Customer Ratings & Reviews

This item works very well but is definitely overpriced.

Dear potential buyers of JBL Bar 9.1, Unless your refrigerator, stove, light switches, and toilets are all Internet connected through your Google Home account, you should probably not purchase this sound bar. The product description, packaging, and manual neglect to reveal that it absolutely REQUIRES addition to your home network using Google Home (or Apple equivalent) in order to operate securely. There is no other option. If you set it up like a normal sound bar (without Google Home), it does work but continuously broadcasts itself over its own unsecured WiFi network as an available speaker system for anyone or their miscreant teenager to commandeer. They can freely add it to their own Google Home account without your authorization and then use Chromecast to blast heavy metal throughout your home in the middle of the night. Your only recourse is to disconnect power or do a factory reset... oh wait, then it defaults back to free-speakers-for-anyone mode. Not helpful. I've informed JBL of the problem, but their support has told me there is in fact no way to disable the feature and that this is intentional BY DESIGN: "I hope you understand, that this is not done as an oversight, but as a design." – HCG Customer Support, May 2022 Fixing the problem would only require a simple firmware update, but, in numerous e-mails, they've provided no indication such an update will be created. Given the problem is intentional by design, it's evident they will not be fixing the problem unless enough people refuse to buy the product. Please refuse to buy the product and inform JBL that this lack of consideration for the customer's privacy is the reason. Such a feature representing a possible invasion of your home's privacy should be disabled by factory default and only enabled if you choose to use it. The fact that it cannot be disabled if one chooses is despicable for a supposedly reputable company and, henceforth, I will not be purchasing any JBL products. Happy shopping all. P.s. For the DIY-ers out there, disconnecting the bar's WiFi module internally to disable the Internet connection feature does not work because it uses the same module to communicate with the wireless sub and surrounds.

If your television uses 5 GHz wireless in any way, or you intend to use any wireless device in the same room as your TV, do not buy the JBL 9.1 sound bar. While it’s simplicity is good, and the sound quality is good (can get same quality for a lot less), it is unconscionable in this day and age that these engineers would not bother to test their product for interference in the 5 GHz band. I spent the evening running numerous speed tests on my phone, connected to my top of the line Linksys VELOP mesh router, which is in the same room. When the sound bar is powered on, I got half the WiFi speed than I do when it is turned off. I tried testing different combinations of satellite speakers attached, or remote, and subwoofer plugged in, unplugged. No matter what configuration the remotes or speakers are in, the sound bar emits interference in the 5G band, hindering all WiFi in the vicinity. You may be OK if you are the only one using wireless in your house at the time, but if somebody is trying to stream something or game in a nearby room, their quality of service will degrade severely. A 1040 net stream dropped to 480 w/buffering circle of doom as soon as i turned on the sound bar. The sound is decent, but you can get the same sound in a wired system for less than half the cost. You are paying for convenience. But none of this matters, because the JBL engineers designed a noisy spectrum hogging piece of garbage. I rarely get angry about a product, but this is the exception. Every other feature seems so promising, nifty, convenient, good quality, good name – I am a professional DJ - that I really wanted this product to work, but now I cannot use it because of the WiFi and have to hassle with returning it. Shame, shame on JBL! What were you thinking?

sound bar does not sync with my 65" samsung neo qled tv geek squad coming for the second time

Goes in and out. I've had many tech issues with it.

Bought soundbar to have for Christmas week for family movies. Had Bestbuy deliver and instal to make sure everything was done right. Had it 8 days and it completely died two days before Christmas. Forever on hold and three transfers only to be told the only thing to do is replace it. A product this expensive should last more than 8 days. Replacement product not available until Jan 4. For the 1 and a half movies we got to use it for it did provide a good surround experience. Basketball games and news/talking only programs not so great. Voices seemed to have a 1/2 second delay..very distracting. I may update review depending on performance of replacement product....next year. :(

This is a great product. It offers amazing features. This is a great investment. This is a definitely a must have.

I have to say , it sounded a lot better in the store. Maybe i have to mess with it and settings but really nothing special for the money . I have friends that have 300.00 set ups that are better . Id shop around for 1200.00 this thing should crank and no way does it . sorry i was really hoping for this thing to be amazing

I’ve been using this sound bar for 4 days. I got it for Black Friday. It was working perfectly. The sound is great. Until today, the vocals started cutting off twice today. Then the system started making a cracking static noise. I spent to much money on this surround sound to be having issues already. Very disappointed. If I hear this issue again, I will definitely return it and not risk wasting my money.

This is the worst item I have ever bought. Not great quality and works correctly about 50% of the time.

Very difficult to setup with google, and Bluetooth has to be recalled each time you turn on tv

I'm a fan of JBL gear but I have to say this sound bar sounds horrific. I can honestly say that my built-in speakers on my Sony Bravia TV sound much better than this sound bar. I was in disbelief after it was setup that it could sound that bad. The subwoofer is thumpy and boomy and is a huge distraction. A subwoofer should integrate smoothly into your environment and not be very noticeable. There is also a constant light hiss coming from the speakers even in standby that I can hear from the couch. I'll be returning this and buying a nice receiver. For the price of this bar I can build out a nice little system that will outperform it in every way.

Used both HDMI arc and Digital Audio, both sounded completely washed out. Voices get lost in the muddy low notes. Even with adjusting bass settings the bass is sloppy. High notes are crisp and clear but doesn't add anything to the poor quality. Wireless rear speakers didn't have any connectivity issues in a medium sized living room but the sound quality was on par with cheap bookshelf systems. The volume adjustments for the rear speakers are so abrupt that finding the right level is difficult Much cheaper systems from names like Polk provided much better sound. I wouldn't be happy with this system at half the price.