JBL Bar 500 MK2 dropped to its lowest price! Get the 5.1 soundbar with Dolby Atmos for under 12 thousand now

Soundbars with Dolby Atmos surround sound and a decent subwoofer usually start significantly higher. However, you can currently get the JBL Bar 500 MK2 for as little as 11 990 Kč, which is more than a quarter less than its launch price last year. If you’re interested in current availability or price comparisons across stores, you can find out fastest directly on Heureka.

Quick summary:
✅ Makes sense if you want to significantly improve your TV’s sound and are looking for a complete 5.1 setup with a wireless subwoofer without the need to run cables around the room.
⚠️ Consider carefully if you have a really small living room – the 10″ subwoofer takes up space, and a 750W system might not have room to “breathe” there.
💡 For 11 990 Kč, you get a combination of Dolby Atmos + DTS Virtual:X + automatic calibration, which is not commonly found at this price point.

Why this soundbar is interesting

JBL has a long history in cinema sound – and the Bar 500 MK2 is an attempt to bring that sound into the home living room at a reasonable price. It’s not a basic “bar under the TV,” but a full-fledged 5.1 system that combines a soundbar with a wireless subwoofer. In practice, this means you don’t have to deal with any cables between the soundbar and the bass unit – you place the subwoofer where it suits you, and it pairs automatically.

The MK2 model brings several improvements over its predecessor. DTS Virtual:X support has been added (in addition to Dolby Atmos), which expands content compatibility. PureVoice 2.0 and SmartDetails technologies then target two of the most common soundbar problems: poorly intelligible dialogue and the loss of subtle sound details.

Key parameters in practice

The total power of 750 W sounds impressive, but what’s more important is how it performs in reality. The wireless 10″ subwoofer delivers bass that you truly feel during action scenes – explosions, rumbling engines, deep tones of film scores. The soundbar itself has several speakers arranged to create a wide sound field thanks to MultiBeam 3.0 technology.

Support for Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X means that the sound doesn’t feel flat but creates a spatial effect – a plane truly “flies” over you, footsteps echo from different directions. It’s not a replacement for a full 7.1.4 setup with ceiling speakers, but for a typical living room, it’s a significant leap compared to integrated TV speakers.

Practical aspects: connectivity and control

The soundbar features HDMI eARC with 4K Dolby Vision passthrough support, so you can connect it between your console/player and TV without losing picture quality. It works with TVs of all brands – positive experiences with both Samsung and LG appear in reviews. Bluetooth is also available for wireless music playback from your phone.

Control is done via the included remote control or the JBL One app. The app allows for detailed equalizer settings, switching sound modes, and most importantly, initiating automatic calibration. This measures the room’s acoustics and adjusts the sound to suit the specific space. Users mention that calibration takes only a few minutes and the difference is noticeable.

What users say

On Heureka, the soundbar has a 100% rating (6 reviews, all recommending it). The most frequently praised aspects are sound quality, especially the bass and dialogue clarity thanks to PureVoice. Repeated satisfaction is expressed with the simple installation – connecting to both the soundbar and subwoofer happens virtually automatically, without complicated setup.

Users also highlight the SmartDetails function, which makes even subtle sounds audible – rustling, footsteps, distant sounds that would otherwise be lost. One reviewer summarized it by saying: “cinema-like sound, the difference compared to the old soundbar is incredible.”

Two criticisms emerge: the subwoofer’s dimensions (a 10″ unit takes up space, not everyone has somewhere to hide it) and app limitations – direct Spotify integration is missing, although it works fine via AirPlay or Bluetooth. Some mention the higher price, but in the context of the current discount, that ceases to be relevant.

When it doesn’t make sense

If you have a small room up to 15 m², a 750W system with a 10″ subwoofer might be unnecessarily oversized – the bass will boom more than you need, and your neighbors will let you know. In such a case, a smaller model like the JBL Bar 300 is worth considering.

The soundbar is also not a replacement for a full-fledged home cinema system with physical rear speakers. If you are an audiophile and want true 7.1.4 Atmos with ceiling speakers, this won’t be enough for you. However, for the average user who wants significantly better sound than from a TV but doesn’t want to deal with complex installation, it’s a very good compromise.

Verdict: who it’s worth it for

The JBL Bar 500 MK2 targets people who want cinematic sound with spatial effects without the need to install speakers throughout the room. For 11 990 Kč, you get a 5.1 system with Dolby Atmos, a wireless subwoofer, and automatic calibration – a combination that is not entirely common in this price category. The soundbar was last this cheap in February, so if you were waiting for a better moment, it has just arrived.

Do you use a soundbar at home, or is the sound directly from your TV enough for you?