JBL Bar 1000 MkII Soundbar

JBL Bar 1000 MkII 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos Soundbar System

The JBL Bar 1000 MkII is a 7.1.4-channel soundbar system built around one idea: real surround speakers, placed behind you, without speaker cable. The two end sections of the bar lift off in one hand and become battery-powered wireless surround speakers, each with its own up-firing driver for height effects. Dock them back on the bar and they recharge. Together with the 10-inch wireless subwoofer, the system delivers true Dolby Atmos and DTS:X from a single bar under the TV.

The MkII is a genuine step on from the original Bar 1000 rather than a rename. It adds DTS:X alongside Dolby Atmos, moves to MultiBeam 3.0 for a wider soundstage, and brings in PureVoice 2.0 dialogue enhancement and SmartDetails processing. Total system output is 960 watts maximum: 500 watts from the soundbar, 2 x 80 watts from the detachable surrounds and 300 watts from the subwoofer.

Key features

• 7.1.4-channel system with true Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding
• Two detachable wireless surround speakers with up-firing drivers and up to 10 hours of playtime
• 960W total maximum output (500W bar, 2 x 80W surrounds, 300W subwoofer)
• 10-inch wireless subwoofer for deep, placement-flexible bass
• MultiBeam 3.0, PureVoice 2.0 dialogue enhancement and SmartDetails
• HDMI eARC plus 3 HDMI inputs with 4K Dolby Vision and HDR10+ pass-through
• Wi-Fi streaming with AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and Roon Ready
• Room calibration, JBL One app control and Bluetooth 5.3

Detachable surrounds and four height channels

Four up-firing drivers work across the system: two in the soundbar and one in each detachable speaker. With the surrounds docked, the bar runs as a wide front system using MultiBeam 3.0 to bounce sound off the side walls. Lift the surrounds off and place them behind the sofa and the system becomes a physical 7.1.4 layout, with effects placed behind and above the listener instead of simulated. Each surround uses a racetrack driver plus its 2.75-inch up-firing driver, runs for up to 10 hours on its 6600 mAh battery, and charges by simply docking it back onto the bar overnight.

Power, drivers and bass

The main bar carries six racetrack drivers, two 1-inch tweeters and the two up-firing drivers across a 1203 mm total width with the surrounds attached. System frequency response is 33 Hz to 20 kHz. The separate subwoofer uses a 10-inch (260 mm) driver in a 325 x 400 x 325 mm cabinet and connects wirelessly, so it can sit where the room gives the most even bass rather than where a cable happens to reach. The 960-watt maximum output gives the system the headroom for large living rooms and action soundtracks at full scale.

Connections and streaming

HDMI eARC returns uncompressed Atmos audio from the TV over one cable, and three HDMI inputs take a console, streamer or Blu-ray player directly, passing 4K video with Dolby Vision and HDR10+ and HDCP 2.3 compliance. An optical input covers older televisions. For music, dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11ax) supports AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and Roon Ready, Bluetooth 5.3 handles direct phone playback, and the JBL One app covers setup, EQ, calibration and updates. Voice-assistant speakers from Google and Apple ecosystems can control playback hands-free.

Living with the Bar 1000 MkII

Two MkII touches solve everyday problems. Broadcasting lets you carry one or both detachable speakers into another room, so a match or podcast continues while you are in the kitchen. Night listening mutes the bar and subwoofer and plays through the detached speakers placed in front of you, keeping dialogue clear at low volume without disturbing the house. Automatic sound calibration measures how the room reflects sound and tunes the 3D effect to the space, working with any TV brand. PureVoice 2.0 continuously optimises dialogue against the scene’s ambient sound, so quiet lines stay intelligible without riding the volume control.

Choose the JBL Bar 1000 MkII if you want genuine surround and height sound for films, sport and games, with a wireless subwoofer and streaming built in, and no wired rear speakers crossing the room.