At a look
Professional’s Score
Execs
- Spectacular Dolby Atmos efficiency
- Nice musical efficiency
- Really wi-fi rear {surround} audio system
- Glorious entry to streaming music companies
- Wi-fi surrounds may function unbiased Bluetooth audio system
Cons
- Charging the batteries in these rear surrounds might grow to be a problem
- Restricted potential to tweak EQ settings
- Distant management doesn’t have a backlight
Our Verdict
The JBL Bar 1300X delivers an immersive {surround} expertise and provides actually wi-fi rear audio system; they’re battery powered. However as soon as you reside with that function for some time—and charged these batteries a number of occasions—you would possibly determine you favor the permanence of energy cords.
The JBL Bar 1300X is the JBL’s flagship soundbar. JBL describes it as an 11.1.4-channel system—extra on that in a bit—that features a wi-fi subwoofer and a pair of {surround} audio system which are additionally wi-fi. The system’s audio efficiency is really spectacular, whether or not you’re watching films or listening to music, however these rear audio system include a number of caveats.
Most wi-fi {surround} techniques require you to plug every speaker into an influence outlet. JBL pioneered actually wi-fi {surround} audio system a number of years again, and its secret is a 10-hour battery constructed into the rear audio system. You possibly can place them anyplace with out worrying about any cords in anyway.
The JBL Bar 1300X does a wide ranging job reproducing Dolby Atmos film soundtracks
The JBL Bar 1300X provides a full slate of different options, together with assist for the 2 hottest immersive audio codecs, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Apple AirPlay 2 assist means you’ll be able to management the speaker with Siri voice instructions, and you are able to do the identical when you have a wise speaker that works with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The JBL One app for iOS and Android makes setup and changes straightforward.
This assessment is a part of TechHive’s in-depth protection of the best soundbars.
JBL Bar 1300X construct high quality
The JBL Bar 1300X comes with magnetic finish caps that you simply’ll put in place whenever you’re not charging the rear {surround} audio system’ batteries
James Barber/Foundry
The JBL Bar 1300X consists of the soundbar itself, which measures 2.4 x 39.4 x 5.5 inches (HxWxD); a wi-fi subwoofer with a 12-inch driver; and people rear {surround} audio system, which measure 8 x 2.4 x 5.5 inches every. As I discussed earlier, it’s an 11.1.4-channel system. JBL doesn’t specify how the primary 11 channels break down, however logic dictates that it have to be seven channels at ear stage within the entrance (left and proper, left and proper {surround}, left and proper width, and heart); 4 channels at ear stage within the rear (left and proper {surround}, left and proper width), 11 in complete; after which two peak channels within the entrance and two peak channels within the rear (4 in complete). The subwoofer, after all, accounts for the 1 within the method. You would possibly wish to evaluate the JBL Bar 1300X to our Samsung HW-Q950A review; it’s one other 11.1.4-channel soundbar that’s equally priced.
JBL says the system produces 1,170 watts of amplification in complete. Right here’s how they arrive at that quantity: The amplifier within the soundbar unit produces 650 watts, divvied up between six 46 x 90mm racetrack drivers, 5 20mm tweeters, and 4 70mm up-firing full-range drivers. The amps in every of the removable rear {surround} audio system divide 110 watts between one 46 x 90mm racetrack driver, one 20mm tweeter, and one 2.75-inch 70mm up-firing full-range driver. Every of the rear surrounds can be outfitted with two 48 x 69mm passive radiators. The subwoofer’s amp produces 300 watts. Most complete harmonic distortion is 1 % throughout the board.
Inputs and outputs on the JBL Bar 1300X
The JBL Bar 1300X has loads of connection choices, together with one HDMI ARC/eARC port and three extra HDMI inputs for different sources, reminiscent of a Blu-ray participant or a gaming console.
James Barber/Foundry
Ports on the again of the JBL Bar 1300X embody a single HDMI ARC/eARC; plus, three extra HDMI inputs. There’s additionally an optical digital audio enter (Toslink) if you’ll want to join older gear. You may also play MP3 information saved on a USB thumb drive plugged into the soundbar’s USB-A port (that function is within the U.S. mannequin solely).
Community connectivity comes within the type of dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4- and 5GHz), however there’s additionally an RJ45 port for hardwired ethernet connections. The soundbar has a Bluetooth 5.0 radio and the removable audio system have Bluetooth 5.2 radios. The 2 removable audio system can be utilized as freestanding Bluetooth audio system, or you’ll be able to set them up as a stereo pair. They’re glorious both manner, delivering sound high quality corresponding to Bluetooth audio system from different producers costing $200 or extra. (TechHive publishes rather a lot of Bluetooth speaker reviews). But when these JBL audio system find yourself getting carried all around the home—whether or not by you, your partner, or your children—it might result in a irritating residence theater expertise come film time.
Patrons get a well-designed distant, energy cords for the soundbar and subwoofer, and an HDMI cable. JBL additionally places a bunch of wall brackets, anchors, and screws within the field must you wish to mount the audio system.
Organising the JBL Bar 1300X
The JBL Bar 1300X’s wi-fi rear {surround} audio system are labeled left and proper respectively. LED indicators glow whereas the audio system are linked as {surround} channels, however they may also be used as stand-alone Bluetooth audio system.
James Barber/Foundry
Whereas the {surround} speaker batteries had some cost in them once I opened the field, your greatest transfer can be to plug within the soundbar and fix every of the {surround} audio system to present them a full cost. The surrounds are labeled left and proper respectively, so it’s straightforward to determine which matches the place, each for charging and for later placement in your room.
After a few hours, you’re prepared for setup. Detach the surrounds from the soundbar and change them with the 2 endcaps that magnetically connect to cowl the charging ports. Plug within the subwoofer, place the surrounds the place you need them within the room, and launch the JBL One app (obtainable for each iOS and Android).
The app will information you thru setup. You’ll wish to run the calibration sequence that performs a collection of tones. Because the mics within the soundbar hear how the sounds bounce round your room, they’ll alter playback to match your area.
The JBL One app for iOS and Android permits for speaker calibration and connection to music streaming companies.
James Barber/Foundry
That’s just about it. You’re prepared to look at. What you don’t get right here is specialised EQ settings like Film, Sports activities, Nighttime, or Voice. JBL does use Harman PureVoice know-how, which goals to ensure that dialog is evident irrespective of what number of explosions are going off in a scene.
Once you go together with the JBL Bar 1300X, you’re trusting JBL to supply the perfect expertise attainable with out plenty of enter from you. That can attraction to lots of people, and the general sound didn’t frustrate an inveterate audio tweaker like me. Generally it’s a reduction simply to plug and play.
The JBL One app does has a three-band equalizer, so there may be some potential to make restricted changes. I couldn’t enhance something by twiddling with the EQ, so I ultimately simply went with the usual settings. To be clear, I’m undecided the audio wanted enchancment. I similar to to see if I can repair it.
JBL Bar 1300X Dolby Atmos efficiency
HBO’s The Final of Us has a very spectacular Dolby Atmos {surround} combine, and the JBL Bar 1300X does a wide ranging job reproducing it. The present depends closely on object-based audio results that lower via comparatively quiet moments, and the sense of placement was persistently spectacular.
It’s the bodily {surround} audio system that make the distinction. There are glorious soundbar and subwoofer combos that use digital sign processing to create a way of {surround} sound, however none of them have matched the expertise obtainable with real {surround} audio system. Add the Dolby Atmos or DTS:X results that up-firing audio system ship within the entrance and again of the room, and also you begin to get an audio expertise that matches what you’ll get in the perfect film theaters.
Listening to music on the JBL Bar 1300X
There’s a easy distant with easy-to-find buttons to regulate the JBL Bar 1300X.
James Barber/Foundry
You need to use the JBL Bar 1300X alongside audio system in different rooms, offered in addition they assist Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast, or Alexa Multi-Room Music. And you’ll stream music from Qobuz, Spotify (with Spotify Join assist), Tidal, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, TuneIn Radio, and Napster through the Music pane within the JBL One app.
Listening to a Qobuz stream of “I Robotic,” the title observe from the 1977 album by The Alan Parsons Undertaking, I used to be impressed by how the soundbar’s DSP generated a satisfying {surround} expertise, one which was extra about matching the stereo channels within the rear audio system than artificially creating an immersive combine via an algorithm.
In the event you’re on the lookout for a soundbar that may also be your main music listening supply, the JBL Bar 1300X is ideal for streamers. Except you’re trying to play vinyl, you gained’t miss having a separate audio system for music.
Extra on that battery-charging challenge
On the danger of beating a lifeless horse, these actually wi-fi {surround} audio system gained’t magically recharge themselves. You’ll get about 10 hours of use off a full cost, so the trick is remembering to cost them. One efficient technique can be to re-attach the audio system to the soundbar whenever you’re not utilizing them. Which may defeat the fun of getting wi-fi audio system, because you’ll be continuously shifting them forwards and backwards everytime you watch tv, however it might save your some frustration.
There are additionally primary controls on the soundbar itself.
James Barber/Foundry
I attempted utilizing USB-C cables to cost the rear audio system with moveable batteries, however not one of the batteries in my arsenal had sufficient energy, in order that technique for avoiding lifeless surrounds was a bust. You could possibly simply use USB-C cables and plug-in USB chargers to maintain the rear audio system constantly charged—offered, after all, there are shops shut sufficient to the audio system, or your cables are lengthy sufficient to succeed in them—however that additionally defeats the promise of actually wi-fi audio system.
The JBL Bar 1300X is an incredible soundbar
The JBL Bar 1300X sounds superb. It’s straightforward to arrange, and it delivers excellent Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround-sound experiences. It comes with a well-designed app to tweak its settings These removable, battery-powered rear surrounds are pleasant—not less than whereas their batteries are charged.
In the event you can set up a routine to hold them charged—by reattaching them to the soundbar earlier than you retire for the evening, or after each 4 or 5 films—you’ll love this method. If, however, you’re continuously cursing since you forgot to plug in your cellphone or pill, and people units at all times crap out on the most inopportune second, the JBL Bar 1300X might grow to be the bane of your leisure existence.
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