JBL Sound Bar 7.1ch, 880W, Sound Bar Bluetooth with Dolby ATMOS, Thrilling Bass with 10" Wireless Subwoofer, True 4K Connectivity with 3 HDMI In/Out (ARC) Ports BAR1000PROBLKUK

Design, Inputs, and Features

Exterior

All the new JBL Bar soundbars come with a brand new design. And JBL made sure to keep this the same across their entire product lineup, mostly for parity reasons. We already had first hands-on impressions on this new look when we tested the Bar 300 so we knew more or less what to expect.

But while the Bar 300 was a simple, single-unit soundbar the Bar 1000 takes things a few steps further. Size the soundbar measures 884 x 56 x 125 mm / 34.8” x 2.2” x 4.9” without the detachable surround speakers. These extra wireless speakers measure 155 x 56 x 125 mm / 6.1” x 2.2” x 4.9” so keep this in mind as when you want to recharge them on the bar its total length will reach 47″ (1194mm).

For this above reason and also for the fact that the main bar utilizes side-firing channels you should take extra care to place the soundbar in a place where its drivers will not be obstructed.

Also, keep in mind that if you plan on placing it in front of your TV the soundbar doesn’t have any IR repeaters. So if your TV’s IR sensor is extremely low then it may obstruct the signal, so you better measure first just to be on the safe side.

Most TVs do have a gap of around 2.5″ below the panel, but some have much less. So while the soundbar’s 2.2″ height may allow it to fit under most of them, there are some, like the Sony A95K for example, that don’t leave any space for a soundbar and a different solution is needed.

As usual in the new lineup, the whole chassis is covered in a matte dark gray plastic. We like the new look even if it is not something fancy to talk about. The perforated grille covers the entire front face, hiding the drivers and front display. With the surround speakers attached this grille extends to the sides in order to provide protection for the side channels also.

At the top side, we find the built-in buttons that are placed on the right side. To the left of them there is a single LED that works as a status indicator and more towards the left there is a tiny hole used by the built-in microphone. This is exactly the same layout we saw in the Bar 300 so it seems that JBL is using exactly the same design across the board.

A very important aspect of any soundbar design is the inclusion of a fully functions display and here JBL does not disappoint. The Bar 1000 actually has two, short, displays. One is the single LED status indicator next to the built-in buttons and the second is a full functions display at the front.

But since the front center is occupied by many of the racetrack drivers available this had to be placed more to the right. Not a big problem but surely will bother some who like things to look symmetrical.

The display can show you various functions like volume control, input selection, and sound adjustments among others. We definitely like that JBL used a full-function display instead of LED lights. It is much easier this way to know what the soundbar is doing.

As for the single LED status indicator, this also shows various functions of the soundbar like network status and updating. But its placement is not very practical and not of much use anyway.

The back of the unit is where all the connection ports are located in an inset placed exactly at the center. There is nothing else visible as the wall mounts keep the unit from underneath.

Next, we need to mention the detachable surround speakers as JBL keeps using this unique design. This means that you can attach or detach them depending on their use. This is important as you do not need a fixed placement and you can change their position at will.

Remember that these speakers need about 3.5 hours to recharge, which was pretty accurate by our measurements. Unfortunately, while they do come with an LED indicator that flashes when the battery is low you really do not have an indication of how low the battery is in general. So our recommendation is to fully charge them after each use. Just to be on the safe side.

We weighed these speakers 0.7 kg / 1.55 lbs each so it is relatively easy to carry and move around. And with no need for cables makes them extremely simple to handle.

Last but not least is the subwoofer. This uses a standard cubic design with a single airport at the back. The down-firing design of the subwoofer surely helps with placement as it will not be affected by tight spaces. The sub has rounded corners, which is typical of JBL soundbars, and comes with four long legs to keep enough space underneath for the transducer to do its work.

Overall the JBL Bar 1000 may not be oozing with premium materials but surely is an impressive soundbar. Its size, configuration and overall design make this one feel fresh and surely give a small idea of its capabilities.

Internal Hardware

Soundbar brands push the envelope with every new lineup they release. And JBL is no different, but looking at the Bar 1000 compared to their previous flagship this surely feels like an understatement. As the Bar 1000 features an impressive driver's array which is far beyond what JBL had until now.

Spec wise the soundbar is classified as a 7.1.4 channel unit with an impressive 880 watts of power output. 440 watts go to the main bar, 170 watts to the wireless speakers, and 300 watts to the subwoofer. Unfortunately, again we do not have ratings for each channel, although with a bit of guessing it is easy to understand the power distribution.

For the right and left channels, JBL used four 46 x 90 mm racetrack drivers, two for each side. On the other hand, the center channel gets a single 46 x 90mm racetrack driver along with a 0.75” (20mm) tweeter. The right and left side-firing channels to get a single 0.75” (20mm) tweeter each while there are two 2.75” (70mm) up-firing full-range drivers for the Atmos effects.

As for the detachable surround speakers, these feature the same configuration as JBL’s previous flagship. A single 0.75” (20mm) tweeter is complemented by a 2.75” (70mm) up-firing full-range driver for the Atmos effects.

The subwoofer on the other hand uses a single 10” (260mm) down-firing transducer which is big enough for its category. Keep in mind that JBL also has a 12″ subwoofer but unfortunately, this is offered only in their Bar 1300X. Hopefully, we will be able to test that one also in the near future.

Using racetrack drivers seems to be JBL’s choice for many of their soundbars in the last few years. But the number of drivers available is not the only impressive aspect of the Bar 1000 as these work in parallel with JBL’s MultiBeam technology.

Although the soundbar does come with rear speakers JBL added their proprietary surround technology in order, in theory, to up its immersion performance even further. We will see how all these work together in our following tests.

All the above gives the Bar 1000 a frequency response of 33Hz – 20kHz (-6dB).

Connectivity

Connectivity wise the Bar 1000 is much better than anything JBL released before. Although the type of connections is no different, their number is.

From left to right there is a power connector, a USB Type-A, an Ethernet port for wired connection to your local network, four HDMI ports, three inputs and one output, and a digital optical audio input.

Basically, this is the same layout we saw in the Bar 300 but with the addition of two more HDMI inputs.

All HDMI ports support HDCP 2.3 and have the ability to pass through 4K, HDR10, and Dolby Vision signals. The output comes with eARC capabilities which means it can support Dolby Atmos not only from Dolby Digital Plus but also Dolby TrueHD.

Here we need to make a special mention of the HDMI 2.1 ports of the JBL Bar 1000. From our tests, it seems that when we used the soundbar in pass-through mode we could get 120Hz with HDR, VRR, and ALLM but not in 4K resolution! This was possible only in 1080p.

This we saw with our PS5 connected to the soundbar HDMI input and from there to the TV. When we connected our PS5 to the TV directly and used eARC then we were able to get 4K@120Hz with HDR, VRR, and ALLM.

This is the result of nowadays marketing a product as an HDMI 2.1 one when in reality the JBL Bar 1000 supports only part of the full HDMI 2.1 set. It seems that it was too good to be true and this shows how careful you need to be when you read about a product having HDMI 2.1 support today. Because if the HDMI supports even one HDMI 2.1 feature then it can be classified as HDMI 2.1 no matter what.

For those that have older equipment, there is an optical port while we should note that the USB port has MP3 playback functionality only for the US models. All other regions can use this for service only. A strange decision to be honest but one that is standard in many JBL units these years.

In contrast to the JBL Bar 300 which comes with only one HDMI input, the JBL Bar 1000 surely offers much more flexibility. With three inputs this unit can support a wide variety of inputs at the same time. This means you will not have to rely on your TV to pass through all signals.

And this is great because the solution of the ARC/eARC port is one that we honestly avoid as much as possible. As convenient as eARC may be, it is not very reliable and can create more problems than it should.

Lastly, we should not forget to mention the soundbar’s wireless capabilities which again have been upgraded over the previous models. There is WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4GHz/5GHz) as well as Bluetooth v5.0 which is better than what we saw in the Bar 9.1.

Control Options

Next, we will be looking at all the ways you can control this unit. Keeping parity between their models means that all units with online connectivity come with the same capabilities. As such everything in the Bar 1000 is the same as the Bar 300 we tested before.

First comes the included remote and from the looks of it JBL decided to update its design also along with the bars themselves. The remote is still simple and low-cost looking but is a step better than the previous one. The new one still has big round buttons with enough space between them but the layout is completely different.

There are minor differences between this remote and the one the Bar 300 was using and this is mostly due to some different functionality available. But overall the remote is similar in layout, design, and materials used so no surprises here.

At the top, we find the power and mute buttons while the rest of the body is divided into two sections. On the left one, we have the source selectors, with three buttons in total, and three sound effect buttons. On the right side, we find the volume controls at the top, playback controls, a moment button to access your music playlist and speaker settings, and lastly a calibration button.

Soundbar brands should start considering adding backlight functionality to their units. It is inexcusable for a $1,200 soundbar not to include some sort of backlight to make things easier in the dark. Soundbars have come a long way and this should be next on their list.

At least the circular buttons have enough distance between them to avoid accidental commands.

As for the built-in buttons, their layout is once again as simple as it gets. There are three buttons in total so not much to say here. A simple source button selection and volume controls is all there is so you have only some basic functionality control with these.

Further to the left of the control buttons, we find a small hole that hides the built-in microphone that is used for the audio calibration system. But more about this shortly.

The soundbar also supports HDMI-CEC. So in case you have a TV that also supports this feature you can use that remote in order to control both devices. This way you can use fewer remotes in your viewing area.

But the soundbar also has the ability to be controlled by another remote even if HDMI-CEC is not supported. This is done by the TV remote control IR learning functionality. With it, you can use any remote from any device and make the soundbar learn specific signals that correspond to specific actions.

JBL was one of the last few brands that did not provide a dedicated app with their soundbars. But finally after so much time the new 2023 series brought a much-desired change to this. They finally offer the JBL One App which is a lovely little app that gives you total control over your soundbar. Keep in mind that this app only works with the latest 2023 Bar series, at least for the moment.

With the JBL One App, you can set up Wi-Fi, customize EQ, and control your device through a very nice and easy-to-understand UI. You can also set up your soundbar, personalize settings, and use the integrated music services to enjoy your favorite songs.

With the inclusion of online functionality, we also get voice control. The Bar 1000 is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri but unfortunately, these are not built-in. The unit may have a built-in microphone but this is only used for the audio calibration. In order to use any of the above you need to use an external voice control device.

The big change this year, in terms of control, is the arrival of the JBL One App. JBL finally heard our cries and gave us one, even if they were far too late for the party. But as we said in our Bar 300 review, better late than never. And with the inclusion of this dedicated app, their entire new 2023 series is now on par with the competition.

Extra Features and Services

Now let’s talk about all the extra features that are included and we will start with the audio formats supported.

The soundbar supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X which work along with their MultiBeam surround technology. But unlike the Bar 300 which had to rely on 3D sound and virtual tech to create a more immersive performance the JBL Bar 1000 has everything it needs to do so.

But what is this MultiBeam surround technology? This is an electro-acoustic system that applies JBL proprietary beamforming technology to replicate the amazing surround sound you expect from a multi-channel audio system.

Unlike conventional soundbars that only emit sound in a forward direction, JBL soundbars with MultiBeam combine digital signal processing (DSP), front-firing speakers, and twin side-firing drivers to beam sound at angles toward the side walls of a room. These beams feature the key to generating accurate side wall reflections: a sharp directivity pattern in a wide-band frequency range. These reflections mirror back to the listening location and create a spacious surround sound effect.

As for sound management features the Bar 1000 is certainly not all that complex. Considering its price tag and what the competition offers then surely this one chooses simplicity over complexity. Which, to be honest, is a characteristic of many JBL products.

Firstly there is a bass adjustment control with five different levels to choose from depending on how punchy the low end you want it to be. You can also adjust the Dolby Atmos/DTS:X effect, with three levels available. And lastly, adjust the rear speakers level with four levels available.

There is also a smart mode. With the smart mode, which is enabled by default, you can enjoy TV programs with rich sound effects. For TV programs such as news and weather forecasts, you can reduce sound effects by disabling the smart mode and switching to the standard mode. With the Smart mode, the EQ settings and JBL Surround Sound are applied for rich sound effects while with Standard mode the preset EQ settings are applied for standard sound effects.

We also find JBL’s PureVoice. By taking advantage of the PureVoice dialogue enhancement technology, the soundbar allows you to enhance vocal clarity and easily hear and understand speech.

This tech uses digital signal processing (DSP) to detect human speech from within a TV or movie program and extracts the voice content for analysis and improvement. It dynamically enhances the dialogue's loudness for crystal-clear intelligibility without affecting other sounds. This enhancement happens automatically, so you never have to reach for the remote control to hear dialogue. PureVoice can be turned on and off depending on your preferences.

As per JBL’s standards, the soundbar lacks any other sound modes whatsoever. This may seem good if you don’t want to mess with sound modes all the time. But if you are the kind of person who likes to have more flexibility, in terms of sound settings, then you should look at other brands.

The unit comes with an audio calibration system but from what we saw this is a bit more complex than the one used in the Bar 300. We say this because the Bar 1000 measures not only the listening zone but also the speaker’s position in two separate processes.

The manual is very clear on how this is done, with easy-to-follow steps. As a result, you shouldn’t have any problem finishing this part very fast. But measuring both the room and where you sit surely gives the Bar 1000 the edge over what other automatic calibration systems offer.

The soundbar also offers plenty of streaming capabilities as with the included Bluetooth function you can stream audio from any mobile device. There is also USB streaming capabilities but playback is limited to only MP3 files and this applies only to the US market. All other regions have the USB port only for service.

We saw JBL doing the same thing with the USB port on many of their previous releases and to be honest this feels like a dubious decision. It makes all other regions feel neglected in comparison.

But streaming is not limited only to Bluetooth as JBL has included support for Chromecast, Airplay 2, and Alexa Multi-Room-Music. With these, you can stream music from an online service from those available whether you are an Android or iOS fan. These apps can do more than just stream online music as you can also connect various speakers and create your own multi-room environment.

Overall we are very satisfied with what the Bar 1000 can do. It offers plenty of flexibility but at the same time, it feels simple and easy to use. You don’t have to navigate through layers upon layers of settings and menus to find what you need and everything can be enabled with a simple press of a button.

Initial Setup

The initial setup is very straightforward. We opted to use the pass-through capabilities of the unit so we connected our Panasonic 4K UHD player to the soundbar itself and from there to our test TV.

Next, you have to connect the unit to your local network and here you can use the JBL One app to do so. The whole process is very easy and very fast so you should finish in just a few minutes.

Next, we strongly suggest you run the automatic calibration system. This will improve the sound output and it doesn’t take a lot of time to do it. Lastly, all you need to do is adjust the bass, the Dolby Atmos/DTS:X effect, and the rear speakers level and you are done.

If you like simplicity in general but want a really capable soundbar, JBL combines these two perfectly.

Movies

The soundbar surely packs a lot of hardware but there is no point if it cannot put it all to good use. And this is what we are going to determine here. So for this test, we tried the recently released Avatar: The Way of Water in 4K resolution with Dolby Atmos through the Dolby Digital Plus container.

The film needs no introduction so we skip right into the action. The first thing that we noticed was the overall improvement the Bar 1000 was in comparison to previous JBL soundbars, even their mighty Bar 9.1.

What was really impressive was the kind of 3D sound we got. With the surround speakers placed in the correct position, we could really feel like we were in an immersion bubble.

Another thing that we noticed was how good the sound distribution was. Usually, you can hear sounds emitting from specific channels. But this was not so obvious here. It was like the sound was coming even from positions where we had no physical speakers. This obviously has to do with JBL’s MultiBeam technology and how good their implementation of 3D surround sound is.

But the most impressive aspect of this was how seamless it felt. Usually with virtual sound the outcome feels a bit overprocessed, and at times this becomes very obvious and a bit frustrating, to be honest. Not so much here. The JBL kept all the characteristics of the original track and expanded upon them greatly.

JBL Bar 1000 Specifications

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