JBL's premiere Dolby Atmos soundbar’s price has crashed – but this 5-star Samsung set-up is still better

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

If you’re looking to upgrade your TV’s audio with a Dolby Atmos-ready soundbar system, chances are you’ve come across one of the sea of deals on the JBL Bar 1300.

There are a wealth of them doing the rounds, including Peter Tyson’s latest discount which lets you get the 11.1.4 surround sound soundbar package for £899, a big £400 saving on its regular £1299 price.

And ordinarily this would be the point we’d be telling you to fill your boots and grab the system while you can as that is a very good price.

You may like

But there’s one fly in the ointment at this very second – there’s a better system on a deal right now that only costs a smidgeon more. Specifically, you can grab the Award-winning Samsung HW-Q990D 11.1.4 soundbar system for £955 on Amazon – a £744 saving on its normal £1699 price.

Why are we recommending that deal? Because, while we found plenty to like about the JBL Bar 1300 when we reviewed it with its bold, up-front sound earning it an impressive four-star rating, the Samsung is better in a few key areas.

During testing we were particularly impressed with its large immersive three-dimensional sound, which offers a better sense of height than its JBL rival – a key thing you want for Dolby Atmos. It’s low end, while occasionally prone to crackle during demanding scenes is also more precise, but retains enough weight to get you fully immersed in a movie or sports match.

That’s why the Samsung Q990D pipped an extra star and earned a What Hi-Fi? Award, with our testers reporting:

“[The Q990D is] a hugely compelling package overall, and while it’s certainly not cheap, it is good value compared with alternative systems that offer similar specs and features. If you want something approaching ‘proper’ Atmos sound without buying an AV amplifier and 12 individual speakers, it has to be on your shortlist.”

Hence why we’d strongly recommend looking at it and investing the extra cash if you want the best sound possible.

MORE:

These are the best Dolby Atmos soundbars we’ve tested

We rate the best surround sound systems

Our picks of the best soundbars for movie fans

TOPICS

Alastair is What Hi-Fi?’s editor in chief. He has well over a decade’s experience as a journalist working in both B2C and B2B press. During this time he’s covered everything from the launch of the first Amazon Echo to government cyber security policy. Prior to joining What Hi-Fi? he served as Trusted Reviews’ editor-in-chief. Outside of tech, he has a Masters from King’s College London in Ethics and the Philosophy of Religion, is an enthusiastic, but untalented, guitar player and runs a webcomic in his spare time.