The Bar 9.1 is JBL’s first Dolby Atmos soundbar, and features detachable speakers

The highlight of JBL’s CES lineup is the Bar 9.1, a meaty soundbar with four upward-facing Dolby Atmos drivers that allow audio to be bounced all over your room. But the Atmos certification – the first on a JBL-made soundbar – isn’t even the most interesting feature here. That, or they, would be the detachable, battery-powered rear speakers that can be placed behind you for true surround sound. JBL says you can expect 10 hours of playback before docking them back onto the central unit for recharging. The soundbar supports Dolby Vision and has both Chromecast and AirPlay 2 built in, as well as regular old Bluetooth. Rounding off the package is an included 10in wireless subwoofer. Which goes some way to explaining the £1000 price tag. Ouch. You can pick one up in the Spring.

Matt Tate Contributor

About

I'm fascinated by all things tech, but if you were going to leave me on a desert island, I'd probably ask for my Nintendo Switch, a drone, and a pair of noise-cancelling cans to block out the relentless seagull racket. When I'm not on Stuff duty you'll probably find me subscribing to too many podcasts, playing too many video games, or telling anyone who will listen that Spurs are going to win a trophy this season.

Areas of expertise

Video games, VR, smartwatches, headphones, smart speakers, bizarre Kickstarter campaigns