The catch
JBL Bar 500 MK2
Rear speakers are not in the standard package. Optional Cove expansion calls for two matching compatible speakers and the required firmware.
Side by side
JBL Bar 500MK2 vs 700MK2: 500 can add supported rear speakers later, 700 comes with rechargeable rears
Quick verdict
If you want rear speakers now but cannot have power cables trailing behind the sofa, the 700MK2 is the one, and its included battery rears also give you close-up Night Listening. The 500MK2 is the pick for a simpler bar-and-subwoofer setup, or if you would rather decide on rear speakers later. With supported firmware, the current 500MK2 can take a separately purchased matching Cove pair, so it is not permanently closed to rear expansion.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
A daytime playroom turns the charging routine into part of the purchase
Permanent speaker stands and power leads may be awkward if children scatter toys behind the sofa or a dog runs through that area. The 700MK2 rears can come out for a film and go back afterward, but that helps only if you have stable temporary positions and an easy place to recharge them. Should setting out two speakers get skipped most nights, 500MK2’s standard package leaves less equipment to manage. Its optional Cove route keeps a later change possible once the room arrangement settles.
Where this comes from
Battery-powered detachable rears come with 700MK2. 500MK2 comes with no rears, though current firmware supports a separately bought matching Cove pair. This is an inference about placement and handling. It does not certify childproofing or pet safety.
The catch
JBL Bar 700MK2
Stable positions and charging are still required for the detachable rears. They move easily, but they are not maintenance-free.
JBL Bar 500 MK2
- Why pick it
- You would rather have the standard bar-and-sub setup today than two more speakers to charge and move around.
- Adding a supported matching Cove pair down the road suits you better, and you accept the extra purchase and placement it takes.
- The catch
- Rear speakers are not in the standard package. Optional Cove expansion calls for two matching compatible speakers and the required firmware.
JBL Bar 700MK2
- Why pick it
- Included battery rears for film nights appeal to you, and you have safe temporary positions for them plus a charging routine.
- You would turn on Night Listening to bring the audio close to your seat while the bar and subwoofer are muted.
- The catch
- Stable positions and charging are still required for the detachable rears. They move easily, but they are not maintenance-free.
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What this page compares
Choosing between the JBL 500MK2 and 700MK2 for a living room that is also a playroom comes down to included rears, charging space, quiet viewing and the current Cove upgrade route.
Neighboring JBL systems like these share a bar-and-subwoofer approach, and 700MK2 adds detachable rears in the box. Choosing between them comes down to whether you will use, store and charge surround speakers often enough to justify the larger package.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
Bar and sub only, with no rear-speaker routine
With 500MK2 you skip equipment in the box that you don’t plan to place or charge.
- JBL Bar 500 MK2
- Better fit
- JBL Bar 700MK2
- Similar
Rear effects now and then, with no permanent power behind the sofa
Battery rears come with 700MK2. Safe support and regular charging are still needed.
- JBL Bar 500 MK2
- Caution
- JBL Bar 700MK2
- Better fit
A set spot for a matching Cove pair later
A verified upgrade route exists for 500MK2. Compare the complete cost and look beyond the price of the bar alone.
- JBL Bar 500 MK2
- Better fit
- JBL Bar 700MK2
- Similar
Late viewing up close, with the main subwoofer muted
The detached speakers included with 700MK2 are documented for this.
- JBL Bar 500 MK2
- Caution
- JBL Bar 700MK2
- Better fit
In practice
Differences you will notice
A daytime playroom turns the charging routine into part of the purchase
Permanent speaker stands and power leads may be awkward if children scatter toys behind the sofa or a dog runs through that area. The 700MK2 rears can come out for a film and go back afterward, but that helps only if you have stable temporary positions and an easy place to recharge them. Should setting out two speakers get skipped most nights, 500MK2’s standard package leaves less equipment to manage. Its optional Cove route keeps a later change possible once the room arrangement settles.
How we worked this out
Battery-powered detachable rears come with 700MK2. 500MK2 comes with no rears, though current firmware supports a separately bought matching Cove pair. This is an inference about placement and handling. It does not certify childproofing or pet safety.
After the film, the smaller-looking bar may take up more cabinet space
When the rears are detached, 700MK2 is 86 mm narrower than 500MK2, and it is 223 mm wider once they are docked. That flips the apparent space advantage in a small apartment where the cabinet also holds books or a game console. Measure the position you will use every day. The appealing detached arrangement in the photo may not be it. Charging separately over USB-C can keep the bar short, but it moves the speakers and charging cables elsewhere.
How we worked this out
The dimensions are for the bars themselves and exclude shipping boxes. 940 − 854 = 86 mm. 1163 − 940 = 223 mm. Support and cable clearance are extra.
In a household with mixed bedtimes, the rears can do more than surround
While Night Listening mutes the main bar and subwoofer, the 700MK2 rears can sit near whoever is still watching. That gives the included speakers work to do even on nights when full surround would be out of place. It is a stronger reason to choose 700MK2 than assuming its larger model number means clearer dialogue. If everyone watches together at similar hours, you may never use this benefit, and 500MK2 becomes easier to justify. No close-up speaker arrangement guarantees silence in adjacent rooms.
How we worked this out
Rear-only Night Listening is documented for 700MK2. An equivalent feature is neither asserted nor ruled out for separately purchased Cove configurations. The recommendation is about the two standard Amazon packages verified here.
Plug in your numbers
Is there room for the soundbar under your TV?
Measure the clear space under your TV. Count only the devices you will plug into the soundbar. Leave out the ones already connected to the TV. The numbers below are placeholders until you enter yours.
JBL Bar 500 MK2
Passes these checksIt measures 37 inches wide and 2 inches high, with 1 separate HDMI source input and 11.0 inches of total width to spare.
JBL Bar 700MK2
Check this one yourselfA cabinet measurement or your chosen connection is not confirmed for this exact model.
Measure the top of an open shelf. This check does not cover enclosed cubbies. Detachable speakers count toward the docked width. Leave extra depth for cables and the TV stand. This checks size and port count only. Dolby Atmos, 4K/120Hz passthrough and the audio formats your TV supports are outside it.
Option A
JBL, Bar 500MK2
JBL Bar 500 MK2
You would rather have the standard bar-and-sub setup today than two more speakers to charge and move around.
- Best for
- You would rather have the standard bar-and-sub setup today than two more speakers to charge and move around.
Facts we checked
- Standard package: Main bar and 10-inch subwoofer
- Rear upgrade later: Supported matching Cove pair, purchased separately
- Rear power during playback: No rears in the standard package
- Everyday bar width: 940 mm, about 37 inches
Option B
JBL, JBLBAR700M2BLKAM
Bar 700MK2
Included battery rears for film nights appeal to you, and you have safe temporary positions for them plus a charging routine.
- Best for
- Included battery rears for film nights appeal to you, and you have safe temporary positions for them plus a charging routine.
Facts we checked
- Standard package: Main bar, 10-inch subwoofer and two battery rears
- Rear upgrade later: Detachable rears already included
- Rear power during playback: Battery operation, up to ten hours with conditions
- Everyday bar width: 854 mm detached, 1163 mm docked
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | JBL Bar 500 MK2 | JBL Bar 700MK2 | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard package | Main bar and 10-inch subwoofer | Main bar, 10-inch subwoofer and two battery rears | With 700MK2 you get the full rear-speaker arrangement right away. |
| Rear upgrade later | Supported matching Cove pair, purchased separately | Detachable rears already included | Compare the complete future shopping list, since 500MK2 can be expanded. |
| Rear power during playback | No rears in the standard package | Battery operation, up to ten hours with conditions | Once charged, 700MK2 needs no permanent power connection at the rear. |
| Everyday bar width | 940 mm, about 37 inches | 854 mm detached, 1163 mm docked | 700MK2 is narrower only for as long as its rears are somewhere else. |
| Subwoofer floor space | 325 by 325 mm body footprint | 325 by 325 mm body footprint | The listed subwoofer footprint is no smaller with 500MK2. |
| Direct HDMI players | One input plus eARC output | One input plus eARC output | No further direct source connection comes from the upgrade. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With JBL Bar 500 MK2
- When comparing a future complete system, count the cost and power arrangements of both optional Cove speakers.
With JBL Bar 700MK2
- Docking the rears takes the bar from 33.6 to 45.8 inches. USB-C charging avoids that position but needs a different place.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
The extra speakers would mostly sit idle
Go with JBL Bar 500 MK2. Begin with the simpler package and keep the supported Cove option open.
Movable rears and close-up Night Listening get regular use
Go with JBL Bar 700MK2. The necessary rear speakers and battery arrangement come with 700MK2.
Two HDMI players must connect directly, with no other route
Neither model fits. One HDMI source input is on each bar.
Decision guide
Before you buy
The aim is rear effects on film night and a clear living room the morning after, with no speakers that become another thing to put away.
What this page can’t tell you
- Wattage and model number are not used to infer a winner on measured bass, dialogue or overall sound.
- The standard 500MK2 offer does not include Cove expansion, which is optional. Nothing is assumed about Night Listening behavior with the Cove that is not documented.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the soundbars we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| JBL Bar 500 MK2 |
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| JBL Bar 700MK2 |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
JBL Bar 500 MK2
You would rather have the standard bar-and-sub setup today than two more speakers to charge and move around.
Adding a supported matching Cove pair down the road suits you better, and you accept the extra purchase and placement it takes.
See price & reviews on AmazonJBL Bar 700MK2
Included battery rears for film nights appeal to you, and you have safe temporary positions for them plus a charging routine.
You would turn on Night Listening to bring the audio close to your seat while the bar and subwoofer are muted.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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