JBL Authentics 500 review: What can the modern speaker in retro design do?

Some time ago, JBL introduced a new home speaker, the Authentics 500. This is supposed to impress with features such as Dolby Atmos and an integrated subwoofer. You can read below how the speaker performed review and what it can do.

With the Authentics series, JBL presented a event as part of IFA 2023 three new speakers from a completely new series. The Authentics 200, 300 and 500. All of these speakers use modern technology in a retro design and are visually reminiscent of old JBL speakers. The Authentics 500 currently costs around 530 Euros is the top model in the range and should score points not only with its stylish design but also with its very good sound. I will tell you below whether it succeeds in this and what else it can do.

tl; dr

With the Authentics 500, JBL has launched a very strong home speaker that not only has an extremely stylish and special design, but also offers some unique features. In the test, it completely convinced me. My highlight is clearly the retro design, but the sound also leaves nothing to be desired. The mids and highs are very detailed and the bass is very powerful and deep. I also liked the JBL One app with its equalizer. This equalizer can also be proYou can easily control it using the rotary controls on the speaker itself, which I also think is pretty cool. In addition to Alexa, the Google Assistant is also supported and the great thing is that you don't have to choose, you can use both at the same time.

I would rate the size and weight as neutral, as the speaker is quite large and heavy. However, thanks to the stylish design, it is easy to find a suitable place for it. The only point that might speak against the purchase for some is the rather steep price of around 540 euros. In my opinion, however, this is fine for what it offers and I can recommend the Authentics 500 to anyone looking for a stylish home speaker with extremely good sound and WiFi. You can buy the speaker at all common electronics stores, as well as from JBL itself.

• Buy JBL Authentics 500 at JBL

Unboxing & scope of delivery

The JBL Authentics 500, like the other speakers from JBL, comes in a white-gray box with orange accents. The front of the box shows the speaker and some of its functions. In addition to the speaker itself and its power cable, the box also contains the usual paperwork.

Design & processing

With the Authentics series, JBL is going for a retro design that is reminiscent of old JBL speakers. All speakers in the series look very similar and I particularly like them.prochen good. The Authentics 500 itself is the largest in the series. It is also by far the heaviest, weighing 7,8 kilograms. But that's not a problem, since this is a stationary WiFi speaker. It is covered on all sides with a type of black imitation leather and has a front made of black mesh, which sits in a gold metal frame with a small engraving on the top. There is a gold JBL logo on the front, which is a good accent.

On the top is the control panel, which consists of 3 rotary wheels and 2 small buttons, also made of gold, and makes a good impression. The back is made of dark gray plastic with grooves. On top is the mute switch for the speaker's microphone. At the bottom are the connections, which are also described. On the bottom is the large subwoofer and the two rubber stand strips. Everything makes a very high-quality impression and looks very classy thanks to the artificial leather and the gold metal accents. The workmanship is also flawless. The speaker appears very stable and solid.

Service

JBL has used a new operating concept for the Authentics speakers, consisting of three rotary controls and two buttons. These are located in the middle of the top and also look pretty stylish and well integrated. The first rotary control can also be pressed and is used to adjust the volume by turning it and to control playback by pressing it. Pressing it once starts or pauses playback, pressing it twice skips to the next track and pressing it three times goes back to the previous one. The other two rotary controls are for fine-tuning the sound. One controls the treble and the other the bass. I think these rotary controls are really good because you can quickly and easily change something about the sound without having to access the JBL app.

Picture: TechnikNews

There is a Bluetooth button between the rotary controls for connecting to Bluetooth devices such as smartphones or record players. Below this is the Moment button, which the user can set up using the JBL One app. Using the button, for example, he can play his favorite playlist directly, which he has previously saved in the JBL app. However, this only works if you use one of the supported music services. At the top of the back there is a mute switch for the built-in microphones. The operation of the speaker is generally very simple and user-friendly and I really liked it.

Ports & Connectivity

The Authentics 500 has the connections at the bottom of the back. In addition to the power connection, JBL has installed a 3,5 mm jack, a USB Type-C port and an Ethernet connection. The USB port can not only be used to play music, but also to charge the connected device. I think it's really good that the user is given so many connection options and that you can also play music via cable. The speaker supports Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6 for wireless connection. In addition, JBL has not only given the Authentics 500 Spotify Connect and Apple Airplay, but it also supports Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. The special thing here is that JBL has managed to make it so that you don't have to decide which voice assistant to use, as is the case with most others, but that you can use both at the same time. For people who are active in both Amazon and Google's ecosystems, this is an extremely ingenious feature.

Picture: TechnikNews

sound quality

JBL uses a 500 sound system with Dolby Atmos support in the Authentics 3.1. This consists of three 25 millimeter tweeters, three 70 millimeter midrange speakers and a 6,5 inch subwoofer. These offer a total output of 270 watts and the frequency range covered is between 40 Hz and 20 kHz. The sound of the speaker is really strong and I really like it. The highs and mids are very well separated and rich in detail. I was surprised by the bass, which is extremely strong and deep, which is due to the large subwoofer that JBL has installed here. The only thing that bothered me a little was the background noise that can be heard at very low volumes, but this is hardly noticeable at normal or high volumes.

The speaker also sounds quite wide and, thanks to the high peak volume, manages to fill medium to large rooms completely with sound, which I found very positive. Even at high volume, the sound is quite detailed and offers an extremely high level of bass. I also think that the equalizer works really well here and you can get even more bass out of the speaker, for example, without the mids and highs losing any detail.

JBL One app

Of course, the Authentics 500 also has an app, which is called JBL One. The user can use it to personalize and adjust a number of things. One example is the equalizer, which offers a number of presets but can also be completely personalized. As already mentioned, the app can also be used to set up the Moment button, which allows the user to play their favorite music from one of the supported music services directly at the touch of a button. Unfortunately, Apple Music is not supported here, which I find quite a shame as a user of this streaming service. On the positive side, however, is that you can create a stereo pair with a second Authentics 500 or connect another compatible speaker. The app is very clearly laid out and offers some cool features that I really liked.

Prices & Availability

JBL launched the Authentics 500 with a recommended retail price of 629,99 euros. However, you can now find it for 540 euros. That's a good bit cheaper, although not cheap. Nevertheless, I think the price is quite reasonable for what it offers, as the speaker offers so much and has a very special design. You can buy the Authentics 500 at almost all electronics stores, as well as from JBL itself.

• Buy JBL Authentics 500 at JBL

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