Fill any room with cutting-edge sound and retro style with the JBL Authentics 500. From its Quadrex grille to its custom leather-like enclosure, the speaker was inspired by JBLâs iconic â70s designs. Immerse yourself in high-definition lifelike sound with Dolby Atmos Music thanks to the Authentics 500âs aluminum tweeters and patented SlipStreamTM bass port. With Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa available simultaneously, you can play your favorite music, control your smart home devices, and more, hands-free.
Fill any room with cutting-edge sound and retro style with the JBL Authentics 500. From its Quadrex grille to its custom leather-like enclosure, the speaker was inspired by JBLâs iconic â70s designs. Immerse yourself in high-definition lifelike sound with Dolby Atmos Music thanks to the Authentics 500âs aluminum tweeters and patented SlipStreamTM bass port. With Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa available simultaneously, you can play your favorite music, control your smart home devices, and more, hands-free.
Fill any room with cutting-edge sound and retro style with the JBL Authentics 500. From its Quadrex grille to its custom leather-like enclosure, the speaker was inspired by JBLâs iconic â70s designs. Immerse yourself in high-definition lifelike sound with Dolby Atmos Music thanks to the Authentics 500âs aluminum tweeters and patented SlipStreamTM bass port. With Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa available simultaneously, you can play your favorite music, control your smart home devices, and more, hands-free.
Fill any room with cutting-edge sound and retro style with the JBL Authentics 500. From its Quadrex grille to its custom leather-like enclosure, the speaker was inspired by JBLâs iconic â70s designs. Immerse yourself in high-definition lifelike sound with Dolby Atmos Music thanks to the Authentics 500âs aluminum tweeters and patented SlipStreamTM bass port. With Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa available simultaneously, you can play your favorite music, control your smart home devices, and more, hands-free.
Last updated at 08/27/2026 15:17:42
JBL Authentics 500 Wireless Home Speaker, 2.1-Channel Speaker Configuration, Wi-Fi and Ethernet, Virtual Dolby Atmos, Up to 270W of Power, Bluetooth,
Delivery between 1â7 Sept $175.23
Mastercard $100 OFF | JBL Authentics 500 Wireless Smart Home Speaker (Wi-Fi & Bluetooth Connection)
Delivery $174.12
Authentics 500 - Premium Smart Wi-Fi & Bluetooth Speaker with Dolby Atmos, Powerful Sound, and Iconic Retro Design, JBLAUTH500BLKUK, Black
Free delivery between 7â10 Sept
Authentics 500, Dolby Atmos Smart Home Speaker Built-in WiFi and Music Streaming, Voice Assist and Bluetooth Connectivity, Automatic Calibration, Comp
Free delivery between 7â10 Sept
Jbl Authentics 500 Portable Smart Home Speaker Wi-fi,bluetooth / /
Delivery $72.68
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Authentics 500 Hi-Fi Smart Home Speaker with Built-In Wi-Fi and Music Streaming, Voice Assist and Bluetooth Connectivity, Retro Design in Black
Delivery between 2â5 Sept $29
JBL Authentics 500 Hi-Fidelity Smart Home Speaker (Black)
Delivery $1,022.32
originally posted on bestbuy.com
I recently acquired the JBL Authentics 500 Smart Speaker and I am excited to give you my opinion, in a word it is outstanding!This speaker looks and sounds fantastic. The new smart speaker from JBL sports 270 watts of 3.1 channel sound in a cool retro design the front grill and JBL logo reminds me of the old JBLâs my father had with his old stereo system. The gold aluminum frame and the faux leather covering the main body complete the retro look. The controls are slightly recessed on the top keeping the design very clean. The voice assistant status indicator is on the top and functions just like the native assistant device indicators. The rear has the porting for the down firing bass speaker and the connectors for ethernet, USB for MP3 playback, power and a 3.5mm ... MoreI recently acquired the JBL Authentics 500 Smart Speaker and I am excited to give you my opinion, in a word it is outstanding!This speaker looks and sounds fantastic. The new smart speaker from JBL sports 270 watts of 3.1 channel sound in a cool retro design the front grill and JBL logo reminds me of the old JBLâs my father had with his old stereo system. The gold aluminum frame and the faux leather covering the main body complete the retro look. The controls are slightly recessed on the top keeping the design very clean. The voice assistant status indicator is on the top and functions just like the native assistant device indicators. The rear has the porting for the down firing bass speaker and the connectors for ethernet, USB for MP3 playback, power and a 3.5mm Aux jack for external audio input. The Voice assistant microphone on/off switch is also included on top of the rear panel. The base has rubber feet to keep the box in place and prevent vibration.Where the JBL Authentics 500 truly shines is in its audio performance. The system has three 25mm tweeters and three 2.75inch midrange speakers and a 6.25-inch woofer, The JBL team has done and incredible job with this compact speaker and the sound is amazing for itâs size. The bass is punchy, midrange is crisp, and the highs are clear and detailed. I could hear no distortion at any sound level. The down firing ported subwoofer can really push out the bass. They have included an auto calibration that takes place every time you turn on the speaker and it will adjust to any room you move it to provide the best sound. The speaker even has Dolby Atomos support. You can include this speaker in your speaker groups or group multiple JBL speakers for multiroom listening.The speaker connects by Bluetooth for streaming from other devices and had WIFI connectivity for streaming and automatic firmware updates. iPhone users can use airplay to stream directly to the speaker.The JBL Authentics 500 smart speaker supports voice commands via popular virtual assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Since it supports both I can control my cameras with google home, my lights with Alexa, stream from various apps from whichever service I desire. You use the JBL one app to set up the speaker and connect it to your Alexa or Google home account. I did have a little confusion about podcasts on Spotify, you have to install the skill but it will not work until you set Spotify as the default podcast provider in the Alexa app then you just say âAlexa play podcast (your podcast name) â and it will stream from Spotify. JBL has done a fantastic job getting the smart assistants to play nice together on one box.The JBL one app is simple and straight forward. I had no difficulty connecting to the speaker, connecting my WIFI or connecting to my smart assistant accounts. I am able to stream music from all of the services I use with my native devices, control my lights, thermostats, and TV.JBL has delivered the ultimate smart speaker in one cool retro box. The sound from this is out of this world, this is the best sounding smart speaker I have ever owned! In my opinion it is well worth the price. I highly recommend this if you are looking for a premium smart speaker.
originally posted on bestbuy.com
The JBL Authentics 500 is a beautifully designed high-end smart home speaker that delivers impressive sound quality, modern features, and a retro finish. The smart speaker features 270 watts of 3.1 channel sound with virtual Dolby Atmos, which creates a lifelike musical experience that makes you feel like you're hearing your music live. The speaker also has three 2.5mm tweeters, three 2.75" midrange woofers, and a 6.5" down-firing subwoofer, which provide clear and balanced sound with bass that you can feel.The JBL Authentics 500 is a fairly large sized speaker. It measures about 17.6 x 9.5 x 10.1 and weighs about 17.2 lbs. and in terms of features, the JBL Authentics 500 is packed with goodies. It has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, so you can stream music from ... MoreThe JBL Authentics 500 is a beautifully designed high-end smart home speaker that delivers impressive sound quality, modern features, and a retro finish. The smart speaker features 270 watts of 3.1 channel sound with virtual Dolby Atmos, which creates a lifelike musical experience that makes you feel like you're hearing your music live. The speaker also has three 2.5mm tweeters, three 2.75" midrange woofers, and a 6.5" down-firing subwoofer, which provide clear and balanced sound with bass that you can feel.The JBL Authentics 500 is a fairly large sized speaker. It measures about 17.6 x 9.5 x 10.1 and weighs about 17.2 lbs. and in terms of features, the JBL Authentics 500 is packed with goodies. It has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, so you can stream music from your favorite devices. It also supports voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant simultaneously, so you can control your music, get information, and more with your voice. The speaker also has a built-in Chromecast, so you can cast music, videos, and other content from your smartphone or tablet with room filling audio. You can even answer phone calls to the speaker if you like. Paired with the JBL One app, you can also access supported music services such as Amazon Music, Tidal, Calm Radio, iHeart Music, Napster, Qobuz, and TuneIn. The app also allows you adjust the equalizer if you like, access WIFI settings, connect WIFI streaming, and set up your Google assistant and Amazon Alexa. The speaker also features automatic self-tunning, meaning it automatically calibrates and optimizes the audio every time you power it up and let me tell you the quality of the sound, the music, and the bass will amaze you every time.The JBL Authentics 500 is also a stylish speaker that will look great in any room. It has a premium aluminum frame, custom leather-like enclosure, and Quadrex grille. The design was inspired by classic JBL heritage designs. This speaker will look amazing in any room of your home.Pros:⢠Powerful sound with virtual Dolby Atmos⢠Powerful Bass⢠Wide range of features, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, voice assistants, and Chromecast, WIFI Streaming⢠Ability to connect multiple speakers throughout your home⢠Stylish retro designCons:⢠Not as portable. The 500 series is a fairly large device and not as easily moved from place to another.I have been using this speaker for about a week now and every time I put some music on, it leaves me in awe. I love some bass in my music, so I enjoy the deep heart pounding bass that this speaker has to offer, also while being able to control my smart home features all from one place.Overall, the JBL Authentics 500 is an excellent smart home speaker that delivers impressive sound quality, modern features, and looks. It's a great choice for anyone looking for a high-end speaker that can fill any room with amazing life-like sound that also make your life a bit more convenient.
originally posted on bestbuy.com
I was wanting to upgrade the smart speaker in my home office and boy oh boy, this thing is a BEAST! Compared to other JBL speakers I've had in the past, the Authentics 500 is hands down, the best one I've ever owned.First, let's talk about size, this thing is big! This thing comes in around 9.5 inches tall, 18 inches wide, and 10 inches deep, so make sure you have the space needed. The over all physical design feels very premium. On the top, there's 5 control knobs and buttons. Starting from the left, the first knob is push-on for power, and rotate the dial for volume. Then, there's 2 smaller buttons, one for Bluetooth and one for favorites. The last 2 knobs control the level of treble and bass.Speaking of bass, there's a large woofer on the bottom of the 500 ... MoreI was wanting to upgrade the smart speaker in my home office and boy oh boy, this thing is a BEAST! Compared to other JBL speakers I've had in the past, the Authentics 500 is hands down, the best one I've ever owned.First, let's talk about size, this thing is big! This thing comes in around 9.5 inches tall, 18 inches wide, and 10 inches deep, so make sure you have the space needed. The over all physical design feels very premium. On the top, there's 5 control knobs and buttons. Starting from the left, the first knob is push-on for power, and rotate the dial for volume. Then, there's 2 smaller buttons, one for Bluetooth and one for favorites. The last 2 knobs control the level of treble and bass.Speaking of bass, there's a large woofer on the bottom of the 500 that fires deep bass tones downward while the mids and highs are pushed through the front grill. The 500 is a HiFi speaker capable of firing Dolby Atmos sound if connected to the proper source. On the back, there's a standard 2-prong power connector, ethernet LAN connector, 3.5 Aux input, and USB-C. So plenty of ports to connect to whatever devices you have.A unique feature of the 500 compared to other smart speakers is the ability to connect and use Amazon Alexa AND Google Assistant at the same time. Unlike other 3rd party smart speakers where you can have only a single voice assistant active, the 500 lets Alexa and Google ride side-by-side. Admittedly, there were some times where it didn't catch the wake word, but I still like the ability to not have to use 2 smart speakers to use 2 different digital assistants.When it comes to playing music, the 500 really shines. I've been using it in AirPlay mode to stream music and everything from classical music to heavy metal comes through crystal clear. The symphonic melodies of Beethovan, or the grinding guitars of Metallica, I haven't come across anything that didn't sound amazing.There's also a companion app that you'll need to download to set up this to connect to your home's WiFi and activate the digital assistant features, but you can also adjust the audio equalizer as well, so it really felt like a companion app and not a piece of bloatware that just hogs space on your phone.I've had this thing for a little over a week and I love it!
JBL Authentics 500 Wireless Home Speaker, 2.1-Channel Speaker Configuration, Wi-Fi and Ethernet, Virtual Dolby Atmos, Up to 270W of Power, Bluetooth,
Delivery between 1â7 Sept $175.23
Mastercard $100 OFF | JBL Authentics 500 Wireless Smart Home Speaker (Wi-Fi & Bluetooth Connection)
Delivery $174.12
Authentics 500 - Premium Smart Wi-Fi & Bluetooth Speaker with Dolby Atmos, Powerful Sound, and Iconic Retro Design, JBLAUTH500BLKUK, Black
Free delivery between 7â10 Sept
Authentics 500, Dolby Atmos Smart Home Speaker Built-in WiFi and Music Streaming, Voice Assist and Bluetooth Connectivity, Automatic Calibration, Comp
Free delivery between 7â10 Sept
Jbl Authentics 500 Portable Smart Home Speaker Wi-fi,bluetooth / /
Delivery $72.68
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
I recently acquired the JBL Authentics 500 Smart Speaker and I am excited to give you my opinion, in a word it is outstanding!This speaker looks and sounds fantastic. The new smart speaker from JBL sports 270 watts of 3.1 channel sound in a cool retro design the front grill and JBL logo reminds me of the old JBLâs my father had with his old stereo system. The gold aluminum frame and the faux leather covering the main body complete the retro look. The controls are slightly recessed on the top keeping the design very clean. The voice assistant status indicator is on the top and functions just like the native assistant device indicators. The rear has the porting for the down firing bass speaker and the connectors for ethernet, USB for MP3 playback, power and a 3.5mm ... MoreI recently acquired the JBL Authentics 500 Smart Speaker and I am excited to give you my opinion, in a word it is outstanding!This speaker looks and sounds fantastic. The new smart speaker from JBL sports 270 watts of 3.1 channel sound in a cool retro design the front grill and JBL logo reminds me of the old JBLâs my father had with his old stereo system. The gold aluminum frame and the faux leather covering the main body complete the retro look. The controls are slightly recessed on the top keeping the design very clean. The voice assistant status indicator is on the top and functions just like the native assistant device indicators. The rear has the porting for the down firing bass speaker and the connectors for ethernet, USB for MP3 playback, power and a 3.5mm Aux jack for external audio input. The Voice assistant microphone on/off switch is also included on top of the rear panel. The base has rubber feet to keep the box in place and prevent vibration.Where the JBL Authentics 500 truly shines is in its audio performance. The system has three 25mm tweeters and three 2.75inch midrange speakers and a 6.25-inch woofer, The JBL team has done and incredible job with this compact speaker and the sound is amazing for itâs size. The bass is punchy, midrange is crisp, and the highs are clear and detailed. I could hear no distortion at any sound level. The down firing ported subwoofer can really push out the bass. They have included an auto calibration that takes place every time you turn on the speaker and it will adjust to any room you move it to provide the best sound. The speaker even has Dolby Atomos support. You can include this speaker in your speaker groups or group multiple JBL speakers for multiroom listening.The speaker connects by Bluetooth for streaming from other devices and had WIFI connectivity for streaming and automatic firmware updates. iPhone users can use airplay to stream directly to the speaker.The JBL Authentics 500 smart speaker supports voice commands via popular virtual assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Since it supports both I can control my cameras with google home, my lights with Alexa, stream from various apps from whichever service I desire. You use the JBL one app to set up the speaker and connect it to your Alexa or Google home account. I did have a little confusion about podcasts on Spotify, you have to install the skill but it will not work until you set Spotify as the default podcast provider in the Alexa app then you just say âAlexa play podcast (your podcast name) â and it will stream from Spotify. JBL has done a fantastic job getting the smart assistants to play nice together on one box.The JBL one app is simple and straight forward. I had no difficulty connecting to the speaker, connecting my WIFI or connecting to my smart assistant accounts. I am able to stream music from all of the services I use with my native devices, control my lights, thermostats, and TV.JBL has delivered the ultimate smart speaker in one cool retro box. The sound from this is out of this world, this is the best sounding smart speaker I have ever owned! In my opinion it is well worth the price. I highly recommend this if you are looking for a premium smart speaker.
The JBL Authentics 500 is a beautifully designed high-end smart home speaker that delivers impressive sound quality, modern features, and a retro finish. The smart speaker features 270 watts of 3.1 channel sound with virtual Dolby Atmos, which creates a lifelike musical experience that makes you feel like you're hearing your music live. The speaker also has three 2.5mm tweeters, three 2.75" midrange woofers, and a 6.5" down-firing subwoofer, which provide clear and balanced sound with bass that you can feel.The JBL Authentics 500 is a fairly large sized speaker. It measures about 17.6 x 9.5 x 10.1 and weighs about 17.2 lbs. and in terms of features, the JBL Authentics 500 is packed with goodies. It has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, so you can stream music from ... MoreThe JBL Authentics 500 is a beautifully designed high-end smart home speaker that delivers impressive sound quality, modern features, and a retro finish. The smart speaker features 270 watts of 3.1 channel sound with virtual Dolby Atmos, which creates a lifelike musical experience that makes you feel like you're hearing your music live. The speaker also has three 2.5mm tweeters, three 2.75" midrange woofers, and a 6.5" down-firing subwoofer, which provide clear and balanced sound with bass that you can feel.The JBL Authentics 500 is a fairly large sized speaker. It measures about 17.6 x 9.5 x 10.1 and weighs about 17.2 lbs. and in terms of features, the JBL Authentics 500 is packed with goodies. It has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, so you can stream music from your favorite devices. It also supports voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant simultaneously, so you can control your music, get information, and more with your voice. The speaker also has a built-in Chromecast, so you can cast music, videos, and other content from your smartphone or tablet with room filling audio. You can even answer phone calls to the speaker if you like. Paired with the JBL One app, you can also access supported music services such as Amazon Music, Tidal, Calm Radio, iHeart Music, Napster, Qobuz, and TuneIn. The app also allows you adjust the equalizer if you like, access WIFI settings, connect WIFI streaming, and set up your Google assistant and Amazon Alexa. The speaker also features automatic self-tunning, meaning it automatically calibrates and optimizes the audio every time you power it up and let me tell you the quality of the sound, the music, and the bass will amaze you every time.The JBL Authentics 500 is also a stylish speaker that will look great in any room. It has a premium aluminum frame, custom leather-like enclosure, and Quadrex grille. The design was inspired by classic JBL heritage designs. This speaker will look amazing in any room of your home.Pros:⢠Powerful sound with virtual Dolby Atmos⢠Powerful Bass⢠Wide range of features, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, voice assistants, and Chromecast, WIFI Streaming⢠Ability to connect multiple speakers throughout your home⢠Stylish retro designCons:⢠Not as portable. The 500 series is a fairly large device and not as easily moved from place to another.I have been using this speaker for about a week now and every time I put some music on, it leaves me in awe. I love some bass in my music, so I enjoy the deep heart pounding bass that this speaker has to offer, also while being able to control my smart home features all from one place.Overall, the JBL Authentics 500 is an excellent smart home speaker that delivers impressive sound quality, modern features, and looks. It's a great choice for anyone looking for a high-end speaker that can fill any room with amazing life-like sound that also make your life a bit more convenient.
I was wanting to upgrade the smart speaker in my home office and boy oh boy, this thing is a BEAST! Compared to other JBL speakers I've had in the past, the Authentics 500 is hands down, the best one I've ever owned.First, let's talk about size, this thing is big! This thing comes in around 9.5 inches tall, 18 inches wide, and 10 inches deep, so make sure you have the space needed. The over all physical design feels very premium. On the top, there's 5 control knobs and buttons. Starting from the left, the first knob is push-on for power, and rotate the dial for volume. Then, there's 2 smaller buttons, one for Bluetooth and one for favorites. The last 2 knobs control the level of treble and bass.Speaking of bass, there's a large woofer on the bottom of the 500 ... MoreI was wanting to upgrade the smart speaker in my home office and boy oh boy, this thing is a BEAST! Compared to other JBL speakers I've had in the past, the Authentics 500 is hands down, the best one I've ever owned.First, let's talk about size, this thing is big! This thing comes in around 9.5 inches tall, 18 inches wide, and 10 inches deep, so make sure you have the space needed. The over all physical design feels very premium. On the top, there's 5 control knobs and buttons. Starting from the left, the first knob is push-on for power, and rotate the dial for volume. Then, there's 2 smaller buttons, one for Bluetooth and one for favorites. The last 2 knobs control the level of treble and bass.Speaking of bass, there's a large woofer on the bottom of the 500 that fires deep bass tones downward while the mids and highs are pushed through the front grill. The 500 is a HiFi speaker capable of firing Dolby Atmos sound if connected to the proper source. On the back, there's a standard 2-prong power connector, ethernet LAN connector, 3.5 Aux input, and USB-C. So plenty of ports to connect to whatever devices you have.A unique feature of the 500 compared to other smart speakers is the ability to connect and use Amazon Alexa AND Google Assistant at the same time. Unlike other 3rd party smart speakers where you can have only a single voice assistant active, the 500 lets Alexa and Google ride side-by-side. Admittedly, there were some times where it didn't catch the wake word, but I still like the ability to not have to use 2 smart speakers to use 2 different digital assistants.When it comes to playing music, the 500 really shines. I've been using it in AirPlay mode to stream music and everything from classical music to heavy metal comes through crystal clear. The symphonic melodies of Beethovan, or the grinding guitars of Metallica, I haven't come across anything that didn't sound amazing.There's also a companion app that you'll need to download to set up this to connect to your home's WiFi and activate the digital assistant features, but you can also adjust the audio equalizer as well, so it really felt like a companion app and not a piece of bloatware that just hogs space on your phone.I've had this thing for a little over a week and I love it!
For starters, I must commend the packaging the speaker arrives in. All arrives in perfect shape, and the unboxing fruited a beautiful and sleek black speaker with gold accents. The speaker has a velvety leather material around the outside, popping golden metal trim and accents, simple knobs on top as controls, patterned grill, and four lifted feet to finish off the speaker's retro look.Looks aren't all this has unlike other visually-aesthetic speakers sometimes only offer. While the form is great, the function may even exceed that. I like to test a speaker's ability by throwing a variety of tunes at it. Some days, I'll throw on softer acoustic songs, and the Authentics 500 handles each note with care. If I switch it up to hard rock, the speaker can jam with the ... MoreFor starters, I must commend the packaging the speaker arrives in. All arrives in perfect shape, and the unboxing fruited a beautiful and sleek black speaker with gold accents. The speaker has a velvety leather material around the outside, popping golden metal trim and accents, simple knobs on top as controls, patterned grill, and four lifted feet to finish off the speaker's retro look.Looks aren't all this has unlike other visually-aesthetic speakers sometimes only offer. While the form is great, the function may even exceed that. I like to test a speaker's ability by throwing a variety of tunes at it. Some days, I'll throw on softer acoustic songs, and the Authentics 500 handles each note with care. If I switch it up to hard rock, the speaker can jam with the best of them. I'll throw a little R&B on, and it plays so smoothly. When the energy is up, it's easy to adjust the bass, throw on some bass-heavy beats, and my only wonder is how loud I should turn it up. The bass itself sounds very crisp, and had no trouble with whatever I threw at it.The speaker has such silky smooth sound quality at low or high volume levels. The max volume of this speaker is higher than I can even test. It can truly roar, and I can't wait to let it loose during a get together. The speaker's connectivity works great. A feature I really appreciate is that the speaker will automatically turn itself on when you tap to connect it on your phone. It also has an auto off feature, so when I'm heading out the door, I can pause the music and the speaker will shut off after some time. The knobs on top handle volume, treble, and bass, so you can really customize the sound. They look clean, and have backlights so you know exactly what levels your at. There's also a button which allows you to save your favorite sound settings.All in all, I'm highly impressed with the JBL Authentics 500. It looks great, perfectly tying together classy touches and utility. The sound is crystal clear, and the volume can appease a quiet night or a energetic bash. All features and functions work flawlessly. It's a phenomenal speaker in both sound and style.
Iâve spent a week with the JBL Authentics 500, and I have been extremely impressed by the detailed sound, deep bass, and loud volume.The Authentics 500 has an âold schoolâ look. JBL calls it âretroâ because it mirrors its own designs of the 1970s. I like it, my wife not so much. The speaker is what I would call big for a wireless speaker, taking up a decent amount of real estate. But that great sound has to come from somewhere, so I donât mind having a slightly bigger speaker. Three large knobs adorn the top of the Authentics 500, one for volume, and one each for bass and treble. In a nice touch, all three knobs also have a cool light display that scrolls around with the knob to show you how much volume, bass, or treble has been set.JBL also notes that the ... MoreIâve spent a week with the JBL Authentics 500, and I have been extremely impressed by the detailed sound, deep bass, and loud volume.The Authentics 500 has an âold schoolâ look. JBL calls it âretroâ because it mirrors its own designs of the 1970s. I like it, my wife not so much. The speaker is what I would call big for a wireless speaker, taking up a decent amount of real estate. But that great sound has to come from somewhere, so I donât mind having a slightly bigger speaker. Three large knobs adorn the top of the Authentics 500, one for volume, and one each for bass and treble. In a nice touch, all three knobs also have a cool light display that scrolls around with the knob to show you how much volume, bass, or treble has been set.JBL also notes that the Authentics 500 is made in large part using recycled materials. I really like when manufacturers build their components using recycled materials, it signals a concern for the sustainability of our environment and keeps stuff out of landfills.JBL also states the the Authentics 500 has an automatic calibration procedure that sets itself up anywhere it is moved to. They donât say how this happens, just that it is automatic. I tried the speaker in half a dozen places or so, and it always sounded good to me, so I suppose it is workingâŚConnection-wise, there is a standard aux port (a nice touch), a USB-C connection, Bluetooth (Iâm assuming SBC and AAC, JBL does not specify) and WiFi (as well as an Ethernet port). All of my listening was done either via Bluetooth or WiFi using AirPlay. I attempted to use Roon with the JBL Authentics 500 as an endpoint with AirPlay, but for whatever reason it wouldnât work. Not a showstopper, but I was bummed that I couldnât stream my extensive personal collection to the Authentics 500.The Authentics 500 also supports Dolby Atmos, such as what you can stream from Apple Music. I did test this ability extensively and found it to add an additional dimension to the music. The soundstage got wider and taller. Itâs a cool feature included in a wireless speaker, and I canât think of other wireless speakers on the market that implement Dolby Atmos.For Bluetooth, I connected my AT wireless turntable to the Authentics 500 and spun a few albums using Bluetooth. As I mentioned before, JBL doesnât specify (or at least I couldnât find it) what types of Bluetooth are supported (the AT turntable transmits as high as AptX), so Iâm assuming that the connection was just lossy SBC. Pretty sure JBL would advertise if it could receive and decode AptX. The sound was still pretty good, considering.Any music streamed via Apple Music sounded great. Since it was played via Airplay, Iâm going to assume that it was not âHi-Resâ and was just limited to an AAC stream of 16/48. JBL calls the Authentics 500 a âHigh Fidelityâ speaker, not Hi-Res, nor did I see any Hi-Res badging on it or the box. Again, Iâm just assuming, because I couldnât find any literature from JBL or on the internet that stated what sample rates the Authentics 500 could handle (other than MP3 supported sample rates via USB, and nothing was over 16 bits).For me, I had three things that I was disappointed in with the Authentics 500. One, I couldnât stream .flac files to it (thatâs my entire library); two, it wouldnât play files from Roon (my library manager); and three, it didnât seem capable of playing Hi-Res files.I took one star off for those shortcomings, because manufacturers such as Denon and SONOS which are in the same price range support .flac, Roon streaming, and Hi-Res (at least 24/44.1). The Authentics 500, in my opinion, is the best sounding wireless speaker I have had, itâs just missing a couple of the specifications that I really would like to have in a wireless speaker.
I cant find much to complain about with this massive JBL smart speaker. It is heavy, feels well built, and personally I like the retro aesthetic as well as the black and gold color scheme. Setting this speaker up was pretty much as easy as plug it in and go. As soon as I opened the JBL app it was looking for a new device and found this smart speaker within seconds. Within the app you can make some basic EQ adjustments. Essentially bass, mid, treble each have their own slider you can adjust up or down an arbitrary amount to your liking. You can also skip forward/back or play/pause music within the app, but only certain providers are supported. Spotify is not supported within the JBL app but this speaker works perfectly fine using the Spotify app or google/alexa to ... MoreI cant find much to complain about with this massive JBL smart speaker. It is heavy, feels well built, and personally I like the retro aesthetic as well as the black and gold color scheme. Setting this speaker up was pretty much as easy as plug it in and go. As soon as I opened the JBL app it was looking for a new device and found this smart speaker within seconds. Within the app you can make some basic EQ adjustments. Essentially bass, mid, treble each have their own slider you can adjust up or down an arbitrary amount to your liking. You can also skip forward/back or play/pause music within the app, but only certain providers are supported. Spotify is not supported within the JBL app but this speaker works perfectly fine using the Spotify app or google/alexa to tell it what to play. Sound quality is good out of the box in my opinion and will have no issues filling almost any space with whatever you decide to play on it, and Dolby Atmos is supported. Multiple tweeters and mids as well as a large ported downward firing subwoofer that really gives this speaker some depth. Provides good combination of lows/mids/highs and doesn't sound weak in any sector. Sound quality remains free of distortion even as you approach max sound level. Max sound level to be used with caution in most environments, this speaker will pull nearly 300watts of total power. Supports both alexa and google assistant, during initial setup in the app it allows you to set up both or just an individual provider. I use Google assistant and getting it set-up and added to a room in my home was very easy. If you opt to purchase multiple of these JBL speakers you can set them up in either the google home or alexa app to function as a multi-room system but there is no direct support for this in the JBL app. Also the functionality of multi-room systems in google home has recently changed so be mindful of that. Overall a really nice quality speaker from JBL that is extremely easy to set-up and provides a great experience.
Where can I begin? The JBL Authentics 500 is simply ASTONISHING! It is hands down the best sounding speaker I have ever heard.Let's start with the design. This thing has some weight to it (around 20+ lbs.), but it's sturdy and feels well crafted. The finish along the top, sides and bottom has a smooth durable rubber feel that allows for a nice grip while holding. The front plate of the speaker has a nice ice-tray design that's surprisingly strong considering that sound is traveling through it from behind the front plate. I'm not sure of what the front plate material is, but it's stronger than it looks. In the lower left corner of the front plate is a nice bronze-colored JBL emblem which gives it a classic branded look to compliment the bronze-colored metal-feeling ... MoreWhere can I begin? The JBL Authentics 500 is simply ASTONISHING! It is hands down the best sounding speaker I have ever heard.Let's start with the design. This thing has some weight to it (around 20+ lbs.), but it's sturdy and feels well crafted. The finish along the top, sides and bottom has a smooth durable rubber feel that allows for a nice grip while holding. The front plate of the speaker has a nice ice-tray design that's surprisingly strong considering that sound is traveling through it from behind the front plate. I'm not sure of what the front plate material is, but it's stronger than it looks. In the lower left corner of the front plate is a nice bronze-colored JBL emblem which gives it a classic branded look to compliment the bronze-colored metal-feeling edge along the frame.On the top, there are three knobs (Volume, Treble and Bass), and two independent buttons (Bluetooth and "Moment" - a button with a heart symbol that allows for ease of access to music Playlists and other personalized features that you can control through the app). The Volume knob also serves as a button when you push it from the top that allows you to pause, skip and restart a song. I love the easily accessible knob for Bass and Treble control and that JBL placed it on the top rather than on the back side - it just makes it all the more convenient in my opinion so that you're not having to move the speaker to make adjustments.On the back, there are three inputs (Ethernet, Aux and USB-C), an input for the power cord, and toward the top, an On/Off switch for use of the Voice Assistant features. I love the On/Off switch because it's convenient for people who don't care for Assistants and would rather such a function be turned off. On the bottom is where the subwoofer rests. Note that I did not mention a Power button. I learned upon plugging the power cord in that it comes on automatically when connected to a power source.On to the sound: This, (and I'm not exaggerating), is by far the best sounding speaker I believe I've ever heard. I wasn't sure what to expect initially, but I was beyond impressed. I first connected Bluetooth from my iOS device and shortly after tested with an Android device, as well. Please note that this speaker gets LOUD - so I advise that you do NOT have your volume on 100 when you press play. Honestly, I have yet to turn the volume beyond around 60-65 because it is just that loud. Instead, I'd have my volume very low and increase it to my liking. This speaker could easily be used in a large venue for a party, so just keep that in mind if your neighbors are close or if you're in an Apartment. Being able to adjust the Bass and Treble by their knobs was so convenient as the sub is so powerful. You will feel your floor vibrating and your walls rumbling the louder you go. The sound is clear, pristine and has great mid-range which is often a concern for me when shopping for speakers. It has great clarity naturally, but adjusting the Treble to your liking is oh-so satisfying. And the Bass - phenomenal.I never tried the Ethernet cable function just due to the layout of my home and how much stuff I would have had to move to do so comfortably, but I did test the Aux input which provided equal quality in the sound as the Bluetooth. The only drawback with the Aux for me was when I connected the input into the speaker (but before putting the other end into my output device), the sound that often happens when you plug in an Aux cable occurred because the volume wasn't at zero, which led to it giving a low distortion sound. I turned the volume to zero while connecting the other end to my phone and started playing a song and turned it up gradually from there. I saw no difference in sound between Aux and Bluetooth.Next, I downloaded the JBL One app on both my iPhone and Android phone. The app is free, easy to install and very user-friendly. While the app currently offers 7 different streaming platform services, the one I subscribe to unfortunately wasn't one of the choices, and I saw no way to manually add it. This, however, wasn't so bad as I could jump to my app and begin playing music and the JBL One app would recognize what I was playing and still offered functionality to pause and skip songs; so if you're streaming app isn't there, don't worry because you can hop back & forth between apps. The app will also recognize if you have an Aux cable inserted which is really cool. The app also included the "Moment" feature which allows for automation along with streaming services, but I didn't test this since I don't have accounts with the services currently provided. The app does, however, also allow you to adjust the Bass and Treble in the app just as the knobs on top of the speaker do - but it also provided an added feature by letting you adjust the Mid-Range EQ which can only be done in the app. You can even save the EQ to your personal liking. You can also use AirPlay from iOS devices which I tested and it worked very well.The app also includes Product Settings where you can add your Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa Assistant. I added both and tested it out and my Google Assistant responds quicker than a different device I already own. There's a Product Information section in the app which I like because it gives you web access to the product guide. The physical guide booklet that comes packaged with the speaker also provides support in several different languages, so that's a bonus.All-in-all, I have no complaints about the sound or the app - this is literally the speaker I never knew that I needed. As an Audio Mixing Engineer for 15+ years, this speaker is also a huge addition to my Studio as listening to records I've mixed on it was refreshing in the way it highlighted certain mixing techniques I've used on different parts of different songs. This will be an enhancing game-changer for me going forward. There's only one concern that I have and it's that there's no designated Power button. I've once blown a perfectly fine speaker the moment I plugged it in because of the electrical current that occurred when it received power, so that's always been a concern of mine with speakers in particular. I don't know if maybe JBL placed some type of delay or protection built-in that defends against such a scenario, but luckily there was no 'pop' sound or sound/feel of vibration or distortion when I plugged this in, so hopefully this speaker never meets the same fate as one from my past.Having used several JBL products in the past, this is by far their greatest work if you ask me. 10 out of 10 perfection. Bravo, JBL... Bravo!
Let's start out with the obvious. This speaker isn't small, but despite that, it's not big either. Coming in at slightly bigger than a double air fryer, this speaker packs a punch for its size. The dials on top of the speaker allow for quick adjustment of volume, treble, and bass which make it easy for guests, or anyone for that matter, to adjust levels on the fly. The dials are super smooth feeling in their action, which offers a very nice, premium feel. Regarding premium feel, this speaker has a very elegant design that will fit very well into most homes.Now that we got the preliminaries out of the way, let's talk business. This speaker has 270 watts of output, which is a healthy amount of power. I can comfortably listen to my music at half volume, with crystal ... MoreLet's start out with the obvious. This speaker isn't small, but despite that, it's not big either. Coming in at slightly bigger than a double air fryer, this speaker packs a punch for its size. The dials on top of the speaker allow for quick adjustment of volume, treble, and bass which make it easy for guests, or anyone for that matter, to adjust levels on the fly. The dials are super smooth feeling in their action, which offers a very nice, premium feel. Regarding premium feel, this speaker has a very elegant design that will fit very well into most homes.Now that we got the preliminaries out of the way, let's talk business. This speaker has 270 watts of output, which is a healthy amount of power. I can comfortably listen to my music at half volume, with crystal clear clarity in a big furnished room, and still have immense headroom to turn up the volume and "jam out" if I so desire. With the volume turned all the way up, it is more than loud enough for a pool party or even a wedding reception (despite it not being built for this application). I brought this speaker to a shop I used to work at and turned it all the way up, and from a good 50ft away from the speaker (out of sight), bluetooth was able to stay paired, but most importantly the sound was clear as day (bass all the way up to the high end), and it was overpowering some of the bluetooth speakers we had at the shop that were a good 70ft away from the speaker with walls in between. With the bass cranked all the way up, it's got some serious punch despite the "small" single 6.25" subwoofer on the bottom. The midrange and treble is clear despite how high or low you have the bass due to the fact that the subwoofer is able to provide its own "thump" or addition.The bluetooth range, while mentioned briefly above, is just as impressive as the sound. With a clear path to the speaker, I was not able to get the connection to even break up at 50ft away or more. With a few walls and a vehicle in between me and the speaker, the connection started to break up at about 50ft, but if I repositioned so that all that was in the way was the walls and not the vehicle, the connection was restored completely and working flawlessly.The app that is used in combination with this speaker, the "JBL One" app, is very well rounded. It allows you to see multiple devices at once (I only have this one speaker, but if I had more, I could see them all there and connect to them easily). The app also has software that allows you to be able to adjust the levels of the treble and bass, but it also allows you to adjust the midrange, which isn't a hardware knob that can be adjusted on the speaker itself. The level of volume, treble and bass can all be seen at a quick glance on the top of the speaker as seen by a white ring that illuminates with a "level" affect when you adjust it either from the app or the speaker itself.This review is quite long, but overall, this speaker is a 10/10 for me. It has all the power and clarity I seek and then some. The app is easy to use, and very simple to set up. The design is elegant and durable. All in all, I highly recommend this speaker if you're looking for a hi-fi home speaker for your "great room", living room, or really anywhere you want crisp, strong, and colorful audio.
I just had to try out the new JBL Authentics 500 Smart Home Speaker, especially when I found that it supported Dolby Atmos. All my previous JBL products have been excellent and I knew that this new 270W 3.1 channel speaker for your home would not let me down. And, it sure hasn't disappointed me.With its 3 2.5mm tweeters, 3 2.75" midrange woofers, and its 6.5" down-firing sub-woofer creating distinctive bass, this versatile speaker took my Dolby Atmos coded musical inputs and output a thrilling multi-dimensional soundscape.It doesn't matter what genre of music that you play, if it is coded for Dolby Atmos, you will find aspects of the music that you didn't realize were there, or that they could make such impactful audio. It also doesn't matter at what volume you ... MoreI just had to try out the new JBL Authentics 500 Smart Home Speaker, especially when I found that it supported Dolby Atmos. All my previous JBL products have been excellent and I knew that this new 270W 3.1 channel speaker for your home would not let me down. And, it sure hasn't disappointed me.With its 3 2.5mm tweeters, 3 2.75" midrange woofers, and its 6.5" down-firing sub-woofer creating distinctive bass, this versatile speaker took my Dolby Atmos coded musical inputs and output a thrilling multi-dimensional soundscape.It doesn't matter what genre of music that you play, if it is coded for Dolby Atmos, you will find aspects of the music that you didn't realize were there, or that they could make such impactful audio. It also doesn't matter at what volume you play the piece, the sound is clear and rich.Speaking of audio volume, I live in a townhouse surrounded by 2 neighbors (who I like), so I never even got close to raising the volume even to half of what this speaker can put out. I really didn't need to raise it any higher, because the sound was full and awesome.The only downside that I encountered was the initial setup through the JBL application, then setting up to my Wi-Fi router, then setting up to get high end audio files from the TIDAL website, and then setting up to use Alexa and Google for voice commands, then linking my phone via Blue Tooth, and then finally linking my audio files to play on voice command. The setup was not difficult, just time consuming and I still am not sure whether it is best to play the files directly from TIDAL, or downloaded to my phone and played from there, or to play through the JBL site with TIDAL linked, or to play from the Amazon or Google sites with TIDAL linked. It will take some more trying out.But in the end, the JBL Authentics 500 Smart Home Speaker allows me to totally immerse into my favorite music and get blissfully lost in its soundscapes on command.I would totally recommend this fine speaker to a friend!
This thing is a whole sound system in one compact space, with 270 watts, 3.1 channels, that is 7 speakers in total, it is no wonder this thing is as heavy as it is. It pumps out crystal clear sound, though having it at high volume, I donât recommend being in the same room. I took it outside and it was like having a concert for the neighborhood. Of course, it isnât really designed to be outside, I just wanted to see how loud it really was. At the higher volumes though, it sounds like the highs push more than the 6.5â woofer can try to compensate for. While at the same time, you can tell how the auto calibration tries to help fill an area with sound if you change anything, like when opening a door, you really notice that reflection is helping.The style of this truly ... MoreThis thing is a whole sound system in one compact space, with 270 watts, 3.1 channels, that is 7 speakers in total, it is no wonder this thing is as heavy as it is. It pumps out crystal clear sound, though having it at high volume, I donât recommend being in the same room. I took it outside and it was like having a concert for the neighborhood. Of course, it isnât really designed to be outside, I just wanted to see how loud it really was. At the higher volumes though, it sounds like the highs push more than the 6.5â woofer can try to compensate for. While at the same time, you can tell how the auto calibration tries to help fill an area with sound if you change anything, like when opening a door, you really notice that reflection is helping.The style of this truly does have a 70âs look to it. But, it has kind of an awkward size that the only place it can really fit is on a table somewhere. This is one of the few speakers I have seen that has Ethernet capability, so you donât have to set it up to Wi-Fi if you donât want to. You also have 3.5MM aux and USB C input if you donât want to use one of the available built in streaming services like Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Spotify or Tidal. This means your phone or other device does not have to do the streaming, however, you can do that if you want to through BlueTooth too. You can also use Google and Alexa at the same time so you can take advantage of standard smart speaker features, like asking Alexa the weather. You can also flip the microphone switch on the back so none of them can hear you even if you have it set up. With a red light on the front to show it is disabled, it is the only light on the front, but easy to notice if you are yelling at Alexa and she is not responding. The light up volume/bass/treble knobs are a neat way to see control and see the digital levels as well.The JBL One app is required to set up the streaming features and voice controls. The app itself is pretty simple and doesnât really have much else to do once you have everything set up. The EQ option does give a mid setting compared to the knobs controlling bass and treble only. But, most of the time, once you have it where you like it, nothing much changes. My favorite feature is the moments button, once set, it will go straight to whatever music source you have it set to, say a specific station on Amazon Music. That and voice assistance makes the app pretty much pointless afterwards.Overall, the sound level on this JBL Authentics 500 reminds me of the 80âs Maxwell commercial of a guy sitting in a chair getting blown away by the high fidelity sound. This is so many levels above your typical smart speaker and has the speakers to be enough for a sound system, but so odd shaped that it is not going to replace a typical sound bar. This will be a centerpiece of sound for any party for sure.
