JBL Bar 1300MK2 vs Marshall Heston 120

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Bar 1300MK2 compared with Heston 120

	JBLBar 1300MK2	MarshallHeston 120
Overview
Released
Released	2025	2025
Sound
Type
Type	Soundbar	Soundbar
Channels
Channels	11.1.4	5.1.2
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos	Yes	Yes
Drivers
Drivers	Main bar has eight 50 × 75 mm racetrack drivers, seven 25 mm tweeters and four 75 mm upward-firing drivers; each rear has two 50 × 90 mm racetrack drivers, one 50 mm full-range and one 75 mm upward-firing driver; subwoofer has two 200 mm drivers	Two 2 × 5-inch bass drivers, two 3-inch mid-woofers, two 0.8-inch tweeters and five 2-inch full-range drivers; four passive radiators
Amplifiers
Amplifiers	Total 2470 W maximum or 1235 W RMS, both at 1% THD; maximum main bar 950 W, rears 160 W each, subwoofer 1200 W	Eleven Class D amplifiers, listed as 2 × 50 W and 9 × 30 W; separately stated total output 150 W peak. These are different maker ratings, not an additive system power claim.
Frequency response
Frequency response	33 Hz–20 kHz (-6 dB)	40 Hz–20 kHz; maximum SPL 95 dB
Audio formats
Audio formats	Dolby Atmos and DTS:X; UK model has dual 8-inch subwoofer drivers, rather than the different US Bar 1300XMK2	Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
Room tuning
Room tuning	Automatic calibration, MultiBeam 3.0, PureVoice 2.0, SmartDetails and subwoofer AI Sound Boost	Automatic calibration; Movie, Music, Night and Voice modes
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	None
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax), 2.4 and 5 GHz	Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	Main bar Bluetooth 5.3; detachable speakers Bluetooth 5.4, with independent playback, stereo pairing and Auracast	Bluetooth 5.3, SBC, AAC and LC3; Auracast supported
Ports
Ports	Three HDMI inputs, one eARC output, optical and USB-A service port; HDR10+ and Dolby Vision passthrough. TechRadar confirms Ethernet and 4K 60 Hz passthrough without 120 Hz or ALLM	HDMI eARC, HDMI input with maker-stated 4K 120 Hz and Dolby Vision passthrough, stereo RCA input, mono RCA subwoofer output, USB-C and Ethernet; no optical input despite an erroneous Expert Reviews connection list
Streaming
Streaming	AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and Roon Ready	AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect and airable radio
Multi-room
Multi-room	Detachable speakers support TV Broadcasting and rear-only Night Listening; main bar and subwoofer mute in Night Listening	Optional Heston Sub 200 sold separately; AirPlay grouping through Apple Home
App
App	JBL One with equaliser and software updates	Marshall app
Design
Weight
Weight	5.93 kg (better)	7.04 kg
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	Detachable speakers up to 10 hours each, depending on content and volume; 7.2 V, 4722 mAh. Dock to recharge or use USB-C power (TechRadar)	–
Controls
Controls	Remote, JBL One and TV remote via HDMI CEC; Google Assistant and Siri require an external compatible speaker, not a built-in voice assistant	Rotary controls and preset buttons; TV remote through HDMI CEC. No separate remote supplied.
Microphones
Microphones	–	Two calibration microphones; no built-in voice assistant
Mounting
Mounting	Main bar and rear wall brackets included	Optional Heston 120 wall mount
Size
Size	Main bar 1030 × 58 × 136 mm, 1404 mm wide with rears attached; each rear 202 × 58 × 136 mm; subwoofer 315 × 277 × 275 mm (width × height × depth). Main weight is bar only; each rear 1.3 kg, subwoofer 12 kg	1100 × 76 × 145 mm (width × height × depth)
Colours
Colours	Black	Black
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	Soundbar, mains lead, HDMI cable and guides