The JBL Boost TV is the latest entrant to the mini soundbar category. This affordable soundbar under $200 punches more power into your regular TV’s audio quality and coverage. Its forte is TV dialogue clarity. This means you will not miss a single word of your favorite shows and movies. The Boost TV has Wireless Bluetooth Streaming so you can play movies and songs without any disturbance on up to 3 simultaneously connected devices. It is equipped with SoundShift technology, Harman Display Surround Sound, Dolby Digital and has 30W power output. It includes an optical cable for easy connection to your TV. The JBL Boost TV is basically a soundbar cum wireless subwoofer. With such great features and an affordable price, it is a real value for money audio system.
The soundbar is a little over a foot long and has a smart compact design. It is shaped like a football – or a rugby ball as they are called elsewhere in the world – with two large bass ports on either end. All in all, the JBL Boost is a great choice for a cheap soundbar under 200 dollars.
What makes JBL Boost TV a compelling buy ?
Sound Performance :
The JBL Boost TV is an impressive soundbar at low prices. It revs up your TV sound and makes it much better with full-bodied clarity, Dolby Digital for HD movies and room-filling surround sound experience. It projects crystal clear TV dialogue with realistic and chesty male voices and well-articulated upper registers. Sounds like rustling of bushes and tires crunching over uneven terrain are detailed and crisp. Its superior tonal balance does away with tinny flatscreen sounds. Mids are crisp and distinct. However, the sound may turn a tad grainy when playing rock music. The bass is not as robust as one would’ve liked. Also, at high volume, the sound may feel a little harsh.
The JBL Boost TV has Bluetooth connectivity which means you can enjoy live streaming of your favorite shows through any device that has Bluetooth. It has SoundShift technology which enables it to automatically switch from your TV to a paired Bluetooth device when you press play. In other words, it instantly takes over music playback from a Bluetooth connected device without you having to re-pair the device as you switch back and forth between your TV and the device.
JBL Connect is another important feature of this value for money soundbar. It allows you to connect your Boost TV soundbar with other JBL speakers. This makes the device very flexible and you can continue to play the same Bluetooth source through all of them. Boost TV has two 50mm drivers with a total power of 30W. It is also equipped with Harman Display Surround Sound and Dolby Digital decoding for a real theater-like surround sound effect. However, the most it offers under Dolby Digital is CD resolution which means HD music and sophisticated Blu-ray music options are beyond its scope. It has frequency response of 60Hz to 20KHz.
Design :
The JBL Boost TV is shaped like a capsule or a football with two bass ports one either end. Its smart sporty design makes it one of the best-looking cheap soundbars currently being sold. It is covered with a black mesh grille. On the top panel it has displays for power, volume, Bluetooth and input selection. Its dimensions are 3.3” x 14.8” x 4.8”. It weighs 4.2 pounds. For connectivity it has digital optical and 3.5mm analog inputs. It includes a credit card size remote but can also be controlled with your TV remote. It cannot be mounted on a wall.
Key features of JBL Boost TV :
- SoundShift technology for comfortably managing TV and other Bluetooth device.
- Harman Display Surround Sound and Dolby Digital for room-filling surround sound.
- Wireless Bluetooth Streaming on up to 3 devices at a time.
- JBL Connect enabled.
- Mini soundbar (Soundbar cum wireless subwoofer).
[hr]
For gaming enthusiasts, check the best value buy soundbar – Razer Leviathan. For best TV Soundbar, check our handpicked list.
To finalize your selection between surround sound system and soundbar for TV, do read our detailed study.
[hr]