JBL Bar 500 Review: Strong Bass, Virtual Atmos and a Newer MK2 to Consider

The JBL Bar 500 is a good 5.1 soundbar with a wireless 10-inch subwoofer, clear dialogue and deep bass, but it has been replaced. Buy one only if you find a complete unit well below the price of its successor, the Bar 500MK2, or if you specifically need 4K/120Hz video passthrough through the bar.

JBL's official Bar 500 page showed the original model as sold out in October 2026, while the JBL Bar 500MK2 was in stock. RTINGS found the MK2 louder and warmer, with much lower audio latency and DTS playback the original lacks. The Bar 500 keeps one advantage: 4K at 120Hz passthrough on its HDMI input.

The other thing to know before buying: "Dolby Atmos" here means processing, not height speakers. The bar has no up-firing drivers, and RTINGS says it has to downmix height content. ArmorSound has not tested this soundbar in person; this review relies on JBL's documentation and published lab and listening reviews.

Where to buy

Our verdict

JBL Bar 500

Best for: Bargain 5.1 setups with a real sub

System

5.1 with wireless 10-inch sub

Power

590W total

TV inputs

HDMI eARC, HDMI in, optical

Atmos

Virtual, no up-firing drivers

Status

Sold out at JBL US; MK2 replaces it

• Extended low bass from the 10-inch sub, per RTINGS
• Clear dialogue from a discrete center channel
• 4K/120Hz HDMI passthrough
• AirPlay, Chromecast built-in and room calibration

• No height drivers; Atmos is virtual
• No DTS support
• Sub-par lip-sync latency over HDMI

Watch for: Listings often mix up the Bar 500 and Bar 500MK2, so confirm the model and the included remote, HDMI cable and brackets before you pay.

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What are the JBL Bar 500 key specs?

How good are the JBL Bar 500 bass and dialogue?

Bass is the easiest win. JBL rates the frequency response down to 35Hz, and RTINGS reports extended low bass, calling the system a good fit for EDM, hip-hop and action movies. The 10-inch wireless sub does the heavy lifting, so the bar's small drivers do not have to.

Dialogue is the second strength. RTINGS credits the discrete center channel and an even mid-range for speech that is easy to follow, and JBL's PureVoice dialogue enhancement switches on by default for TV and HDMI sources. Stereowise Plus reached a similar conclusion in its listening review, describing vocals as smooth and easy to understand and the sub as having plenty of authority.

The sub's level sits at 3 by default. RTINGS suggests dropping it to 2 for a more neutral balance with music, which is also the first thing to try if the bass is too boomy in a small room or bothering neighbors. Our subwoofer guide covers placement if the bass sounds uneven from your seat.

At the top end, RTINGS says the Bar 500 gets loud enough for large, open spaces but compresses bass at maximum volume. The MK2 measured with little to no compression, which is one of the clearest upgrades.

What Dolby Atmos and surround sound do you actually get from the JBL Bar 500?

JBL's manual calls the Bar 500's approach "Virtual Dolby Atmos," using Dolby's surround upmixer, and lets you switch the effect on or off. RTINGS’ Bar 500 test found no dedicated height channels, so overhead effects get folded into the front and surround channels instead of coming from above.

There are no rear speakers either. RTINGS says the bar simulates surround by beaming effects from drivers in the bar itself, which sounds less convincing than real satellites. Stereowise Plus still described an extremely wide soundstage, with effects bouncing off the room's walls.

Smart Mode is the setting to understand. It is on every time the bar powers up, and RTINGS liked it for movies with height content because it widens the sound. With music, though, RTINGS heard a forced, fake quality, and with Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus it found that effects meant for one side played on both. Turn it off for music, and try both settings with your favorite films.

If convincing overhead sound is the goal, you need up-firing drivers. Our Dolby Atmos soundbars list covers models that have them, such as the Klipsch Flexus Core 200 below.

How does the JBL Bar 500 handle TV connection, video passthrough and lip sync?

The recommended connection is HDMI eARC, which JBL's manual says gives the best Dolby Atmos result; it also tells you to enable HDMI-CEC and ARC on the TV first. JBL includes a 1.2-meter HDMI cable. Optical works as a fallback, but if both are connected the HDMI path takes priority.

The HDMI input is the Bar 500's last real advantage. RTINGS measured 4K at 120Hz passthrough with 4:2:0 chroma and some variable refresh rate support, so a console can run through the bar. The MK2 tops out at 4K/60Hz, according to RTINGS. If your TV has spare HDMI 2.1 ports, this matters less, because you can plug the console into the TV and let eARC carry the audio.

Latency is the weak spot. RTINGS rated it sub-par over HDMI In and ARC and mediocre over optical, and advises using the Audio Sync setting in the JBL One app to line up voices with lips. Our audio latency guide explains why delays vary by TV and app.

How do setup, the app and streaming work on the JBL Bar 500?

Setup runs through the JBL One app. The Bar 500 owner manual walks through Wi-Fi setup, Chromecast and AirPlay streaming, and sound calibration, which you start from the CALIBR button on the remote. Run calibration once the bar and sub are in their final spots.

The app gives you a 3-band EQ, room correction and a sub level control, per RTINGS. JBL says Wi-Fi also delivers automatic software updates. There is no built-in voice assistant, though an Alexa-enabled device can stream to it through Alexa Multi-Room Music.

Physically, RTINGS notes the 40-inch bar is too wide to sit between the feet of a 55-inch TV stand, though it is low enough not to block the screen. The sub is about the size of a desktop PC, so measure your floor space before you buy.

What should you check when buying a Bar 500 now?

With JBL's own stock gone, most Bar 500s will be retailer leftovers, open-box or used units. Before you pay:

• Confirm the model name on the listing photos. The MK2 has a darker finish, a rounded subwoofer and a pill-shaped remote, per RTINGS.
• Check the box contents against RTINGS's list: remote with batteries, HDMI cable, two power cables, mounting brackets, screws and a template.
• Ask the seller to confirm the sub pairs and the bar joins Wi-Fi, since streaming and software updates depend on that connection.
• Compare the final price with a new Bar 500MK2. If the gap is small, the newer model is the better buy.

What do JBL Bar 500 owners report?

Spec sheets and lab reviews only go so far. Here is what owners say after living with it, drawn from their own posts on Reddit.

• The sub shakes the house. A recent buyer says the subwoofer packs a punch and their house shakes. (r/Soundbars)
• Punchy, if not the deepest. An owner of both a JBL Bar 5.1 and a Bar 500 says the 5.1 digs deeper but the Bar 500 bass is still pretty punchy. (r/Soundbars)
• Right-sized for apartments. An apartment owner who paid $340 keeps the volume and bass low in a bedroom of roughly 20 by 25 feet and says it is all they could want. (r/Soundbars)
• Mids that settle in. One owner almost sent it back because the mids sounded muddy, but says voices cleared up after about a week of use. (r/Soundbars)
• Or a return. Another buyer returned their Bar 500 after three days: they loved the bass but said voices sounded like they came from behind a wall. (r/Soundbars)
• Big rooms over small ones. An owner of both the Bar 500 and a Sonos Beam Gen 2 with Sub Mini prefers the JBL in a huge room and the Sonos in a small or medium one. (r/Soundbars)

Owners agree on the bass. Dialogue clarity is the recurring complaint, so check the Pure Voice setting and your TV audio output before you judge it.

Who should buy the JBL Bar 500, and who should skip it?

Buy it if:

• You find a complete Bar 500 at a clear discount to the MK2.
• You want a real subwoofer and clearer TV dialogue without running wires to rear speakers.
• You route a 4K/120Hz console through the soundbar.

Skip it if:

• You want overhead Atmos effects. Look for up-firing drivers.
• Lip sync bothers you or you watch a lot of DTS discs.
• Your room is small or shared walls make a 10-inch sub a liability. A compact all-in-one bar is easier to live with.

What are the alternatives to the JBL Bar 500?

JBL Bar 500MK2. The default choice. JBL rates it at 750W with a 37-inch bar and the same 10-inch sub size. RTINGS measured eARC latency under 100 ms, little compression at full volume and DTS playback, and the app adds a 7-band EQ. Like the original, it has no up-firing drivers, and passthrough stops at 4K/60Hz.

JBL Bar 300MK2. The all-in-one option for smaller rooms or apartments where a separate sub causes trouble. JBL lists 450W across five channels in a 37-inch bar, with no separate subwoofer. Our JBL Bar 300 review covers the original version, which JBL's US store now sells only refurbished.

Klipsch Flexus Core 200. The pick for real height effects. Klipsch lists a 3.1.2-channel layout with two 2.25-inch up-firing height drivers, a dedicated center tweeter and dual 4-inch built-in woofers, and you can add Flexus surrounds and subs later. Read our Klipsch Flexus Core 200 review.

For a small bedroom TV, a simpler bar like the one in our Bose TV Speaker review may be all you need. See the Razer Leviathan V2 X for a PC soundbar or the Yamaha SR-C20A for a Bluetooth soundbar.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• JBL: Bar 500 product page, specs and FAQ
• JBL: Bar 500 owner's manual (PDF)
• RTINGS: JBL Bar 500 review
• RTINGS: JBL Bar 500 vs Bar 500MK2
• JBL: Bar 500MK2 specs
• Stereowise Plus: JBL Bar 500 review
• JBL: Bar 300MK2 specs
• Klipsch: Flexus Core 200 product page