JBL - BAR1300MK2 11.1.4 channel soundbar system with detachable surround speakers and Dolby Atmos and DTS:X - Black

I don’t know where to begin. First of all this is an incredibly versatile and dynamic system. The detachable rear surround speakers are a game changer! They’re wireless and can be fully charged when attached back on the main unit soundbar. Depending on how much Dolby Atmos content you watch you may need to charge it each night before you go to bed or it may last 2-3 days before you need to charge. I know JBL states that the wireless speakers last for 10 hours but at least in my personal experience it feels closer to 12-14. It really depends on how home theater content you watch during the day and by home theater I mean specifically Dolby Atmos content. Before I bought this system I thought having to charge the speakers each night before bed would be a pain. But it is quite the opposite. It’s actually painless and fun to charge and to attach or detach them from the main unit. It sounds like it would be cumbersome but trust me when you actually do it you realize how much of a breeze and easy it is to do! The soundstage this thing produces is amazing! It has transformed my living room into a movie theater! The base is boomy and powerful but not too overwhelming and dialogue comes through perfect! Gaming is also out of this world! Just Buy it. Now!

The JBl Bar1300MK2 is AMAZING! The previous (Yamaha) soundbar I was using was great, but this JBL soundbar system truly makes you feel like you are in the movie or in a theater. The detachable speakers add so much depth and immersion while watching movies/shows. I have only had to turn it up to about 15-17 and it rocks. There have even been a few times when I was startled (in a fun way) by sound effects that felt as if they came from behind me. The bass is thunderous, but clear and crisp, yet subtle when it needs to be. Setup was as easy as plugging it in and downloading the app. I like that you can make adjustments to the sound settings for each of the speakers in the app. Watching movies at home has now gone up to a whole new level with this system!

The best surround system I've heard so far. I have a large room & this fits the bill perfectly. I love that the surround speakers detach from the main unit & are truly wireless. All you need is any usb-c cable for charging or attach them back to the main unit overnight. It also tells you what format youre listening to, whether it be surround or atmos, not just a color change on the unit. The surround speakers can also be used as Bluetooth speakers anywhere you want to listen to music. Too many pros & no cons so far.

Better than I expected! The Atmos effects make the sound feel it is above and all around you. I tried several different bars before this one and this has better drivers that fire in all directions to create a whole room soundscape.

I was pretty excited when the new JBL Bar 1300 MK2 showed up, but I’ll be honest, the first thing that stood out wasn’t the sound… it was the box. This thing comes in one large package with both the soundbar and the subwoofer together, and because of that it’s very uneven and heavy on one side. The subwoofer is doing most of the heavy lifting, literally. The delivery driver even pointed out that the box was already starting to tear on one side when he got it. It was kind of splitting where the subwoofer section meets the soundbar section. Luckily, once I got everything inside and unboxed it, nothing was damaged at all. So the packaging itself does its job, but I do wish JBL would ship these separately. With a subwoofer this big and heavy, it would just make the whole delivery and handling process easier. Once I got everything unpacked, I set the subwoofer in place and got everything connected. I ran the soundbar through HDMI eARC to my TV, then connected my Blu-ray player and Xbox. Everything synced up the way you’d want it to. The soundbar powers on with the TV, volume is controlled with the TV remote, and overall it feels like a clean, integrated setup. I let the detachable rear speakers charge for a bit like the instructions suggested, then jumped into the JBL One app to finish setup. The app found the soundbar pretty quickly, but I did hit one weird moment where it said it was playing a tone and wanted me to press the input button on the bar. I never heard anything. I actually restarted that step a few times and even checked my wiring thinking something was wrong. Eventually I just pressed the button anyway and moved forward, and everything worked fine from there. After that it was just permissions, WiFi, and a firmware update that took about 15 minutes. Once everything was up and running, I started testing it out, and right away the soundbar itself impressed me. The sound is full, rich, and has a really strong presence. Even on its own, it fills the room well. It doesn’t feel like the sound is just coming straight at you, it spreads out and gives you that wide, almost 3D feel. You can tell the Dolby Atmos processing is doing something here, because the sound has a bit of movement and space to it. The subwoofer is easily one of the highlights of this system. It’s a large 12-inch unit, and you can absolutely tell. The bass is deep, powerful, and you feel it. Not just hear it. I usually keep it around the middle setting because that’s more than enough for everyday use, but when I’m watching a movie and want that full theater feel, I’ll turn it up and it delivers. Explosions hit hard, music feels full, and it really brings everything together. It can honestly be a bit much out of the box, so I like that you can dial it in to your preference. As for the rear speakers, I like the concept a lot. Being able to detach them from the soundbar, place them behind you, and get a true surround setup without running wires is a great idea. They charge when connected to the soundbar, and you can also charge them with USB-C if needed, for a more permanent surround sound installation. They double as carry-around Bluetooth speakers too, which is a really cool bonus. I’ve already used them around the house just for casual listening, and they work great for that. For surround sound though, my experience has been a little mixed. My couch is up against a wall, so I don’t have the ideal placement directly behind me like the instructions suggest. I’ve been placing them on side tables next to the couch, and while they do create a surround effect, it’s not as full or immersive as I was hoping to hear. You really have to be fairly close to them to notice the sound coming from them, unless it’s a really loud scene in the movie. Once you’re a few feet away, they start to fade into the background of the soundbar and subwoofer a bit. Even with the rear levels turned up, I still feel like they could use a little more power for true surround sound. They’re not bad, and they definitely add to the experience, but compared to how strong the soundbar and subwoofer are, they just don’t hit at the same level. I think in a room where you can place them properly behind you, they would perform better. That said, I do really like how portable and useful they are. Being able to use them on their own, take them into another room, or use them for late-night listening without turning on the full system is something I think is worth leaning into for future models and we might see other companies go this direction as well. That versatility is a big plus, IMO. The overall design of the system is really well thought out. The soundbar is low-profile, about 2 inches tall, which doesn’t block my television. It’s wide and has a premium feel to it, and I like that JBL includes magnetic end caps so when the side speakers are removed, the bar still looks complete. The rear speakers also have caps so they can stand on their own or be mounted, and the mounting hardware is included, which is nice. Everything snaps together cleanly and feels solid. The remote is simple and easy to use, which I like, but I do wish the buttons were labeled a bit better. They use icons instead of text, and I find myself forgetting what each one does sometimes. Not a huge deal, but it would’ve been nice to have clearer labeling like they show in the app. In terms of features, this system checks a lot of boxes. You’ve got support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, multiple HDMI inputs, eARC, Bluetooth, WiFi streaming with AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, and the JBL One app for calibration and EQ adjustments. It’s a very complete setup without needing a receiver or extra components. Overall, I’m really happy with this soundbar system. The sound quality is excellent, the subwoofer is fantastic, and the soundbar itself delivers a very immersive experience. The rear speakers are a great idea and very versatile, even if they didn’t fully meet my expectations for surround sound in my specific setup. This feels like a true step up from a standard soundbar and gets you very close to a full home theater experience without the complexity of running wires and setting up a full speaker system. It’s powerful, flexible, and easy to use. I can already tell this is something I’ll be using for a long time. If you’re looking for a high-end soundbar system that delivers big sound, deep bass, and a lot of flexibility, I think you’re going to be really happy with this one.