- Inspired retro design
The JBL Authentics 500 is inspired by classic JBL heritage designs filling any space—big or small—with superior JBL sound. - Superb sound and performance
270 watts of 3.1 channel sound, with virtual Dolby Atmos. Three 2.5mm tweeters, three 2.75″ midrange woofers and a 6.5″ down firing subwoofer with patented SlipStream port extends bass. Dolby Atmos Music content is available from compatible streaming services. - Wi-Fi enabled
Wi-Fi connectivity allows you to experience everything from podcasts to internet radio, or stream music through AirPlay, Alexa Multi-Room Music (MRM), Chromecast built-in, and Spotify Connect and take a call without the music being interrupted. - Simultaneous voice assistants
Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa are available simultaneously, providing convenience to control more smart home devices, play from more music streaming services, and get the most hands-free help from either assistant at any given time. - Bluetooth streaming
Seamlessly share playlists by pairing the JBL Authentics 300 with any bluetooth devices. - Intuitive control and JBL One App
Personalize your audio with controls to adjust volume, bass, and treble levels. Use Alexa or Google Assistant to control your device with your voice. Use the JBL One app to customize EQ, settings, and find your new favorite song using the integrated music services. - Multi-room playback
Using the Google Home app or Amazon Alexa app, you can set the mood in every room by connecting two or more speakers to a single playlist and get everybody moving to the same beat - Automatic self-tuning
The Authentics 500 calibrates and optimizes audio performance for every location each time you power it up. - Made in art with recycled materials
Made with 100% recycled fabric, 85% recycled plastics and 50% aluminum, and comes in a FSC-certified carton box printed with soy ink.
-36%
JBL – Authentics 500 Smart Home Speaker – Black
$336.00 Save:$188.00(36%)
Available in stock
Description
Additional information
| Weight | 17.2 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 10.07 × 17.6 × 9.45 in |
| Remote Control Included | No |
| Midrange Size | 2.75 inches |
| Speakerphone | No |
| Radio Tuner | No |
| Network Connectivity | Ethernet |
| Manufacturer's Warranty - Labor | 1 Year Limited |
| Speaker Pairing | Yes |
| Minimum Frequency Response | 40 hertz |
| Number Of Woofers Included | 1 |
| Control Button(s) | Bluetooth |
| Wi-Fi Compatibility | Wireless A |
| Woofer Size | 6.5 inches |
| Works With | Amazon Alexa |
| Manufacturer's Warranty - Parts | 1 Year Limited |
| Model Number | JBLAUTH500BLKAM |
| Water Resistant | No |
| Connectivity Technology | Bluetooth |
| Controls | Treble |
| Peak Power Handling | 270 watts |
| Maximum Frequency Response | 20000 hertz |
| Color Category | Black |
| Voice Assistant Built-in | Amazon Alexa |
| Product Depth | 10.07 inches |
| Wattage | 270 watts |
| Waterproof | No |
| Number Of Tweeters Included | 3 |
| Wireless | Yes |
| Built-In Microphone | Yes |
| Product Width | 17.6 inches |
| Compatibility | Bluetooth |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Product Name | Authentics 500 Smart Home Speaker |
| Product Weight | 17.2 pounds |
| Rechargeable | No |
| Auxiliary Input | Yes |
| Brand | JBL |
| Product Height | 9.45 inches |
| Color | Black |
| Number Of Speakers | 1 |
| High Resolution Audio | No |
| Wireless Multi-Room Audio | Yes |
| Tweeter Size | 1 inches |
| Number Of Midranges Included | 3 |
| UPC | 050036396264 |
Reviews (32)
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Derek –
I’ve 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 ‘old school’ look. JBL calls it ‘retro’ 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 don’t 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 don’t 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 working…
Connection-wise, there is a standard aux port (a nice touch), a USB-C connection, Bluetooth (I’m 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 wouldn’t work. Not a showstopper, but I was bummed that I couldn’t 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. It’s a cool feature included in a wireless speaker, and I can’t 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 doesn’t specify (or at least I couldn’t find it) what types of Bluetooth are supported (the AT turntable transmits as high as AptX), so I’m 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, I’m going to assume that it was not ‘Hi-Res’ and was just limited to an AAC stream of 16/48. JBL calls the Authentics 500 a ‘High Fidelity’ speaker, not Hi-Res, nor did I see any Hi-Res badging on it or the box. Again, I’m just assuming, because I couldn’t 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 couldn’t stream .flac files to it (that’s my entire library); two, it wouldn’t play files from Roon (my library manager); and three, it didn’t 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, it’s just missing a couple of the specifications that I really would like to have in a wireless speaker.
fudgear –
From the moment you unbox the sound system, there’s a definite feeling of handling a premium speaker. The packaging was well thought of and it shows that JBL is making good efforts to showcase how premium this speaker is. The speaker looks elegant with bronze/ gold accent at the front of the speaker. It feels a bit heavy so that’s good, a quality speaker should never feel light.
Before doing anything, it’s best to download the JBL One app so that the moment you start listening to music the device has already been updated to the latest firmware. It doesn’t take long to connect the device to the wifi network from the app and it would apply the latest firmware update automatically.
The sound system is equipped with the latest trends in audio tech that includes Dolby Atmos, Alexa and Google assistant. Aside of Wifi, in terms of connectivity there’s also Bluetooth. Music streaming services are integrated with the Wifi connectivity and Google/ Alexa voice assistant. There is also an Ethernet and USB-C port. Not only that the product supports Airplay, it also supports Alexa Multi-Room Music, Chromecast Built-in and Spotify connect.
So on to the most important thing we would expect from a sound system, what about the audio quality? Does it deserve the premium look and features? In a nutshell yes. You just got to experience it yourself. This is a powerful speaker, even at 50% of volume level it’s already enough to fill a medium sized room. There’s a very good blend of low, mid and high. I particularly like the bass performance; it doesn’t sound booming but definitely powerful and smooth. Frequency response is also good as I can hear the different nuances of musical instrument and vocals without being overcrowded. Overall, this is a very good audio product by JBL.
ERN52 –
JBL – Authentics 500 Smart Home Speaker
This JBL speaker is a very well thought out and effective speaker with various capabilities that makes this product more than just a speaker.
Now I say this Authentics 500 has some size to it. It is bigger that I anticipated, but not overly so.
I will say setup was really quick and easy. I plugged the speaker, it powered on and I set the Bluetooth connected with my iPad and I was listening to White Room by Cream.
Then I opened the Quick Start Guide and found out there was an app for this speaker in the Appstore. I download the app on my iPad and the app made it easier to get even more working. the app is available for Apple or Android devices and you can control the device from the app or manually through the controls on the speaker.
Besides Bluetooth connectivity, the speaker also has Alexa and Google voice apps built in. I use Alexa and I found in the Quick Start Guide a button that enable Alexa voice control to use with the speaker. For me, that is handy to check the weather or set up an alarm as well as listen to music.
I was very impressed with the build, the ease of use, the connectivity. I would recommend this to anyone who would want to acquire a speaker with connectivity.
Hmirza –
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 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 design
Cons:
• 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.
DavidJr –
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 don’t recommend being in the same room. I took it outside and it was like having a concert for the neighborhood. Of course, it isn’t 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 6.5” 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 70’s 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 don’t have to set it up to Wi-Fi if you don’t want to. You also have 3.5MM aux and USB C input if you don’t 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 doesn’t 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 80’s 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.
Stephen H –
First thing I thought when the package arrived was “Wow, this box is heavy!” LOL. What a beautifully built device! Downloaded the JBL One app, plugged in the speaker, and connected it to my phone. Family was here when I first powered it up, we were all blown away by the sound quality. It’s truly amazing! And with 270 watts, it was rattling the dishes in the cabinet I set it on. I’ll need to move it.
Designed with a retro nod to JBL’s iconic designs of the past with a leather look case and gold trim, I expect this will blend in with most any decor. With a size of 17.6”x9.45”x10.07” (WxHxD) and a weight of 17.2 lbs, it does make a statement in the room.
The heart icon button on top allows you to set a “moment”. You can select from a short list of services and choose a station, set a volume level, and if you want, you can set an auto off time also. I did not see a way to add services to the list, though. I was able to find my favorite local radio station on a different free service that was on the list so I set it to that so no big deal. There’s three large knobs on top, largest one controls the volume by turning it, you can tap the center of it to pause or start playback. The other two knobs adjust the bass and treble. The knobs have a ring that illuminates when you turn them to show you the level. In the app, a three band EQ is available also.
On the back of the speaker, there’s an ethernet port, a 3.5mm aux jack, a switch to turn off the mic for voice control, and a usb-c port. The usb-c port will charge your phone also.
In the app, you can connect a second identical speaker for an enhanced stereo sound or you can connect multiple compatible wifi enabled speakers using Airplay2 for multi-room audio.
I understand it works with Alexa and Google Assistant but even though we have several Alexa enabled devices in the house I find I really don’t use that feature.
joel125 –
The JBL – Authentics 500 Smart Home Speaker is an amazing sounding speaker that is very well built and has a beautiful design.
To get the speaker set up you will need to download the JBL One app on your mobile device. It will run you through the connection process and will also install a firmware update for the speaker. I didn’t have any issues with the app and it was very seamless. Within the app you can setup the smart speaker functions, check for software updates and adjust the sound equalizer. I recommend that if you are streaming from a mobile device to check your sound quality settings. I use an iPhone and Apple music. When I checked the sound quality setting on my phone it was set to a lower setting. Something to keep in mind.
The JBL Authentics 500 is an amazing sounding speaker. You get solid, deep bass and overall very good sound quality. I have always loved JBL’s sound signature and this speaker does not disappoint. It also gets very loud and will easily fill a large room. I really like how you get the bass and treble knobs right on the speaker itself for easy adjustability.
This speaker stays plugged in and is always ready to receive a signal whether through Bluetooth or Wi-fi. No battery or waterproofing. Just great sound. It looks amazing on the shelf and is very aesthetically pleasing.
If you are looking for an amazing sounding speaker that looks great and is easy to use, definitely consider this JBL speaker.
mrcarnut –
The new JBL Authentics 500 is an outstanding speaker. The first thing you will notice is the size and weight of this speaker. At a little over 17” long and 10” wide and deep and weighing in at a little over 17lbs it is a beast of a speaker. The speaker is not portable per se as there is no built-in battery so it needs to be plugged into an outlet. The cabinet has a leather like wrap with gold metal trim. It features the retro style grill found on JBL speakers from the 70’s and it looks great. The speaker consists of 3 – 1-inch tweeters, 3 – 2 ¾ inch midranges and a powered 6 ½ inch subwoofer. All of these are powered by 270 watts. In order to set up the speaker you need to download the JBL One app which allows you to connect to your Wi-Fi network (there’s also an ethernet connection on the back of the speaker). Once connected you can choose to deploy Alexa voice control and/or Google voice assistant. This speaker can use one or the other or both at the same time which is a very unique feature. The app also allows you to make EQ changes and add music streaming services. The speaker has volume, bass and treble controls on the top of the speaker and are lighted which is a nice feature. If you are going to use these controls you can delete the app once everything is set up. I set up the speaker using Alexa and my HD/Dolby Atmos music library. The JBL 500 also has Bluetooth and can play Dolby Atmos music streams. JBL claims that the speaker calibrates itself to the room environment whenever it is turned on so if you move it the speaker will re-calibrate for the best performance. As for performance this speaker sounds amazing. It has very detailed mids and highs and the bass goes surprisingly low for its size. I actually found myself turning down the bass. I have played a number of songs both stereo and Dolby Atmos and the soundstage is wide and full and the speaker is very impressive. I have a number of high-end portable Bluetooth speakers and this JBL is the best sounding of anything I own. JBL claims you can link multiple speakers for more coverage and better sound. I have the speaker set up in my kitchen which is open to my family room which combined are around 2000 sq. ft. and this speaker fills the rooms with great sound easily. This speaker can definitely get loud if you want it to. This is by far the best sounding easy to use smart speaker I have seen. If you are looking for a speaker that is easy to use and can fill a large room with excellent sound this is the speaker you should consider. I would highly recommend the JBL 500 and already have.
Motorpenguin –
I ordered this because I’m a huge fan of JBL – always have been – and was looking for an additional smart speaker for our bonus room. I really liked the way the Authentics line looked, with the retro styling, and the simple-sounding controls and features.
When the box showed up I was surprised by how big it was and thought, “Oh, well, it probably has a lot of protective packing.” Yes, it did, but still – this thing is big. Now, it’s a large bonus room so it won’t be a big deal to us, but pay attention to how big this thing is and really visualize it if you have a small space.
All that said, the sound is superb – in true JBL fashion. The app control is straight-forward, Alexa works well with it, bluetooth paired up easily. It has auxiliary and USB-C inputs as well for external device and/or computer use.
The one minor thing is the lack of EQ flexibility. It has a treble and bass control on the top but they’re touchy. You can adjust them via the app as well, and the app adds a midrange adjustment. But it’s only the three-band EQ and the frequency points are fixed. I would like to see at least a five-band EQ or (even better) a parametric EQ option via the app.
Bottom line – I would highly recommend the Authentics 500 if you have a large space to fill. Just be aware that it would overwhelm a small space.
mamallg –
First impression is that the speaker is large and attractive with a great presence. It looks and feels high quality with the sides having a leather like material. The design has an updated retro vibe so it will fit in with most settings. But what is more impressive is the sound that comes out of this speaker. Immediately, the power and bass impressed me. It will not only fill up a room but possible a whole house. The JBL 500 has 3 tweeters, 3 midrange woofers and a subwoofer all in this one speaker so I think the sound is premium. For an even better experience it’s capable of Dolby Atmos Music when it’s available through streaming services. And you can customize your settings through the JBL One app. The volume, bass and treble levels, EQ, settings and the integration of the music services can all be accessed via the app.
The controls on the JBL speakers are simple and easy to operate. The “play/button” is controlled by the number of pushes. One push is to play/pause, press twice and it will forward to the next song, three times will go back and then turning it up or down will control the volume. There is also a dial for the treble and a dial for the bass. The JBL is programmed to calibrate itself for optimum sound every time it’s turned on.
It connects via Bluetooth and you can control your music and other smart home devices and with the option of all of it being hands free with both Google Assistant and Alexa. The JBL is also wi-fi enabled so you have the ability to listen to everything from podcasts to music and even take a phone call.
I feel like the size is a pro and con. It’s pretty hefty at about 17 pounds so it’s not ideally mobile but could obviously be moved around. I just wouldn’t do it often. But because of its size- about 9.5″ x 17.5″ x 10″, it’s able to house all of the components to provide the full audio performance.
I really enjoy the JBL Authentics 500 speaker. It is indeed impressive with how it looks and feels and most importantly how it sounds.
NatureLover2 –
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 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!
Waggly –
The JBL – Authentics 500 Smart Home Speaker is something to behold. I didn’t truly understand the scale of this speaker array when I chose it. It wasn’t until I got it fully unboxed that I realized just how big it is. It’s a little more than 17x9x10. Take a minute to visualize or measure that before you purchase online to make sure you have a place to put it. It’s a centerpiece more than just a speaker. It won’t be easily hidden, nor would you want to hide it. The design is elegant with a retro feel that fits seamlessly with almost any décor. The controls are sleek, clean, and simple.
Assuming you have a spot for it, I think you’ll love the sound. Every time I play something I find myself drawn to the music. It becomes more than background noise for doing stuff around the house. It becomes the focal point of your attention. All ranges are incredibly clear and easily tuned to your liking. Trebble and Bass have dials on the unit. Mid can be tweaked from the JBL app. I’m hearing details that I didn’t know where hiding in some of my favorite pieces and tracks. It’s capable of crazy loud volume. I never got it past halfway because I was worried about bothering the houses next door. Ya…it’s that loud. The Dolby Atmos feature adds an amazing depth to music coded to take advantage of that technology. The sound is just huge. You could fill a very large room with this unit.
There are several options for streaming. I’m mostly using Airplay and Amazon Music while my kids prefer Spotify. Thanks to the built in assistant options for Alexa and Google, you can easily control most functions with your voice. I’ve even used it for simple things like setting a timer while cooking in the kitchen. “hey Alexa, set an alarm for 15 minutes from now” I’m very impressed with the sensitivity of the mic. I can call out in a slightly elevated voice from a different room of the house, and it can hear me just fine. Maybe I’m showing my age here, but I do wish that it had native support for Pandora. I can still push it from my phone, but I can’t set up direct streaming for that particular service; or I can’t figure it out. Not a deal breaker by any means, but check which services are built in if that’s important to you.
Setup was simple. It does require the JBL app, but I found it easy to work through the step-by-step instructions. It does have ethernet, aux, and usb-c physical connectivity, but I’m using the wi-fi and Bluetooth capabilities.
To summarize, this is an amazing piece of technology. Great look. Amazing sound. Easy to use. It’s a real conversation starter and will add a lot to your enjoyment and entertaining. It’s certainly not very portable, but that’s not what it was designed for. I definitely recommend this smart speaker system.
TechMatcher –
I took a little longer to write this review as I was having so much fun listening to amazing sounds of this new speaker! JBL really did it right, and I don’t much to complain about aside from knowing ahead of time this didn’t have a battery. My personal belief is that any smart home or portable speaker should have a built-in rechargeable battery so it can be used without power. JBL made this retro-looking speaker to be a stationary focal point in your room – as there are no handles for easy carrying and it is quite heavy. If you know and acknowledge this up front – you’ll love this speaker.
Sound is fantastic! Deep bass, crisp treble and warm mids make this pure pleasure for your ears. I have 5+ large, portable speakers – and this may be the best sounding one yet!
There are lots of options for playing music – like using Bluetooth or WiFi direct, integration with Google and Amazon smart devices and not to mention the JBL One app for custom sound settings, voice controls/assistants and enable more streaming features. It boasts a virtual Dolby Atmos – which adds an interesting dimension to the audio that gives you the feeling of being immersed in sound.
Outfitted with an Ethernet port, USB-C connection and 3.5mm axillary port give you connectivity options.
I truly love this speaker. Although it is a bit large (you likely can’t place this under your TV), you can be sure it will become a topic of conversation as people hear the awesome sound quality at your next gathering!
cjviscito –
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 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!
Dalton –
Regarding the sound quality. It is very crisp and clear. It does lack a little base but that is to be expected from a speaker that has smaller drivers and no subwoofer. The sound quality is still excellent. It is supposed to include Dolby Atmos, but I couldn’t hear that at all. That may be because I was just listening to music.
The app is basic and allows you to change sound settings, set up the speaker including assistants and change some settings. I found the app to do its job although it was a little cluttered and not laid out that well. The various features of the app should be better separated into pages and less cluttered. The features of the app all work as intended.
There are bass and treble controls on the top of the unit that have nice LED indicators to show where the current setting is. There are equivalent settings in the app. There is no EQ in the app and only the ability to set base, mid, and treble. An EQ in the app would be useful.
There is a single button on the top that controls, play, pause, forward, and reverse depending on how many times you press the button. This works as intended and is easy to use.
The speaker does include Alexa and Google assist features. I was only able to test the Alexa assistant. It was a little tricky to set up in the app, but it does work great once set up. There were no problems hearing my voice and responding correctly or playing music asked for. There is a switch on the back to enable or disable the voice assistant.
There is, however, a bigger issue with the speaker. You need to turn on the switch for the voice assist to use the speaker as an Alexa device. What this means is that if you already have an Echo in the room, you can’t use it to listen to music on the speaker. When turning off the assistant with the switch on the back, you should still be able to listen to music on it using an existing Echo in the room.
One last thing is that the speaker is huge and heavy. Don’t let the photo in the listing fool you. I guess the size is needed in order to provide the best sound, but you need to have the space for it.
A very good speaker with excellent sound quality but the app needs rework and there needs to be the ability to listen to music on it with an external voice assistant.
MiCompay –
Chromecast and Bass. Thank you!! I’ve been waiting for this combination for some time. Now my Google Home speaker group is optimized.
My bluetooth JBL Boombox 3 is great, but receiving phone calls was always a hassle as the conversation would broadcast from the Boombox when I answered the call.
Not an issue with Chromecast. The phone call stays on the phone, and the music keeps going for the rest of ’em listening to music. Yay!
TechNinja –
After spending some time with the JBL Authentics 500, I can confidently say that it’s a monster of a speaker with very good performance.
The looks of the speaker will be subjective, however, in my opinion this is a showstopper. The waffle style speaker grill manages to make it look both retro and modern with the brass/gold outlining the boxy shape. The controls on top are recessed into the body keeping the blocky look throughout the speaker. All in all, at the very least most people wouldn’t be off put by the speaker’s appearance. Its subdued while being elegant and high end looking.
The connections on the speaker are excellent. It offers Wifi and Bluetooth connectivity, while still having aux connection as an option. The recessed controls offer quick adjustability of the EQ without having to go into an app. This is easily one of my favorite features of the speaker. Being able to just walk by and adjust treble/bass to my liking without looking for my phone is such a great feature. Keep in mind, there is an app as well to adjust EQ that way. One caveat that should be mentioned is the lack of a battery. This speaker must be connected to an outlet to function. JBL did this because they already have a great lineup of portable Bluetooth speakers. This is not a portable Bluetooth speaker. This is made to sit in your house plugged into a wall to be the center piece of your audio experience. Being powered from the outlet also allows the speaker to generate more power that would otherwise be limited by the battery. If you buy the speaker understanding this design choice then it shouldn’t be a problem, however it’s important to note.
The sound, the thing most people care the most about when buying a speaker. Good news, it sounds absolutely incredible. The thing that makes this speaker special is how extremely loud it can get without sounding distorted. Short of throwing an outdoor birthday party, I don’t see how anyone could ever require the full power of this speaker. At normal volumes this speaker flexes its muscles with high quality sound. The mids, lows, and highs are all easily tunable to the genre of music you are listening to. The bass is so good for a speaker of this size. It has a dedicated sub underneath the speaker housing with two bass ports out the back to keep the bass crisp. The best way to take advantage of the bass is to make sure you place the speaker on a solid surface. If you put it on something thin and not dense it won’t sound as powerful.
In a nutshell, the JBL Authentics 500 is a speaker that seamlessly merges style and performance. Its striking design, blending retro aesthetics with modern elegance, is complemented by convenient recessed controls. With versatile connectivity options and the ability to fine-tune the EQ without a smartphone, it adapts to diverse audio sources and listening preferences. However, it’s essential to bear in mind that it requires a constant outlet connection, reinforcing its role as a stationary audio centerpiece. In terms of sound quality, the JBL Authentics 500 truly shines, delivering powerful, distortion-free audio even at high volumes. The customizable EQ settings and dedicated subwoofer with rear bass ports ensure exceptional sound quality, particularly when placed on a solid surface. Overall, this speaker combines eye-catching design with impressive audio performance, making it an attractive options to those looking for a one speaker option for excellent audio.
Stormylc –
Normally I would do a review on a Speaker beginning w Specs, not this time. This time we begin w aesthetics. This speaker is Retro, ands blends beautifully with numerous furniture designs. I found it to be beautiful in appearance. It just looks better than my other speakers due to the beautiful burnished wood colors. and provides smooth clear highs, mid tones that reproduce sounds accurately, and with serious woofers w plenty of bass. Size can be a feature, a neutral, or a negative. In sizing, senninghausser made the correct decisions. This speaker is superbly sized. Its length is standout. You may place the speaker on top of most any nightstand, lamp table, end table or entertainment center. It will fit without wording about overhead. The sole requirement to concern is a power outlet. Notable features are an app that is installed in 1 minute, and providing outstanding connectivity via Hey Googol, and Alexa.so that almost any music providing platform works flawlessly w the speaker,.
Idoc –
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 JBL’s 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 it’s 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 “Alexa play podcast (your podcast name) “ 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.
Michael –
The JBL Authentics 500 is a surprisingly strong (if surprisingly large!) speaker.
It is heavily app-centric, so if that’s not your thing, you may want to consider other options. The built-in services are excellent, though, and you can control it (and also stream / cast to it) from iOS or Android devices. The iOS app is a bit more polished at the time of this review (Sept 2023), but they’re both capable. I use Tidal (one of the built-in services) for its high-quality streaming, but with the sheer variety of streaming, casting, and voice-assistant options, you’d be hard pressed to find an unsupported music source.
The bass response from this speaker is fabulous. The mid and upper ranges are comparable to our larger Sonos and HomePod speakers, but the bass frequency and solidity beats anything without a subwoofer (and some with them). It’s great to listen to.
I wish the EQ had more than 3 bands, and I wish you could save the setting — for example, at night I would like to save a different tuning so I don’t keep the entire house awake. Hopefully Sony will provide these and more quality-of-life enhancements as we go.
All in all: highly recommended! This JBL is a great wireless speaker, and a tremendous value.
Alex –
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 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.
AnthonyP –
I was drawn to this speaker by the retro form factor and was not disappointed. The sound is absolutely massive and easily but my Klipsch The Fives to shame.
Gibson339 –
This is a superb offering from JBL. I haven’t had a pair of JBL speakers for about 4 years. Now, not only do I have a speaker that looks like my 1970’s JBL’s, but I have one speaker that easily does the work of 2. The 275w power and the deep resonant bass response is impressive. This speaker blew me away and it’s only one of 17 active speakers, all being run by 2 Marantz 6013’s and a 5013 for the Bowers + Wilkins 603’s and Sonos satellites with soundbar and subwoofer. The remaining speaker sets are 4 KEF LS50’s, 4 Definitive Tech 9800’s plus matching center speaker. Subs are 2 Martin Logan 1300’s, one giant Klipsch to accompany the KEF’s and a B+W subwoofer for the studio that contains 4 B+W Anniversary Edition 606’s. Out of all of these speakers, the KEF’s beat up on all of them. The exception is this JBL Authentics 500. This one speaker fills the living room with amazing multi-dimensional sonics, accompanied by a very impressive low end bass response. I’m impressed.
JasonC –
The speaker plays very loud and has a nice full and rich sound. The built in subwoofer provides more low end than one would expect from a 6.5″ driver and it easily fills a room with deep bass. The multidirectional tweeters provide clear sound off axis as well as straight on and do their job admirably. Don’t expect true stereo separation unless you sit close and directly in front of the speaker but it has a nice open sound. The bass and treble knobs are very handy and work well (although feel a little cheap for a $700 smart speaker), same with the volume knob, which had a very slight wiggle to it after only a day. My main disappointments are the price, the lack of any type of display, and the knobs. I actually ended up getting the JBL Boombox 3 and it has a very similar sound profile and just as much bass for $349. To me that’s a much better deal if you don’t need Wifi or smart speaker functions and you don’t mind the different styling.
EdwardF –
I am not quite an audiophile but I enjoy crisp clear music. I always research a purchase to the point friends ask me when they buy stuff. I am probably going to buy a second for my home in the bedroom. I only wish they offered it in white and gold. in my office the black matches but in my bedroom I have lighter tones and would liek it to match.
Raystar –
Great sound. I was shocked as to how clear everything sounded. Really brings music to life.
Robert –
What I like about this speaker is retro looks it brings to my room combine with decent sound quality and ability to use both google and amazon vioce assists. Currently for me I have replaced my nest audio speaker with the jbl authenics 300 just for the extra laudness and bass this new speaker brings does all the same things as my nest audio just a bit better. The nest audio now lives in the living room. If you are interested in buying it I would definitely go check it out at your local bestbuy
JamesP –
Great little 3way speaker that has rich robust vibe for a small speaker. Bass and midrange are good while the tweeters seemed a little restrained. It is pleasure listening to this speaker.
Lilhdz –
Speaker has GREAT sound quality!! I love how loud it sounds. And the look is amazing!! I would definitely recommend it!!
Kirby –
First thing you’re eyes go to is the price… I know it is expensive. I already have a high end component system in my living room, but my kids are always in there watching TV. I bought this for a smaller room where I can go chill. The sound quality was even better than I expected. The speakers make crystal clear sound while the little woofers have a richness to them. Treat yourself, you won’t regret it. Well done JBL.
Olive –
Extremely crisp and clear sounding music. Classy look
HeatherJ –
OMG I’m in love with this speaker! I’ve always LOVED Harmon Kardon speakers. They have such a unique and perfect sound. If I could I would fill my house with Harmon Kardon!
So when JBL and Harmon made THIS…. um…. YES! Just YES! It’s pricey, but soooooo worth it!