Very easy to set up; Convenient hands-free Android TV control; Crisp high-frequency sound and clear bass (a wireless subwoofer is available as an option);

No support for optional surround speakers (wired or otherwise); Some Android TV apps have frame-rate limitations and choppiness issues; HDMI passthrough adds too much lag to use with game consoles; At this time, this implementation of Android TV doesn't support HDR video;

Compared to media-streaming rivals Roku, Amazon Fire TV and even Apple TV, Google's Android TV system has never taken off in the US. Among major TV makers only Sony uses Android TV in its television lineup, while other devices are as niche as the Nvidia Shield and the Channel Master Stream Plus.

The JBL Link Bar is a good-sounding bar that tries to be everything at once and ends up being too much for its own good.

The JBL Link Bar offers an unusual number of features including both Android TV and Google Assistant in one compact sound bar; Head-to-head with the Sonos Beam, the JBL offers more bass and better naturalism with most material; It includes three HDMI ports so will accommodate most setups.

This relatively expensive sound bar suffers from lag, particularly when it comes to invoking the Google Assistant -- 10 seconds to acknowledge a command is just too long; Why is Android TV even there?

JBL's $399.95 Link Bar is a smart soundbar that essentially doubles as a media streamer with Android TV, Chromecast, and Google Assistant. Throw in Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, HDMI, and optical connectivity, and it pretty much does it all. From an audio perspective it delivers crisp, clear sound and rich, boosted lows and low-mids, but there is no sub-bass really. That is left for an optional wireless subwoofer that costs an extra $300, and it sounds like something is missing without it. Design The Link Bar, available in black with a wraparound cloth grille, measures 2.3 by 40.1 by 3.7 inches (HWD). The top panel is matte plastic, emblazoned with the Google Assistant logo. Up here, there are controls for source, Bluetooth pairing, volume down/up, and a "privacy switch" that is essentially a mic mute control. The far-field mics are also located on the upper panel. Behind the cloth grille, there's a status LED, which among other things, lets you know when the mic is listening—after you say "...

The JBL Link Bar integrates Android TV and Google Assistant in a soundbar that delivers quality audio, but it sounds tame without the optional subwoofer.

Crisp, bright audio; Android TV and Google Assistant; Streams via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi; Includes multiple HDMI inputs and optical input

Sounds thin without optional subwoofer; Some Android TV/Google Assistant bugs; TV screen is required for many functions

Presently surprised by audio multiple inputs for other devices voice activation ,all apps Netflix,Stan,binge,prime and more.

That free woofer with the bar is amazing. My tv was old one not smart but this bar made it smart. I loved it.

Makes my old plasma TV sound great. Easy connections to setup

The product is worth every penny

Sounded fantastic from first go. Really loved the bass from the sub-woofer

From the days of bulky disc players, DVRs, outboard video streamers, A/V receivers, and speakers, we’ve transitioned to an era where just two devices — a smart TV and a compact soundbar — can now perform the vast majority of audio or video-related tasks. In fact, we’ve gotten to the point where some of these devices are packing redundant features. With the new Link Bar, JBL throws its hat into the smart soundbar ring, offering an Android TV and Google Assistant-based device that competes with the likes of LG and Sonos to be the technological brain at the center of your living room. But despite good intentions and surprisingly adept sound, we think the Link Bar is a bit too ambitious (and expensive) when you consider other options. Like most contemporary soundbars, the Link Bar does well to stay out of your eye line. A simple black device with a cloth grille and rounded edges, the only pop of color you’ll find on the soundbar is a small Google assistant logo on the right-hand side. The ...

Clear, wide soundstage; Easy to use; Built-in Google Assistant; Built-in Android TV streaming;

No subwoofer; Built-in apps don't support HDR; Expensive;