JBL Bar 2.1 Deep Bass Review

Here is my JBL Bar 2.1 Deep Bass Review, after six years it was finally time to upgrade my TV and TV Sound System. My budget was clear and there were 3-4 different Sound Bar’s that caught my eye. Here are some of the sound bar’s I had to choose from:

• JBL Deep Base 2.1
• Sony HT-X8500 2.1
• BOSE TV Speaker 2.0

All three brands are well known for great sound but after research and testing, I chose the JBL Deep Base 2.1 as it had the best quality sound in the price range. So before we get in to the review, lets have a look at the specs.

Sound Output:

Speaker Size:

Connectivity

If you want a full spec sheet for this sound system, then you can download it directly from the JBL website the link is here

JBL Deep Bass 2.1 Review

First and foremost, the sound of the JBL Deep Bass 2.1 is absolutely amazing. Crystal clear audio and just as the name promises, deep bass. Now the detailed sound coming from the speakers also means that noise and sound issues from lower bandwidth videos is transmitted. This can result in some background noise during playback, like a very low hiss or crackling when actors are talking. This could also be related to the on/off of a noise cancellation technology but I don’t know for sure, it is however audible and once you hear it, its hard to ignore.

The Sound Bar has NO sound modelling at all, the only option is low/med/high bass. So no cinema or music options although everything seems to sound great by default.

The Sound bar and Sub Woofer connect wirelessly as you switch on the unit. This was great for us as we put the subwoofer behind the couch instead of next to the tv. Initially I connected the Sound Bar via Bluetooth to my TV. This however caused some connectivity issues.

For example, if you pause a movie and no sound goes to the speakers, the JBL Deep Bass switches to standby mode. You then have to manually re-connect it with the tv before it works again. Not great. So then I tried the Optical cable, thinking it would yield the best sound quality. Note it does not. Also, the optical cable does not transfer the volume control of the tv so you need to use two remote controls instead of just the TV’s controller.

It turns out HDMI Arc is definitely the best way to connect your TV with the JBL Deep Bass. Your TV must have a HDMI Arc Output for this to work. HDMI has the highest bandwidth rate and therefore technically also the best sound quality. It also transfers volume and standby control so all you need is the tv’s remote controller.

The remote controller of the unit is small but feels premium. It has very few buttons, power, volume, input selector and that’s pretty much it.

Product Pro’s

• Great Sound Quality
• Great price for the Quality
• Wireless 2.1 so no cable management issues
• HDMI Arc Connection for best quality and control

Product Con’s

• Bluetooth time’s out on TV and has to be manually reconnected
• There are no sound options like Cinematic or Listening to music

The Verdict

This is the moment of truth, would I recommend the JBL Deep Bass 2.1 ? The answer is a definite YES. The sound quality is great, the bass is amazing and the unit is quality built. The background noise is only audible in older or low quality videos and since I watch mostly Netflix and prime quality is not an issue.

JBL Bar 2.1 Deep Bass

300 Euro

8.4

Sound Quality

9.0/10

Build Quality

9.0/10

Functionality

8.0/10

Connections

7.0/10

Bass Quality

9.0/10

Pros

• No Cables
• Easy to Connect
• Great Sound Quality
• Amazing Bass Quality

Cons

• Bluetooth Disconnects
• No Sound Options