I've listened to JBL's latest Dolby Atmos soundbar system early – and it could outshine the Samsung HW-Q990F

I have spent the past couple of days in Copenhagen with JBL at the American audio firm's launch event for its new Dolby Atmos soundbars, Bluetooth speakers and wireless earbuds; and it was a superb opportunity to delve deep into the new range.

While the dustbin-sized Partybox 720 dazzled with its flashing lights and room-filling sound, and I'm already a fan of the pint-sized Grip Bluetooth speaker, it was the new Bar 1300MK2 that stole the show for me.

This 11.1.4 system is a direct sequel to the Bar 1300, offering up a similar premise with a main soundbar that houses a pair of detachable surround sound speakers.

These speakers can be left on the bar, used as rear surround speakers, act as independent Bluetooth speakers for music playback from a phone, and even allow for a night-listening mode in which they output all audio from your TV.

There is also a compact subwoofer, which features dual 8-inch drivers in a push-pull configuration. Sound familiar? Samsung uses an identical set-up in the five-star HW-Q990F soundbar system, which we really like.

I had suspected that JBL could adopt the Samsung-derived subwoofer advancement with the Bar 1300MK2; Samsung owns JBL's parent company, Harman, so it's not a massive surprise to see the two share this audio tech for their respective 2025 soundbar systems.

Now, I should mention that JBL's subwoofer features a much punchier 1200W power output, whereas Samsung's adorable little cuboid sub is, comparatively, much more reserved at 300W. Numbers aren't everything, though, as revealed by the Samsung subwoofer's tuneful, deep and powerful bass.

Furthermore, the JBL system steals the limelight from Samsung when it comes to the sheer number of drivers. The Bar 1300MK2 boasts no fewer than 29 drivers throughout the whole system. The Samsung ’bar features 23 drivers in total.

But how does the JBL stack up? First things first: the listening environment in which I heard the Bar 1300MK2 was very different from the average living room.

JBL opted to take over the Nordisk Film studios to showcase its new soundbar system, which is much more exciting than our testing room. It opened in 1906 and continues to be a hub of film and TV development in Denmark to this very day. We will, of course, need to test the Bar 1300MK2 in our test room for a full review.

Nevertheless, I was impressed by how punchy and spacious the bar sounded, with a convincing surround effect that came from both the bar itself and the small yet mighty surrounds.

JBL had set up some fake walls and even a fake ceiling above the bar to bounce overhead sound to the seating position, so I would expect these surround and height effects to sound even better in a traditional setup. Still, the 'bar handled both well in this difficult setup.

And that subwoofer that I've been banging on about also delivered a serious dose of low-end punch. An explosion featured in a clip of Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City sounded hefty and layered, with a solid and impactful sense of dynamics. Furthermore, the ominous Sardaukar chant at the beginning of Dune: Part One was delivered with a similar punch of low-end power.

With that in mind, my immediate thought was “could the Samsung HW-Q990F be in trouble?” The JBL Bar 1300MK2 offers a more versatile set of surround speakers, a more powerful subwoofer, and a comprehensive app interface, which could spell trouble for Samsung.

Now, the Samsung HW-Q990F shouldn't be underestimated; it’s a powerful, detailed and rich-sounding system in its own right. But JBL could well be nipping at its heels.

MORE:

Read our full JBL Bar 1300 review

As well as our Sonos Arc Ultra review

And find the best Dolby Atmos soundbars here