JBL BAR 9.1 - Wireless Dolby Atmos Soundbar

[BeefS2]

Seemed like a good time to start an owners thread and collect some of the known function shortcuts. Feel free to add or change as we collect more

Calibration

• Place speakers beside seating position
• Press and hold HDMI button for 5 seconds on remote
• Wait until 'calibration-1 done' is displayed on soundbar (count down 5-1)
• Place speakers in desired location
• Press and hold HDMI button for 5 seconds on remote
• Wait until 'calibration-2 done' is displayed on soundbar (count down 5-1)

Smart Mode Off (Standard Mode On)

• To turn off, hold mute button for 3 seconds and press + on remote
• Changed to standard mode (no added effects, preset EQ settings)
• Soundbar reverts back to Smart Mode every time bar turned off/standby

Night Mode

• Press mute for 5 seconds then press - on remote

DTS:X Neural X Upscaling Off

• During DTS-X playback hold Atmos button for 10 seconds on remote

Check Battery Charge of Detachable Speakers

• Hold mute button for 5 seconds then press Atmos button on remote
• Will look like BAT_L80_R70 (left speaker, right speaker)

Auto Sync

• Press and hold TV button for 3 seconds and then press + on remote
• Within 5 seconds press + or - to adjust audio delay

Cycle through various sound modes (unsure of purpose yet)

• Hold bass button for 5 seconds, then press + on remote

Restore Factory Settings

• Hold Power and Source button on soundbar for more than 10 seconds

Software Update

• If connected to Wifi/LAN bar will automatically update as long as rear speakers are docked
• Speakers must be docked until update finished
• WAIT or UPDATING displayed while update is underway, DONE displayed when done

Updating by USB

• Attach USB drive to USB port, press power and - on bar for more than 10 seconds

JBL Bar 9.1 Owner's Manual

 

[SmAShY]

Thanks @BeefS2, really useful!

 

[Talkshowchris]

I can't confirm for sure yet, but I think the speaker battery status procedure on the remote may actually 'wake' the rear speakers without a need to power them on manually.
I'll try again tomorrow when I leave them overnight again.

 

[SmAShY]

They connected automatically for me the next morning on the one night I left them undocked.

 

[SmAShY]

I've emailed some of the buttons presses from this thread to JBL, specifically asking about the sound modes. Let's see what they say!

 

[lgans316]

I've emailed some of the buttons presses from this thread to JBL, specifically asking about the sound modes. Let's see what they say!

Hope you aren't asked to return the soundbar

 

[SmAShY]

I've emailed some of the buttons presses from this thread to JBL, specifically asking about the sound modes. Let's see what they say!

Hope you aren't asked to return the soundbar

My email has been sent on to their specialists.......

 

[Talkshowchris]

Customer knowledge > JBL specialist knowledge

 

[lgans316]

My email has been sent on to their specialists.......

Hoping you get a reasonable answer from the Specialists.

 

[SmAShY]

Hoping you get a reasonable answer from the Specialists.

I won't hold my breath, but you never know!

 

[dragosj]

Does anyone know how to force update on WiFi for this bar? If not, where can I download firmware for this bar as on JBL site there is nothing.

 

[SmAShY]

Does anyone know how to force update on WiFi for this bar? If not, where can I download firmware for this bar as on JBL site there is nothing.

Have you tried a factory reset?

 

[dragosj]

This is the only way? So there is no procedure like USB update?

 

[SmAShY]

This is the only way? So there is no procedure like USB update?

I don't know mate. There is a USB port so it should be possible. Try emailing JBL.

 

[Bill Decker]

Anyone having problems with HDR passthrough with this?

If I connect an Apple TV 4K to the HDMI In on the Bar, Dolby Vision is no longer available, if I instead connect up my Sky Q 2TB box directly I can’t access the newly launched HDR/HLG stream. Both Dolby Vision and HLG work when I connect either box directly to my TV (a Toshiba 55X9863DB OLED).

Pulling my hair out right now as the TV doesn’t do pass through for Atmos and doesn’t have eArc, so right now I’m left with a choice between having Atmos or having Dolby Vision/HLG.

 

[SmAShY]

Anyone having problems with HDR pass through with this?

If I connect an Apple TV 4K to the HDMI In on the Bar, Dolby Vision is no longer available, if I connect up my Sky Q 2TB box I can’t access the newly launched HDR/HLG stream. Both Dolby Vision and HLG work when I connect either box directly to my TV (a Toshiba 55X9863DB OLED).

Pulling my hair out right now as the TV doesn’t do pass through for Atmos and doesn’t have eArc, so right now I’m left with a choice between having Atmos or having Dolby Vision/HLG.

I have the same problem in regards to Sky Q and their HDR which uses HLG. I've contacted JBL support.......

 

[Tuco Sentenza]

This bar has too many problems!!!!

 

[Bill Decker]

This bar has too many problems!!!!

I'm keeping an open mind on my HDR passthrough problem right now as it could very well be an issue with my TV, but as it stands, the bar looks the more likely culprit for the problem.

 

[dragosj]

This bar has too many problems!!!!

I have no issues at all with C9. Everything is working as advertised for me. Give it some time to improve firmware and I think we might have a winner from the price/quality ratio.

 

[Tuco Sentenza]

Where you have hooked the bar? To the ARC port? If yes that could be the culprit, maybe its not enough bandwidth for 4K Dolby Vision with the ARC port. Hook the bar in other HDMI port to see if this way is working and have your Apple box in the bars HDMI. Yeah, this way you wont control the volume of the bar with the TVs remote but worth a try! You wont have sound for your TV cable channels either but try it out to see if you get DV this way!

 

[SmAShY]

Where you have hooked the bar? To the ARC port? If yes that could be the culprit, maybe its not enough bandwidth for 4K Dolby Vision with the ARC port. Hook the bar in other HDMI port to see if this way is working and have your Apple box in the bars HDMI. Yeah, this way you wont control the volume of the bar with the TVs remote but worth a try! You wont have sound for your TV cable channels either but try it out to see if you get DV this way!

I've suggested this in the other thread as my Philips ARC port doesn't support HDR but the others do.

 

[Tuco Sentenza]

I have no issues at all with C9. Everything is working as advertised for me. Give it srome time to improve firmware and I think we might have a winner from the price/quality ratio.

Pretul e mare! In our country this bar costs 1032 euros and i believe its a big price forma bar with problems! I can built an Atmos system with an AV receiver and in ceiling speakers for this price that will sound better!! The thing with such a setup is spache though, you need space!

@dragosj you dont have problems with the bar but have you tried all the cases where problems are observed by this guys? For example do you own a gaming console to see if you have sound cuts when exiting from a HDR game in the menu?

 

[psychosprout]

Pretul e mare! In our country this bar costs 1032 euros and i believe its a big price forma bar with problems! I can built an Atmos system with an AV receiver and in ceiling speakers for this price that will sound better!! The thing with such a setup is spache though, you need space!

@dragosj you dont have problems with the bar but have you tried all the cases where problems are observed by this guys? For example do you own a gaming console to see if you have sound cuts when exiting from a HDR game in the menu?

I've used it already for a wide variety of use cases I'd say.
Uhd/Nvidia shield both plugged into the bar at times, Dolby vision passthrough and Atmos all good from Netflix and all the major formats on Blu-ray tested (DTS:X, Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD, Dolby True HD etc along with some even older formats than that)
Netflix, Disney plus, now TV, all4 all passing Dolby surround nicely, got the odd pop when it changed format for the adverts on all4 yesterday but not all of the time.
Have a ps4 pro and switching from HDR out of a game I've not had a single issue with.
eARC all working perfectly without and lipsync issues (using an LG C9).
The sound it produces is really great, creates a nice bubble of sound that you sit in, the sub is mental....I leave it on 3 for normal TV watching but I watched Mad Max Fury Road last night on uhd and had to turn it down to 2.

The couple of issues I've had:
Calibration took a few goes (more than likely my setup with where the bar is placed)
Dialogue seemed a bit unclear but after calibration it seems fine now
DTS:X soundtracks seem underwhelming compared to their Atmos counterparts with or without neural X on or off
Still came with EU power cords so had to contact JBL support

 

[SmAShY]

I've used it already for a wide variety of use cases I'd say.
Uhd/Nvidia shield both plugged into the bar at times, Dolby vision passthrough and Atmos all good from Netflix and all the major formats on Blu-ray tested (DTS:X, Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD, Dolby True HD etc along with some even older formats than that)
Netflix, Disney plus, now TV, all4 all passing Dolby surround nicely, got the odd pop when it changed format for the adverts on all4 yesterday but not all of the time.
Have a ps4 pro and switching from HDR out of a game I've not had a single issue with.
eARC all working perfectly without and lipsync issues (using an LG C9).
The sound it produces is really great, creates a nice bubble of sound that you sit in, the sub is mental....I leave it on 3 for normal TV watching but I watched Mad Max Fury Road last night on uhd and had to turn it down to 2.

The couple of issues I've had:
Calibration took a few goes (more than likely my setup with where the bar is placed)
Dialogue seemed a bit unclear but after calibration it seems fine now
DTS:X soundtracks seem underwhelming compared to their Atmos counterparts with or without neural X on or off
Still came with EU power cords so had to contact JBL support

Have you managed to pass regular HDR through the bar?

 

[psychosprout]

Have you managed to pass regular HDR through the bar?

Yup I have indeed, in fact I did last night for Mad Max