If you are looking for a top notch soundbar around the $1,100 mark, you are going to want to take a look at the all new JBL Bar 1000, which has some really neat detachable rear surround sound speakers, I saw and heard this bar perform for the first time at CES 2023, and then in Australia at Studio 301, where acoustics and performance are a key element for global recording artists, who tracks are laid down at this studio.
In fact, it was a brave move by the Harman, Samsung owned Company, to pile a whole load of audio reviewers, into a leading studio to hear precisely in an atmosphere, where there is no room for mistakes with the acoustic ceilings and padded walls, their new JBL Bar 1000 and Bar 13000.
The people running this studio are global experts in the laying down of Dolby Atmos tracks which this soundbar appears to have been built around.
Switch it on, place the rears, calibrate the room and then find a really top Dolby Atmos and Dolby Cinema 4K UHD movie, and what you will experience is an immersive audio journey with the cinematic sound of Dolby Atmos filling a room from the font facing soundbar that comes with two detachable speakers that seriously deliver a 7.1 sound experience. 
In fact, this soundbar reminds me of the early Philips soundbar that also had detachable rear speakers.
The DTS:X 3D surround sound, wireless surround speakers, and subwoofers of the 1,000 are not as good as the Bar 1300 soundbar which will cost you an additional $900.
This JBL Bar 10000 delivers 880W of total output power, and the bass from the 10” subwoofer can be easily adjusted from the remote Vs 1170 watts with the bigger model.
The inclusion of Multibeam and four up-firing drivers—two in the bar and two in the detachable battery-powered surround speakers, are a key element of this soundbar because they enable the delivery of a wide, spacious soundstage without the need for an array of cables.
The JBL Bar Series offers a range of exciting options that are sure to enhance your entertainment experience. In this article, we will explore the shared features of each soundbar and delve into what sets them apart to help you determine which one is the perfect match for your needs.
At CES I first hear this soundbar in a small room, then in Sydney in a significantly larger room and what was clear was that Harman has vastly improved the performance of their up-firing speakers that shoot sound up at an angle to a ceiling which then comes back down to your listening area.
At our offices we have acoustic ceilings with nothing blocking the way of the soundwaves and when hooked up to the latest Loewe TV we got a seriously impressive experience when watching the movie Extraction with the sound bar pulling you into this shoot me up movie.
The Up-firing drivers deliver pinpoint Dolby Atmos height effects and when coupled with the 880 watts of power output you get a really good experience.
As for the main soundbar itself this has five racetrack drivers, 3x 0.75” tweeters, all on the front, and 2x 2.75” up-firing full-range drivers.
When you place the surrounds behind you, their up-firing drivers, along with the ones in the bar itself deliver an experience as good as some of the more expensive soundbars we have experienced.
When we played the movie Shooting stars the difference in Atmos sound was significant no more so than with the clear cut through of dialogue.
During our session at Studio 301 I was able to witness firsthand JBL’s flagship Bar 1300X which delivers powerful, room-filling sound.
Each surround speaker features one racetrack driver and ¾ inch tweeter facing forward, a 2.75” full-range driver and a passive radiator on the top, and another passive radiator on the bottom.
This 11.1.4 soundbar boasts 1170 watts of total power that really utilises the advantages that Dolby Cinema technology delivers.
The soundbar itself, without the detachable speakers, has six racetrack drivers on the front, two as the left channel, two as the right channel, and two in the middle as the centre channel.
Five ¾ inch tweeters on the ends act as the wide left and right, two on the front left and right act as the surround left and right, and one dead centre for the centre channel. Finally, four 2.75” full-range drivers are on the left and right on the top of the soundbar, both angled slightly differently to help disperse the height sound effects.
One standout feature that sets these speakers apart from their predecessors is the ability to charge them via USB-C, freeing you from the need to connect them back to your soundbar.
Further adding to their convenience, each speaker has its own power button and can even be paired together without the soundbar.
In fact, during our testing, we were able to take the surrounds outside, connect them together, and use Bluetooth to create a stunning stereo setup without needing the soundbar at all!
If you want to watch a movie on your notebook these speakers are Bluetooth 5.2 compatible, ensuring you don’t have to worry about any audio syncing issues.
This is in contrast to the soundbar itself, which is only Bluetooth 5.0 capable.
Comment: Harman are global leaders in the design and manufacture of sound gear, from their top end audiophile JBL speakers to the JBL Bar soundbars, their audio experience shines through and is clearly heard in the JBL Bar 1000 which delivers crystal clear dialogue and immersive surround sound that sucks you into a movie where the audio is as enjoyable as the action on the screen. This is a value for money product.
Rating 9/10
