Typically, when you hear about some new-fangled JBL speaker, it’s a portable offering focused on being the life of the party. Today, the company unveiled the JBL Cove line-up, a whole-home Wi‑Fi audio system, taking aim at Sonos. There are three speakers included — the JBL Cove M1, Cove P1, and Cove X1 — all with different skill sets.
Despite their differences, the whole setup is built to work seamlessly “throughout the house,” without any interruptions via Wi-Fi and the JBL One app. All of ’em promise automatic room calibration, AI Sound Boost, and ‘Constant Sound Field’. They’ll also work alongside its Bar Series MK2 soundbars, functioning as rear speakers.
Whole-home, JBL style
JBL Cove M1Sitting on the low-end of the Cove spectrum is the M1, setting buyers back roughly R3,700 ($230). This is the one that’ll take up residence on shelves and counters, though it should fare well in smaller rooms, too. Under the hood, you’ll find three ‘silk dome neodymium’ tweeters and a single 4in woofer. Grab two of them, and they’ll form a stereo system. There’s no Dolby Atmos support — you’ll have to look at the pricier models for that.
Speaking of which, the JBL Cove P1 sits in the middle of the range and is the only one to pack a battery and a carry handle. That means it can move around the house (and beyond) with a bit more class than the rest. JBL reckons a full charge will net 14 hours of tunes, bolstered by four tweeters (one of those up-firing) and one woofer. JBL has also added Dolby Atmos support, which makes the R6,500 ($400) easier to stomach.
Finally, there’s the Cove X1. It’s the biggest of the lot, no doubt, but there’s no battery taking up room in there. Instead, this “3D room-filling” home speaker integrates four tweeters (one up-firing) and two 4in woofers. Dolby Atmos is also included, justifying the nearly R7,300 price ($450). All three speakers are set to launch in October, though it’s still unclear whether we’ll see them in South Africa.
