SoundbarJBL56% by External Reviewers

JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam

Soundbar

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Product Overview

JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam is a mid-range all-in-one, compact soundbar designed as an unobtrusive companion to smart TVs. With five full-range drivers and four passive radiators, the JBL Bar 5.0 is a step up from built-in speakers for most TVs on the market today in 2021.
The JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam supports both Virtual Dolby Atmos and JBL's MultiBeam technology. They allow the compact all-in-one soundbar to project a large soundstage.
For app integration, the Bar 5.0 MultiBeam supports Alexa Multi-Room Music, Apple Airplay 2, and Chromecast built-in via Bluetooth and WiFi.

Ratings

What we found

Pros
  • Excellent stereo soundstage performance
  • Dolby Atmos-like surround effects
  • Easy to set up
Cons
  • Not upgradeable
  • Poor surround performance

What external reviewers found

External score 56%
Pros
  • Good sound quality
  • Decent build quality
  • Excellent Atmos and virtual Atmos
  • Supports surround and Atmos content
  • Powerful, energetic sound
Cons
  • Lack of dynamic expression
  • Lacks a subwoofer
  • Lacks low-bass
  • Bass lacks depth
  • No Dolby Atmos

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Specifications

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External Reviews

cnet[1]

Reviewer score 56% (normalized by Neofiliac)
Reviewers from cnet have found:
The JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam is sadly not upgradeable. The remote control looks cool but is simply too bare-bones. It's like JBL wanted to take the Apple route and present a simplified experience. The JBL is at its best with an action movie like The Matrix.
Pros
  • Excellent sound quality
  • Dolby Atmos and Atmos
  • Easy to set up
Cons
  • Bass isn't as deep as it should be
  • No built-in subwoofer

digitaltrends[2]

Reviewer score 77% (normalized by Neofiliac)
Reviewers from digitaltrends have found:
The JBL Bar 5.0 is well-priced and has a great set of useful features. It lacks the ability to adjust its EQ, and it can't compete with systems that have dedicated subwoofers. The Vizio M-Series 5.1 multi-speaker soundbar is worth a look.
Pros
  • Dolby Atmos support
  • Easy to set up and use
  • Good sound quality
Cons
  • No EQ settings
  • No Chromecast, AirPlay, or Alexa compatibility

rtings[3]

Reviewer score 27% (normalized by Neofiliac)
Reviewers from rtings have found:
The JBL Bar 5.0 is decent for mixed usage. Out-of-the-box, it has a boxy sound profile that adds extra punch and boom to your favorite movies. However, it struggles to reproduce low-bass, so you don't feel the deep rumble in action-packed scenes. It supports surround content, but it doesn't offer very impressive performance.
Pros
  • Out-of-the-box sound profile
  • Lots of wireless playback options
  • Supports surround and Atmos content
Cons
  • Lacks low-bass
  • Doesn't offer very immersive performance

t3[4]

Reviewer score 52% (normalized by Neofiliac)
Reviewers from t3 have found:
The JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam is a full Dolby Atmos soundbar. It has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Chromecast and Apple AirPlay. However, there's a lack of positivity that leaves the JBL sounding two-dimensional at best and vague at worst. If you just want clearer sound from a small soundbar we'd recommend the Sonos Beam.
Pros
  • Big, full-scale sound
  • Decent build quality
  • Easy to set up
Cons
  • Vague, ill-defined sound
  • No Dolby Atmos

tomsguide[5]

Reviewer score 59% (normalized by Neofiliac)
Reviewers from tomsguide have found:
The JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam has plenty of power to fill a large room. Once calibrated, it handles Atmos (and virtual Atmos) better than most standalone soundbars. However, dialog can get buried in the mix when there's a lot of action or music. The biggest issue will likely be the center channel, where dialog comes from.
Pros
  • Excellent Atmos and virtual Atmos
  • Easy to set up
Cons
  • No surround speakers
  • Lacks a subwoofer

trustedreviews[6]

Reviewer score 69% (normalized by Neofiliac)
Reviewers from trustedreviews have found:
, and bigger than you might expect from its five 48mm x 80mm racetrack drivers and four 75mm passive radiators. With the volume set at less than 10, the JBL is a sedate listen. Nudge it past 11 and it’s 0-60mph where dynamics are concerned. Shifts from quiet to loud are impactful, and it isn’t lacking for intensity either.
Pros
  • Powerful, energetic sound
  • Dolby Atmos and MultiBeam
Cons
  • Bass lacks depth
  • Dialogue could be more pronounced

whathifi[7]

Reviewer score 54% (normalized by Neofiliac)
Reviewers from whathifi have found:
JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam is an affordable and compact soundbar. Features include Dolby Atmos, AirPlay, Alexa and Chromecast built-in. Full-bodied presentation that's unlikely to fatigue you, even when listening at high volume. Excess power really leads to a lack of precision, which is a shame.
Pros
  • Big, punchy sound
  • Lots of features
  • Easy to use
Cons
  • Lack of dynamic expression
  • Lacks dynamic expression

Also Check

Product ComparisonProducts in SoundbarProducts by JBLKeyword chromecast

References

  1. ^ JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam review: Compact soundbar with better bass, worse controls. [cnet].
  2. ^ JBL Bar 5.0 Multibeam soundbar review: Add a little Dolby Atmos to your life. [digitaltrends].
  3. ^ JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam Soundbar Review. [rtings].
  4. ^ JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam review: so many features for a small soundbar. [t3].
  5. ^ JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam review. [tomsguide].
  6. ^ JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam Review. [trustedreviews].
  7. ^ JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam review. [whathifi].

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