“A full-bodied sound upgrade”
FOR Solid and punchy; plenty of bass; good range of features AGAINST Hardens slightly at higher volumes; lacks timing
There are times when the What Hi-fi? rating system – reliable though it is – doesn’t quite tell the whole story. This often happens at the budget end of the market, where there appears to be a threshold below which it is extremely difficult to design and produce a capable all-rounder.
But while a product such as the JBL Bar Studio might not be able to compete with the very best in terms of absolute performance, on a sound per pound basis, it certainly holds its own.
It is not a case of compensating, or making things easier for those without the requisite talent to compete, rather that this end of the market shouldn’t be entirely neglected when it comes to digging out a worthwhile upgrade for your TV sound.
Four stars, of course, is still a recommendation at any price. It means that the JBL Bar Studio is effectively among the market leaders, and also a champion in more senses than not. For starters, there is certainly little to quibble about when it comes to its build or on-board features.
Crafted to high standard
The smallest of a four-product range, the Studio is easy to accommodate. At around 60cm in length and just under 6cm in height, it will slot under most TVS without appearing too small, and has been crafted to JBL’S usual high standards for quality and aesthetic modernity.
Across the top, you’ll find the basic controls for power, volume and source selection, with HDMI (ARC) and optical inputs to the rear. Bluetooth is also on board, potentially negating the need for a separate living room sound system.
The Studio’s size restricts the weight of its arsenal, with drivers kept to two tweeters and a singular woofer, but two reflex ports help to reinforce its low-end output. JBL Surround Sound, an in-house technology designed to replicate the wraparound sound of a 5.1 system, is further proof this soundbar is aiming to overcome the limitations of its size.
To switch on that latter sound mode you’ll need the included credit-card remote. The Studio, as with most modern soundbars, is designed to work with your regular TV remote, but the JBL one is worth having around for easy source switching and controlling bass levels.
Punchy bass
The bass is one of the things we first notice about the Studio when we connect it to our telly. Not only that there’s quite a lot of bass, but also that it’s punchy and relatively rich too. We’re fans of a neutral balance, so wouldn’t have it all the way up, but there is undeniably greater dimension to the sound than through the speakers on our TV.
That richness is perhaps not matched entirely throughout the midrange, however it is further buoyed by the low-end and allowed to show off a more than respectable amount of detail.
Whether it’s the sound of water in Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse’s Gone
Fishing or an excitable dugout at the World Cup, there is more to the Studio’s presentation than throwing dialogue out and hoping we’ll be appreciative.
Its scale still isn’t going to fill much more than a small to medium-sized living room, but the Studio’s performance will certainly be an upgrade to most people’s televisions.
So what’s not to like? Well if you just want to improve your telly’s sound, and not at high volumes, then there’s little else at this price. High volumes are one caveat of the Bar Studio though. The treble isn’t overtly coarse, but it does harden the higher we turn it up, especially when the sound becomes busy.
That might be more of a concern if you’re planning also to use your soundbar as a wireless speaker, which is where our other concerns arise. Musically, the Studio is not particularly great at timing, and lacks the dynamic expression of one of JBL’S much-loved Bluetooth speakers.
It doesn’t trouble us much for basic TV watching – there is more quality to be had further up the food chain, but dialogue is far from boring – however, that is no longer a soundbar’s sole purpose.
If you want it all – an infallible performance indiscriminate of TV, film or music – there seems to be a starting price. While £150 might be too cheap for a genuine all-rounder, the JBL Bar Studio is proof that there are some fine performances still to be had. For a confident, full-bodied upgrade to your telly’s speakers, you can’t go far wrong with this soundbar.
“If you just want to improve your telly’s sound, and not at high volumes, there’s little else at this price”