★ *QOTD: Now that Harman is a part of the Samsung family, how do you think this will affect brands like JBL and their sister brands?* ★ *REVIEWING: **amzn.to/32zNZZ8** // **bit.ly/3kjFG9V** // NEED MORE INFO? ✔︎ THE ⬆︎DESCRIPTION⬆︎* ★ *Love our outtakes? Be sure to watch to the end* ★ *COMMENT RULES:* - No outside URLs, UA-cam links or email addresses - Keep it civil. It’s okay to disagree, just don’t be a jerk about it.
In R&D this sounds like a great project to put out Andrew but in the end, I just think it is a terrible product. I thought I was tripping when mine kept dropping out too but had to change it a Bose. The store here in London tested it and it dropped out a few times.
As long as the bean counters do only their job, it should not effect product design and performance. Sound United is a good reference for how a loose conglomeration can work keeping the heads of the diverse Corps separate and RD on track for each individual component. As the electronic "parts" are the same they get buying power, but the designs are different.
Does Samsung know the heritage behind Mark Levinson and Revel? It's not like they are going to sell 1,000,000,000 units like they do with TV sets and cell phones! Sad we are selling our brands and manufacturing base to Asian companies. Yes, I remember when Japan said they "owned" us during the early 1980's, but the Chinese and Korean pockets nowadays are in a different league.
I’ve owned several Samsung TVs and Blu-ray players and regretted them all. They haven’t been reliable and/or seem to have several bugs pop up. Can’t say this marriage makes me confident. I feel with my experiences that Samsung products aren’t fully developed before being released.
There’s one thing I don’t understand with these sound bars. Why when you put your ears close to these small speakers it sound really bad low volume but when you sit in the room they come clear and sound much better.
Great product, I love this soundbar. A few things I will add after having one for a few months : 1. The subwoofer has settings for 1-5 with 5 being absurd amounts of bass. Hip hop music will shake your whole house. 2. Don't stand in the way of the speakers during calibration, or it may take several tries to calibrate. 3. The display panel will tell you which codec you are using when you first start a media file. This will ensure you are getting atmos or dts true hd. 4. It doesn't seem that the detachable speakers charge during output when their battery is low. IE if you continue using the bar with the speakers docked they either don't charge or charge much slower than the typical 3 hour chargetime. 5. Sometimes the wireless speakers don't power up when you have them spaced in the room. You need to hit the power button(s) on the satellites which the display panel will alert you about. 6. Haven't experienced any issues cutting out during a movie unless i haven't charged them in several days and the battery light blinks. 7. Getting right around 10 hours with volume typically at 18 setting. The only thing I don't like is the remote isn't backlit and the level adjustment buttons do not have a wake-up function. IE each time you press them they adjust the level, there isn't a first press to tell you which level you are on. Minor gripe, could get fixed in firmware. Also my bar didn't come with mounting brackets or the magnet covers that are included in non US regions which I found strange but not a big deal. I use this for music far more than movies but i have watched several atmos and dthx movies now and they sound absolutely outstanding to my ear. I will agree with your comment that occasionally dialogue can get lost during action packed scenes. I have found 3 or less to be ideal on the subwoofer to help prevent this. Nice review, thanks
Thank you for the details, very helpful :) wondering which other soundbars did you consider apart from the 9.1? And what made you purchase this over the rest? Thanks a lot
I bought the jbl 9.1 soundbar specifically to listen to movies and it does it real,real good. I don't watch news or stupid thing on tv on the soundbar. This soundbar is to listen to dolby atmos, dtsx, dts hd, Dolby digital and dolby digital plus. What else do you want.
Thinking of getting the jbl bar 9.1.. is it really that good? I'm mostly gaming but also watching movies sometimes. Current setup is a logitech z906 (5.1) and stereo headphones (beyerdynamic dt990 pro 250ohm & akg 702)
I have this system, and it is amazing. Highly recommend to anyone wanting to upgrade. I have used the cheap soundbars for years, being under $250, and using this system is a night and day difference. I use it in a 10'x13' room, and it sounds great. One thing I like is that it automatically detects the sound it will be utilizing. It will display DTS or Atmos etc. The wireless option is great as well. I'm sure others in this price range are equally good, but I got this because I have used JBL products in the past, and it was $100 off. ; ). I can't ever imagine myself going to a theatre again when I have this. If you are contemplating upgrading, consider this one. You won't regret it. Oh, and I have never experienced a dropout. Even after using it for 5 straight hours. I have had this for over a month.
I've never experienced sound cutting on the rear speakers. What I did was purchase a plug for both and I don't remove it at all so it's always both powered. A year later, still in love with it
The fact that I don’t care much about sound bars yet I sit through everyone of your reviews of them tells you how good your reviewing is. Keep up the good work Andrew.
I love how this channel never assumes the viewers know it all. They make sure to put basics in reviews about speaker placement and all practical details. Glad I subscribed.
love the 9.1 have had no problems with drop outs. they are line of sight with the main unit and probably 20 feet away. my guess is that most users don't go in and manually switch from PCM to dolby digital when the source provides it. pcm will noticably lose high end, while switching to dolby bring back the highs
I have the JBL 9.1. Agree on lack of extreme high frequency, but it doesn't bother me at all. Overall sound is awesome! However, I do not have any issues with connection to the rear speakers at all.
After my brother baught the Bose 900 over the sonos due to a slight clarity advantage, I was in the market for a soundbar. After doing research I found that the best solution came to the JBL 9.1. For 1k you get everything all in one package. The height, surround and base is perfect. It actually surprised me. Yes, the Bose is clearer but you would need to spend 2k to get the base box and rear speakers to get what I got in one simple unit. I would suggest it to anyone who wants a full surround experience without spending a ton. Also, I have not had any of the cut out issues discussed in the video. If people are, I would use a better hdmi to the e-arc on the tv. 🤷🏻
I've had this bar for about half a year now, and I have only had dropouts a couple times. I do on occasion get those "pop" noises which I really don't like, that would be my biggest complaint about this system. This system is in my living room, but my basement is where I have a dedicated home theater system. Comparing this to my home dedicated system is like apples to oranges. I went going into this knowing what I was getting. A soundbar with detachable speakers that can give a decent sense of surround sound, and for the price to me it does a pretty good job. No joke, sometimes during parts of movies where someone is knocking and I'm not looking at the screen, I've thought someone was at the door, or even sirens from firetrucks or police cars as well lol. I'm a bass-heavy guy though, so I do enjoy the more bass-oriented system. I actually like this system a lot, and the sub is excellent. I usually have the two ends detached and behind me as well. Hitting the HDMI and holding it for 5 seconds to get the Calibration was a HUGE difference for me. Do the calibration once with speakers next to you on the couch, then place them where you want them and calibrate again this time it will say 2-calibrating. After it's done this thing sounds excellent considering what it is! That said, when I do have people over and we watch movies or TV, they are Very impressed with this system for a living room. again, it's not really comparable to my "home theater" in my basement but they are so different. home theater systems have soo many parts, dedicated amps, big bass sub boxes, wall speakers, ceiling speakers, etc the list goes on. For a plug-and-play bar, with optional rears, this thing is sick, just make sure to calibrate it twice! side note, my buddy had the Samsung Q950A system, and that one dropped(subwoofer) out SO MUCH that we left the subwoofer unplugged because it was so bad. maybe he had a faulty unit but still, for the price he was annoyed. The rear speakers also were a letdown. p.s. these are just opinions from a non-audiophile guy lol I could be wrong with a lot but like Andrew always says.. the only person that has to like the sound is YOU!
I have this JBL 9.1 system and have zero rear wireless rear channel dropouts. Anyone who has ever heard it wants one. By the way, it was on sale recently for about $900.
I am considering buying this. I have learnt I can buy ultra high HDMI cables to enable dolby atmos , dtx. Have u heard this. My tv just has HDMI ARC port but if I get the ultra fast cable hoping I will be good to go???? Can u clarify this or do u know anyone who can?
This review was 2 years old when I watched it. I have had the JBL for about a week. I think it is great for the price point and the fact it is truly wireless. I wonder if there have been changes since this review.
I did buy the 9.1 about a month ago. The sound is amazing, and the idea of just place them anywhere is great. But I will be returning mine. It's just so annoying the loss of connection and crackling on the detachable speakers. (they stay about 7-8ft from the soundbar with nothing between them) for real, they lost connection a lot! It is so distracting. And is also a bummer when you finish watching a movie late at night and forgets to plug and charge again. That means your next session will not be with surround or Atmos. Anyway, is truly Cinema sound, but with way too many drawbacks. By the way, all my drivers are up to date.
Mine has not had drop outs, but if yours does, it could be interference from other RF devices in your home. If your router is using the 5g band, try disabling it for a bit and see if that helps.
JBL walks around like it has IBS and can't handle the spice! :D haha! I've owned a 9.1 for 2 weeks now. It was a no brainer for me because of the truly wireless setup - whether it's the best bar or not. To provide some feedback, I've watched probably 12 hours of TV and 3 movies and have not noticed a single signal dropout yet. I've been very happy with it so far.
I used to have tons of drop outs with my JBL bar 5.1. talked to a JBL engineer and he asked about my wifi setup. I believe I was using the gear from my ISP and it interfered with the wireless side speakers, switched up my wifi setup and never had a single issue in years
I'm torn between the 5.1 and bar 500 pro, since the 500 pro offers eARC and Atmos. Thoughts? Also, I'm going to purchase an Audio separator that only supports eARC
IM READING THAT A LOT OF PERSONS ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH JBL 9.1 ... AM USING MINE FOR ABOUT A LITTLE LESS THEN 1 YEAR FOR 10/12 HOURS A DAY AND NEVER HAD ONE PROBLEM !!!!! NEVER !!!! THEY ARE INCREDIBLE.... IM USING THEM WITH LG OLED CX ....
I have this bar and largely agree with everything you’ve said. A couple things come to mind. You can plug the surrounds in with a micro USB connection and use them as permanent surrounds. I’ve had much better luck doing so, although I have still had some cutting out. I’ve found that there is a semi-hidden setting that makes regular broadcasts such as Hulu Live or UA-cam sound better, or more traditional. The bar starts up in Smart Mode which does make things a little echo-y. To disable this, hold down the mute button for three or more seconds and then tap volume up once on the remote. You will see on the display that smart mode has been disabled. The frustrating part of that to me is, why the hell isn’t there a button on the remote to change sound modes? Especially since there’s no app support for that!! I am also getting a lot of what sounds like signal switching in and out on Disney +. A temporary pause in sound and then the display with scroll “Dolby digital blah blah blah”. Pretty annoying.
For the price and what it includes, it's a great value. If you wanna pay 2k plus for something you can adjust more have at it, but for 1k you can't beat this
I've had mine for almost a month now, I can tell you at first I had thought about returning it and trying something else, but for the same type of setup it was going to be even more expensive with most other brands. It had a pretty decent size update and that seemed to smooth out my experience. I really have grown to love it, I have the 2 speakers plugged in behind my couch up against a wall so it works fine for me without moving them back and forth. If I had the space and money I would love to have a real theater style setup.
Because I can what exactly? While I'm happy to hear you have not experienced issues and are happy with your product, I'm certainly not "overdoing" anything...this was my experience.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews What he might mean is that most people won't notice / care for those subtle differences you talk about. This does not change your experience though and thank you for sharing it!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I am sorry, I should have been respectful when I wrote that comment. I apologize. I enjoy your reviews. In this context, you may have a defective unit and I hope you get a replacement.
For me it is very premium feel & look.. I bought it yesterday & already watched a few dolby atmos movies & it is AMAZING!!.. I can feel the ground shaking literally & can hear sounds from above.. the soundbar itself looks sooo beautiful & looks expensive than the srp price.. it is the best home theater system.. I am soo happy & soo blessed.. God is good all the time.. God bless us all..
I had been asking for this review for a while... Thank-you. Appreciate all yours and Kristi's hard work. Although as a very happy 9.1 owner, it was slightly disappointing to hear some of the cold hard truths about it from a voice I trust. However as you always say only I have to like it and I really do!! (But I'm no audiophile) Also I have not had any notable issues with wireless drop out (lucky I guess). For the price I think the feature set is great and the sound quality is more impressive than I thought possible. I agree the presets and versatility are lacking though - but overall it's been a good buy. Keep up the good work guys.
I'm not the type to pay attention to looks,I heard the sonos arc and bose 900 with subs and this setup blew them out the water.plus it comes with those detachable speakers,subs and comes with mounting bracket out the box and cheaper,that's a no brainer👍 thanks for review though
You haven't do the sorround adjustment the surround adjustment comes in the JBL 9.1 they check the room and Iif something is blocking it I'll sound like that you need to adjust that when the wireless surround will help you with a better audio just so you know you should always check that
As far as I know there was 2 main reasons for Samsung to buy Harman. 1- competitors such apple has improve their offer in audio, so they just went for a company that was a real plus which in this case was Harman. You can see how Samsung is using AKG for empowering their earbuds. 2- was all the tech that Harman create for the automotive business, there will be a big battle for smart cars in the near future so there you go......what is the future for Revel or ML don’t know and I really hope they do not kill their premium brands 🙏🏽✌🏽
I don't have this model but I do have the JBL 5.1 version which hasn't had any connectivity issues. The only time it does is if you place the speakers *really* far away from the soundbar in which works, but once a tiny thing is interrupting line of sight it drops out.
@@focusonjov5330 the bass is pretty good. I have it set to a reasonable level for both movies and music, around 12 on the soundbar. I believe the sub can go up to 30. At 30 it can have a lot of bass.
I’ve actually never experienced a dropout with my rear speakers, even though I had purchased it around the time this review went live. I updated it straight away so maybe it was fixed or maybe you got unlucky OR I got lucky, but never once have I had them drop out.
JBL Bar 9. I have this soundbar for 3 months now but the first one i got had the surround bluetooth connection issues. It kept cutting out like twice sometimes 3 or 4 times in an hour while watching movies. So i had it replaced and i tested out the replacement soundbar for 1 hour before bringing it home. This replacement is working fine. No disconnections.
It's going to be 4 years this coming March that Samsung acquired Harman with JBL. Samsung let's JBL, Harman and the majority of there big name acquisition do what they've been doing for years and that's making there top of the line products without them interfering. I have the JBL 9.1 BAR and I'm enjoying my movies and video games like never before. I've never had any disconnection problems with the rear speakers and subwoofer. They work flawlessly for me. I ended up buying another one for the upstairs floor. For anyone who is reading these comments please calibrate your JBL 9.1 as the quick start guide instructs you to. The bar itself has two microphones built into it for the calibration. You have to calibrate it twice. What the calibration does is produce a very loud repetitive sound through the bar and rear speakers so that the microphones on the bar picks up the sounds that is bouncing around your ceiling and walls. Warning if your sensitive of loud noises be prepared. Also take your pets to another room because it will scare them. The room needs to be completely quiet for this calibration to be complete. If it picks up any other noise it will continue to calibrate until it gets it right. This way the system can adjust itself from the feedback picked up from the microphones. Remember you have to calibrate them twice. Got them both on sell for $799. Best buy black Friday sale is going to repeat that same deal. If any questions don't hesitate to message me.
Also the quick start guide also has a pic on how to place your rear speakers and bar for calibration on page 3. My ceiling is 6 and half feet for the downstairs unit and 7 and half feet for upstair unit. So anything above ten feet which is probably cathedral ceiling won't probably adjust so well.
Just exchanged my jbl 9.1 for the q990b and could not be happier. Improvement in dialogue on certain things is incredible. The bass difference is minimal. The fact you get a customizable equalizer and adjustment on all channels is worth the extra cost. The jbl 9.1 system isnt bad but you get so much more with the q990b system. If you compare the two the q990b is so much better and only a little bit more if you get it on sale (approx $1400).
I’ve had the jbl 9.1 for almost a year and saw the q990b on sale. I pulled the the trigger on the q990b so this is good to know. Any issues with drop outs on the surround speakers?
@@andreaube4112 I have had these about a month now and no issues with drop out. I do have a fairly small room (speakers approx 8 ft from soundbar). Only issue I have experienced is occasionally my sony tv remote loses the ability to change the volume but if you have your phone connected via bluetooth to the speaker you can just adjust it that way.
I have this jbl and can’t wait till it quiets working. Just so I can buy one just like it. Never been happier. 2 dropouts a week. I can live with that for the sound and the simplicity’s
After a year with mine, I have issues with the sound dropping out all together combined with no controller input at all. It's frustrating but easy fixed. I just unplug from power point then put it back in. Other than that, it kicks butt!
Went front hose 5 speaker system to jbl 9.1…. Tried it sounds good but the sounds adjustment are absent .. can be hard to hear voices in movies and video games .. so gona return it
Very good review Andrew, per usual. Love the concept of the rechargeable units and I think the look is rather clean, but I completely agree that it’s no where near as beautiful as other options! Soundstage on this sounds pretty neat!
I have the Bose soundbar, subwoofer and surrounds for my living room. It's obviously not as good as my KEF system in the media room but for what it is, something that looks good while watching TV and the odd movie it really is quite nice. However what I like about it most if the auto configuration. It makes a massive difference and I think this is where Bose shines and other companies are let down.
@@richardrodricks707 There's a little headset you wear and it uses that to configure the EQ automatically. It makes a massive difference to the quality of the sound and size of the soundstage. With it you wouldn't believe how far left and right of the sound bar the sounds appear to be coming from. My Sony amp has a similar thing but it doesn't make nearly the same difference however the KEF speakers are a lot better out of the box.
This sound bar is basically the best if you manage get one below 600 on black friday this year. * I got one via a friend for 520* It is simply amazing with music & video streaming via dolby surround in bar form, it needs a bit more volume on dolby atmos when setup as 5.1.4 but i need to watch more movie in atmos to judge.
Have you calibrated it? I got a lot more volume out of the rears and upfiring speakers after that. I got mine open box, but still brand new, for 720 last month, and I still think it was worth at that cost.
I think the JBL 9.1 Soundbar is amazing, with it's sound quality and flexibility. I have the surround speakers permanently detached and have them powered using USB cables to a USB charger, the speakers are on stands and the USB cord is no big deal. I only connect them to the Soundbar if updating the system, in which case it tells you to attach the speakers. I went from a proper Sony 7.2 Surround Sound Home Theatre System to the JBL 9.1 Soundbar.
It’s the most common issue on the sound bar and it’s a software bug. It especially happens when the source changes or alters. As in, I can watch 18 hours of movies on the Xbox perfectly but when I decide to switch to a game, there’s a 50/50 chance the sound will go poof. Or, game for hours, then switch to a movie and poof, sound gone. Turning it off and on clears it but it’s an obvious software problem that could be fixed with an update.
Adding to the chorus: no surround dropouts here, after ~100 hours of use. Thing I had to go to forums to find: "Smart Mode" is enabled by default and re-enabled every time the bar goes on standby. Turning it off makes the system less loud overall at a given volume number and the mid-range less 'chesty.' The high end still sounds rolled off but is more noticeable. To turn off "Smart Mode," hold down the Mute button for 3 seconds, then let go and press Volume Up (+). The display will indicate that "Smart Mode" is off. At this point I'm used to adjusting settings every time the bar comes off standby. But an app with persistent settings would be most welcome.
Who gives a crap what a sound bar looks like or what materials are used for it’s construction. It’s about how they perform. Duh, sounds like a JBL bash and the LG is not even a contender.
The materials used to build the soundbar do matter. For example the cloth cover of the Samsung HW-Q900A or 950A is very unfortunate because it collects dust or hair very easily. If you have pets like a cat or a dog it gets even more dirty. That's why I prefer a soundbar with a metal grill which is easier to clean and gets less dirty 🤔
It doesn't matter what soundbar you buy if you like it and sound good for you go ahead. You know this days there not to many people that can spend not even 500 for a soundbar never mind about those soundbar that cost over a thousand dollar. Be happy for what you have and enjoy it like I enjoy mine.
Uhhh... Did you even use the Calibrate feature on the Sound Bar? Personally I never experienced rear speakers dropping out in the two months I've owned it. There probably are better Sound Bars out there for the Living Room but for my small bedroom where I don't have space for permanent rear speakers, the sound quality is phenomenal and the Subwoofer rattles the floor. It is an excellent unit and I have no issues with the build quality. The detachable rear speakers are feel like pure metal and as far as what you touch with the Soundbar that's all that really matters.
Soundbars is not my thing, but I just had to see the review anyway. Says alot about the quality of your reviews (and your soothing voice🤔😂) so keep it up! Wrong thread i guess, but I would really like to see a comparsion between the Marantz nr1200 and the Denon dra-800h,and there must be thousands of us out there cause they are very similiar in specs and almost without competition (except a couple of d amps) when it comes to stereo amps with these type of connections!
Forgot to mention that the detachable speakers don't charge unless the tv is off and the soundbar is on standby. The speakers still use the internal battery while attached. Huge design flaw.
I'm super excited for this system. I had initially purchased the 3.1 but was so impressed that I made the switch. Honestly I use to be one of the individual component guys. Basement Ht Setup Marantz Reciever, Svs Sub, Kef Inwall speakers etc. Sounded awesome but it was just to quirky to deal with. The soundbar might not be close but it sure as hell is convenient. I think it's definitely worth the price. Awesome review
I have the JBL sound bar 3.1 from 2018 that has the same type of wireless surround speakers. They never disconnect from the main unit after long hours of playing movies. By the way, mine have USB connection in case you want to leave them detached permanently from the main unit and charging.
Owner of JBL 5.1 soundbar. Over 2 1/2 years. Huge problem with the batteries of the surround speakers.at exactly two years one battery is off. 86€ to replace. Now the second is dying. We need 160€ every two to three years???
This is precisely my concern regarding this soundbar. It's not a question of IF but WHEN the batteries will fail. Hundred bucks each with tax/shipping? No thanks.
I have that jbl 9.1 atmos soundbar n I haven't had any problems with the rears no drop outs do you think certain jbl soundbars have that certain drop outs
I just purchased this bar and it's freaking amazing! I tried all the higher end bars and this one just won me over with its versatility and the sound is excellent. I like this guy's reviews, but a lot of it comes down to personal preference. You gotta remember this guy nit picks everything which is fine, but your average person will love this bar.
@@Laid_Back_17 samsung q990b, the new lg with the 3 upward firing atmos speakers and the Sonos arc. Once I get a true cinema room I will probably get a different system for that though. The jbl 9.1 is just so convenient for my current living room.
I never had a drop out on mine either as a matter of facts today I watch 4 movies for about one and a half hrs each one no one drop out and when I check the life of the sorround they were still at 70% capacity.
Hello mate. Im back after using JBL bar 9.1. Bose 700 anyday. Handsdown. Even without the gimmicky Atmos, 700 is far better. Can get twice loud and sounds BIG and spacious. Bass module works so well. Place anywhere in the room and the bass feels like coming from the bar. Clean bass. Now i have tried boss 700 and 500 bass modules. 500 is better for my room as 700 was too powerful. Didn’t need that much bass so saved money. If you don’t want bass then go for B&O Beosound Stage. If bass then Bose 700 with either 500 or 700 module depending how big is your space. Bar 9.1 is going back.
@@pratiqshah7015 you’re welcome. Can’t recommend the 700 enough. Never thought I’ll be Bose fan lol. To sum up, you will never know or appreciate how good the 700 is until you try the other samsung, lg or jbl soundbars. It looks beautiful. Build quality is next to none. Sounds like big speakers. Loud. Clear. Latency is very minimal. I’ve set mine at 20ms and it’s perfect. App is great. It makes you turn up the volume because it plays loud with ease and clarity. Go for it. You won’t regret. It’s expensive but worth every penny. All the best.
@@faisalimtiaz7 just one more question. If you don’t have an easy answer just let me know. Pls don’t go the extra mile to but that soundbar too. How is the Sony HT ST 5000 compared to Bose. I tested that few days back and found it really good. Your advice will help. Thank you once again.
Hiya Andrew! We have never faced an audio dropout issue. I'd recommend to have the wireless speakers connected to the bar and getting a hard reset done with all components active. This should help you.
I’ve had mine for several months now and no dropouts ... it does however totally glitch once in awhile (once a month) unplugging it sorts it out ... thankfully the power cord can be detached at the bar so it’s easy. Other than that it’s awesome especially at the it’s price point !
haha, good tip that one. I got mine and about 1 in 10 times I had no sound and had to do the unplugging trick. Thanks again! I also dislike the popping when you change source
Batches of this soundbar shipped in the last few months has a defect were volume of the rear speakers cannot be adjusted while detached and the rear button show "NOT SUPPORTED".
I recently tried the lower end LG SN7R when it was on sale at Costco for $350 (reg $500) and while it sounded pretty good for TV shows and even milder Atmos content (AppleTV+ Long Way Up, in particular) it lacked the power in movies to satisfy me. I was strongly considering the Bar 9.1 but ultimately decided to build a budget system with separates. Picked up the Denon S750H on sale at Costco, along with the budget Core Series speakers from Sony that were on sale everywhere. My only splurge was an SVS PB-1000, which I couldn't be more happy with. There is no comparison between this 5.1.2 setup and the LG soundbar I returned. It is absolutely amazing, and even with the SVS came in at just under $1200. Well worth the investment!
@@iexistyay-asadummytho had it for almost a year now, no problems with the rear speakers. Remember to calibrate them as the manual says. I paid 500€ for the 9.1
Confused with Klipsch Cinema Atoms soundar and JBL Bar 9.1 Please help me on buying. Since I am going to spend close to 1000 Euros, i dont want to regret after purchase
Klipsch cinema 1200 is probubly gonna be the all around better package. Its alittle more expensive. But from reviews ive seen. It should be better than the jbl in all aspects.
Thinking about using this soundbar for a cocktail bar im opening. Would it work? its a 150sqm space and any sound system I use must be wireless... can't seem to find what im looking for. Any reccomendations?
I've been using the Jbl 9.1 since November 2020. At first i liked it and was quite impressed but a few times the bar went silent. Was a bit annoying whenever it happened, i had to reboot or unplug both tv and the bar to solve it. I think there was a bug or some connectivity problem regarding earc between the bar and my sony x900h tv. Anyway after a few months an update or two later it stoped misbehaving. Havent had any issues at all since and after that the bar really grew on me. Now i love it ♥️.
Hello, I am looking to buy the JBL Bar 9.1 but I want to know if I put a Fire tv stick 4k in the 'HDMI in' of my soundbar and connect a projector through 'HDMI (eARC)' out of my soundbar to 'HDMI in (without ARC/eARC)' of my projector and use netflix on my Fire stick, will it show atmos support for supported content? Please reply. This is greatly going to influence my purchase decision.
I was pulling this system off the shelf at best buy today for purchasing, one thing that came to my mind was battery deterioration, eventually those batteries won't last or fail rendering 1 or both speaker useless, seeing this bar next to several others I can say it looks cheap, I ended up walking out the store with the vizio elevate with rotating speakers with atmos function for much cheaper, would have loved the sonos arc but can't see myself spending 1800$+
I’m puzzling together a new tv setup (ours is 12year old and a bit to small) in my head... so I really like your videos as an upcoming audiophile. Regarding your Samsung brands questions... Marketing-wise they have 3 brands to position differently - JBL low cost/budget - lower mid range // Samsung upper mid range // Harmann Kardon - upper range
I have one and never had drop out. My only complaint is sometimes the action scenes over take vocals by a lot which i have to turn down an turn up the volume a lot. Hopefully a firmware update can fix this.
Andrew love your reviews, very informative and very easy to understand. I am on my 3rd unit. I am still having drop outs even with the rears plugged in. The new problem I am having is now I lose all sound all together. I am about to give up. I do like the sound and feel of the sound. What would be a best option to go to in that $1200ish price range.
The Samsung is good but it doesn’t have near the low end. To me that’s what makes a good movie watching experience. Luckily mine works great, I wouldn’t trade it for the Samsung. I’ve also heard there will be future updates for more adjustability. The center channel is def the weak point but it’s by no means bad.
★ *QOTD: Now that Harman is a part of the Samsung family, how do you think this will affect brands like JBL and their sister brands?*
★ *REVIEWING: **amzn.to/32zNZZ8** // **bit.ly/3kjFG9V** // NEED MORE INFO? ✔︎ THE ⬆︎DESCRIPTION⬆︎*
★ *Love our outtakes? Be sure to watch to the end*
★ *COMMENT RULES:*
- No outside URLs, UA-cam links or email addresses
- Keep it civil. It’s okay to disagree, just don’t be a jerk about it.
In R&D this sounds like a great project to put out Andrew but in the end, I just think it is a terrible product. I thought I was tripping when mine kept dropping out too but had to change it a Bose. The store here in London tested it and it dropped out a few times.
As long as the bean counters do only their job, it should not effect product design and performance. Sound United is a good reference for how a loose conglomeration can work keeping the heads of the diverse Corps separate and RD on track for each individual component. As the electronic "parts" are the same they get buying power, but the designs are different.
Does Samsung know the heritage behind Mark Levinson and Revel? It's not like they are going to sell 1,000,000,000 units like they do with TV sets and cell phones! Sad we are selling our brands and manufacturing base to Asian companies.
Yes, I remember when Japan said they "owned" us during the early 1980's, but the Chinese and Korean pockets nowadays are in a different league.
I’ve owned several Samsung TVs and Blu-ray players and regretted them all. They haven’t been reliable and/or seem to have several bugs pop up. Can’t say this marriage makes me confident. I feel with my experiences that Samsung products aren’t fully developed before being released.
There’s one thing I don’t understand with these sound bars. Why when you put your ears close to these small speakers it sound really bad low volume but when you sit in the room they come clear and sound much better.
I thought proper subwoofer placement was where ever the wife would allow.
Wow whar a spineless excuse of a man
Man bro 🤦🏾♂️
Happy wife happy life
Haha
🤡
Great product, I love this soundbar. A few things I will add after having one for a few months :
1. The subwoofer has settings for 1-5 with 5 being absurd amounts of bass. Hip hop music will shake your whole house.
2. Don't stand in the way of the speakers during calibration, or it may take several tries to calibrate.
3. The display panel will tell you which codec you are using when you first start a media file. This will ensure you are getting atmos or dts true hd.
4. It doesn't seem that the detachable speakers charge during output when their battery is low. IE if you continue using the bar with the speakers docked they either don't charge or charge much slower than the typical 3 hour chargetime.
5. Sometimes the wireless speakers don't power up when you have them spaced in the room. You need to hit the power button(s) on the satellites which the display panel will alert you about.
6. Haven't experienced any issues cutting out during a movie unless i haven't charged them in several days and the battery light blinks.
7. Getting right around 10 hours with volume typically at 18 setting.
The only thing I don't like is the remote isn't backlit and the level adjustment buttons do not have a wake-up function. IE each time you press them they adjust the level, there isn't a first press to tell you which level you are on. Minor gripe, could get fixed in firmware.
Also my bar didn't come with mounting brackets or the magnet covers that are included in non US regions which I found strange but not a big deal.
I use this for music far more than movies but i have watched several atmos and dthx movies now and they sound absolutely outstanding to my ear. I will agree with your comment that occasionally dialogue can get lost during action packed scenes. I have found 3 or less to be ideal on the subwoofer to help prevent this.
Nice review, thanks
Thank you for the details, very helpful :) wondering which other soundbars did you consider apart from the 9.1? And what made you purchase this over the rest? Thanks a lot
I bought the jbl 9.1 soundbar specifically to listen to movies and it does it real,real good. I don't watch news or stupid thing on tv on the soundbar. This soundbar is to listen to dolby atmos, dtsx, dts hd, Dolby digital and dolby digital plus. What else do you want.
...a question mark where necessary.
Thinking of getting the jbl bar 9.1.. is it really that good? I'm mostly gaming but also watching movies sometimes.
Current setup is a logitech z906 (5.1) and stereo headphones (beyerdynamic dt990 pro 250ohm & akg 702)
Got the JBL 9.1 a month ago. So far, I haven't experience any dropouts. Love the experience for both music and movies
Music clarity is bad only bass good thats all ... need trable more
Current 9.1 owner, no issues with speakers disconnecting. 👍🏽
Thanks dude... I normally would never spend 1k on a Soundsystem but am really interested in this hope it sounds great
Snap, picked it up for £650, around $890. They're first class
Just got mine for 940 Canadian it comes in a few weeks hope it's worth it
true that. no issues whatsoever
Exactly and its incredible
I have this system, and it is amazing. Highly recommend to anyone wanting to upgrade. I have used the cheap soundbars for years, being under $250, and using this system is a night and day difference. I use it in a 10'x13' room, and it sounds great. One thing I like is that it automatically detects the sound it will be utilizing. It will display DTS or Atmos etc. The wireless option is great as well. I'm sure others in this price range are equally good, but I got this because I have used JBL products in the past, and it was $100 off. ; ). I can't ever imagine myself going to a theatre again when I have this. If you are contemplating upgrading, consider this one. You won't regret it. Oh, and I have never experienced a dropout. Even after using it for 5 straight hours. I have had this for over a month.
Does the music sound good on the jbl 5.1? I heard it lacks in mid range.
Only complaint is the subwoofer lacks a punch oomph or thump when it should do it! Thunderstorms, explosions or when someone closes a car door.
I've never experienced sound cutting on the rear speakers. What I did was purchase a plug for both and I don't remove it at all so it's always both powered. A year later, still in love with it
Where do you buy the plugs to power the rear surrounds? From JBL?
@@robmuise3065 - it's the normal micro usb cable and any wall plug you can buy at any store
The fact that I don’t care much about sound bars yet I sit through everyone of your reviews of them tells you how good your reviewing is. Keep up the good work Andrew.
Thank you so much!
I heard this perform today and I was totally blown away.. nothing else matters!
I love how this channel never assumes the viewers know it all. They make sure to put basics in reviews about speaker placement and all practical details. Glad I subscribed.
Thank you so very very much. This comment means the world to me.
love the 9.1 have had no problems with drop outs. they are line of sight with the main unit and probably 20 feet away. my guess is that most users don't go in and manually switch from PCM to dolby digital when the source provides it. pcm will noticably lose high end, while switching to dolby bring back the highs
How do you manually change this?
How do you do this?
I have the JBL 9.1. Agree on lack of extreme high frequency, but it doesn't bother me at all. Overall sound is awesome! However, I do not have any issues with connection to the rear speakers at all.
After my brother baught the Bose 900 over the sonos due to a slight clarity advantage, I was in the market for a soundbar. After doing research I found that the best solution came to the JBL 9.1. For 1k you get everything all in one package. The height, surround and base is perfect. It actually surprised me. Yes, the Bose is clearer but you would need to spend 2k to get the base box and rear speakers to get what I got in one simple unit. I would suggest it to anyone who wants a full surround experience without spending a ton. Also, I have not had any of the cut out issues discussed in the video. If people are, I would use a better hdmi to the e-arc on the tv. 🤷🏻
Thank you for your comments. Is JBL 9.1 better sound quality than Bose 6.0?
@@alpha12th for me, I think Bose probly has the clearest definitive sound in the market. Personally have never heard the 6.0 though.
This dudes voice, he could talk about anything and make it an interesting topic.
I've had this bar for about half a year now, and I have only had dropouts a couple times. I do on occasion get those "pop" noises which I really don't like, that would be my biggest complaint about this system. This system is in my living room, but my basement is where I have a dedicated home theater system. Comparing this to my home dedicated system is like apples to oranges. I went going into this knowing what I was getting. A soundbar with detachable speakers that can give a decent sense of surround sound, and for the price to me it does a pretty good job.
No joke, sometimes during parts of movies where someone is knocking and I'm not looking at the screen, I've thought someone was at the door, or even sirens from firetrucks or police cars as well lol.
I'm a bass-heavy guy though, so I do enjoy the more bass-oriented system.
I actually like this system a lot, and the sub is excellent. I usually have the two ends detached and behind me as well. Hitting the HDMI and holding it for 5 seconds to get the Calibration was a HUGE difference for me. Do the calibration once with speakers next to you on the couch, then place them where you want them and calibrate again this time it will say 2-calibrating. After it's done this thing sounds excellent considering what it is!
That said, when I do have people over and we watch movies or TV, they are Very impressed with this system for a living room. again, it's not really comparable to my "home theater" in my basement but they are so different. home theater systems have soo many parts, dedicated amps, big bass sub boxes, wall speakers, ceiling speakers, etc the list goes on. For a plug-and-play bar, with optional rears, this thing is sick, just make sure to calibrate it twice!
side note, my buddy had the Samsung Q950A system, and that one dropped(subwoofer) out SO MUCH that we left the subwoofer unplugged because it was so bad. maybe he had a faulty unit but still, for the price he was annoyed. The rear speakers also were a letdown.
p.s. these are just opinions from a non-audiophile guy lol I could be wrong with a lot but like Andrew always says.. the only person that has to like the sound is YOU!
I have this for about a month and have watched several movies. Have not faced drop off at all.
Exactly the same here. I've had it for 3 weeks and seen several movies and tv shows and I always used the detachable speakers. No problem.
I have the sound drop up, I turn it off and back on and it’s ok again. Happens about once a day, the days that I sit down and watch TV /movies hat is.
Hello i’m planning to buy it, faced any issues?
@@turkial-shalawi8400 none until now.
I have this JBL 9.1 system and have zero rear wireless rear channel dropouts. Anyone who has ever heard it wants one. By the way, it was on sale recently for about $900.
Hi, I read that it only has ONE HDMI SOCKET yet am sure he said it has more or did he mean tv?
I am considering buying this. I have learnt I can buy ultra high HDMI cables to enable dolby atmos , dtx. Have u heard this. My tv just has HDMI ARC port but if I get the ultra fast cable hoping I will be good to go???? Can u clarify this or do u know anyone who can?
This review was 2 years old when I watched it. I have had the JBL for about a week. I think it is great for the price point and the fact it is truly wireless. I wonder if there have been changes since this review.
I did buy the 9.1 about a month ago. The sound is amazing, and the idea of just place them anywhere is great. But I will be returning mine. It's just so annoying the loss of connection and crackling on the detachable speakers. (they stay about 7-8ft from the soundbar with nothing between them) for real, they lost connection a lot! It is so distracting. And is also a bummer when you finish watching a movie late at night and forgets to plug and charge again. That means your next session will not be with surround or Atmos. Anyway, is truly Cinema sound, but with way too many drawbacks.
By the way, all my drivers are up to date.
You have to cancel the Smart-Mode via pressing the Mute-Button 5 Seconds and then the Volume-Up- Button to improve the Sound for Music.
Mine has not had drop outs, but if yours does, it could be interference from other RF devices in your home. If your router is using the 5g band, try disabling it for a bit and see if that helps.
JBL walks around like it has IBS and can't handle the spice! :D haha! I've owned a 9.1 for 2 weeks now. It was a no brainer for me because of the truly wireless setup - whether it's the best bar or not. To provide some feedback, I've watched probably 12 hours of TV and 3 movies and have not noticed a single signal dropout yet. I've been very happy with it so far.
I used to have tons of drop outs with my JBL bar 5.1. talked to a JBL engineer and he asked about my wifi setup. I believe I was using the gear from my ISP and it interfered with the wireless side speakers, switched up my wifi setup and never had a single issue in years
I'm torn between the 5.1 and bar 500 pro, since the 500 pro offers eARC and Atmos. Thoughts? Also, I'm going to purchase an Audio separator that only supports eARC
@@H3lloSE I would go for the 500 simply for the earc and uncompressed atmos
@@kevino204 my same thoughts tbh, and the 500 pro is 100 euro cheaper here than the 5.1 with detachable speakers..
IM READING THAT A LOT OF PERSONS ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH JBL 9.1 ... AM USING MINE FOR ABOUT A LITTLE LESS THEN 1 YEAR FOR 10/12 HOURS A DAY AND NEVER HAD ONE PROBLEM !!!!! NEVER !!!! THEY ARE INCREDIBLE.... IM USING THEM WITH LG OLED CX ....
Same, LG C1 though
Whats the surround sound like?
@@jimmynich4791 awesome. Highly recommend it
I discovered that if you Do Not Calibrate the Soundbar the Rears become louder and Bass Punchier…first you need to reset to factory default.
WHY ARE WE YELLING?!
Got no issue with dropouts of the back speakers. You got a bad bar perhaps. Or too much interference in your house on the same frequency maybe?
I have this bar and largely agree with everything you’ve said. A couple things come to mind.
You can plug the surrounds in with a micro USB connection and use them as permanent surrounds. I’ve had much better luck doing so, although I have still had some cutting out.
I’ve found that there is a semi-hidden setting that makes regular broadcasts such as Hulu Live or UA-cam sound better, or more traditional. The bar starts up in Smart Mode which does make things a little echo-y. To disable this, hold down the mute button for three or more seconds and then tap volume up once on the remote. You will see on the display that smart mode has been disabled.
The frustrating part of that to me is, why the hell isn’t there a button on the remote to change sound modes? Especially since there’s no app support for that!!
I am also getting a lot of what sounds like signal switching in and out on Disney +. A temporary pause in sound and then the display with scroll “Dolby digital blah blah blah”. Pretty annoying.
For the price and what it includes, it's a great value. If you wanna pay 2k plus for something you can adjust more have at it, but for 1k you can't beat this
Have this sound bar, no issues at all.
Because this guy is a amateur. He does not know how to settle this system.
What is settling the system ?
@@timur284 i also have this sound bar and it’s shit. I’m a DJ and trust me I know what I’m talking about. This speaker is rubbish
@@obibajk5862 thanks for that info. I was about to buy this one. Can you recommend one, in same price range
I've had mine for almost a month now, I can tell you at first I had thought about returning it and trying something else, but for the same type of setup it was going to be even more expensive with most other brands. It had a pretty decent size update and that seemed to smooth out my experience. I really have grown to love it, I have the 2 speakers plugged in behind my couch up against a wall so it works fine for me without moving them back and forth. If I had the space and money I would love to have a real theater style setup.
Do they turn on themselves or do you have to manually do that once the sound bar is on ?
@@Aceinfinity-le8zc mine automatically turns on.
I don’t know why but I just love the JBL brand. I like the aesthetic of their products.
Using this since 6 months, never had any issues. It sounds as good as my Bose 700. This guy is overdoing it because he can.
Because I can what exactly? While I'm happy to hear you have not experienced issues and are happy with your product, I'm certainly not "overdoing" anything...this was my experience.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews What he might mean is that most people won't notice / care for those subtle differences you talk about. This does not change your experience though and thank you for sharing it!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I am sorry, I should have been respectful when I wrote that comment. I apologize. I enjoy your reviews. In this context, you may have a defective unit and I hope you get a replacement.
I plugged an USB cable to each detachable speakers and they always stay behind the sofa. Never had any issue with that configuration.
For me it is very premium feel & look.. I bought it yesterday & already watched a few dolby atmos movies & it is AMAZING!!.. I can feel the ground shaking literally & can hear sounds from above.. the soundbar itself looks sooo beautiful & looks expensive than the srp price.. it is the best home theater system.. I am soo happy & soo blessed.. God is good all the time.. God bless us all..
How is the sound stage, is the surround sound engulfing?
What movies?
@@aarshsaraiya3654 yes it is
I had been asking for this review for a while... Thank-you. Appreciate all yours and Kristi's hard work. Although as a very happy 9.1 owner, it was slightly disappointing to hear some of the cold hard truths about it from a voice I trust. However as you always say only I have to like it and I really do!! (But I'm no audiophile) Also I have not had any notable issues with wireless drop out (lucky I guess). For the price I think the feature set is great and the sound quality is more impressive than I thought possible. I agree the presets and versatility are lacking though - but overall it's been a good buy.
Keep up the good work guys.
I'm not the type to pay attention to looks,I heard the sonos arc and bose 900 with subs and this setup blew them out the water.plus it comes with those detachable speakers,subs and comes with mounting bracket out the box and cheaper,that's a no brainer👍 thanks for review though
I listened to a lot of soundbars. I am very impressed with the JBL bar 9.1. Sounds solid and clean. This soundbar is awesome!
Have you listened harman kardon etc
What do you think about the other soundbar ?
@@theexace different level dude and the price also different
You haven't do the sorround adjustment the surround adjustment comes in the JBL 9.1 they check the room and Iif something is blocking it I'll sound like that you need to adjust that when the wireless surround will help you with a better audio just so you know you should always check that
As far as I know there was 2 main reasons for Samsung to buy Harman. 1- competitors such apple has improve their offer in audio, so they just went for a company that was a real plus which in this case was Harman. You can see how Samsung is using AKG for empowering their earbuds. 2- was all the tech that Harman create for the automotive business, there will be a big battle for smart cars in the near future so there you go......what is the future for Revel or ML don’t know and I really hope they do not kill their premium brands 🙏🏽✌🏽
I leave my rear speakers hooked up to micro usb cords so they stay fully charged on speaker stands so I have not experienced any cut outs!
I tried this but most things aren't Dolby so it plays all sound through all speakers, sounds awful. How do you use it?
how does the sound quality compare to a sony soundbar! id really like to know!
I don't have this model but I do have the JBL 5.1 version which hasn't had any connectivity issues. The only time it does is if you place the speakers *really* far away from the soundbar in which works, but once a tiny thing is interrupting line of sight it drops out.
@@focusonjov5330 the bass is pretty good. I have it set to a reasonable level for both movies and music, around 12 on the soundbar. I believe the sub can go up to 30.
At 30 it can have a lot of bass.
I’ve actually never experienced a dropout with my rear speakers, even though I had purchased it around the time this review went live. I updated it straight away so maybe it was fixed or maybe you got unlucky OR I got lucky, but never once have I had them drop out.
JBL Bar 9. I have this soundbar for 3 months now but the first one i got had the surround bluetooth connection issues. It kept cutting out like twice sometimes 3 or 4 times in an hour while watching movies. So i had it replaced and i tested out the replacement soundbar for 1 hour before bringing it home. This replacement is working fine. No disconnections.
In the end glad it all resolved...JBL stands behind their products...They want you to "Hear the Truth"...
It's going to be 4 years this coming March that Samsung acquired Harman with JBL. Samsung let's JBL, Harman and the majority of there big name acquisition do what they've been doing for years and that's making there top of the line products without them interfering. I have the JBL 9.1 BAR and I'm enjoying my movies and video games like never before. I've never had any disconnection problems with the rear speakers and subwoofer. They work flawlessly for me. I ended up buying another one for the upstairs floor. For anyone who is reading these comments please calibrate your JBL 9.1 as the quick start guide instructs you to. The bar itself has two microphones built into it for the calibration. You have to calibrate it twice. What the calibration does is produce a very loud repetitive sound through the bar and rear speakers so that the microphones on the bar picks up the sounds that is bouncing around your ceiling and walls. Warning if your sensitive of loud noises be prepared. Also take your pets to another room because it will scare them. The room needs to be completely quiet for this calibration to be complete. If it picks up any other noise it will continue to calibrate until it gets it right. This way the system can adjust itself from the feedback picked up from the microphones. Remember you have to calibrate them twice. Got them both on sell for $799. Best buy black Friday sale is going to repeat that same deal. If any questions don't hesitate to message me.
Also the quick start guide also has a pic on how to place your rear speakers and bar for calibration on page 3. My ceiling is 6 and half feet for the downstairs unit and 7 and half feet for upstair unit. So anything above ten feet which is probably cathedral ceiling won't probably adjust so well.
Good luck for you. Not for me anymore
Just exchanged my jbl 9.1 for the q990b and could not be happier. Improvement in dialogue on certain things is incredible. The bass difference is minimal. The fact you get a customizable equalizer and adjustment on all channels is worth the extra cost. The jbl 9.1 system isnt bad but you get so much more with the q990b system. If you compare the two the q990b is so much better and only a little bit more if you get it on sale (approx $1400).
I’ve had the jbl 9.1 for almost a year and saw the q990b on sale. I pulled the the trigger on the q990b so this is good to know. Any issues with drop outs on the surround speakers?
@@andreaube4112 I have had these about a month now and no issues with drop out. I do have a fairly small room (speakers approx 8 ft from soundbar). Only issue I have experienced is occasionally my sony tv remote loses the ability to change the volume but if you have your phone connected via bluetooth to the speaker you can just adjust it that way.
I play 3 movies back to back. And no cut off. I had the jbl for 2 weeks
I just had these set up last night and compared to my 14 year old Sony HTS, i have no complaints 🙌🏼
I have this jbl and can’t wait till it quiets working. Just so I can buy one just like it. Never been happier. 2 dropouts a week. I can live with that for the sound and the simplicity’s
After a year with mine, I have issues with the sound dropping out all together combined with no controller input at all. It's frustrating but easy fixed. I just unplug from power point then put it back in. Other than that, it kicks butt!
Went front hose 5 speaker system to jbl 9.1…. Tried it sounds good but the sounds adjustment are absent .. can be hard to hear voices in movies and video games .. so gona return it
You are so truthful in your judgment man.Your voice is awesome and comments are 100% correct
Love the bloopers lol human side. You should show the producer or camera person too. We wanted to see those faces lol
Very good review Andrew, per usual. Love the concept of the rechargeable units and I think the look is rather clean, but I completely agree that it’s no where near as beautiful as other options! Soundstage on this sounds pretty neat!
It's a good bar for what it is
I have the Bose soundbar, subwoofer and surrounds for my living room. It's obviously not as good as my KEF system in the media room but for what it is, something that looks good while watching TV and the odd movie it really is quite nice. However what I like about it most if the auto configuration. It makes a massive difference and I think this is where Bose shines and other companies are let down.
@@richardrodricks707 There's a little headset you wear and it uses that to configure the EQ automatically. It makes a massive difference to the quality of the sound and size of the soundstage. With it you wouldn't believe how far left and right of the sound bar the sounds appear to be coming from. My Sony amp has a similar thing but it doesn't make nearly the same difference however the KEF speakers are a lot better out of the box.
Thank you for showing the bloopers! Made you more human/real
The drop out are most like caused by spectrum interference from other devices. It is using the unlicensed spectrum to broadcast to the rear channels.
This sound bar is basically the best if you manage get one below 600 on black friday this year. * I got one via a friend for 520* It is simply amazing with music & video streaming via dolby surround in bar form, it needs a bit more volume on dolby atmos when setup as 5.1.4 but i need to watch more movie in atmos to judge.
Have you calibrated it? I got a lot more volume out of the rears and upfiring speakers after that.
I got mine open box, but still brand new, for 720 last month, and I still think it was worth at that cost.
Great review. I think you should consider the price of the products. The Samsung bar is way more expensive.
I think the JBL 9.1 Soundbar is amazing, with it's sound quality and flexibility. I have the surround speakers permanently detached and have them powered using USB cables to a USB charger, the speakers are on stands and the USB cord is no big deal. I only connect them to the Soundbar if updating the system, in which case it tells you to attach the speakers. I went from a proper Sony 7.2 Surround Sound Home Theatre System to the JBL 9.1 Soundbar.
Can you tell us what stand you use. I am looking for this solution
Hi that good idea what power of charger are you use for rear?
@@thebarthmtb .....Just a USB 2 Port Wall Charger that supports most phones should be ok.
@@jasonroussel2881 .....I decided on these stands, "AVE PK-SS140 Studio Monitor Stand Pair."
They turn on automatically when you turn on the sound bar?
Never had a dropout from the surrounds on the JBL 9.1, think they gave you a lemon unfortunately...
It’s the most common issue on the sound bar and it’s a software bug. It especially happens when the source changes or alters.
As in, I can watch 18 hours of movies on the Xbox perfectly but when I decide to switch to a game, there’s a 50/50 chance the sound will go poof.
Or, game for hours, then switch to a movie and poof, sound gone.
Turning it off and on clears it but it’s an obvious software problem that could be fixed with an update.
Adding to the chorus: no surround dropouts here, after ~100 hours of use.
Thing I had to go to forums to find: "Smart Mode" is enabled by default and re-enabled every time the bar goes on standby.
Turning it off makes the system less loud overall at a given volume number and the mid-range less 'chesty.' The high end still sounds rolled off but is more noticeable.
To turn off "Smart Mode," hold down the Mute button for 3 seconds, then let go and press Volume Up (+). The display will indicate that "Smart Mode" is off.
At this point I'm used to adjusting settings every time the bar comes off standby. But an app with persistent settings would be most welcome.
Who gives a crap what a sound bar looks like or what materials are used for it’s construction. It’s about how they perform. Duh, sounds like a JBL bash and the LG is not even a contender.
Materials ultimately can affect performance and sound but you do you, Moose.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews shushhhhhhh
@@tadassmolskas3014 err, classy!
The materials used to build the soundbar do matter. For example the cloth cover of the Samsung HW-Q900A or 950A is very unfortunate because it collects dust or hair very easily. If you have pets like a cat or a dog it gets even more dirty. That's why I prefer a soundbar with a metal grill which is easier to clean and gets less dirty 🤔
It doesn't matter what soundbar you buy if you like it and sound good for you go ahead. You know this days there not to many people that can spend not even 500 for a soundbar never mind about those soundbar that cost over a thousand dollar. Be happy for what you have and enjoy it like I enjoy mine.
I watch all the news in surround sound 7.1. it makes the disappointment all the more effective.
You should try it yourself and have your own oppinion,instead of be based on the oppinion of others!
Uhhh... Did you even use the Calibrate feature on the Sound Bar?
Personally I never experienced rear speakers dropping out in the two months I've owned it. There probably are better Sound Bars out there for the Living Room but for my small bedroom where I don't have space for permanent rear speakers, the sound quality is phenomenal and the Subwoofer rattles the floor. It is an excellent unit and I have no issues with the build quality. The detachable rear speakers are feel like pure metal and as far as what you touch with the Soundbar that's all that really matters.
Uhhh...of course I calibrated the soundbar. 😐
So Mr. Robinson experienced drop outs but you didn't, so your experience is more "correct" than his. Got it.
I had my jbl for about 6 month, and haven't got a problem with the small speakers, but will say I do have trouble with voices in movies sometimes
Soundbars is not my thing, but I just had to see the review anyway. Says alot about the quality of your reviews (and your soothing voice🤔😂) so keep it up! Wrong thread i guess, but I would really like to see a comparsion between the Marantz nr1200 and the Denon dra-800h,and there must be thousands of us out there cause they are very similiar in specs and almost without competition (except a couple of d amps) when it comes to stereo amps with these type of connections!
Forgot to mention that the detachable speakers don't charge unless the tv is off and the soundbar is on standby. The speakers still use the internal battery while attached. Huge design flaw.
Not in my case. Is charging also if tv and soundbar is on
TV can be on but using TV speakers, but yes the soundbar has to be on standby to charge
@@denisstrakhov5437no it doesn't
I'm super excited for this system. I had initially purchased the 3.1 but was so impressed that I made the switch.
Honestly I use to be one of the individual component guys. Basement Ht Setup Marantz Reciever, Svs Sub, Kef Inwall speakers etc. Sounded awesome but it was just to quirky to deal with.
The soundbar might not be close but it sure as hell is convenient. I think it's definitely worth the price. Awesome review
No mine is fine doesn’t have a problem
I have the JBL sound bar 3.1 from 2018 that has the same type of wireless surround speakers. They never disconnect from the main unit after long hours of playing movies. By the way, mine have USB connection in case you want to leave them detached permanently from the main unit and charging.
Owner of JBL 5.1 soundbar. Over 2 1/2 years. Huge problem with the batteries of the surround speakers.at exactly two years one battery is off. 86€ to replace. Now the second is dying. We need 160€ every two to three years???
This is precisely my concern regarding this soundbar. It's not a question of IF but WHEN the batteries will fail. Hundred bucks each with tax/shipping? No thanks.
I have that jbl 9.1 atmos soundbar n I haven't had any problems with the rears no drop outs do you think certain jbl soundbars have that certain drop outs
Thanks for your review - Can you do a review of the jbl 5.1 4k soundbar
With the remote you can enable or disable "DTS Neural: X upmixing". What happens exactly?
I just purchased this bar and it's freaking amazing! I tried all the higher end bars and this one just won me over with its versatility and the sound is excellent. I like this guy's reviews, but a lot of it comes down to personal preference. You gotta remember this guy nit picks everything which is fine, but your average person will love this bar.
Which other bars you tried, I am hesitating between Jbl 9.1 and the Samsung HW Q930 as they’re almost the same price where I live.
@LaidBack Ahmed this is the bar I would recommend amzn.to/3ck5Aws.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews that bar is incredible too. Definitely better, but the wireless sold me on the jbl.
@@Laid_Back_17 only negatives on the jbl for me is lack of EQ and a voice enhancer option.
@@Laid_Back_17 samsung q990b, the new lg with the 3 upward firing atmos speakers and the Sonos arc. Once I get a true cinema room I will probably get a different system for that though. The jbl 9.1 is just so convenient for my current living room.
Jbl sound bar no issue at all. Depending on individual user
well i have one, and i never had a drop out of the rear speakers
Same
I never had a drop out on mine either as a matter of facts today I watch 4 movies for about one and a half hrs each one no one drop out and when I check the life of the sorround they were still at 70% capacity.
Been so curious about this system! Thanks for the review
Appreciate you watching! Hope it helped you in your journey.
How does the JBL 9.1 stack compared to Bose 700 + bass module.
I can answer that in few days. I have Bose 700 with the module. Ordered Bar 9.1 today. Got it at crazy price. Had Beosound Stage before Bose.
Hello mate. Im back after using JBL bar 9.1. Bose 700 anyday. Handsdown. Even without the gimmicky Atmos, 700 is far better. Can get twice loud and sounds BIG and spacious. Bass module works so well. Place anywhere in the room and the bass feels like coming from the bar. Clean bass. Now i have tried boss 700 and 500 bass modules. 500 is better for my room as 700 was too powerful. Didn’t need that much bass so saved money. If you don’t want bass then go for B&O Beosound Stage. If bass then Bose 700 with either 500 or 700 module depending how big is your space. Bar 9.1 is going back.
@@faisalimtiaz7 thank you very much. Really appreciate the feedback and thanks for helping me make my decision.
@@pratiqshah7015 you’re welcome. Can’t recommend the 700 enough. Never thought I’ll be Bose fan lol. To sum up, you will never know or appreciate how good the 700 is until you try the other samsung, lg or jbl soundbars. It looks beautiful. Build quality is next to none. Sounds like big speakers. Loud. Clear. Latency is very minimal. I’ve set mine at 20ms and it’s perfect. App is great. It makes you turn up the volume because it plays loud with ease and clarity. Go for it. You won’t regret. It’s expensive but worth every penny. All the best.
@@faisalimtiaz7 just one more question. If you don’t have an easy answer just let me know. Pls don’t go the extra mile to but that soundbar too. How is the Sony HT ST 5000 compared to Bose.
I tested that few days back and found it really good. Your advice will help. Thank you once again.
Hiya Andrew! We have never faced an audio dropout issue. I'd recommend to have the wireless speakers connected to the bar and getting a hard reset done with all components active. This should help you.
Oh I did that...several times.
Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
I’ve had mine for several months now and no dropouts ... it does however totally glitch once in awhile (once a month) unplugging it sorts it out ... thankfully the power cord can be detached at the bar so it’s easy. Other than that it’s awesome especially at the it’s price point !
haha, good tip that one. I got mine and about 1 in 10 times I had no sound and had to do the unplugging trick. Thanks again! I also dislike the popping when you change source
What’s the frequency response for each satellite speaker, not the subwoofer or the system as a whole?
I’ve never experienced the issues you’ve brought up.
Batches of this soundbar shipped in the last few months has a defect were volume of the rear speakers cannot be adjusted while detached and the rear button show "NOT SUPPORTED".
No battery problems or drop outs on mine. I think you got a lemon buddy.
I recently tried the lower end LG SN7R when it was on sale at Costco for $350 (reg $500) and while it sounded pretty good for TV shows and even milder Atmos content (AppleTV+ Long Way Up, in particular) it lacked the power in movies to satisfy me. I was strongly considering the Bar 9.1 but ultimately decided to build a budget system with separates. Picked up the Denon S750H on sale at Costco, along with the budget Core Series speakers from Sony that were on sale everywhere. My only splurge was an SVS PB-1000, which I couldn't be more happy with. There is no comparison between this 5.1.2 setup and the LG soundbar I returned. It is absolutely amazing, and even with the SVS came in at just under $1200. Well worth the investment!
I have had a JBL Bar 9.1 for about a year now and I don’t think I’ve had any audio drop-offs in the middle of a movie or a music jam sesh.
IS IT WORTH BUYING FOR THE PRICE IT COMES WITH ?
Am using last 6 month no problem found , very much satisfied in this price point.. best thing wireless part…
@@parthapratimpaul4 any problem with that detachable speakers...
@@iexistyay-asadummytho had it for almost a year now, no problems with the rear speakers.
Remember to calibrate them as the manual says.
I paid 500€ for the 9.1
I do have JBL 9.1. I am also facing issues with battery but no dropout issue faced.
But sometimes I face connectivity issue when powered on.
Keep your router 20’ away
Confused with Klipsch Cinema Atoms soundar and JBL Bar 9.1
Please help me on buying. Since I am going to spend close to 1000 Euros, i dont want to regret after purchase
Klipsch cinema 1200 is probubly gonna be the all around better package. Its alittle more expensive. But from reviews ive seen. It should be better than the jbl in all aspects.
Thinking about using this soundbar for a cocktail bar im opening. Would it work? its a 150sqm space and any sound system I use must be wireless... can't seem to find what im looking for. Any reccomendations?
I've been using the Jbl 9.1 since November 2020. At first i liked it and was quite impressed but a few times the bar went silent. Was a bit annoying whenever it happened, i had to reboot or unplug both tv and the bar to solve it. I think there was a bug or some connectivity problem regarding earc between the bar and my sony x900h tv.
Anyway after a few months an update or two later it stoped misbehaving.
Havent had any issues at all since and after that the bar really grew on me. Now i love it ♥️.
Hello, and what about the battery life of the rear speakers? Do they really still work for hours also after some years? thx
Hi! How do you update?
@@faidh008 They do update automatically while connected to the internet, I believe, otherwise you need a pendrive.
JBL 9.1 seen unfriendly to Sony tv found this issue on google many Sony tv have this problem
Hello, I am looking to buy the JBL Bar 9.1 but I want to know if I put a Fire tv stick 4k in the 'HDMI in' of my soundbar and connect a projector through 'HDMI (eARC)' out of my soundbar to 'HDMI in (without ARC/eARC)' of my projector and use netflix on my Fire stick, will it show atmos support for supported content? Please reply. This is greatly going to influence my purchase decision.
I was pulling this system off the shelf at best buy today for purchasing, one thing that came to my mind was battery deterioration, eventually those batteries won't last or fail rendering 1 or both speaker useless, seeing this bar next to several others I can say it looks cheap, I ended up walking out the store with the vizio elevate with rotating speakers with atmos function for much cheaper, would have loved the sonos arc but can't see myself spending 1800$+
@SDoclocker8172 ended up getting a killer deal on the vizio elevate P series new
I’m puzzling together a new tv setup (ours is 12year old and a bit to small) in my head... so I really like your videos as an upcoming audiophile. Regarding your Samsung brands questions... Marketing-wise they have 3 brands to position differently - JBL low cost/budget - lower mid range // Samsung upper mid range // Harmann Kardon - upper range
I have one and never had drop out. My only complaint is sometimes the action scenes over take vocals by a lot which i have to turn down an turn up the volume a lot. Hopefully a firmware update can fix this.
has the detachable surround of jbl 9.1 sound have same problem with jbl 5.1 with detachable surround sound as well?
Andrew love your reviews, very informative and very easy to understand. I am on my 3rd unit. I am still having drop outs even with the rears plugged in. The new problem I am having is now I lose all sound all together. I am about to give up. I do like the sound and feel of the sound. What would be a best option to go to in that $1200ish price range.
I recommend this amzn.to/3bt6HpT.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thank you!
The Samsung is good but it doesn’t have near the low end. To me that’s what makes a good movie watching experience. Luckily mine works great, I wouldn’t trade it for the Samsung. I’ve also heard there will be future updates for more adjustability. The center channel is def the weak point but it’s by no means bad.
I have the same JBL unit, just mine is 5.1 but it also great sound . Subwoofer is strong and there are not annoying wires . 😀🎵.
does your jbl have detachable surround sound?