5 min readMumbaiFeb 28, 2021 09:45 AM IST
First published on: Feb 26, 2021 at 03:01 PM IST
The Zebronics Juke Bar 3800 Pro is a multi-purpose soundbar that, like most soundbars, can be used with your TV, Desktop, phone or pretty much any other device that can output sound via a 3.5mm port or Bluetooth. Priced at Rs 6,199, the device has a lot of competitors, as well as features to set it apart from the crowd. We tried the 60W soundbar for about a week and here are our thoughts on the device.
Design
The Zebronics Juke Bar 3800 Pro features a sleek design and weighs 3.7 kg. Despite the length of 90 cm, we liked the fact that the device has grooves on the back that allow it to be wall-mounted, eliminating the need to custom-make or buy a separate platform that can support the unit. On the rear face of the soundbar are the HDMI, AUX and Optical input ports, tucked neatly into a cavity, that will help any wires not get squished against a wall.
Connectivity, features and functionality
The Juke Bar 3800 Pro has an impressive arsenal of features, controlled by its own dedicated remote control, something not all soundbars come with at this price. If you misplace the remote control, there’s an extra set of power button and volume keys neatly placed on the right edge of the unit. This edge also houses the USB input, allowing you to quickly connect a flash drive.
The dedicated remote control allows you to tune the sound, select equaliser presets and control playback and volume. (Image Credits: The Indian Express/ Chetan Nayak)
The ability to get sound input from five different types of sources is a highlight here. The device can play audio from an HDMI port, a 3.5mm port, a Bluetooth 5.0 connection, a USB port and an Optical input port. Also, the USB port only works with storage options that are not bigger than 32GB. However, being able to connect your phone, TV and laptop is pretty handy, and so is the fact that you can switch input modes at the press of a dedicated button on the remote.
The remote also has buttons that allow you to play/pause your media and skip to the previous/next track. Apart from the volume keys and a dedicated mute button, the remote houses four equaliser presets that you can quickly switch between.
There’s also an LED indicator in the centre of the unit that gives you quick relevant information when the unit is in use. This includes input mode, volume level and what equaliser preset has been selected. However, this isn’t a dedicated screen, so you can view only one of the above-mentioned elements at a time. Also, the indicator cannot be turned off as long as there is power being supplied to the unit, even if you turn the soundbar off.
An LED display on the Zebronics Juke Bar 3800 Pro gives you handy information on presets, input mode and volume levels. (Image Credits: The Indian Express/ Chetan Nayak)
Sound
The Zebronics Juke Bar 3800 Pro has a powerful output and a fairly-balanced sound signature. There’s enough power here for the soundbar to be heard throughout a full apartment when placed in the living room.
We mostly tested the unit with the music and the 3D equaliser presets and can say that sound is neither too biased towards the highs or the lows. The bass is punchy and the instrument separation is pretty impressive. However, the remote allows you to boost or decrease the bass and treble levels on a scale of -5 to +5. This allows users to customise the sound signature according to their taste.
Listening to bass-heavy tracks by artists like ‘Evanescence’ or ‘Run The Jewels’ is a great experience when you boost bass up to 4 or 5, and bring treble down to -2 or -3 for extra effect. On the other hand, you can get crisp dialogues while watching movies by bringing the treble levels up. Neither frequencies show distortion unless you turn the volume up very high.
The Zebronics Juke Bar 3800 Pro features Dolby Digital Plus technology. (Image Credits: The Indian Express/ Chetan Nayak)
Meanwhile, the quickly accessible 3D sound effect thanks to the preset button, is also a neat addition to have, especially when playing games. Trying Grand Theft Auto 5 with audio output on the Juke Bar 3800 Pro, sounds from other characters and vehicles in the game had a sense of direction to them. Though not as effective as something like a multi-speaker home-theatre setup, it gets the job done.
Verdict
The Zebronics Juke Bar 3800 Pro is a good soundbar. Ideal for your TV or gaming setup, it works well with desktops as well, if you can accommodate the size. Available on the Zebronics website and Flipkart for Rs 6,199, the 3800 Pro’s strengths are its dedicated remote control, and adjustable sound signature, both of which are really useful.
The Zebronics Juke Bar 3800 Pro Dolby is priced at Rs 6,199 and is available on the brand's website as well as Flipkart. (Image Credits: The Indian Express/ Chetan Nayak) 
The dedicated remote control allows you to tune the sound, select equaliser presets and control playback and volume. (Image Credits: The Indian Express/ Chetan Nayak)
An LED display on the Zebronics Juke Bar 3800 Pro gives you handy information on presets, input mode and volume levels. (Image Credits: The Indian Express/ Chetan Nayak)
The Zebronics Juke Bar 3800 Pro features Dolby Digital Plus technology. (Image Credits: The Indian Express/ Chetan Nayak)
Share
