![]() When I fired up the “Amaze” demo via Dolby TrueHD, the system blasted the cacophony of jungle buzzes throughout the room, followed by a crack of thunder that shook my floor (the system claims to reach a low of 33 Hz), and a realistic shower of rain overhead. The sub is also fast and musical enough to keep up with rhythmic effects, matching well with its soundbar counterpart.įrom the moment I inserted my Dolby Atmos demo Blu-ray, I could hear and feel the 1300X’s power. You’re just not going to get this kind of authoritative sound displacement with smaller drivers, and you will absolutely feel the ground-shaking, shelf-rattling difference. The second, much-less-secret weapon is the 1300X’s mini-fridge of a subwoofer, which sports a 12-inch woofer that matches or exceeds every other competitor. Think of it like a solar eclipse it’s cool to get a glimpse of it at the edge, but there’s nothing like being in the path of totality. It’s this potent hemispheric dome that, along with the front- and side-firing drivers, helps create the kind of realistic sonic immersion so many cheaper Dolby Atmos soundbars lack. While most systems max out at four, the Bar 1300X provides six four in the bar itself, two more in the detachable surrounds to bounce sound off your ceiling and down to the listening position. The first is an extra pair of up-firing drivers. You can also connect the system to other JBL products and access a few smart features via Google Assistant and Alexa with the help of a secondary smart speaker. There are a few other ways to tinker, like adding streaming services in the app to go along with options like Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2, and Chromecast. After braving the setup, less-experienced users may find the mostly plug-and-play controls easier than those of more traditional home theater fare. Given all that, the Bar 1300X does a remarkable job of adjusting to your room for immersive, relatively well-balanced sound. You can also adjust the surrounds, but there are only three levels of control there. You do get a couple of EQ options and the ability to raise and lower the volume of the height channels. There’s also no way to adjust the center channel, choose between stereo or surround virtualization, or adjust the right/left surrounds independently. This is key because, unlike any number of competitors, the Bar 1300X offers zero sound modes or presets. The JBL One app walks you through basics like Wi-Fi connection and the two-step calibration process that locks in sound. It took me some time to realize that you need to remove the inconspicuous end caps (which aren’t always pictured) before attaching the breakaway speakers. But the near-wordless quickstart guide does its best impression of instructions for a Kullen or Hemnes or other Ikea dresser, which can lead to some confusion. Once you’ve fished the massive sub and bar from the Tetris-shaped box, it’s simple enough to connect to your TV over HDMI ARC/eARC with the included cable, and there’s an ample suite of inputs, including three spare HDMI ports. After we reached out to JBL, the company added the latter to the website for download, which should help with some of the more complicated particulars. The Bar 1300X’s setup and controls are a little tricky at first, partly due to its whacky design and partly because it doesn’t come with a full owner’s manual. The system is expensive and won’t be for everyone, but if you’re looking for a different way to load up serious cinematic immersion, JBL’s Bar 1300X could be your ticket. In the dozens of soundbars I’ve auditioned, only a small few can compete with the Bar 1300X in this department. One thing that’s not in question is just how fantastic this system is at bombarding your room with thrilling Dolby Atmos sound. ![]() So unless you’ve got a fully open floor plan, I’m not sure the Bar 1300X really answers the question of whether going fully wireless confers a distinct advantage over buying a low-profile extension cord. ![]() But you’re still trading wires for batteries the speakers must return to the mother ship every 12 hours to juice up. The upshot is a cleaner surround setup than rivals from Samsung, Sonos, and pretty much anyone else, all of which require power cables for their “wireless” surround speakers. Unique to JBL soundbars, the intriguing design allows for multiple sound configurations, as well as fully wireless surrounds-no outlets required. The system includes 11.1.4 channels of burly Dolby Atmos sound, as well as discrete surround speakers that magnetically connect and detach from the main bar like Star Trek shuttlecraft. ![]() Nowhere is that more obvious than in its pricey new flagship soundbar, the shapeshifting Bar 1300X. When it comes to design innovation, the storied audio brand really goes for it. ![]()
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