-Outlet Power with Omniport USB (2022)
Delivery between 17–20 June $29
do not buy! This will not connect to Bluetooth and the subwoofer has trouble keeping connection! It sounds great. It seems like the bees knees but it just doesn't work and neither does their staff! They give me the typical Google response as if I haven't looked up or tried to do anything at all and when I tell them that doesn't work, I get no answer back. Here I am with a ridiculously expensive sound bar that won't connect to Bluetooth. Stay connected to Bluetooth or have the subwoofer stay hooked up which is only a foot and a half away. I understand other devices mess with it and it's connection but how terrible of a connection can it have for it to not work one and 1/2 feet away ? Apparently pretty Incredibly atrocious because that's what I'm stuck with and will ... Moredo not buy! This will not connect to Bluetooth and the subwoofer has trouble keeping connection! It sounds great. It seems like the bees knees but it just doesn't work and neither does their staff! They give me the typical Google response as if I haven't looked up or tried to do anything at all and when I tell them that doesn't work, I get no answer back. Here I am with a ridiculously expensive sound bar that won't connect to Bluetooth. Stay connected to Bluetooth or have the subwoofer stay hooked up which is only a foot and a half away. I understand other devices mess with it and it's connection but how terrible of a connection can it have for it to not work one and 1/2 feet away ? Apparently pretty Incredibly atrocious because that's what I'm stuck with and will be stuck with. I'm hoping that you won't be stuck with the same thing. I'm stuck with because it's the most frustrating thing to deal with. Also, the sound bar will only let the TVs picture and sound go through AVR if it's hooked up to my Amazon cube first. It will not display any picture or video if my DVD player, Xbox, or any other type of device is hooked up to the HDMI when the TV is turned on yet if I plug-in the Amazon and go to an app then Hurry up and change the HDMI from the back of the Amazon to the back of whatever I want to use then it works magically how weird? And I've got no assistance with figuring out why or how it does this so it's been 2 1/half years years of me suffering with a sound bar they cost hundreds of dollars more than I would ever pay. Save yourself the trouble and go a different route probably a different company because the lack of service and assistance for the sound bar is mind blowing. It's almost like they do this on purpose just so they can make the good money off you and release a new product as soon as it doesn't work, have a great day and happy shopping.they flagged my post for some "profanity "probably because they don't like the fact that I am leaving a real review made by a real person so here's this to let you know that they are also blocking what I have to say about how atrociously ridiculously incredibly unorganized lack of thought and honestly just laziness behind this product which I had way too high of hopes for. I doubt I'll even get a portable speaker from them ever again peace. p
JBL does it again. I recently purchased (2) flip 6 portable speakers and I was so impressed with the sound they projected that I knew I had to buy a JBL sound bar for my living room TV as well.I originally went to Best Buy to hear the 1300X sound bar in person and I was fair from impressed with the display soundbar in the store. It was so bad I almost bought another brand.But again I went back to my original thought how could they make a portable speaker sound so well and not make a sound bar to the same quality.I pulled the pull and purchased the 1300X and all I can say is wow. This is absolutely the best sound. I could’ve ever imagined from a sound bar surround system that includes hard pounding 12 inch down fire sub.I doubt you’ll find a better sound bar any ... MoreJBL does it again. I recently purchased (2) flip 6 portable speakers and I was so impressed with the sound they projected that I knew I had to buy a JBL sound bar for my living room TV as well.I originally went to Best Buy to hear the 1300X sound bar in person and I was fair from impressed with the display soundbar in the store. It was so bad I almost bought another brand.But again I went back to my original thought how could they make a portable speaker sound so well and not make a sound bar to the same quality.I pulled the pull and purchased the 1300X and all I can say is wow. This is absolutely the best sound. I could’ve ever imagined from a sound bar surround system that includes hard pounding 12 inch down fire sub.I doubt you’ll find a better sound bar any where on the market. It’s better than going to the theater. The magnetic side speakers that disconnect from the main sound bar create the ultimate experience when viewing movies that bring action from the rear.The best part of this purchase was buying it during Black Friday for $700 off regular price.The only people that hate this sound bar are the cops, due to all the neighbors calling to report a shooting in my neighborhood from my action movies. Some of them take their break at that time just to enjoy the theater experience of the JBL 1300X 👍🏻🇺🇸❤️
All the major brands that make soundbars tend to have a top tier, "best" line. This is the top tier model that JBL has brought to market. A couple of years ago, when JBL introduced this concept of having rear channel speakers magnetically attached to the front soundbar, I was intrigued. It promised wireless surround, truly, no power cords or anything, and a respectable battery life for those satellites. Then when you weren't using them they would charge on the main bar. Really cool idea. Now this concept has carried into the ATMOS era with this soundbar. There are up firing channels on the soundbar, but also on the separates. It provides a calibration tuner that is effortless and does seem to work to my ears. Once I used this tool, the surround effects in both movie ... MoreAll the major brands that make soundbars tend to have a top tier, "best" line. This is the top tier model that JBL has brought to market. A couple of years ago, when JBL introduced this concept of having rear channel speakers magnetically attached to the front soundbar, I was intrigued. It promised wireless surround, truly, no power cords or anything, and a respectable battery life for those satellites. Then when you weren't using them they would charge on the main bar. Really cool idea. Now this concept has carried into the ATMOS era with this soundbar. There are up firing channels on the soundbar, but also on the separates. It provides a calibration tuner that is effortless and does seem to work to my ears. Once I used this tool, the surround effects in both movie tracks, from both Blu-Rays and streaming, like an atmos title on Netflix for example, did have height as well as strong separation for surround. The unit has the ability for you to adjust both the strength of the surrounds and the surround effect, so if you have a small room you can make the surround less pronounced so that it doesn't overwhelm the front stage, but in a large room, this unit can pump out huge sound! Speaking of, the subwoofer provided with this unit is a beast. It's also configurable with intensity levels of 1 to 5, and truly I have to stay at 3 or below, depending on what I'm using, because 4 and 5 are bone shaking. It's a down firing sub, so it travels the floor well. I used a couple of movies with Dolby atmos as well as DTS Master Audio tracks to get a sense of the decoding this unit can do. It handled both really well, providing clear separation and as mentioned before, a real sense of height in a room with 15-foot ceilings. I also have run through it Apple Music spatial audio tracks that in my experience have done a great job of feeling spatial. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, streamed to this unit by Airplay from my iPhone had Freddy Mercury traveling around my room. It has been a real middle of the action experience. The unit is easy to set up, has three HDMI inputs that offer HDR pass through so you can use it as a high def video hub to augment your TV, and app for this unit offers a rudimentary, but effective equalizer function for a little more tweaking. From a price standpoint, I realize this is a pricey prospect. But for a soundbar experience, and in a space that needs wireless to achieve a surround sound experience, this soundbar delivers a clear, hard-hitting, and immersive sound that for me was a surprise and a joy to experience. I highly recommend it if your budget allows.
JBL - BAR 1300X 11.1.4-channel soundbar with detachable surround speakers.Simple setup with an innovative design using rechargeable wireless surround speakers that dock to the end of the speaker bar to recharge or you can recharge (or powered) them with a USB-C device and they enhance the bars sound output while recharging. The speakers charge will last up to 10hrs. They can even be used as wireless Bluetooth speakers when you are not using this as part of your home theater system. This is a 16 channel system powered by 1,170total watts and comes with a 12inch wireless subwoofer that makes you go wow – heavy, solidly built with great output. The Dolby Atmos and DTS:X system delivers maximum immersion from music, games and movie soundtracks. Up-firing Atmos ... MoreJBL - BAR 1300X 11.1.4-channel soundbar with detachable surround speakers.Simple setup with an innovative design using rechargeable wireless surround speakers that dock to the end of the speaker bar to recharge or you can recharge (or powered) them with a USB-C device and they enhance the bars sound output while recharging. The speakers charge will last up to 10hrs. They can even be used as wireless Bluetooth speakers when you are not using this as part of your home theater system. This is a 16 channel system powered by 1,170total watts and comes with a 12inch wireless subwoofer that makes you go wow – heavy, solidly built with great output. The Dolby Atmos and DTS:X system delivers maximum immersion from music, games and movie soundtracks. Up-firing Atmos speakers on both the soundbar and surround speakers ensure full distribution of height effects in soundtracks throughout the room, and there’s also Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, and Bluetooth wireless streaming support. I was impressed by the solid build quality of this system.With four HDMI inputs, including one with eARC for connecting to a TV, the Bar 1300X is well-suited to take on a full up stereo tv entertainment system with room for lots of different devices. The system was easy to setup and auto connects to the subwoofer and satellite speakers. You can use the JBL app to configure the system or set up the speakers and hit the calibration button. The JBL app has additional controls for adjusting EQ and lip-sync and you can store custom settings. The only downside is that the HDMI slots do not have 4K 120Hz pass-through to support that resolution and frame rate when playing games on PS5 or Xbox Series X.Dialog clarity, bass definition, continuity between the front and surround speakers and the overhead effects in Atmos sound tracks were impressive and close to equaling a full up home entertainment (AV receiver) systems. Music had a natural sound with acoustic instruments and voices and good dynamics in louder tracks.JBL’s long, slim remote control has large and well-labeled buttons that are easy to see in dim lighting. When switching inputs or making adjustments, an alphanumeric LED display on the sound bar provides feedback on the soundbar’s front. The display also alerts you when the battery power in the surround speakers is running down.I was impressed with this sound bar system and it is a less complicated setup than a full AV receiver based system with less components but still allows for a great entertainment experience.
The JBL 1300X has a clever design, is easy to setup, and sounds fantastic.The removable rear speakers are the first notable feature. They are fully wireless, drawing from charged battery power for a run time of about 10-12 hours. They "plug in"(magnetically) to the ends of the sound bar to charge. So the key here is to be sure you can place the bar where you can attach and re-attach the speakers. This requires a "sweeping" action from front to back, you can't lift them upwards to remove them. The total length is 54.2" and you need several inches of clearance on both sides to remove them. So that could be a limiting factor for some folks. (As both rear speakers also sport a USB-C port, you could choose to plug them each into their own USB-C power adapter for a more ... MoreThe JBL 1300X has a clever design, is easy to setup, and sounds fantastic.The removable rear speakers are the first notable feature. They are fully wireless, drawing from charged battery power for a run time of about 10-12 hours. They "plug in"(magnetically) to the ends of the sound bar to charge. So the key here is to be sure you can place the bar where you can attach and re-attach the speakers. This requires a "sweeping" action from front to back, you can't lift them upwards to remove them. The total length is 54.2" and you need several inches of clearance on both sides to remove them. So that could be a limiting factor for some folks. (As both rear speakers also sport a USB-C port, you could choose to plug them each into their own USB-C power adapter for a more permanent setup. However, these adapters are not included.) While I haven't tested the feature, they apparently can also operate as stand-alone bluetooth speakers. Considering they are 110W, that's a pretty decent speaker to take into another room if desired. I didn't observe any audio latency with the wireless system which is critical. (Bluetooth audio transfer technology has certainly come a long way in the past few years.) You can also choose to use the included wall mounts to hang the rear speakers. Doing so does not prevent you from charging them from the sound bar, with a simple lifting motion they hook/unhook from the mounts. A nice design and touch included in the package.Surround setup/calibration is easy, being a simple two step process. Place the rear speakers in their intended position facing forward, hit calibrate (also found on the remote), wait for the short audio test to complete. Adjust them to the listening position shown in the guide (essentially rotated about 45 degrees), and wait for second short audio test. That's it. Obviously not the more advanced tuning process of full AV surround systems but sound bars in general are not really an audiophile oriented solution.The subwoofer on this top of the line 1300X model is 12" and 300W, more than enough to shake your couch. It is also wireless (audio) but obviously needs to be plugged into an outlet which is expected/standard. Being wireless itself still allows for flexibility in placement and being that subwoofers are inherently omni-directional, you can literally place it anywhere in the room where you have an outlet. It does not need to be directly next to your sound bar/TV.The system provides an 11.1.4 channel setup with Dolby Atmos support (from supported sources), provided via an array of drivers (the individual "speakers" inside), including upward firing drivers to acheive the Atmos effect. (Atmos "height" speakers are typically hung from the ceiling. Upward firing or "directed" drivers are a much simpler way to achieve a similar effect.) Between the bar, rear speakers, and 12" subwoofer, this system can pack a decent punch. However, I think what is actually more telling is how good it sounds at lower volume levels. My 18 year old gets tired of wearing headphones while gaming but always swore they were necessary so he could hear the the directional sound employed by many gaming platforms. I put him in front of the 1300X and he was completely sold. He prefers not to have the sound really loud and still noticed the quality and separation of the surround sound while playing games. (We connected the gaming system via direct HDMI connection to the sound bar and from sound bar to TV (for video pass through) with the gaming system set to DTS 7.1 output, which the sound bar effectively converts to 11.1.4 through DTS Neural:X surround processing.)The JBL "One" app (they have several) for iPhone/Android is a nice touch and helpful for doing things like firmware updates. However, the included remote is really all we use every day. There is some quirkiness on startup, the sound bar will detect an input signal and turn on automatically. However, sometimes it starts up on the "TV" source when the gaming system is on "HDMI1".My one complaint, as with most JBL products these days, is the lack of a decent user guide. The JBL standard "Quick Start" pictorial guide is ok but I really wish they would create more thorough user guides instead of having to discover features through product descriptions, spec sheets, and stick figure style diagrams.Overall this appears to be a very good sound bar system. I haven't done my own deep dive in this product space to assess how it falls price-wise vs. the competition. But from a design, usability, and sound quality perspective, I would recommend it.
When this soundbar arrived, I decided to start by testing it in our living room next to our fully wired theater system to see how it compared, and this soundbar (though it’s really so much more than “just” a soundbar) definitely holds its own and then some. Here are some of the things I liked and wished would have been a little easier:1) Setup is easy—I was connected to Bluetooth via my phone pretty much instantly and had music playing while I started to read the instructions. It took me a bit to get the subwoofer connected and to get the HDMI cables in the right places, but once that was set, everything was easy. Once the side speakers were charged, I was able to move them into the rear speaker position, hit the calibrate button on the remote a few times, and a ... MoreWhen this soundbar arrived, I decided to start by testing it in our living room next to our fully wired theater system to see how it compared, and this soundbar (though it’s really so much more than “just” a soundbar) definitely holds its own and then some. Here are some of the things I liked and wished would have been a little easier:1) Setup is easy—I was connected to Bluetooth via my phone pretty much instantly and had music playing while I started to read the instructions. It took me a bit to get the subwoofer connected and to get the HDMI cables in the right places, but once that was set, everything was easy. Once the side speakers were charged, I was able to move them into the rear speaker position, hit the calibrate button on the remote a few times, and a couple of minutes later, the calibration was finished.2) I love that it’s really easy to adjust the speaker settings with the remote. There are 5 levels of bass (1-5 in the videos) and 3 on the equalizer (accentuates low, mid, or high frequencies). Your own tastes will influence which settings are best for you, and the impact of the settings will vary a bit by song.3) Whether music, action scenes in movies, or everyday media, the quality of sound is fantastic. You usually can’t get this sound quality from a surround sound system unless it’s hard wired, so this would be an obvious, much easier replacement for a theater sound system if we didn’t already have one hard-wired into our house, and if we ever move, this would probably become our primary media sound system.4) A few unexpected details that I love:a. The magnets holding the rear speakers to the end of the soundbar are really strong and let the speakers just snap into place.b. Each of the side speakers can function on its own as a very good portable Bluetooth speaker.c. The soundbar turns on automatically when any device plugged into it via HDMI is turned on, which make it easier than most systems.d. You can switch between HDMI inputs and Bluetooth with a press of a button on the remote. If you’re connect to Bluetooth and turn on your HDMI connected device, it will switch to HDMI automatically. The opposite is not true, though, and if you switch to bluetooth, your TV screen is going to go black.Overall, this is a really fantastic surprise of a system. It’s bigger than I expected it to be, and it’s probably more accurate to call it a full surround sound theater system that happens to be primarily in a soundbar form with the ease of a soundbar and the quality of a much more complex set up. Since we already have a wired system in our living room, I’ll be using this as a significantly upgraded office setup and am looking forward to a great listening experience that will make the hours in front of my computer a lot more enjoyable!
Remember the 90s? TV’s were big, speakers were big, and surround was a pipedream of the rich. Early 00’s speakers got smaller, and subwoofers became a thing. Surround sound became possible on a budget and simple soundbars became a thing. They were a curiosity, and a compromise for husbands trying to make their wives happy in the family room. Soundbars have come a long way in the past 20 years though, and the 1300X is an impressive, flexible, and powerful example of multi-channeled 3D surround sound, far from compromise. Can you really achieve a fully Dolby Atmos 11.1.4 setup that rivals separates though?The JBL 1300X soundbar comes in a sturdy, and oddly shaped cardboard box. It is adorned with information about the soundbar, including its features and ... MoreRemember the 90s? TV’s were big, speakers were big, and surround was a pipedream of the rich. Early 00’s speakers got smaller, and subwoofers became a thing. Surround sound became possible on a budget and simple soundbars became a thing. They were a curiosity, and a compromise for husbands trying to make their wives happy in the family room. Soundbars have come a long way in the past 20 years though, and the 1300X is an impressive, flexible, and powerful example of multi-channeled 3D surround sound, far from compromise. Can you really achieve a fully Dolby Atmos 11.1.4 setup that rivals separates though?The JBL 1300X soundbar comes in a sturdy, and oddly shaped cardboard box. It is adorned with information about the soundbar, including its features and specifications boasting about multi-channel capabilities. Inside the box, you'll find the soundbar itself, subwoofer, surrounds, a remote control, an HDMI cable (highspeed 48gb) and quickstart guide. The soundbar is well-protected by foam inserts in the box. Overall, the packaging for the JBL 1300X soundbar is high-quality and does a good job of protecting the product during shipping and arrived to me unharmed.Setting up the soundbar wasn’t difficult. The quickstart guide shows you how to get the surrounds charging on the soundbar itself. They connect magnetically to either side of the soundbar, making its overall length 54”. The main soundbar is 39/40” (magnetic caps that help the presentation add just a tiny bit of length). The soundbar is deep too, at 5.7”, as housing all those directional elements necessary for the 11.1.4 Atmos requires real estate. The included HDMI cable is great for the eARC setup - which I learned the hard way. Technically this is the only cable (other than power of course, which is a standard AC power cord) that’s necessary to hook up. Out back on the soundbar, you might be surprised by the plethora of HDMI inputs as well. Despite many soundbars only having one HDMI to pass through their ARC ports, the JBL 1300X sports 3 HDMI inputs along with the HDMI eARC output, helping you expand your setup. There is also a USB port for solely software updates, LAN port for wired network, and an optical cable input. Speakers have included hardware for wall mounting, and allow the rear surrounds quick disconnects for charging. The included remote is basic (no backlight or anything), but functional. Frankly with eARC you won’t really need it around past the initial setup.In my setup, I opted to replace my existing soundbar and reused cables. I quickly learned that eARC really wants you to use HDMI ultra-high speed 48Gb cables. My former HDMI cable was not up to the demands of eARC giving me essentially ARC compatible Dolby Surround instead of Atmos. It took me a surprising amount of time to troubleshoot this, so just use their cable ok people? Anyways, once I got past that I connected to my eARC port on my TV and realized leaving my TV on auto was the best outcome, as selecting bitstream was not passing Atmos streams, but instead LPCM 7.1 channels. While this was still excellent, it wasn’t Atmos. I believe this was 100% my Hisense TV’s implementation issue, but sometimes just keeping the plug in play on this non-AVR equipment is probably the right solution. In my setup I have a PS5, Apple TV 4K, and Nintendo Switch. The PS5 and Apple TV 4K passed through Atmos signals from my TV through the eARC with no issue. The Switch I connected to HDMI 1 on the soundbar bar and successfully passed Dolby surround through.Download the JBL One app (which I had to search explicitly for, as JBL has apparently too many apps on the Apple AppStore) to perform initial setup. My soundbar was found quickly and connected to WiFi. Immediately it demanded to do a software update that took about 20-30 minutes and kept my phone screen on the whole time warning me to not leave their app. I was surprised at this and found it clunky for a 2023 device. That said, once past that, the soundbar declared itself up to date and ready to proceed with setup. Calibrate was a standard beacon whoop sounds you’d recognize if you ever heard Atmos calibration. The App directs you to place the speakers a couple times and then makes recommendations on turning/placement. Once in the app, you get a 3 band equalizer (disappointing considering the pedigree), and remote capabilities. There’s a feature called Moment, but I didn’t have a service it supported. There is also AirPlay, Google Chromecast, Bluetooth, and Spotify Connect as options for getting things to play on the soundbar, rounding out a pretty modern setup. There is also Alexa voice assistance setup - which make it a speaker available to my echo’s to output to… it also annoyingly would switch inputs from the movie I was watching with no warning to announce my daily weather report at 7pm. Sorry I have enough Alexa’s - I think I’ll disable that feature.The wireless surrounds and subwoofer connected with no issue. In my family room they’re about 10ft from the soundbar and were solidly and instantly connected every day. The wireless surrounds are a very interesting feature of this soundbar as they have their own batteries. Charging them according to JBL takes about 4 hours, and they last for a decent amount of time. As mentioned earlier, they charge by connecting to the ends of the soundbar, but I ended up connecting USB-C cables with power to keep them charged as I would probably miss the low battery indicators. One really interesting feature is the ability to use the rear speakers as a dedicated set of stereo bluetooth speakers. This is a nice addition when you’re not using the soundbar’s surround capabilities as you can abscond with a speaker to another room and enjoy surprisingly full audio from one of the surround speakers. The subwoofer is a 12” with a large box. This box is 19” tall by 14.5” square with a generous port out the rear. It’s loud.Sound wise, the 1300X offered excellent spatial audio and definitely fills the needs of a movie watcher. You’ll be surprised by the capabilities of the wireless surrounds and frankly the entire system. I have dedicated separates for an 11.2.4 Atmos setup in my movie room, and the JBL gives that system a run for its money on spatial audio experience (in a smaller room to be fair). Power wise the JBL gets loud and its dedicated 12” subwoofer can easily vibrate your sofa. This isn’t a system for a small room. The subwoofer and surrounds can be tweaked in volume in case your room needs some compromises. I have a corner my subwoofer is in, and it definitely can get boomy.Movies were sublime once I had my calibration dialed in. Calibration is necessary to avoid any echoey sound. Explosions were fun with the subwoofer, and dialogue clarity was much better than my old soundbar. There aren’t a lot of settings - just Dolby low/medium/high, with 5 levels for the subwoofer and low/medium/high for surrounds. I found lvl 2 for the subwoofer was more than enough to avoid any overly boomy when listening to music or movie both. Music wise I found the JBL to be a pretty narrow soundstage - almost like listening to over the ear headphones. Spatial audio was an interesting experience, and I got full Atmos music via Apple Music to test. Clarity was good, and highs were not uncomfortable. The 3 band equalizer (bass, mid, high) offered little in the way of tweaking the sound, so the slightly exaggerated mids were hard to calm down without losing presence and some bass. That said, it was more forgivable when listening to a movie which is definitely what this soundbar is designed for.Overall for the price, I found the JBL featureful, capable, and excellent sounding. eARC support with Atmos surround 11.1.4 capabilities is impressive. The 1300X filled the room and provided a diverse listening experience. The capabilities of the surrounds to double as bluetooth speakers was a nice touch, as was making them battery powered for flexible placement. There are few compromises here in audio, but mostly dial down to software features like lack of tweaks in the app. There are no Dolby eq’s, no music enhancement, etc. There are integrations with streaming services, which is good, and the streaming capabilities (via AirPlay and Chromcast) work well and are appreciated though. If you’re looking for a large family room sound bar, this is a great candidate and I’d recommend it.
After transitioning from the JBL Bar 9.1 to the JBL Bar 1300, I've found myself profoundly dissatisfied with the performance of the newer model. One of the most striking differences is the inferiority of the bass response in the 1300X compared to the 9.1, which offered a more profound, lucid bass.This is actually my second attempt with the 1300X model, as my initial unit was returned due to an internal issue identified by JBL support. However, the replacement unit I received was plagued by the same issue. Despite conducting multiple position trials for the subwoofer and having multiple independent listeners compare the two models in a controlled setting, the results were invariably consistent. The bass from the 1300X was universally deemed as shallow and muddled, ... MoreAfter transitioning from the JBL Bar 9.1 to the JBL Bar 1300, I've found myself profoundly dissatisfied with the performance of the newer model. One of the most striking differences is the inferiority of the bass response in the 1300X compared to the 9.1, which offered a more profound, lucid bass.This is actually my second attempt with the 1300X model, as my initial unit was returned due to an internal issue identified by JBL support. However, the replacement unit I received was plagued by the same issue. Despite conducting multiple position trials for the subwoofer and having multiple independent listeners compare the two models in a controlled setting, the results were invariably consistent. The bass from the 1300X was universally deemed as shallow and muddled, significantly underperforming when contrasted with the JBL Bar 9.1.I was advised that adjusting the phase on the subwoofer might be the solution. Unfortunately, the JBL 1300X model does not provide the capability to adjust the phase control. JBL support provided a sequence of steps to be entered via the remote control, but none resulted in any perceptible improvements.I even went to the extent of sending two separate videos to JBL support, demonstrating the disparity between the 9.1 and 1300X models by playing the same track. However, their response was rather discouraging, as they claimed to not be able to discern the difference that I, and others, found so apparent. Their suggestion was that I liaise with the retailer, Best Buy, directly.The overall experience with JBL support was rather disappointing, especially given the regard in which I held the company. The response to my concerns felt dismissive, and the quality of their product was underwhelming compared to previous models. My expectations, based on prior experience, were unfortunately not met.I will no longer buy or recommend JBL products after this experience.
Soundbars are not the same as they were a few years ago. The Bar 1300x from JBL is absolutely massive - both in terms of sound and audio format compatibility. Any high-end audio from your favorite movies or TV shows will really start to shine when you use premium audio products.Here's what I'm a fan of - the audio quality when utilizing Dolby Atmos compatible media is astonishing. I never expected to have such a good audio experience outside of a theater, yet here we are. The quality of surround sound that you get from the Bar + 2 removable Bluetooth speakers will make you wonder how Bluetooth can support such rich sound. I've thoroughly enjoyed having them placed behind me during movies, and when you couple this with the MASSIVE subwoofer, you'll be impressed. ... MoreSoundbars are not the same as they were a few years ago. The Bar 1300x from JBL is absolutely massive - both in terms of sound and audio format compatibility. Any high-end audio from your favorite movies or TV shows will really start to shine when you use premium audio products.Here's what I'm a fan of - the audio quality when utilizing Dolby Atmos compatible media is astonishing. I never expected to have such a good audio experience outside of a theater, yet here we are. The quality of surround sound that you get from the Bar + 2 removable Bluetooth speakers will make you wonder how Bluetooth can support such rich sound. I've thoroughly enjoyed having them placed behind me during movies, and when you couple this with the MASSIVE subwoofer, you'll be impressed. The bass is deep and rumbly, and since it's so robust, I keep the bass set to level 1 or 2 for most content I watch.Vocal clarity is there, although it's easy for it to get muddied if you don't take the time to calibrate your soundbar before use. Please remember to calibrate and position your soundbar folks, it makes a big difference!I'm really thankful that JBL included a full suite of creature comforts, such as Ethernet, 3 HDMI 2.0 connectors, plus eARC/ARC compatibility. I've chosen to run this product using ARC because I prefer to have the Dolby Atmos passthrough for all of my HDMI sources - so all of my HDMI inputs are connected to this device.Since this device has network connectivity, remember to setup your Airplay, Alexa, or Google Home to work with this soundbar! It's really nice to be able to stream audio to the Bar at any time, especially since it doesn't require Bluetooth. You can connect to your network via WiFi if you don't have a hardwired connection available.Now, for the list of things I didn't enjoy - HDMI 2.0 doesn't support high refresh-rate displays, so if you have a fancy 120Hz 4K HDR TV - please remember that you can't get that high refresh rate of 120Hz from the HDMI inputs on the Bar 1300x.Low-end audio, such as webcam audio from a YouTube video, will not sound very nice on this soundbar. I realize that can be disappointing for some people, but it's difficult to take low-end audio and make it sound amazing on high-end hardware.If you plan to keep the detachable Bluetooth speakers detached 24/7, you will need to pick up 2 USB C charging cables and bricks to keep the speakers fully powered. This isn't a huge deal - but when you purchase a high-end audio setup like this, you'd usually expect to have everything you need in the box. Just food for thought.Would I recommend this unit? Absolutely. Just remember that low quality audio doesn't sound amazing and the Bar 1300x is not equipped with HDMI 2.1 ports. If you're someone who streams a lot of quality content or owns a nice collection of Blu-Ray movies/shows, you'll really enjoy this product.
The system comes packed in a big box that looks like the state of Oklahoma. It comes with a mounting bracket kit for the bar into a wall, two power cables (one for the bar and the other for the subwoofer), and a remote control. I chose to have it under my TV and will not use the mounting bracket. Two detachable surround speakers attach/detach from the soundbar, which is also used to charge the two speakers since they are wireless with built-in batteries. These two speakers have a USB-Type C charging port, three buttons, and a mounting slot. The subwoofer box is big and a bit heavy. The setup was fast and easy since the speakers connect wirelessly using BlueTooth. When celebrating the system, it is important the correct the placement of the detachable speakers to ... MoreThe system comes packed in a big box that looks like the state of Oklahoma. It comes with a mounting bracket kit for the bar into a wall, two power cables (one for the bar and the other for the subwoofer), and a remote control. I chose to have it under my TV and will not use the mounting bracket. Two detachable surround speakers attach/detach from the soundbar, which is also used to charge the two speakers since they are wireless with built-in batteries. These two speakers have a USB-Type C charging port, three buttons, and a mounting slot. The subwoofer box is big and a bit heavy. The setup was fast and easy since the speakers connect wirelessly using BlueTooth. When celebrating the system, it is important the correct the placement of the detachable speakers to experience the best possible surround sound. The JBL One app guides step-by-step instructions for placing the rear speakers and does the entire calibration in a few minutes.The methods of connecting the TV to the soundbar are optical cables or HDMI-ARC. For the best experience, I connect the soundbar to the TV using the HDMI-eARC (enhanced audio return channel). If your TV does not have an HDMI-ARC, you can easily convert a regular HDMI port to an HDMI-ARC using your TV’s settings. The ports are all in the back of the soundbar and have various options. An HDMI-eARC both receives audio from the TV and also passes a long video to the TV; this feature allows you to connect game consoles, DVD players, and other HDMI devices onto the soundbar’s HDMI 1, 2,&3 ports instead of connecting the device directly into the TV. If you connect your TV to the soundbar via the digital optical option, the three extra HDMI ports on the soundbar will not work. So if you want to use these additional HDMI ports on the soundbar, you must use the HDMI-eARC. If your TV does not have eARC, just ARC, it will also not work.To use the system with mobile devices and to update the system software, you must connect it to your home’s Wi-Fi using the JBL One app. It is relatively easy to connect and update the software, which takes about 10 minutes. The app allows for five-level settings for Bass, Mid, and Treble. The app/system has Chromecast built-in availability and the ability to add (integrate) the following music service: (1) Amazon Music, (2) Calm Radio, (3) iHeartRadio, (4) Napster, (5) QoBuz, (6) Tidal, and (7) TuneIn. This type of music stream means that the music is directly streamed into the bar instead of streaming to your mobile device and then to the bar. The benefit of direct streaming is that it gives the system access to higher streaming than Airplay, Bluetooth, or Chromecast. In addition to better music streaming, it frees up your phone audio while the music continues to play. The remote is thin and narrow, with just a few buttons for the most useful things: HDMI (#1, #2, & #3), Dolby (Low, mid & height), Five levels of bass, rear (mute, low, middle & high), TV, Bluetooth, Power, Mute, Volume Up/Down, Calibration, Play, and Heart. The sound is impressive and well-balanced. The pure voice dialogue enhancement technology does enhance the clarity, depth, and richness of voices and ensures every word gets delivered with stunning precision and accuracy.
| AC Power Adapter | AC 100-240V |
| Wireless Networking | Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 6 |
| Number of Channels | 11.1.4 |
| Total Output Power (RMS) | 1170W |
| Frequency Response (Hz) | 33 - 20k |
