Design and build:

JBL Bar 1000 vs 9.1 soundbars are almost similar sized. They are a good fit with medium sized TV of 65”. They have two satellite speakers that will attach to both sides of the bar. This is how you can charge them. The bars are made of plastic and the drivers are covered by metal grilles. In case you prefer a clean look and has less space in the room, the bars are easily wall mountable and comes with necessary accessories.

Performance:

Comparing JBL Bar 1000 vs 9.1, the Bar 1000 is a 7.1.4 channel soundbar whereas the 9.1 has 5.1.4 channel configuration. This means the JBL Bar 1000 has more number of drivers and will deliver a more powerful sound. They both feature a 10” wireless down-firing subwoofer that can produce clean, impactful and tight bass. These JBL Dolby Atmos soundbars are great for music, especially bass lovers.

JBL Bar 1000 soundbar has 5 racetrack drivers, 3 tweeters and 2 up-firing drivers. This system pumps out lots of power and is a great option for home theater use. For delivering powerful Atmos effect, along with soundbar there are upward firing drivers in the rear speakers as well. The side-firing and up-firing drivers of JBL Bar 1000 works with MultiBeam Technology to produce a 3D soundfield around the user.

It uses an Audio Sync option so that there is no audio or video delay. While you might not receive audiophile grade sound, the bar still does an amazing job. It has a neutral sound nature that is suitable for playing different music genre. It has amazing soundstage with good accuracy.

JBL 9.1 soundbar system has similar design like the JBL Bar 1000 where you need to place the rear speakers beside the user. Height effects are powerful and engaging. This takes sound to a new level with any types of contents including sports, games, movies and music. The bar has wide and broad soundfield where the sound can pinpoint actions on screen.

Similar to JBL Bar 1000, the 9.1 soundbar shows tighter and punchier bass. This soundbar is great for music and movies where you can enjoy the low ends. It has good surrounds but to improve it you might need some tweaking. The bar has a balanced audio profile and overall it has a detailed and rich performance.

While both the speakers have dedicated center channel, JBL 9.1 misses voice improvement option. The soundbars have excellent clarity and accuracy in the voice production. They can get quite loud, but we prefer to place them in medium sized rooms for room-filling sound. Users can crank them up at high volume without noticing any major noise or distortion.

For placement, it is recommended to place JBL Bar 1000 and 9.1 soundbars 2” below the TV. The distance between the sitting position and the bar should be around 8.25’ to 9.8’. Then place the sub 3-20’ away from the bar and the satellites should be 3-4.6’ above the floor.  They have a room calibration feature that enhances the sound smoothening out any issues that might occur due to room layout.

Features: 

Comparing JBL Bar 1000 vs 9.1, the Bar 1000 is a much better fit for gaming. It supports ALLM and VRR along with allowing 4k @ 60 Hz passthrough. While gaming, users will experience good sound and clear images with good resolution. These JBL soundbars can be a part of multiroom audio system with Chromecast. For that, you need to purchase Chromecast/Google Cast supported speakers separately. With Chromecast, users will be able to stream content from different music apps, services and radio.

These bars will work with Airplay. This is important for you if you are an Apple user. You can play contents from Apple devices and mobile apps easily.  

Connectivity:

While the bars are almost similar in terms of connection ports, there are some differences. The JBL Bar 1000 has 3 HDMI In (JBL 9.1 has 2) ports along with USB port. They have the following ports in both: optical port, HDMI eARC and Ethernet port. Bluetooth and Wi-fi connectivity are supported for wireless streaming.

Control options:

Both the soundbars use handy remote control but they do not have any voice assistant built-in into them. JBL Bar 1000 can work with Google Assistant, Alexa or Siri if you pair with a 3^rd party voice enabled device. It will also work with JBL One App. Using the app users can adjust settings. They can also save favorite playlists, stations, albums, etc.

The 9.1 JBL soundbar can work with Google Assistant but for that an additional device is required. Physical controls of these soundbars are quite basic, that includes input switch, volume up/down and power on/off.

Settings:

Although none of the soundbars will give you the freedom to tweak the highs and lows, there are plenty of other options. JBL Bar 1000 has more versatile settings than the 9.1 soundbar. It has voice enhancement and rear level adjustment mode along with a 3-band EQ option. Other settings that are common between both are: sound modes, subwoofer, surround and height level adjustments and, virtual surround sound option.

Cost:

JBL Bar 1000 and 9.1 are similar priced soundbar with a small difference of $100 between them. Both these models are available for under $1000.

FAQ:

What is the advantage of choosing JBL Bar 1000 or 9.1 over others?

JBL Bar 1000 and 9.1 soundbar systems are a complete package specially for chose who seek a low-profile design. The satellite speakers are small and suitable for users who have less space in the room but still do not want to compromise the performance. A subwoofer is available which means you will get punchier bass.