Marshall Heston 120 vs JBL Bar 500MK2

The JBL Bar 500MK2 and Marshall Heston 120 are slightly different soundbar setups. The JBL has a dedicated sub, which provides more low-frequency extension and sub-bass rumble, while the Marshall has two up-firing drivers for reproducing height information. Despite its up-firing drivers, the Marshall isn't much better than the JBL at reproducing convincing height cues. However, the addition of a sub puts the JBL ahead in most acoustic performance metrics, though it has a warmer sound than our in-room target. The JBL also supports Optical while the Marshall doesn't, making it the better pick if your gear only works with the connection.