CES 2021: JBL Introduces New Dolby Atmos Sound Bar With AirPlay 2 Support

JBL today introduced the latest addition to its sound bar lineup, the JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam. With support for AirPlay 2, the Bar 5.0 is ideal for Apple users, as audio can be wirelessly streamed to the sound bar from devices like the iPhone and iPad.

jbl sound bar 5 multibeam
AirPlay 2 allows for multi-room audio when the JBL sound bar is paired with other AirPlay 2 devices, such as the HomePod, Apple TV, select Sonos speakers, and more. Additionally, users can use Siri to control audio playback.

The sound bar delivers surround sound, with support for both Dolby Atmos and JBL's proprietary beamforming technology MultiBeam:

Equipped with four passive radiators for deep and punchy bass, the Bar 5.0 produces clear, heightened and room filling JBL 3D Surround Sound, without the need for an additional subwoofer. Highlighted within the Bar 5.0 is HARMAN's MultiBeam technology that enables users to hear and feel surround sound without needing additional surround speakers, generating an immersive listening experience. In addition, Virtual Dolby Atmos allows the Bar 5.0 to reproduce the audio height dimensions from a movie or TV show, turning any living space into a 3D personal theater.

JBL says the sound bar will be available on JBL.com and at select retailers in Spring 2021, priced at $399.95 in the United States.

jbl sa750 amplifier
JBL is introducing several other products ahead of CES 2021, including a new retro-inspired integrated amplifier with AirPlay 2 support. The new SA750 amplifier is priced at $3,000 in the United States, with availability beginning April 2021.

Popular Stories

Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
ipad black friday 2025

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:20 am PST by
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
ipad mini 7 feature red and blue

iPad Mini 8: Four Major New Features to Expect

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:50 am PST by
Apple's eighth-generation iPad mini is highly likely to arrive next year, offering a significant refresh of the device with at least four major new features. OLED Display The next-generation version of the iPad mini could feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple Watch in 2015, ...
watchos 26 workout app

Apple Watch Users Claim Workout App Is Now Worse in Every Way

Thursday November 20, 2025 7:01 am PST by
Apple Watch owners have been voicing their frustration online over changes to the Workout app that Apple introduced in watchOS 26, with many finding the redesigned interface makes starting exercises difficult and exasperating. When Apple launched watchOS 26 in September, the Workout app went from large, easily tapped workout tiles to a scrolling, corner-button interface. Instead of tapping a ...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Two Breakthrough Features

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:26 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include two standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...

Top Rated Comments

Mike_Trivisonno Avatar
64 months ago
Wow. That amp is seriously good looking! Add to Cart!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
4jasontv Avatar
64 months ago
If making modern electronics look like it’s from the 70s can command a premium will we have to wait until 2031 to pay extra for a modern amplifier that comes in an oversized cheap neon plastic shell?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jeffmetanna Avatar
64 months ago

Dumb question: If I connect this Airplay 2 equipped Sound Bar to a TV, can I mirror my iPad video or just audio?
Your iPad will find the soundbar as an AirPlay 2 speaker. So you can only stream audio to it. If you want to mirror your screen, you will need an Apple TV hooked to your TV.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chinch07 Avatar
64 months ago
I just outfitted my tv space this holiday season with proper Dolby Atmos and it is incredible. I feel bad for whoever purchases that sound bar with hopes of Atmos
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Maconplasma Avatar
64 months ago

Wow. That amp is seriously good looking! Add to Cart!
Eh it does "look" nice but generally retro-inspired products made today lose a lot in the translation from the original. Usually they tend to feel cheaply made. Also with all the discrete components commonly used in amplifiers back in the day it would be a very expensive audio product to create that today, such as the McIntosh systems.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Braderunner Avatar
64 months ago
Clicked on the link in the article, and saw that Samesung now owns Harman Kardon. Sad. :(
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)