JBL Bar 5.0 Multibeam - Soundbar Review

We all know that gaming with a headset is the best way to experience a game's audio, but what if you don't want to wear a headset? TV audio is terrible and there's a lot you miss out on, but how much better are soundbars and can they really justify the $$ outlay? Well this is the very reason when I was offered the chance to review the JBL Bar 5.0 Multibeam soundbar. I wanted to find out for myself.

Here's a full rundown of the specs this thing has:

Total Speaker Output	250W
Soundbar Output Power	5 x 50W
Transducer:	5 x 48mm x 80mm racetrack drivers + 4 x 3 inches(75mm) Passive Radiators
Power Supply	100 - 240V AV, ~ 50/60hz
Max SPL	92 dBA
Frequency Response	50hz - 20KHz
MP3 Codec	MPEG 1 Layer 2/3, MPEG 2 Layer 3, MPEG 2.5 Layer 3 (USA only), Dolby Atmos, PCM
HDMI In	1
HDMI HDCP version	2.3
HDMI eARC	1
Audio Channels	5
Smart Home Ecosystem	Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Airplay
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 ac)
Bluetooth	v4.2
Dimensions (W x H x D)	709 x 58 x 101mm
Weight	2.8KG
Price	$599

And here's the full rundown of what this thing does according to JBL

Make your viewing or gaming experience more immersive than ever before with the winning combination of JBL Multibeam™ technology and Virtual Dolby Atmos®. Feel the sound all around as you're thrown into the action with deep bass performance without the need for an extra subwoofer. It features Chromecast built-in™, AirPlay and Alexa Multi-Room Music (MRM) for incredibly easy music streaming and multi-room possibilities. Bluetooth lets you enjoy music from your smartphone or tablet too. The sleek design of the JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam, with its grille pattern and metallic finishing, fits any home decor. It's compact and simple to use, can be controlled using your existing TV remote or by using the included intuitively designed remote control.

Key Features:

Dolby Atmos® and MultiBeam™ Surround sound

Upgrade your viewing or gaming experience from ordinary to extraordinary. Built-in Virtual Dolby Atmos® gives you an immersive and exciting 3D sound experience, while JBL MultiBeam™ technology creates a wide soundstage by projecting incredible sound to every corner of the room, so you’ll hear every detail from your favourite music, movies, TV series and games without the need for multiple speakers. Enjoy movies or games with a whole new dimension.

Punchy bass without the need for a separate subwoofer

Your home cinematic experience is enhanced and intensified with deep, punchy bass, thanks to four passive radiators built-in.

Chromecast built-in™, AirPlay and Alexa Multi-Room Music (MRM)

With AirPlay, Alexa Multi-Room Music and Chromecast built-in, you can stream all your favourite online content in amazing sound quality, with a simple finger tap.

Ultra HD 4K Pass-through with Dolby Vision™

Dolby Vision is a High-Dynamic Range (HDR) 4k video format that is growing in popularity and can be found in a growing number of 4k HD Blu-ray players, as well as several popular streaming services. Coupled with our 4k pass through you will enjoy pristine audio quality to match your video.

HDMI eARC

With HDMI eARC, you can enjoy higher-quality audio, including Virtual Dolby Atmos® on your JBL Bar 5.0. You can easily and conveniently connect your Dolby Atmos player to either the TV or soundbar.

Automatic MultiBeam™ Calibration

Calibrate the soundbar with the best surround sound audio effect based on your own room design and layout.

Multi-room possibilities

Thanks to Chromecast built-in™ and Alexa Multi-Room-Music you can create a multi-room setup, allowing to listen to the same music in every room or different music in each room.

Bluetooth wireless streaming

Not in the mood for a film or game? No problem. With the compact JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam soundbar, you can also enjoy wireless music streaming via Bluetooth from your phone or tablet.

Works with voice control

Already having a device with Google Assistant, Alexa voice control or Siri? Simply connect them with the soundbar and start streaming your music with a simple voice command.

Let's cut to the chase, the JBL bar 5.0 Multibeam has been absolutely life changing for me honestly, I didn't think I needed a soundbar until I had one. Whether it be for standard TV, Movies or Gaming, the Multibeam is incredible. Don't get me wrong, I'm not here to tell you that the JBL multibeam is the best soundbar on the market, because I'm sure its not, but as someone with very little experience with soundbars, the difference it made to my particular setup is absolutely night and day to what my TV puts out.

Straight out of the box the JBL Bar 5.0 Multibeam is a very classy looking unit, with a plain gun metal grey finish and nothing but a JBL logo on top and a button panel consisting of 4 buttons. Power, volume up, volume down and input, otherwise it's just that plain design with very little distractions other than the LED display on the front that only lights up when you press a button.

Set up was easy, I literally plugged it in via HDMI to my TV and away I went. No extra steps, no nothing. The provided remote controls everything from there with very minimal buttons which makes everything super easy to control. However some sort of backlight would be useful especially when using it in a dark room as the buttons all feel the same so until you learn which is which you often press the wrong button.

In terms of sound quality, this is where the JBL Bar 5.0 has absolutely transformed my gaming experience and to be honest my Netflix experience too. Honestly, I thought my TV’s audio was decent, but it was not. Not by a long shot! It's not until I switched between the in-built audio and the audio of the soundbar. My original audio is extremely tinny compared to the amazing audio quality of the JBL Bar 5.0, which is extremely rich and bass-y and with Atmos turned on, it honestly sounds like you're in a movie theatre. Essentially, it sounds almost like I am wearing a set of high end gaming headphones without the need to have something on my head. I don't quite understand the science behind how, but it does an excellent job of simulating spatial audio. Probably not on the level you would need for competitive gaming such as COD, but when playing Dying Light 2 for example I can hear when a zombie is about to sneak up behind me and really get a good sense of which direction it's coming from. Another way in which the JBL 5.0 absolutely changes my gaming experience is in games like Resident Evil Village, where it does a truly amazing job at helping to built that atmosphere, bumps and creaks fill the room and really put you in the middle of the action. Its truly quite special how it all comes together.

I have very little experience with soundbars, so I am not sure what other soundbars on the market are like. However, all I can do is tell you of my experience, and this little unit has absolutely transformed the way I watch movies and play my games, which, considering how small its footprint is, is truly phenomenal. The best part is, the volume is capable of getting all the way up to 31 and I am yet to get it past 13 so I can only imagine how good this thing would sound cranked right up watching a big action movie. If you're looking for a soundbar, please give the JBL Bar 5.0 Multibeam a look, because JBL are extremely reliable when it comes to audio.

The JBL Bar 5.0 Multibeam is also the perfect Bluetooth speaker for around the home. A BIG step up over regular Bluetooth speakers this device allows you to share audio from any Bluetooth device such as mobile phone or tablet and even has built in Chromecast, Alexa and Airplay for ease of sharing content throughout your house.

Overall, if you're looking to upgrade your TV's in built audio then look no further than the JBL Bar 5.0 Multibeam. It has honestly completely changed the way I consume both games and TV & Movies. It means that I no longer have to wear headphones all the time when playing single player games and means that Movies and TV are much more enjoyable to listen to. Whatever it is you're wanting to watch, the JBL Bar 5.0 Multibeam will without a doubt change your life.