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JBL Bar 500 5.1 Dolby Atmos Soundbar with 10-inch Wireless Sub

JBL Bar 500 5.1 Dolby Atmos Soundbar with 10-inch Wireless Sub

By JBL · Soundbars · Desk & Streaming Setup · More from JBL

  • 5.1 channel system: soundbar plus 10 in (260mm) wireless subwoofer, released 2023 (RTINGS)
  • 590W total system output: 290W bar plus 300W subwoofer
  • HDMI eARC output with 1 HDMI input and 4K Dolby Vision/HDR10 passthrough
  • Built-in Wi-Fi with AirPlay, Chromecast built-in and Alexa multi-room music
  • Bar 40 x 2.2 x 4 in (6.2 lbs)

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Problems, parts and running costs

Summary

The JBL Bar 500 is a 5.1 soundbar system built around a 40-inch bar and a 10-inch wireless subwoofer, aimed at TV and music in a room that can take a sub. Check your input chain before you buy: its Atmos processing only pays off over HDMI eARC, because the optical input caps at 5.1.

Strengths

  • RTINGS rates it good for mixed use and great for TV dialogue, with extended low-bass from the 10-inch sub.
  • The Easy Sound Calibration tool tailors the output to the room.
  • Built-in Wi-Fi adds AirPlay, Chromecast and Alexa multi-room music on top of Bluetooth.
  • HDMI eARC passes 4K Dolby Vision and, per RTINGS, 4K@120 Hz for consoles.
  • Owners call the sound balanced and natural, and one says it beats a Bose 600 for bass.

Weaknesses

  • The “5.1” is virtualized: there are no surround speakers, only MultiBeam processing.
  • Atmos runs through the front and side drivers, not up-firing ones, and one owner heard little difference.
  • RTINGS lists the lack of bass and treble adjustments as a con, so EQ options are limited.
  • Owners say bass is good but not class-leading, and one found dialogue not crisp enough at full price.
  • USB media playback works only on the US version; elsewhere the port is service-only.
  • The Bar 500MK2 replaced it, which leaves long-term software support for the original uncertain.

Verified specifications

Sound system5.1 channel with surround virtualized by MultiBeam; there are no separate surround speakers.
Total power output590 W max at 1% THD; soundbar 290 W, subwoofer 300 W.
Soundbar transducers4 × (46x90) mm racetrack drivers and 3 × 0.75 in (20 mm) tweeters.
Subwoofer10 in (260 mm) wireless driver.
Frequency response35 Hz–20 kHz (-6 dB).
Audio inputsone optical, Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type A (MP3 playback on US units only).
Wi-Fi802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, 2.4 and 5 GHz, with automatic updates over Wi-Fi.
StreamingAirPlay, Chromecast built-in and Alexa Multi-Room Music; JBL cites 300+ services.
HDMIeARC with 4K Dolby Vision passthrough; RTINGS reports 4K@120 Hz passthrough.
ProcessingDolby Atmos, MultiBeam surround, PureVoice dialogue enhancement, Smart Mode and Easy Sound Calibration room correction.
Power supply100–240 V AC, 50/60 Hz; networked standby under 2.0 W.
ControlsJBL One app for setup, settings and EQ, plus a remote control.
Dimensionssoundbar 40 × 2.2 × 4 in (1017 × 56 × 103.5 mm), 6.2 lb (2.8 kg); subwoofer 12 × 17.3 × 12 in (305 × 440.4 × 305 mm), 22 lb (10 kg).
Full research notes and sources

Sound and Atmos

RTINGS is the only lab test of this exact model, and it rates the Bar 500 good for mixed use, great for TV shows and good for music. The strengths it names are extended low-bass from the dedicated sub, clear dialogue and the room-correction tool. Owners on Reddit back the balanced, natural sound, and one who compared it with a Bose 600 and a Sonos Beam said it has more bass than the Bose.

The surround is not real. The bar virtualizes 5.1 through MultiBeam, and Atmos is processed through the front and side drivers rather than height speakers. In one owner’s setup the Atmos setting made little audible difference, and that owner was feeding the bar over optical, which cannot carry Atmos beyond 5.1. The recurring EQ advice is to keep the subwoofer level around 2 and place the sub with care, because it can dominate out of the box.

Inputs, streaming and setup

HDMI eARC is the input that matters: it carries 4K Dolby Vision and, per RTINGS, 4K@120 Hz passthrough for consoles. The optical input is the fallback and caps at 5.1. USB playback of MP3 files works only on the US version; on other units the port is service-only.

Built-in Wi-Fi adds AirPlay, Chromecast built-in and Alexa Multi-Room Music, and owners say music streamed over Wi-Fi sounds great. Setup and control run through the JBL One app, which handles settings and EQ, plus the included remote. If the sub loses its link, JBL’s documented fix is to hold the bass button for more than three seconds and then press volume down.

Reliability and warranty

JBL lists a one-year warranty for the Bar 500. No parts or service documentation for the bar or the sub has surfaced, so treat it as a sealed unit, and the MK2’s arrival means feature updates for the original are an open question.

Which model this is

This page covers the JBL Bar 500, a 5.1 system made of the BAR 500 soundbar and the BAR 500 SUB subwoofer; JBL’s APAC page lists the item number JBLBAR500PROBLKAS, and the system comes in Black. Don’t confuse it with the JBL Bar 500MK2 (750 W, different drivers, a 4K@60 Hz passthrough cap), the older JBL Bar 5.1 Surround, or the sub-less JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam.

Is it worth it?

At $350 or less the Bar 500 is strong value for a compact 5.1 system with a wireless sub, room correction and multi-ecosystem streaming. From $350 to $450 it is fair to good, and the newer Bar 500MK2 at $499.95 first-party makes the original a harder sell unless you want its 4K@120 Hz passthrough or a clear price gap. Above $500 the original is weak, and JBL’s own store still lists it at $649.95, above the successor’s street pricing. Best Buy indexed the system at $429.99 in October 2026, and a Tom’s Guide deal widget showed a Best Buy price of $349.95.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

Stores:

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