CES 2020: JBL debuts soundbar with detachable speakers and Airplay 2 support

JBL is a long-known brand in the audio industry and has begun to make a name for itself in the home theater category as well. It's latest creation will give owners audio choices that were impossible beforehand.

Reported by Macrumors, the company has announced a new soundbar as CES 2020. The soundbar, dubbed the JBL Bar 9.1, will offer customers all of the expected features of a surround sound system but in a very unique way, as the back speakers are actually brought into the mix by detaching them from the base soundbar.

The base of the soundbar is equipped with Dolby Atmos and brought to life with four upward-firing speakers which aim to bounce sound off of the ceiling, creating an even more immersive experience when watching your movies and TV shows. It also includes a 10-inch wireless subwoofer, a staple nowadays in the home theater business. The most interesting part of the package comes in the form of two wireless speakers that detach from the soundbar itself.

These two speakers are designed to provide surround sound audio from the rear without having to have two speakers wired up and installed in perpetuity. Each one has a ten-hour battery life that should be more than enough to get through most trilogies. When they do run out of juice, users can reattach them to the soundbar to recharge.

The system offers support for Dolby Vision and is compatible with AirPlay 2, allowing iPhone users to stream their music to the soundbar as well as other devices in their home. It also offers Chromecast and Bluetooth support if you have an Android device or prefer to use those technologies on their iPhone anyway.

According to JBL, the company plans to begin selling the JBL Bar 9.1 in the spring of 2020 for $999.99. The first units will be available on the JBL website.