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JBL Bar 500MK2 · JBL — official press photograph; 594954-JBL BAR 500MK2-675f12-original-1748875756.jpg; complete supplied canvas retained.
Bar 500MK2
JBL's mid-range 5.1-channel soundbar with a 10-inch wireless subwoofer, virtual Dolby Atmos, HDMI eARC and Wi-Fi streaming, suited to a living-room TV.
- Type
- Soundbar
- Atmos
- Yes
- Connects by
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HDMI
- Battery
- –
- Weight
- 2.9 kg
What reviewers say
Reviewers agree it is strong with films and dialogue, with deep, powerful bass from the subwoofer. L&B Tech Reviews found the surround effect convincing without rear speakers but the bass a little slow with music; RTINGS found the sound warm and, without up-firing drivers, less immersive than Atmos bars that have them.
From lbtechreviews.com and rtings.com
Specifications
Report a wrong or missing specSound
- Type
- Soundbar
- Channels
- 5.1
- Dolby Atmos
- Yes
- Drivers
- Soundbar with five 42 × 80 mm racetrack drivers and four 20 mm tweeters; subwoofer with a 10-inch (260 mm) driver
- Amplifiers
- 750 W maximum in total (450 W soundbar, 300 W subwoofer, at 1% THD); 375 W RMS
- Frequency response
- 40 Hz – 20 kHz (−6 dB)
- Audio formats
- Dolby Atmos (virtual) and DTS Virtual:X (DTS Virtual:X added by software update in late 2025)
- Room tuning
- Room calibration; MultiBeam 3.0, PureVoice 2.0 dialogue enhancement and SmartDetails; 7-band EQ in the JBL One app
Connections
- Wi-Fi
- Yes
- Bluetooth
- Yes
- AirPlay
- Yes
- HDMI eARC
- Yes
- Voice assistants
- None
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax), 2.4 and 5 GHz
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.3; A2DP 1.3, AVRCP 1.5
- Ports
- HDMI in (4K Dolby Vision and HDR10+ passthrough, HDCP 2.3); HDMI out with eARC; optical in; USB-A (music playback on US models only, otherwise for service)
- Streaming
- AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Roon Ready
- App
- JBL One app
Design
- Weight
- 2.9 kg
- Controls
- Remote control; works with separate Google Assistant or Siri speakers
- Mounting
- Two L-shaped wall brackets for the soundbar in the box
- Size
- Soundbar 940 × 50.5 × 104 mm (W × H × D); subwoofer 325 × 400 × 325 mm, 8.1 kg
- Colours
- Black, White
- In the box
- Soundbar, wireless subwoofer, remote with two batteries, power cords, HDMI cable, two wall brackets, wall-mount template, quick start guide, safety instructions and warranty card
Pros and cons
Pros
- 10-inch wireless subwoofer in the box, 750 W total
- HDMI eARC plus an HDMI input with 4K Dolby Vision and HDR10+ passthrough
- AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and Roon Ready
Cons
- Virtual Dolby Atmos only, with no up-firing drivers
- No detachable rear speakers, unlike the Bar 700MK2
- No built-in voice assistant or microphones for one
Closest rivals
Model | Type | Atmos | Connects by | Battery | Weight | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundbar | Yes | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HDMI | – | 2.76 kg | 2025 | |
| Soundbar | Yes | Bluetooth and HDMI | – | 2.7 kg | 2025 | |
| Soundbar | Yes | Bluetooth and HDMI | – | 3.1 kg | 2025 |
Sources
- jbl.com.sg/soundbars/BAR-500MK2.html
- uk.jbl.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-masterCatalog_Harman/default/dw1284799c…
- news.harman.com/releases/jbl-introduces-next-gen-bar-series-for-truly-immersive…
- Black JBL Bar 500MK2 soundbar and subwoofer, front view: JBL
- Black JBL Bar 500MK2 soundbar and subwoofer, rear view: JBL
- Black JBL Bar 500MK2 soundbar, subwoofer and remote, opposite three-quarter view: JBL
- Black JBL Bar 500MK2 soundbar and subwoofer, three-quarter view without remote: JBL
- JBL Bar 500MK2 soundbar top controls and grille, supplied close-up photograph.: Official JBL exact-model product photograph; complete supplied canvas, framing and native transparency preserved.
- JBL Bar 500MK2 rear connections, supplied close-up photograph.: Official JBL exact-model product photograph; complete supplied canvas, framing and native transparency preserved.
