JBL Bar 1300 review: Unique soundbar speaker that "carves out and cuts in", no need for a theater but still very private during Tet and Spring

JBL Bar 1300the most advanced product in JBL’s soundbar line, is a clear demonstration of the company’s move into the high-end home audio market. Not only stopping at improving TV sound, Bar 1300 provides a comprehensive audio-visual experience, worthy of the “flagship” title.

With a listed price of 34,900,000 VND (currently discounted to 29,490,000 VND), the product is aimed at a group of users looking for high-end sound quality and willing to invest in home entertainment experience. I had the opportunity to try the JBL Bar 1300 for about a week and below are my experiences that I want to share with you.

Table of Contents

Flexible modular design: redefining the soundbar concept

JBL Bar 1300 possesses an extremely unique modular design, a big difference compared to traditional soundbar products. Specifically, the left and right speakers are two wireless satellite speakers that can be easily removed with just one operation. When attached to the two ends of the main bar speaker thanks to strong magnets, they form a seamless block, at the same time the satellite speakers are charged.

When users want to enjoy surround sound effects, these two satellite speakers can be separated and arranged behind the seating position. Disassembly is simple and quick, without the need for any supporting tools.

The two satellite speakers of the JBL Bar 1300 are not simply auxiliary speakers for surround sound effects. They are designed to function as two independent Bluetooth speakers, providing great flexibility for users. Users can bring them anywhere in the house, from the kitchen, bedroom to the garden to enjoy music and podcasts without depending on the main speaker.

Each satellite speaker is equipped with a battery for up to 12 hours of use, an impressive parameter compared to its compact size and enough for you to plow through an entire season of Squid Game 2. Users can charge it. battery for the satellite speakers by reconnecting them to the main bar speaker or charging directly via the USB-C port on each speaker. Charging time according to my experience takes about 2 hours from the time the battery is completely depleted.

With an overall length of 1376 mm when two satellite speakers are attached, Bar 1300 is suitable for TVs measuring 65 inches or larger. When disassembling the two satellite speakers, the length of the main soundbar is reduced to 1000 mm, more compact. The slim design with a height of only 60 mm allows the speaker to easily be placed in front of the TV without obscuring the screen or can be aesthetically wall-mounted.

Powerful sound configuration: experience vivid 3D surround sound

JBL Bar 1300 possesses a total capacity of up to 1170W. In particular, the main bar speaker (including two satellite speakers when attached) has a capacity of 590W, two satellite speakers have a total capacity of 150W (75W each) and the wireless subwoofer has a capacity of 300W. This power level allows the Bar 1300 to fill many spaces with sound, from small living rooms to large entertainment rooms, while also reproducing powerful, detailed sound effects in movies and music.

The JBL Bar 1300’s internal speaker system is configured with an 11.1.4-channel setup, providing impressive 3D sound reproduction. This configuration includes:

Main sound bar: Six full-range racetrack drivers (46 x 90mm) for the left, right and center channels, three 20mm tweeters for the highs, and four 70mm up-firing full-range drivers for high-frequency sound. Sound effects from above.

Two satellite speakers: Each speaker includes a racetrack full-range driver (46 x 90mm), a 20mm tweeter, a ceiling-mounted 70mm full-range driver and a rectangular passive resonant driver (48 x 69mm) that supports the range quiet when operating independently.

Wireless subwoofer: A 260mm (10 inch) diameter speaker reproduces the bass range.

With the above hardware configuration, JBL Bar 1300 supports advanced surround sound formats Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. These two formats use height channels to create a three-dimensional sound space, helping listeners feel the sound from all directions.

In particular, being able to flexibly disassemble the satellite speakers and place them anywhere in the room makes the 3D effect even more clear. Especially when you place the speaker right behind your head, 3D sound will create the most obvious effect. The sound will seem to “run” around your head from front to back, left and right in a vivid way.

When testing with blockbuster action movies in Dolby Atmos or DTS:X audio format such as “Greyhound”, Napoleon or Ghosted, the JBL Bar 1300 demonstrated its ability to reproduce sound. Impressive 3D surround bar. Sound effects from above and enveloping surround sound are reproduced clearly and in detail, providing a vivid experience. The subwoofer is powerful, providing deep, powerful bass. However, at high volume levels, the bass can slightly overwhelm other sound ranges. Users should adjust the bass level to suit their preferences and listening room space.

With music, Bar 1300 provides decent sound quality. The midrange is not really outstanding, lacking a bit of detail and smoothness, especially when listening to vocal or instrumental tracks.

Multibeam technology: optimizes experience in multiple spaces

To optimize the 3D surround sound effect, JBL integrates the Bar 1300 with exclusive MultiBeam technology. This technology uses ceiling drivers combined with digital audio processing algorithms to adjust the direction and delay of sound waves. From there, creating the effect of sound reflecting from the ceiling and walls, expanding the soundstage and enveloping the listener in a three-dimensional sound space.

MultiBeam works well in rooms with flat ceilings and symmetrical walls. However, the JBL Bar 1300 also has an automatic sound calibration feature to optimize MultiBeam performance in different listening room conditions just by using the alignment button on the adjustment or the JBL One app on your phone. .

Microphones integrated into the main bar speaker and two satellite speakers will receive test audio signals. Then, the system will analyze parameters such as distance and sound reflection to automatically adjust audio parameters such as delay, volume, EQ, providing an optimal 3D surround sound experience. The calibration process takes about 1-2 minutes and is recommended to be repeated every time there is a major change in the listening room layout.

Diverse connections: flexible and convenient

JBL Bar 1300 is equipped with physical and wireless connection ports, meeting the diverse connection needs of users:

In terms of physical connection, the speaker has an HDMI eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) port to transmit high-quality audio, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, from the TV to the soundbar. Three HDMI inputs (HDMI in) support the transmission of 4K HDR visual signals, including Dolby Vision, from sources such as Blu-ray players and gaming consoles to the TV. One Optical port to connect to devices without HDMI ARC/eARC ports.

A USB-A port is also present, however in the Vietnamese market, this port is only used for maintenance and software updating purposes. In the US market, this USB-A port can be used to play music directly from USB. Finally, there is an Ethernet port for wired network connection.

Regarding wireless connection, the speaker supports 2.4GHz and 5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi, allowing internet access and online music streaming services. Bluetooth 5.0 for the main bar speaker and 5.2 for the satellite speakers, allowing wireless connection to mobile devices. With Wi-Fi connectivity, the JBL Bar 1300 supports popular wireless music streaming protocols such as AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in and Alexa Multi-Room Music (MRM).

Users can conveniently play music from online music streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music…, just need the phone and speaker to be connected to the same WiFi network.

JBL One App: easy control and customization

JBL offers a free JBL One mobile app (iOS and Android) for users to set up, customize, and control the soundbar system. The app allows users to connect the soundbar to a Wi-Fi network, enable automatic sound adjustment based on listening room characteristics, and fine-tune the sound with a 3-band equalizer (Treble, Mid, Bass ).

Users can also adjust the subwoofer’s bass level, enable/disable night mode, set audio delay (Audio Sync), and access online music services.

Conclude

JBL Bar 1300 is a high-end soundbar system, providing an impressive 3D surround sound experience, turning the living room into a miniature movie theater and thanks to that, you will not need to cover the theater and still have great privacy. Unique modular design with detachable wireless satellite speakers, powerful audio configuration, advanced MultiBeam technology, diverse connectivity, smart control app and automatic sound calibration feature are Valuable plus points of this product.

Although the ability to reproduce sound when listening to music is not really perfect in the midrange and the price is quite high compared to the general level, the JBL Bar 1300 is still an extremely worthy choice for those who are looking for a high-end audio solution, especially for home movie viewing needs. This is a worthy investment for satisfying entertainment experiences.