JBL Bar 1300X vs Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9

The JBL Bar 1300X is the more complete system out of the box: it ships with a 12-inch wireless subwoofer and two detachable battery-powered surround speakers, so you get real rear channels and deep bass with no extra purchases. The Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 is a single bar with 13 drivers and 360 Spatial Sound Mapping, and it is the stronger pick for a Sony Bravia TV owner who wants clean HDMI 2.1 switching and a one-box setup. On sound, the JBL wins on bass depth and true surround; the Sony wins on room calibration and video passthrough. Owners rate the JBL slightly higher, but on far more ratings.

• Choose the JBL Bar 1300X if you want a full 11.1.4 system with a real subwoofer and wireless rear speakers included, and you watch a lot of Atmos movies.
• Choose the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 if you own a Bravia TV, need 4K/120 and 8K passthrough for a console, and prefer one bar with no sub or satellites in the room.