Review: JBL Bar 500MK2

The JBL Bar 500 MK2 is the successor to the Bar 500 and features a new, large wireless subwoofer with a 10-inch unit. It’s one of the more expensive soundbars in this test, but if it delivers what we hope it will, it could be well worth it.

Design and connections

The soundbar is a classic 94 cm black box with a fabric grill, a clear display and a discreet design without unnecessary details. JBL has ditched its own top speakers for Atmos effects. Instead, they use MultiBeam 3.0 technology to spread the sound around the room and create a surround effect. The subwoofer is large, over 30cm in all directions, and produces more sound pressure than the others in the test.

Connections include HDMI eARC, optical input, Bluetooth 5.3 and W-iFi with support for Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Chromecast and AirPlay 2. Everything is controlled via the JBL One app, which detected the soundbar as soon as we switched it on and automatically updated the firmware. The connection has become significantly easier than with its predecessor, which required the Google Home app and used significantly more steps in the process.

Room correction

The JBL Bar 500 MK2 has built-in microphones that automatically calibrate the sound to the room. The soundbar sends out a few test tones, monitors how they come back, and less than a minute later the sound is adjusted. The result is a cleaner midrange and a better illusion of surround sound. However, the room correction doesn’t adjust the subwoofer, so you may need to work a little on its placement.

The sound of the JBL Bar 500 MK2

Films with Dolby Atmos reveal great qualities in the JBL Bar. The shots in The Harder They Fall are delivered powerfully with really deep bass. A shotgun just sounds like a shotgun and bodies land on the floor with a thunderous bang. The subwoofer adds to a lot of the fun with physics and foundation.

Dialogue is very clear. Voices are emphasised without being sharp or strained. This is important in action-packed scenes where dialogue can easily be drowned out by background noise.

In the documentary series Our Universe with Morgan Freeman, the voice comes through clearly, while the subwoofer pulls out the deepest chest register. But the voice also reveals a small gap between the soundbar and the subwoofer, which doesn’t overlap completely.

The subwoofer isn’t the fastest or most accurate we’ve heard either. This is most evident in the music. The bass is powerful and rich, but it doesn’t integrate seamlessly with the rest of the soundstage. It lags a little behind, especially on fast rhythms where start-stop dynamics are important.

That said, the JBL system works better than many others for music. Lorde’s Royals is reproduced with a physical bass drum and a clear voice, which is by no means a given in this price range. This is a soundbar that can actually be used for music.

Contemporary features

The JBL One app is easy to use and provides access to a range of features. You can adjust bass and treble and choose between different sound profiles, but where predecessors used the app for music streaming services, this is now done directly from the respective streaming app.

Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect work seamlessly. You open the app on your phone, select the JBL Bar 500MK2 as the playback device and the music is streamed in high quality directly to the soundbar.

Chromecast and AirPlay 2 allow you to stream from other apps and services. And if you have multiple JBL speakers in your house, you can group them for multi-room playback.

Conclusion

The JBL Bar 500MK2 delivers impressive sound on film with convincing surround effects and powerful audio. WiFi and direct connection to streaming services make it easy to use.

The subwoofer is powerful and goes deep, but it lacks some speed compared to dedicated music subwoofers. This is most noticeable in music where the bass can’t quite keep up with the rest of the sound during fast rhythms.

But for the price – and compared to the competitors in this test – the JBL Bar 500MK2 is the best you can hope for if your goal is to convince in both film and music. Simply Best in Test.