Alternative Monitoring for Project Studios using JBL Soundbars

[Kouioui]

I own an original pair of JBL 305P (not Mk II) desktop monitors and a 310S sub I use, along with PEQ room correction, ever since I heard them at a trade show back around time the M2 Master Reference Monitor came out. Lately, I've been interested in how my mixes would sound on a consumer level soundbar they could purchase thru usual online retailers. Most people wouldn't consider spending more than $500 new or refurb for one, but one model caught my eye as especially attractive, as it seems to offer a form of room correction DSP on its own:

JBL BAR 500

It's not an audio pro's tool but I see tons of soundbars (of dubious quality) and expertise of setup in people's homes everywhere. Everything has to have an app, and this one seems to offer more than the usual bargain basement models. I found a refurb one with a year warranty for a price well under 500 and should arrive next week.

JBL One App

We forget sometimes what folks are listening to our mixes on, which is usually headphones, earbuds, bluetooth devices, and soundbars on TVs, not pro monitors with PEQ. I'm taking some time off from production work and looking forward to finding out what consumer tech has to offer those who don't want speakers all over their rooms, but still offer more than what just stereo with a sub can give.

I'll post my findings, including A/B between systems, while using the JBL app that attempts to correct for room issues and spatial distortions using beamforming technology. My Google search used Gemini 2.5 Pro with Deep Research and this is for JBL consumer model soundbars $500 or less...street prices --

An Audio Engineer's Analysis of the JBL Soundbar Lineup

 

[Kouioui]

Here's the text prompt I used to create the analysis, for those interested in AI. I'm going to be 69 in July. I still think it's the best thing since sliced bread, and it's starting to hallucinate less than I do!

 

[Pretorious]

I was expecting this to be a true A/B comparison test done by a trained listener, but this seems like it's just an AI-generated "analysis" that attempts to use the marketing and advertising speech to explain the engineering phenomenon and then provide a justification for its conclusions based on these marketing terms. Very disappointing.

I think a a true A/B test with more of these types of systems, like the one Samsung did with their top of the line soundbar against Genelecs, would be quite interesting and informative, whether its through the eyes and ears of an audiophile or audio scientist.