If a soundbar, a surround system and a few Bluetooth speakers were all somehow to be magically whisked together in a tech cauldron, the JBL Bar 5.1 would be the result. For your £700, you get a transforming soundbar.

Tidy soundbar setup; Powerful bass; 5.1 surround option; Wireless battery-powered rear speakers

Voice levels can be difficult; Quiet listening performance lacking

JBL's Bar 5.1 aims to bridge the gap between the soundbar norm and a multichannel setup, by the addition of wireless surround speakers that unclip from the main enclosure. The idea being that you can bring these out for movie night, and reattach them to the 'bar afterwards.

no good not a good system can't get sound and video to sync up would not recommend it

For movie lovers with a shortage of space, the JBL offers a seriously appealing prospect: totally wireless surround sound from a soundbar. The sound palette that it offers isn’t as rich as some of its competitors, but its transforming surround sound capabilities are impressive.

Truly wireless 5.1 surround sound; Easy to set up and use; Impressive vocal clarity

Music feels flat; Plastic design; Gap between mids and bass

There's plenty to like about the JBL Bar 5.1 Surround soundbar, but its name implies a more fully immersive theater-like experience than it delivers.

Powerful bass depth and crisp; clear highs; Adjustable bass EQ; Wireless subwoofer

Could use more EQ controls and/or audio modes; Not a true surround system

It might take up a bit of space, but the JBL Bar 5.1 Surround is an incredible bit of kit.

May 31, 2020 Update: With four months of usage under my belt, I’m updating this article with a bit of a rant.

It might take up a lot of space on your TV unit, but the combination of a great speaker setup, a powerful subwoofer and JBL MultiBeam technology provide an exquisite experience.

JBL MultiBeam tech; 550W of power; AirPlay 2 and Chromecast support;

No Aux-in; Soundbar and subwoofer are huge; No Dolby Atmos support;

JBL recently expanded its soundbar lineup to include some intriguing 2.1 systems. The $499.95 JBL Bar 5.1 Surround fits somewhat in the middle in terms of pricing, and is not to be confused with the non-surround JBL Bar 5.1. This version consists of a single soundbar and a large subwoofer. Its surround capabilities are of the virtual variety—this isn't a true 5.1 surround system with rear channels, but it does utilize "multibeam" technology in an attempt to fill the room with immersive, theater-like audio. The bass capabilities here are strong, though we wish there were more adjustable EQ options and/or listening modes. For the price, this is a solid system, but those seeking true surround or serious power may want to explore other options.  Design The Bar 5.1 Surround is available in a matte dark gray, with a main soundbar that measures 2.3 by 40.0 by 3.9 inches (HWD) and weighs 6.2 pounds, and a wireless subwoofer that measures 17.3 by 12.0 by 12.0 inches and weighs 23.4 pounds....

There's plenty to like about the JBL Bar 5.1 Surround soundbar, but its name implies a more fully immersive theater-like experience than it delivers.

Powerful bass depth and crisp, clear highs; Adjustable bass EQ; Wireless subwoofer

Could use more EQ controls and/or audio modes; Not a true surround system

I purchased this after owning a 5.1 component system for many years. I had it running though my old tv and I wasnt too impressed with the sound. Ive since hooked it up to a new tv through the arc hdmi port. For the noise and clarity I find it pretty reasonable. I probably should have bought the 5.1.2 system which has 2 satellite speakers aswell but really this sound bar does everything I want it to to a volume Im comfortable with. I would however like to be able to control bass mid and treble more like an existing amp but for all round limited cables etc not a bad buy