Brand trades on heritage with new line-up of soundbars and portable speakers, writes Steve May…
JBL leveraged its historic movie past to launch its new Bar Series soundbars, with a listening experience at Nordisk Film Studios, in Copenhagen. The event saw the brand take over the studio’s largest LED production stage to provide an immersive insight into the new range, led by its latest flagship, the JBL Bar 1300MK2.
The setting was appropriate. James B. Lansing, the founder of JBL, played a pivotal role in early sound cinema, helping develop the MGM sound system back in 1937. JBL speakers have been a mainstay in theatrical audio ever since, and were instrumental in the development of THX-licensed cinema speaker systems in the Eighties.
The incoming Bar 1300MK2 is an 11.1.4 Dolby Atmos design with a class-leading 29-driver array. The bar features two detachable wireless speakers, which can be used either as surround channels (just park them on the back of your sofa), or as portable Bluetooth speakers.
The system also marks the debut of AI Sound Boost, embedded within its subwoofer. This intelligent processing tech enhances dynamic range while minimising distortion, ensuring deep, punchy bass even at higher volume levels.
There are five soundbars in total, in the new line-up. The JBL Bar 1000MK2 drops the speaker count, but keeps the detachable rear speakers, while the JBL Bar 800MK2 drops the option of the detachables.
The smaller, entry level JBL Bar 500MK2 and JBL Bar 300MK2 models offer the choice of a smaller footprint, either with or without a soundbar.
JBL also used the event to debut its Boombox 4, which despite being almost 1kg lighter than its predecessor (no subwoofer this time), actually plays louder, and its new, slender, Grip portable Bluetooth speaker. JBL told ERT that it expects to ship a million Grips in its first year.
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