The JBL Bar 1000 replaces the JBL Bar 9.1, whose acoustic formulae it takes over altogether, in particular the bass box, with some noticeable upgrades. The power improves somewhat, and most importantly, the restitution increases from 5.1.4 to 7.1.4. If the vertical audio section does not shift, the manufacturer has increased the size of the transducers on the front side and now employs side tweeters with waveguides to broaden the sound scene.
The JBL Bar 1000 is now in charge of a lineup of sound bars that are less immersive but nonetheless compatible with Dolby Atmos, including the JBL Bar 300 (5.0 with simulated Atmos without vertical transducers), JBL Bar 500, and JBL Bar 800. ( 5.1.2 with detachable enclosures and bass box ).
DESIGN
The JBL Bar 1000 has classic lines, slightly beveled corners, and curved ends, all wrapped in an anthracite gray PVC envelope bordered by microperforated metal acoustic grates. This enclosure is hardly a work of art, but its contours are rather appealing.
When its enclosures are closed, the JBL Bar 1000 takes relatively little space on a TV stand. The bar itself is merely 88 cm wide (120 cm arched speakers), 5.6 cm tall, and 12 cm deep.
The disassembly of the JBL Bar 1000 exposes a highly sophisticated internal arrangement. The two big electronic cards were built to perfectly match the front transducers’ input ports, ensuring that no wire passes where the internal sound pressure is greatest. Furthermore, all electrical components are resin-coated to prevent them from vibration. The rear of the amplification cards is coated with metal spikes to divert heat away from the top of the upper cover, which is stuck with a huge piece of aluminum. In other words, everything appears to be set up so that the JBL Bar 1000 can play hard and for a long time.
5 grader-medium transducers of 9 5 cm are installed on the front side, together with a central tweeter with a 2 cm fabric dome and two more tweeters facing laterally and mounted on acoustic pavilions. To broaden the scenario, these two will broadcast the medium-aigus noises onto the room’s edges. Two 7 cm wide-band transducers pointing up and down are located at the top of the bar. Surprisingly, they are outfitted with mini-likes, raising concerns about a lack of punch.
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Several accessories are included, including side covers for the bar and surround enclosures, L-shaped wall fasteners for the bar and U-shaped wall fasteners for the surround enclosures, and an HDMI cable.
Detachable Surround Enclosures
The JBL Bar 1000 bar’s evident benefit is its removable surround enclosures, which can run without a wire owing to their inbuilt battery. A system that is similar to the Philips Fidelio B97.
Simply secure them at the bar or attach them to a charger through their micro-USB connectors to recharge them. JBL claims a 4 hour charge time and a 10 hour range, which should let you to consume an entire season of most TV shows and many films in a succession. The complete lack of cable allows for a wide range of positioning options, since it is not essential to set the enclosures around near a power outlet, and we can even move them during watching.
These tiny enclosures are outfitted with a 7 cm wide band speaker, identical to those found in the vertical portion of the bar, as well as a tweeter. JBL does not advocate a certain installation position and hence may be mounted vertically or horizontally. In any case, calibration enables the bar to optimize the operation of the enclosures based on their orientation. The reality remains that it is preferable to place these enclosures flat so that the vertical effects are directed towards the ceiling.
A Sacred Box Of Bass
The low box of the JBL Bar 1000 is intimidating with its 30 cm side and 40 cm height, implying a serious strong and powerful speaker. It’s no surprise that JBL doesn’t cut corners when it comes to recreating low frequencies. It has even always been in the DNA of the American brand. However, the larger the box, the lower the frequency and intensity may go.
It also has a transducer with a diameter of 26 cm, clearly designed to reproduce low frequencies alone. Indeed, its membrane is exceptionally robust (to deform little) and its suspension is unusually big, allowing for huge excursions at volume peaks. The transducer is angled toward the ground to disperse the high-grave frequencies as widely as possible and to keep the enclosure from becoming too localizable in the room. A low-reflex resonator tube located in the front face emits extremely low frequencies. Notable feature: the surface of this vent is significant, allowing you to slow down the air speed and so listen at extremely high level without any flow noise.
According to JBL, the on-board amp can generate up to 300 W, although the power supply’s maximum usage is 60 W. The 300 W are most likely produced in a single burst for a fraction of a second, whereas the continuous power must be close to 60 W. This is theoretically sufficient to sustain a sound bar with modest transducers.
This bass box, unlike the bar and detachable enclosures, does not benefit from microphone calibration. Its placement and orientation in the room will therefore be critical in achieving a consistent restoration of significant noises.
CONNECTIVITY
The JBL Bar 1000 offers three HDMI inputs that support 4K HDR up to 60 Hz and an output that supports ARC / eARC audio returns. A multimedia device (Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast…), a Blu-ray player, or a video gaming console, for example, can be connected. To combine a DVD player or any previous generation source, a Toslink optical digital audio input is provided. On HDMI inputs, all Dolby and SDR, Dolby Atmos, and SDR: X flows are available, however the optical input only supports normal Dolby and SDR 5.1 flows.
The bar has a USB type A connector, which sadly does not provide enough power to power any HDMI TV stick.
JBL Bar 1000 also contains an RJ-45 connector and a Wi-Fi controller for music streaming and remote control via the JBL One app. Finally, a Bluetooth 5.0 receiver enables wireless music listening with a smartphone in the absence of a home network.
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FEATURES
Regardless of the entering audio format, the JBL Bar 1000 delivers sound in 7.1.4 format (11 channels + LFE for the bass box). When listening to stereo music, an SDR 5.1 film, or a Dolby Atmos series, the program is distributed automatically over all transducers.
Acoustic Calibration
The JBL Bar 1000’s bar has an acoustic calibration system. The JBL One app also suggests calibrating the bar as soon as it is configured. To do so, first detach the surround enclosures and arrange them at the listening point, facing the bar. Several sinusoidal noises are then produced and recorded by the bar’s microphones. The user is then directed to the final position of the wireless enclosures. Calibration incorporates and optimizes sound’s horizontal and vertical spatialization.
There is no calibration for the bass box, therefore there is no sound during the procedure. It’s a shame, because low frequencies are the most affected by the listening room’s features, which constantly delay the dispersion of certain sounds and diminish the loudness of others.
Music Services
JBL Bar 1000 is compatible with the AirPlay, Google Chromecast, and Spotify Connect protocols, allowing you to listen to stereo music from any music provider. The JBL One app allows you to access various services straight from the app, although this is ineffective when compared to reading from the AirPlay or Chromecast apps. Since Tidal, there has been no option to read titles in Dolby Atmos, just in stereo. It’s a pity, because other compatible bars, such as Tidal Connect and Alexa Cast, enable you to listen in Atmos directly (Sony HT-A5000 or Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus for example ).
An Application That Forgets The Essentials
The JBL One control software barely fulfills half of its function. Even if the installation and calibration phases of the JBL Bar 1000 are flawless, the recommended parameters are considerably too limiting. Despite the mysterious incorporated PureVoice technology, there is no change to the level of the core channel or the method of speech reinforcement, as is the case with nearly all of the competing bars. There’s also no night setting to compress the dynamic margin and tone down the bass box to prevent disturbing the tenants of his home or the neighborhood late at night. This is ludicrous, because these are basic modifications required for excellent discourse restoration and listening comfort.
The only changes recommended are those to the low box volume (5 levels), the rear enclosure volume (3 levels), and the overall tonal balance ( equalizer with 3 bands only ). You must increase the volume of the vertical speakers, however this occurs only on the remote control, with three settings.
We would have preferred that the audio stream received by the (Dolby, SDR, PCM…) bar be permanently stated, either in the app or on the enclosure’s LED display. As it is, simply the LED display quietly shows the incoming audio format… and then nothing.
AUDIO
I put the JBL Bar 1000 (firmware 22.34.55.80) through its paces in a 30 m 2 lounge with an LG television, a UST video projector, and an Apple TV 4K. ( 2022 ). I’ve had no issues with HDMI or Wi-Fi connections.
Sound Signature
There is good and at least good in the JBL Bar 1000’s sound characteristic. To begin, we deplore the lack of calibration of the box, as well as the selection of such a huge transducer. The box has a volcanic nature, with little audible at low level and too much fitting in from the reactor’s tiniest roar. You’re glad to play the remote control to calm down, depending on what you’re seeing, because your game is out of place. You must enjoy extremely demonstrative restitutions in order to be fulfilled.
The standard has been raised to the point where it is swiftly chastised for its lack of energy, particularly at low volume. The midrange is in front, forceful at high level, to the expense of the treble, which is hardly audible. The JBL Bar 1000 also suffers from a lack of openness: the scene is reasonably broad, with absolutely little depth. The few proposed changes make little difference.
Disappointing ATMOS, Captivating Surround
Despite having four transducers aimed towards the ceiling, the vertical effects in Dolby Atmos or SDR: X are underwhelming. Nothing emanates from the ceiling, and it’s not particularly noticeable at head height, loudness Atmos at most.
On the other hand, horizontal immersion is excellent, and the back scene is solid, especially on signals 5.1. There’s a cause to have fun there.
Dialogues Lack Precision
The JBL Bar 1000 falls short in terms of voice restoration, since it does not always know how to appropriately extract audio channels in stereo. This is improved with Dolby and SDR 5.1 tracks, but the lack of adjustability for the central channel volume is irritating. On older films, the voices are typically unresolved, which may be agony.
Unequal Performances In Music
Clearly, his JBL Bar 1000’s bar is not ideal for stereo streaming music listening. Aside from needing to max out the box to get a semblance of balance, and dynamism, the sound appears to be irrevocably linked to the bar and fails to deploy in space. If you come across an impactful mix, this is somewhat better on HDMI source in 5.1. With its strong LFE track, the Sting concert in Olympia (2017) in DTS-HD Master Audio impresses. The reality is that the box drags a little too much at high volume.
PRICE AND REALSE DATE
The Sony Bar 1000 sound bar is available and costs 1199 dollars TTC.
