Photo 1 of 9
JBL Bar 800MK2 · JBL — official press photograph; 594955-JBL BAR 800MK2-6c47d8-original-1748875787.jpg; complete supplied canvas retained.
Bar 800MK2
JBL's 7.1-channel soundbar includes two detachable battery-powered rear speakers and a 10-inch wireless subwoofer. It supports Dolby Atmos with virtual height effects, room calibration and Wi-Fi streaming; the rear speakers can also play TV sound in another room or alone for night listening.
- Type
- Soundbar
- Atmos
- Yes
- Connects by
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HDMI
- Battery
- –
- Weight
- 5 kg
What reviewers say
Both praise powerful bass and convincing rear surround from the detachable speakers, while finding music less refined than film playback. HIFI.DE likes the clear dialogue and straightforward app but finds Atmos height limited. COMPUTER BILD praises the rear-only night mode, yet reports AirPlay problems and distortion at high volume. Its earlier test found fewer sound modes than HIFI.DE's later review.
From hifi.de and computerbild.de
Specifications
Report a wrong or missing specSound
- Type
- Soundbar
- Channels
- 7.1
- Dolby Atmos
- Yes
- Drivers
- Six 44 × 80 mm racetrack drivers and two 25 mm tweeters in the main bar; one 44 × 90 mm racetrack driver per detachable rear speaker; 260 mm (10-inch) subwoofer. Dolby Atmos height is virtual, without upward-firing drivers
- Amplifiers
- 780 W maximum total output at 1% THD; 400 W soundbar, 2 × 40 W rear speakers and 300 W subwoofer. Manual separately specifies 390 W total RMS at 1% THD, comprising 200 W, 2 × 20 W and 150 W respectively
- Frequency response
- 35 Hz–20 kHz (−6 dB), maker specification
- Audio formats
- Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X; DTS Virtual:X was scheduled as a late-2025 software update and is listed in the current maker specifications. No claim of discrete DTS:X decoding is made from review tables that conflate the formats
- Room tuning
- Automatic sound calibration, MultiBeam 3.0, PureVoice 2.0 dialogue enhancement and SmartDetails; seven-band EQ through JBL One
Connections
- Wi-Fi
- Yes
- Bluetooth
- Yes
- AirPlay
- Yes
- HDMI eARC
- Yes
- Voice assistants
- None
- Wi-Fi
- Dual-band 2.4/5 GHz Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax and Ethernet
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.3; A2DP 1.3 and AVRCP 1.5
- Ports
- One HDMI input, one HDMI eARC output, optical input, Ethernet and USB-A service port. HDR10+ and Dolby Vision passthrough; HIFI.DE reports a 4K 60 Hz limit. USB music playback is US-only; detachable speakers have USB-C charging ports
- Streaming
- AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and Roon Ready; subscriptions may be required
- Multi-room
- AirPlay or Google Cast multiroom; Broadcasting sends TV audio to one or both detachable rear speakers in another room. Night listening plays through the rear speakers while muting the main bar and subwoofer
- App
- JBL One for network setup, calibration, equaliser, streaming services, Moment presets and software updates
Design
- Weight
- 5 kg
- Battery life detail
- Each detachable rear speaker has a 3.635 V, 3283 mAh lithium battery; up to ten hours depending on volume and content. Dock to recharge or use USB-C; manual states full docked charging takes about four hours. Main bar and subwoofer require mains power
- Controls
- Included remote, top-panel source and volume controls, front display, HDMI CEC and JBL One; works with external Google Assistant or Siri devices, without a built-in voice assistant
- Microphones
- Built-in microphone for sound calibration
- Mounting
- Included wall-mount brackets for the soundbar and rear speakers; supplied side caps cover docking surfaces
- Size
- Main bar 854 × 52 × 128 mm, or 1163 × 52 × 128 mm with rear speakers docked; each rear speaker 169 × 52 × 128 mm; subwoofer 325 × 400 × 325 mm (width × height × depth). Main weight is the maker's soundbar figure; each rear speaker is 0.7 kg and subwoofer 8.1 kg
- Colours
- Black
- In the box
- Main soundbar, two detachable rear speakers, wireless subwoofer, remote with two batteries, mains leads, HDMI cable, wall-mount kits, four side caps and mounting template; mains plugs vary by region
Pros and cons
Pros
- Detachable rear speakers run without power cables
- Included 10-inch wireless subwoofer
- AirPlay, Google Cast and HDMI eARC
Cons
- Height effects are virtual, without upward-firing drivers
- Rear speakers need recharging
- UK USB port is for servicing, not music playback
Closest rivals
Model | Type | Atmos | Connects by | Battery | Weight | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundbar | Yes | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HDMI | – | 5.62 kg | 2025 | |
| Soundbar | Yes | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HDMI | – | 5.65 kg | 2025 | |
| Soundbar | Yes | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HDMI | – | 5.1 kg | 2026 |
Sources
- uk.jbl.com/BAR-800MK2.html
- jbl.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-masterCatalog_Harman/default/dw936f052e/pd…
- uk.jbl.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-masterCatalog_Harman/default/dw79faf406…
- news.jbl.com/en-GB/250776-jbl-introduces-next-gen-bar-series-for-truly-immersiv…
- choose.tv/us/news/jbl-refreshes-soundbars-for-2025-the-new-mk2-series-up-to-247…
- hifi.de/test/jbl-bar-800mk2-test-269470
- computerbild.de/artikel/Tests-Audio-JBL-Soundbar-800mk2-Review-40211789.html
- JBL Bar 800MK2 and subwoofer from the front with rear speakers docked: JBL
- JBL Bar 800MK2 rear connections and subwoofer bass-reflex port: JBL
- JBL Bar 800MK2, detached rear speakers, subwoofer and remote from the right: JBL
- JBL Bar 800MK2 and subwoofer with rear speakers docked: JBL
- JBL Bar 800MK2 detachable rear speakers and USB-C charging controls: JBL
- JBL Bar 800MK2 detachable speaker charging contacts close-up: JBL
- JBL Bar 800MK2 top-panel controls and grille close-up: JBL
- JBL Bar 800MK2 HDMI, optical, Ethernet and service connections close-up: JBL
