JBL enters multi-room audio market with new Cove speaker series
JBL is launching the Cove speaker series, a whole-home audio lineup that will compete with Sonos and Bose. Three models go on sale September 13th.
JBL, a brand best known for portable Bluetooth and party speakers, is expanding into connected whole-home audio with its newly announced Cove series. The speakers can be used individually, paired as a stereo set, or linked together across multiple rooms, putting the lineup in direct competition with Sonos and Bose's recently released Lifestyle Ultra speakers.
Three models
The Cove series consists of three speakers, available in black or white, going on sale September 13th. The compact Cove M1 is priced at $229.95 and includes three 0.75-inch tweeters and one 4-inch woofer, but it must be plugged into a power source. The mid-tier Cove P1, priced at $399.95, supports Dolby Atmos and runs on battery power, offering up to 14 hours of playtime according to JBL. The flagship Cove X1, priced at $449.95, also requires a wired power connection but includes four 1.25-inch tweeters and two 4-inch woofers, along with Dolby Atmos support.
Features and connectivity
The speakers link together over Wi-Fi and are managed through the JBL One app, which handles music streaming and room grouping. Notable features include automatic self-tuning for the room, JBL's "AI Sound Boost" technology designed to prevent distortion at high volumes, and a "Music Follows Me" function that shifts audio playback to whichever room the user is in by long-pressing the Moment button on the nearest speaker.
The Cove speakers support Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, AirPlay 2, Google Cast, and Roon Ready. In the US, subscribers to Amazon's Alexa Plus can access voice assistant features, including smart home controls. Each unit also offers Bluetooth for direct connections with phones and tablets, and can be paired with JBL's Bar Series MK2 soundbars for a fuller home theater setup.
