JBL Bar 1000MK2 vs Sonos Beam Ultra

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Bar 1000MK2 compared with Beam Ultra

	JBLBar 1000MK2	SonosBeam Ultra
Overview
Released
Released	June 2025	September 2026
Sound
Type
Type	Soundbar	Soundbar
Channels
Channels	7.1.4	7.1.2
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos	Yes	Yes
Drivers
Drivers	Main bar has six 44 × 80 mm racetrack drivers, two 25 mm tweeters and two 70 mm upward-firing drivers; rear pair has two 44 × 90 mm racetrack drivers and two 70 mm upward-firing drivers; subwoofer has one 260 mm driver	Five tweeters (one forward-firing centre, two side-firing horn-loaded and two upward-firing directional horn tweeters); four low-profile woofers
Amplifiers
Amplifiers	Total 960 W maximum or 480 W RMS at 1% THD; maximum main bar 500 W, rear pair 2 × 80 W, subwoofer 300 W. The UK web table mislabels 960 W as RMS; the maker's PDF specifies 960 W maximum and 480 W RMS	Nine Class-D digital amplifiers
Frequency response
Frequency response	33 Hz–20 kHz (-6 dB)	–
Audio formats
Audio formats	Dolby Atmos and DTS:X	Stereo PCM, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and Atmos over Dolby Digital Plus; Dolby TrueHD, Atmos over TrueHD and multichannel PCM require eARC. Maker lists DTS Digital Surround with a note that this does not indicate a licensed decoder; no DTS:X (What Hi-Fi and TechRadar)
Room tuning
Room tuning	Automatic calibration, MultiBeam 3.0, PureVoice 2.0 and SmartDetails	Trueplay room calibration compatible with iOS and Android; four levels of AI Speech Enhancement, Night Sound, adjustable bass/treble/loudness and simulated overhead sound for obstructed top placement
Connections
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes
AirPlay
AirPlay	Yes	Yes
HDMI eARC
HDMI eARC	Yes	Yes
Voice assistants
Voice assistants	None	Sonos Voice Control
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax), 2.4 and 5 GHz	Wi-Fi 6; 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax on 2.4 or 5 GHz
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3, A2DP and AVRCP	Bluetooth 5.3 audio streaming
Ports
Ports	Three HDMI inputs, one eARC output, optical and USB-A service port; HDR10+ and Dolby Vision passthrough. What Hi-Fi confirms 4K passthrough is limited to 60 Hz; TechRadar confirms Ethernet	HDMI eARC/ARC; USB-C supports line-in with Sonos Line-In Adapter or line-in and Ethernet with Sonos Combo Adapter; adapters sold separately. Optical adapter sold separately
Streaming
Streaming	AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and Roon Ready	Sonos app services, Spotify and TIDAL direct control, AirPlay 2, Bluetooth and Dolby Atmos Music
Multi-room
Multi-room	Detachable speakers support TV Broadcasting and rear-only Night Listening, with main bar and subwoofer muted; the maker's description controls What Hi-Fi's contrary Night mode wording	Sonos multi-room playback; optional compatible subwoofer and rear surrounds, including pairs of Sonos Play or Move 2; TV Audio Swap to compatible Sonos headphones
App
App	JBL One with equaliser and software updates	Sonos app; Wi-Fi internet connection and mains power required
Design
Weight
Weight	5.5 kg	2.88 kg (better)
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	Detachable speakers up to 10 hours each, depending on content and volume; 3.635 V, 6600 mAh. Dock to recharge or use USB-C power (TechRadar)	–
Controls
Controls	Remote and JBL One; Google Assistant and Siri require an external compatible speaker, not a built-in voice assistant	Capacitive playback, volume, voice and grouping controls; Bluetooth pairing button; physical microphone-power switch; compatible TV remote control
Microphones
Microphones	–	Far-field array with beamforming and multichannel echo cancellation for voice control, Trueplay and portable-surround setup
Mounting
Mounting	Main bar and rear wall brackets included	Furniture placement or optional Beam Ultra Wall Mount; maker lists M5 × 0.8 mm thread pitch, L6.5 mm
Size
Size	Main bar 854 × 52 × 128 mm, 1203 mm wide with rears attached; each rear 189 × 52 × 128 mm; subwoofer 325 × 400 × 325 mm (width × height × depth). Main weight is bar only; each rear 0.9 kg, subwoofer 9.1 kg	65 mm high, 750 mm wide, 105 mm deep
Colours
Colours	Black	Black, White
In the box
In the box	Main bar, two detachable rear speakers, subwoofer, remote with batteries, power cords, HDMI cable, wall brackets and four side caps; June 2025 first release confirmed by TechRadar	Beam Ultra, 2 m power cable, 1.5 m HDMI cable, setup and warranty documentation