JBL Bar 1300XMK2 vs Sonos Arc Ultra Soundbar Comparison

JBL Bar 1300XMK2 vs Sonos Arc Ultra

JBL Bar 1300XMK2

11.1.4-channel | $1,700

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Sonos Arc Ultra

9.1.2-channel | $1,099

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JBL Bar 1300XMK2 vs Sonos Arc Ultra: the short answer

Across 13 features we can compare from the published specs, the JBL Bar 1300XMK2 comes out ahead on 8 and the Sonos Arc Ultra on 1. The biggest difference for movies is height: the JBL Bar 1300XMK2 has 4 ceiling-firing channels and the Sonos Arc Ultra has 2. Only the JBL Bar 1300XMK2 comes with a subwoofer, which matters when comparing the prices.

Reasons to choose JBL Bar 1300XMK2 over Sonos Arc Ultra

Channel layout: 11.1.4 vs 9.1.2
Height channels: 4 vs 2
DTS:X: Yes vs No
HDMI inputs: 3 vs 0
Subwoofer: Included vs Optional
Rear speakers: Included vs Optional
Streaming: Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect vs Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect
Height: 2.38 in vs 3.13 in

Reasons to choose Sonos Arc Ultra over JBL Bar 1300XMK2

Voice assistant: Alexa built-in vs Google Assistant optional

Side-by-Side Comparison

	JBL Bar 1300XMK2	Sonos Arc Ultra
Channel layout Counts speaker channels the bar actually has. More ear-level and height channels means a wider, taller sound field.	11.1.4	9.1.2
Height channels Drivers aimed at the ceiling, which is what makes Dolby Atmos sound overhead rather than just wide.	4	2
Dolby Atmos	Yes	Yes
DTS:X	Yes	No
HDMI to the TV eARC carries lossless Dolby TrueHD and Atmos from the TV; plain ARC compresses them.	eARC	eARC
HDMI inputs A spare HDMI port for a games console or disc player.	3	0
Video pass-through	4K	—
Subwoofer Included beats optional beats none: a separate subwoofer is where deep bass comes from.	Included	Optional
Rear speakers Real rear speakers put effects behind you; without them surround is simulated from the front.	Included	Optional
Room correction	Yes	Yes
Streaming	Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect	Wi-Fi + AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect
Voice assistant Built in, rather than through a separate smart speaker.	Google Assistant optional	Alexa built-in
Dialogue enhancement	Yes	Yes
Height Lower is less likely to block the bottom of the TV picture.	2.38 in	3.13 in
Width / suits TVs from Neither is better: match the bar to your TV. See the size simulator below.	40.63 in / 50-inch	46.44 in / 55-inch
Drivers in the bar	19	14
Weight	13 lbs	13 lbs
List price	$1,700	$1,099

Green marks the better figure where one is better. Dashes are specs the maker does not publish.

Size: Both Soundbars in Front of a TV

Drawn to scale. The solid bar is the JBL Bar 1300XMK2, the dashed outline the Sonos Arc Ultra. Pick your TV size and how it stands to see whether either would cover the picture.

Full Specifications

JBL Bar 1300XMK2 Specifications

Sound
Channels	11.1.4
Dolby Atmos	Yes
DTS:X	Yes
Drivers	Tweeters: 1" Dome (7); Midrange: 3" Cone (4); Woofers: 2.0" x 2.75" Cone (8); Subwoofer: 12" Cone; Enclosure: Ported
Frequency response	32-20K Hz
Subwoofer	Included
Rear speakers	Included
Virtual surround	MultiBeam 3.0
Dialogue enhancement	Yes
Night mode	Yes
Room correction	Yes
Connections
HDMI to TV	eARC
HDMI inputs	3
Video pass-through	4K
HDMI version	2.0
Optical inputs	Yes
Analogue input	No
USB	USB-A
Subwoofer output	Wireless
HDMI CEC	Yes
Streaming and Control
Wi-Fi	802.11ax
Bluetooth	Yes
Streaming	AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn, YouTube Music
Voice control	Google Assistant optional
App	Apple iOS, Android
Remote included	Yes
Learns TV remote	Yes
Physical
Dimensions (W x H x D)	40.63 x 2.38 x 5.38 in / 1032 x 61 x 137 mm
Weight	13 lbs / 5.9 kg
Subwoofer size	15 x 18.94 x 16.75 in (W x H x D), 34 lbs
Wall mounting	Yes (bracket included)
Warranty	1 Year parts, 1 Year labour
List price	$1,700

Power is the maker's total across all drivers and is not comparable to an amplifier's per-channel rating.

Sonos Arc Ultra Specifications

Sound
Channels	9.1.2
Dolby Atmos	Yes
DTS:X	No
Drivers	Tweeters: Soft-Dome (7); Midrange: Cone (6); Woofers: Cone (1); Enclosure: Sealed
Subwoofer	Optional
Rear speakers	Optional
Virtual surround	Surround mode
Dialogue enhancement	Yes
Night mode	Yes
Room correction	Yes
Connections
HDMI to TV	eARC
HDMI inputs	0
Optical inputs	No
Analogue input	No
USB	No
Subwoofer output	Wireless
HDMI CEC	Yes
Streaming and Control
Wi-Fi	802.11ax
Bluetooth	Yes
Streaming	AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn, Apple Music
Voice control	Alexa built-in
App	Mobile, Web, Computer
Learns TV remote	Yes
Physical
Dimensions (W x H x D)	46.44 x 3.13 x 4.31 in / 1180 x 80 x 110 mm
Weight	13 lbs / 5.9 kg
Wall mounting	Yes (bracket sold separately)
Warranty	1 Year parts, 1 Year labour
List price	$1,099

Power is the maker's total across all drivers and is not comparable to an amplifier's per-channel rating.

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