Bar 1300XMK2

I have the JBL and it has way too many issues with the HDMI handshake and passthrough. I stay away from them now. If you don't believe me look at how many different versions of the damn JBL soundbar app they have because of how frustrating it is.

Yes when it's all working it's amazing. Separating the speakers is kinda pointless tho because the effect diminishes to a point it's not audible. I rarely take it apart for this reason because it sounds awesome by itself. Granted I also have it in the middle of the living room because I project onto a wall. So that probably helps a lot.

Yes I do have that exact model and no the Atmos is not better with them off, only the surround sound benefits in my opinion. I have to place my ear directly over the atmos speakers when detached in order to hear it at a reasonable volume. If I turn the volume up enough to get the Atmos effect the rest of the soundbar is obnoxiously loud. Where I have it in the middle of the living room with the surround speakers constantly attached it sounds great.

I got the JBL two days ago. I came from a 12 year LG soundbar with a woofer. It was a huge step up for me. After some tweaking in the settings I think it sounds incredible compared to the 990f (which I did a demo of in store). The detachable rears are great. However I will say the subwoofer is massive (but sounds great) and the bar is very long with the rears attached. Although I keep the rears behind me all the time so far.

Happy with the JBL 1300x mk2 that I got over the holidays. Add it to your list.

I've had both.  The Sonos has much clearer dialog and tighter/controlled bass.  The JBL (U.S. version) has deeper and more powerful bass.  The JBL can often be purchased cheaper if that is important to you.  You'll likely be happy with either.

Good question.  It's hard to explain.  The Sonos woofer just seems more controlled but can still get plenty loud.  The JBL can be a little boomier if that makes sense.  They are both fantastic.  If price was no consideration, I preferred the Sonos due to the clarity of the dialog and the Era 300 surrounds.  However price was a big consideration, and I could not wrap my head around spending over $2500 on a Sonos system when there are other options so much cheaper with similar sound.  That was my experience in my room anyway, but sounds is subjective.

I felt that the JBL was better for music, and the Sonos was better for dialogue... Which probably doesn't help much 😔.

I got the 1300X Mk2 last week and I love it! Loud as hell. It shakes my family room, my couch vibrates. I replaced an old Bose solo, so the comparison isnt fair, lol. I would recommend this beast to anyone.

I've been looking at the JBL bar 1300X mk2 as well. I have a 55 G4 paired with the S95Tr and while I would like more height from the rear channels it is a solid option as well for less money than you are looking at with either of these 2 systems. The only spot I have for my couch in my apartment is against a wall with a large window and I have the rear speakers set up on either side of the Window which work well to get the rear sound to the whole room. I will probably have the same setup if I end up getting the JBL. Instead of setting them up when I want them I will probably just have them connected to power via some old phone chargers.

a note on the rear speakers of the 1300X MK2. You can leave them plugged in if you want, which is awesome to have that flexibility either way imo. Having heard both systems in a demo and just picked up the 1300X MK2, the JBL had a better image and better bass by a good margin. The bass of the samsung is not quality bass to the same degree, it's a lot of mid bass which is so annoying. I was able to try eq on both of them via there native apps and for the samsung also eqed via the S95F it was connected to.

just curious do you only have 1 or 2 HDMI 2.1 ports on your TV? because there are good options generally in this price range but that don't have 4K 120 passthrough via the bar or in the case of the recommendation I am about to share, it does but at 8-bit / 4:2:0 color . I haven't heard the Q990 D but have heard the f and the sub imo sucks and let's the rest of the system down since the majority of the bass seems like it is in that 70-125 HZ range. so even though it personally is out of your $800 budget without a huge sale, I wouldn't recommend it because of that. if you can stretch the budget another $100 and are willing to do some eq I recommend the LG S95 TR. It has a 5th channel in the center to help with center channel content and it helps immensely imo but only once you have fine tuned things as much as you can. Out of the box it sounded terrible for me but even from the soundbar remote it allows you to adjust both the woofer and bass levels and this hellps get more of that low end quality bass. I do wish it had more height from the rear channels but it is solid for the money. I am tempted to get the JBL bar 1300X MK2. Finally heard it in a bestbuy and liked what I heard but a part of me is trying to convince myself to keep the S95 TR for a bit longer since it is a great system. With any system, make sure if you don't already; to set your HDMI digital sound out to passthrough.

I just got the JBL bar 1300X MK2 for $1100, about to hook it up soon. Also have an LG S95TR that you could get for probably $7-800 which is after some eq, really solid. The 990F has great sound over all but the sub is aweful and bass fell off a cliff at really deep levels compared to others I've heard, like from the S95TR and the JBL Bar1300X Mk2 demo.

I second this and am in an apartment. Bass doesn't go past a 2, have only had it hooked up for a couple days and am still making adjustments but it is a fantastic system.

Try the JBL bar 1300X MK2. It has great sub bass not that midbass crap Samsung calls bass.

https://preview.redd.it/gtax47bxkjxg1.jpg?width=8192&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=86dc61ad8773764cb16af12f578755ef5b168634 https://preview.redd.it/okzbzq1zkjxg1.jpg?width=6144&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d724b5485db96c86fb25a3b81cb73ca2e644b651 *Disclaimer: I received this product for free from LG as part of a promotional event. While I was asked to share my review, all opinions are entirely my own.* Many enjoy watching content on a screen of some kind. Phones and TVs make it easy to enjoy content wherever you are. **Dolby Atmos FlexConnect** aims to bring that same approach to audio, allowing you to place speakers where you want them, rather than designing a room around your speakers. Have you ever parted with a beloved sound system then spent untold amounts of money trying to recreate that same experience in your new living space? Or found a perfect setup only to be frustrated by a lack of space to put speakers or by a partner or spouse who doesn’t share your same enthusiasm for audio? The **Immersive Quad Suite 7 Pro** from LG seems to be designed exactly for these scenarios with a concept that is flexible in both scale and design. # # Dolby Atmos FlexConnect: flexibility is in the name. The centerpiece of the **Immersive Quad Suite 7 Pro** is the **H7 soundbar**, a **5.1.3 passive setup** which **supports 9.1.6 Spatial Audio** through virtual up-mixing. That might sound like a bold claim but in testing, I found the bar on its own impressive, with the ability to create precise height **effects** and a sound field that is both wide and deep. Other components include the **M5 speaker**, a **1.1.1 configuration**, the **M7 speaker**, a **2.1.1 configuration** and the **W7 8-inch sub-woofer**. You can also use a **DAFC-enabled TV as a hub** including many of LG’s 2026 models such as the G6 and C6, or 2025 OLEDs like the LG C5 and G5. There are a number of combinations to build your system, but for M5 and M7 speakers to work as intended you will need at least **1 M7 speaker or 2 M5 speakers** with a **DAFC-enabled hub**. I will share thoughts on potential configurations later on. The system I am reviewing includes the H7 soundbar, 1 W7 subwoofer and 4 M7 speakers. Paired together this setup creates an expansive 13.1.7 configuration with a total power output of 1,600 Watts. The H7 is connected via HDMI eARC to my 55-inch LG G4. To ensure audio decoding was being handled by the **Immersive Quad Suite 7 Pro**, I have HDMI pass-through enabled for streaming content and **Bitstream** enabled on my PS5 for 4K UHD content. I switch the PS5 back to **Linear PCM** for gaming. # # Testing the H7 sound out of the box. I first tested the H7 as a standalone device to get a sense of its capabilities. Even at low volume the bar was able to create textured bass that was not only heard, but at times felt. During the ambush scene of Iron Man, gunfire and explosives were conveyed with surprising detail that only increased my excitement to add the wireless speakers and subwoofer to the mix. # # Gaming on my PS5. I haven’t had much time to test this with gaming but I did play *The Last of Us II* and *God of War Ragnarök* and had no lag in either game. I previously used an LG S95TR and the PS5 was connected directly to the G4 and gaming audio was uneven across the whole system and wasn’t something I enjoyed. While my Audeze Maxwell is hard to beat for gaming audio fidelity, LG’s **Immersive Quad Suite 7 Pro** is a huge step up in gaming audio performance. Reaching for my Maxwell won’t be something I default to when gaming as I have previously. # # Speaker and Subwoofer placement. An important note for setup, the speakers and H7 have physical switches that need to be moved to the on position, otherwise calibration will not work. The W7 subwoofer and the wireless M7 speakers include an electrical cord for power. The W7 has a Type-C port for service only, while the Type-C port on the M7 Speaker can transmit audio from a phone or Tablet. I didn’t test this feature but I like that it is included. Connecting an M7 speaker via Bluetooth to my phone was better than I expected and while I appreciate having the feature it isn’t something I plan on using regularly. That said it was much more enjoyable than using a standard mono Bluetooth speaker. # # Connectivity and DAFC setup. The LG ThinQ app is pretty straightforward, and the app quickly found each component except for the W7 subwoofer, more on that below. As for general setup, I would like to see some changes with respect to guidance provided in the setup of the **Immersive Quad Suite 7 Pro**. For me personally, a tooltip explaining that setting up a DAFC group would be done after all devices were added to the app would have been reassuring. Beyond that a simple video explaining and demonstrating the setup process would streamline things for a lot of people. Because of the modular nature of this system, each component needs to be set up individually. At first I was anxious because despite multiple reset attempts I could not get the W7 subwoofer to appear as an eligible device to connect via the app. It wasn’t until I began the DAFC setup process that a message in the app showed that the W7 subwoofer was visible and could be added to the group. Once the DAFC group was created, I began the calibration process. The whole process took about 30 seconds. Test tones were played from each speaker except for the W7 Subwoofer. To get the best calibration experience I recommend having the volume at a reasonably high level. It allows the mics in each speaker to communicate more effectively and improve the precise measurements between each speaker. This is especially important for a non-traditional setup. I ran several calibrations, testing the sound with speakers at different height levels to simulate scenarios such as one speaker being placed on an end-table while another might be placed on a window-sill. This is where LG's implementation of Dolby Atmos FlexConnect really shines. Without proper measuring equipment it is difficult to quantify in numbers how effective this is, but the best way to sum up the results is that they are realistic, believable and genuinely stunning. For my most recent calibration I have the M7 speakers mounted to Sanus universal speaker stands that hold speakers up to 10 LBS. LG plans to release speaker stands meant for these speakers but they are not yet available for purchase by US customers at the time of this review. The speakers connect to a stand via an M4 screw. I would have liked to see at least another foot in length added to each electrical cord for maximum flexibility, since I didn’t have much cord to work with once the speaker was mounted to its stand. # # Previous systems I’ve owned or have demoed. My setup for movies has been the LG S95TR and I have extensively demoed systems like the **JBL Bar 1300X MK2**, referred to in some regions as the Bar 1300 MK2, and the Samsung Q990F. For music I have a NAD T758 V3 with Monitor audio Gold 100 5G speakers and a REL HT1205 subwoofer. # # Performance. In a word, Wow! LG knocked this out of the park. Let’s start with the W7 subwoofer. I have not heard extension in a wireless sub like what I’m hearing from the W7. A big reason for this in my opinion is because of LG’s effort to extend bass below 30 Hz. I don’t know this for sure but the default tuning suggests this was an emphasis and it shows in my testing. Many home theater subs focus on droning mid-bass that often bleeds into the rest of the sound. Despite my best efforts I haven’t heard a hint of this from the W7. Even at nighttime listening levels, the sub cleanly hits with subtle, but deliberate precision in movies and music. The woofers in the M7 speakers and the H7 bar seem to take a lot of the mid-bass duty from the W7, giving the entire system a cohesive refined sound. A song like *Children of the Omnissiah* from the *Mechanicus* soundtrack has bass that brings out the true character of a sub. The W7 didn’t flinch but shook the room with authority. One thing I found lacking with the S95TR was sound from the height channels, especially the rear height channels. This is not the case with the **Immersive Quad Suite 7 Pro**. The helicopter chase in *Mission: Impossible - Fallout* and the scene where Tom Cruise **flies** his jet above the head of Ed Harris in *Top Gun: Maverick* both have a shocking level of fidelity that I have not experienced at home. Some other standout scenes that bring out the best in this system include *Dune: Part Two*, when Paul Atreides rides a sandworm, the runaway train in *Unstoppable*, several scenes from *Inception*, *Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit*, *F1 the movie* and the 2007 *Transformers* film. # # Streaming Music is a treat with the LG Immersive Quad Suite 7 Pro. The **Immersive Quad Suite 7 Pro** works with Tidal Connect, Apple AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect, with Google Cast support available for the M7 speakers and coming in June for the H7. I streamed music via Spotify Connect in testing and found the system something I could see myself using day to day even as a replacement for my current music system. Why? The convenience factor but most importantly the sound. This isn't just great performance for a soundbar, it's great performance period. While I personally feel the biggest strength of this system is for cinema, it is more than capable of providing a full range musical experience. # # Sound Follow™ Another hidden gem of this system is a feature LG calls Sound Follow. It uses the Ultra Wideband from your phone to determine where you are within your space and centers the sound around you. Once you’ve moved to a different spot in your room you tap the “set position” button to recenter the sound. This was a fun feature to try and it did work to a degree, but while I will use it I feel that the general FlexConnect is more effective. I enjoy using this though to challenge the system and would love to see enhancements to it via firmware updates. # # Conclusion. The **LG Immersive Quad Suite 7 Pro** has raised my expectations for what to expect from a soundbar and compatible speakers. The only system that costs less that comes within striking distance of it is JBL’s **Bar 1300X MK2** which despite having over 30% more power and a larger 12-inch sub, doesn’t have the scale via the drivers in the rear speakers and bar to handle mid-bass detail; leaving the heavy lifting to the sub. It has similar sub-bass extension but doesn’t have the speed of LG’s W7 subwoofer. They both do well with height channels but tonally speaking, especially for the rear channels, the LG M7 speakers have a depth that the JBL just can’t match. When it comes to previous systems from LG the gulf is even wider. If you thought the **Immersive Quad Suite 7 Pro** might be an incremental upgrade from the S95TR, it is a complete departure from that system. It has twice the power and I get the sense LG focused on creating a harmonious sound between each component. The level of separation and detail is unmatched even from comparable Sonos builds. This is both a huge leap in sound performance for LG and the category of soundbars with separate speakers. If you own a **DAFC-enabled TV** but don’t want to pay for the H7 soundbar, I recommend getting at least 2 M7 speakers to try as rear channels while using the TV as a hub. If you own a **DAFC-enabled TV** but plan to buy the entire system or at least the H7 with any number of speakers, I recommend using the H7 as your DAFC hub and connecting all other speakers via FlexConnect and bypassing the TV speakers altogether. https://preview.redd.it/8nwddqdpkjxg1.jpg?width=4096&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=04600b19e0721ccdfd1720aa6e109522edf26e3c https://preview.redd.it/3epz1homkjxg1.jpg?width=4096&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1cbba331a29af689a1821d5fc6d169ab5058802a

it's a great question. Prior to my sound bar experience I've only ever had 5.1 or 7.1 and always figured i'd do a 7.1.4 at most. Now I've owned an LG S95TR and just picked up a JBL Bar 1300X MK2 but was also looking at a 13.1.7 setup via the LG Sound Suite and had a similar thought, could I realistically make all that work in my space? The thought of it is crazy.

Having tried a couple different setups now I agree. If I ever do try something larger than this JBL I just picked up I will need to have a larger, better treated room.

Its not the biggest room by any means. I know the JBL will be wonderful, but I wasnt sure if the Nakamichi was the way to go over the JBL

I have one, im not sure if the nakamichi is worth the upgrade over this or the Q990D

I had the Mk1, so I upgraded. But I wasnt sure if the Nakamichi was really worth it for the money

The Mk2 is NUTS compared to the 990D....

Its definitely louder and clearer for sure

5 minutes with it was more enjoyable than a whole day with the Mk1 in my opinion. Everything about it is far more refined.

I setup the Mk2 today and it was extremely impressive. Definitely think ill stick with this and the Q990D! Appreciate all your input!!!!