![]() When the first pulse wave in Escape moved seamlessly from the center of the soundstage upwards and throughout the room, the Bar 9.1 tracked it perfectly. As a former sound designer, I find the true test of any system to be if it makes you smile. (The program's producers used a specific shade of red in the animated crystal that can only be reproduced via Dolby Vision.) Dolby Atmos sounded truly lovely on the Bar 9.1. To test the both the Bar 9.1's Dolby Atmos processing and Dolby Vision HDR pass-through, I queued up Dolby Presents: Escape. By switching Smart Mode to off, voices stayed in the foreground and the background music was suppressed, which helped to maintain clarity. Dialogue consisted of interviews shouted out next to waterfalls, voice-overs from a host on a helicopter, and conversations recorded with camera mics rather than individual lavalier mics. Reality TV is probably the hardest test for vocal reproduction on a sound system, and this show pushed the limits of JBL's soundbar. I first used the Bar 9.1 while binge-watching The World's Toughest Race and loved how crisp and clear it sounded. JBL's auto-calibration system is easy to use, but the test tones it generates are loud, so protect your ears if you want to remain in the room during the procedure. But since the subwoofer is wireless, it was easy to move it to a different location that didn't create resonances. Using my regular subwoofer placement, I found the bass to be overwhelming at certain frequencies, even after running the calibration program. The system's downfiring 10-inch subwoofer is more than capable of generating room-filling bass. I'm sure this gets easier over time, but during my short review period I found the mode frustratingly tricky to use. It takes a fiddly combination of button-presses to switch Smart Mode on and off. JBL's Smart Mode is used to enhance sound effects and music playback and can also be turned off when listening to news or TV talk shows. Power, source selection, and volume adjustment are all controlled from the system's relatively sparse remote, which also features dedicated buttons for overhead effects, subwoofer, and surround levels. The Bar 9.1 system strikes an ideal balance between advanced features and simplicity: If you want to only make minor adjustments and start enjoying movies, this is your soundbar. JBL includes hardware and brackets for installation, and the surrounds feature a mini-USB charging port along with caps to cover up the magnetic docks. (The magnets are surprisingly strong-it takes a solid tug to detach them.) You also have the option to permanently wall-mount the surrounds. Their built-in batteries last for up to 10 hours, and when it's time to recharge-a process that takes 3 hours-they attach magnetically to either end of the soundbar and also remain operational while docked for enhanced front-channel playback. The Bar 9.1's surround speakers are the system's standout feature. AirPlay2, Chromecast, and Bluetooth wireless streaming are all supported, and both the surround speakers and the subwoofer automatically pair up wirelessly with the soundbar during setup. The HDMI jacks also support 4K/Dolby Vision HDR pass-through. Connections include an HDMI input and output with eARC, an optical digital input, and Ethernet and USB ports. Setup of the JBL Bar 9.1 was straightforward it only took a few minutes and I had the system up and running. Power for the Bar 9.1 system is spec'd at 820 watts total: 400 watts dedicated to the soundbar, 60 watts each for the surrounds, and 300 watts to power the sub. ![]() The system's substantial subwoofer features a 10-inch driver and weighs in at a hefty 24.5 pounds. JBL's soundbar uses four "racetrack" drivers, three 0.75-inch tweeters, and two full-range upfiring drivers, while each surround uses a full-range upfiring driver and 0.75mm tweeter. In addition, the Bar 9.1 has an auto-calibration feature that will adjust the sound to compensate for speaker placement. JBL's secret? The Bar 9.1 uses a pair of detachable wireless, battery-operated surround speakers that can be situated anyplace in the room that's convenient. The JBL Bar 9.1 soundbar system provides one of the easiest ways to get a realistic Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive audio experience. ![]()
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