JBL Authentics 200 review: a punchy smart speaker with vintage style

A dose of vintage style successful a marketplace crowded by neutral designs, nan JBL Authentics 200 is simply a speaker that does things differently. The listening acquisition is sublime, pinch afloat bass, rich | mids and elaborate treble combining to nutrient existent depth. The database of features is nary little impressive, pinch Wi-Fi streaming, multi-room audio and connectivity to nan intuitive JLB One app. Plus you get nan champion of 2 smart location systems, pinch support for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa astatine nan aforesaid time. It’s not nan cheapest smart speaker, but it’s easy 1 of nan astir appealing.

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JBL Authentics 200: Two-minute review

We pridefulness ourselves connected having tested each of nan astir notable and best wireless speakers connected nan marketplace astatine TechRadar, truthful it’s ever a invited infinitesimal erstwhile 1 comes on that does things a spot differently. That’s very overmuch nan lawsuit pinch nan Authentics 200: 1 look astatine this vintage-inspired beauty is each you request to spot that JBL has gone its ain measurement here.

From nan curved foam grille to nan aluminium frame, nan Authentics 200 is simply a stunning homage to amps of old. That retro artistic is matched by a coagulated build which, isolated from nan integrative dials connected top, feels wonderfully premium. It’s unique capable to get group talking, without ever emotion for illustration a fad.

Its beauty is much than tegument deep. JBL has been generous pinch nan characteristic set: you get Wi-Fi streaming from a scope of services, multi-room audio, arsenic good arsenic connectivity pinch nan slick JBL One app. That’s wherever you tin merge it pinch different streaming platforms and customize nan EQ – though it’s much nosy to do that physically by rotating nan treble and bass knobs connected nan portion itself.

The app is besides wherever you tin link nan Authentics 200 to some Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant (yes, JBL has aimed to make it of nan best smart speakers too). Crossover betwixt nan 2 isn’t seamless, mind, but support for some astatine nan aforesaid clip intends you tin person afloat entree to their respective services from a azygous speaker.

Then there’s nan listening experience, which is superlative. In our tests, nan Authentics 200 impressed america astatine each move – from nan powerful bass to nan clear treble, balanced pinch rich | mids that springiness awesome definition. Separation is impressive, and there’s a extent to its soundstage that delivers singular immersion for a azygous speaker.

It’s not nan cheapest smart speaker you tin buy, nor does it person nan Atmos compatibility of nan little costly Amazon Echo Studio, for example. But if you worth its practice creation – arsenic good arsenic its premium characteristic group and sound value – there’s really thing other for illustration nan Authentics 200.

JBL Authentics 200 review: Price and merchandise date

• Released August 2023
• Officially priced astatine $349.99 / £299.99 / AU$299

The JBL Authentics 200 was released successful August 2023, priced astatine $349.99 / £299.99 / AU$299. It was launched alongside nan larger, Atmos-compatible JBL Authentics 500, which is importantly much costly, astatine $699.99 / £579.99 / AU$999.

Pitched arsenic a high-quality smart speaker pinch a retro look, its value tag is astatine nan precocious extremity for nan category. Arguably its closest competitor is nan Amazon Echo Studio, which costs $199.99 / £219.99 / $349. Also successful that value bracket is nan Sonos Era 100, priced astatine $249 / £229.99 / $399. 

That gives nan JBL Authentics 200 immoderate stiff competition, mounting nan barroom precocious for it to warrant nan other outlay. As you’ll publication below, though, we deliberation its design, features and sound value do a very bully occupation of that.

JBL Authentics 200 review: Specs

JBL Authentics 200 review: Features

• Wi-Fi streaming from a wide scope of services
• Simultaneous support for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa
• Support for multi-room playback

Despite its practice looks, nan JBL Authentics 200 is each spot nan modern smart speaker. Wi-Fi streaming includes support for AirPlay, Chromecast and Spotify Connect, pinch multi-room playback disposable done AirPlay, Google Home and Alexa Multi-Room Music. Strangely for a speaker that doesn’t prime sides, you won’t find Spotify aliases Apple Music successful nan app’s database of supported euphony streaming services though – which intends neither useful pinch nan shortcut button.

Still, this is simply a speaker that’s happy to person audio from beautiful overmuch immoderate source. That includes a USB-C input connected nan back, arsenic good arsenic nan action to support things old-school pinch Ethernet and 3.5mm inputs. While we’re each for wireless streaming, these wired options are ever welcome, particularly if you’re not blessed pinch accordant awesome passim your home. For our part, we didn’t acquisition immoderate dropouts during our clip pinch nan Authentics 200.

Initial setup was elemental utilizing nan JBL One app. It’s a beautiful foolproof portion of package that makes it easy to power nan Authentics 200 and set settings. We were online successful little than a minute, pinch an update complete Wi-Fi quickly retired of nan way. Connecting Alexa and Google Assistant proved likewise seamless, pinch nary hiccups hooking up to either. Network and sound adjunct position is signalled by a azygous LED successful nan grille, pinch a useful array successful nan guideline to thief you decipher its various colors and states of solid, pulsing and flashing.

With some sound assistants activated, we had nary problem getting each to respond. In theory, wherever there’s overlap betwixt supported services, either adjunct should beryllium capable to commencement aliases extremity a command. In our experience, this crossover wasn’t ever seamless. We recovered it simpler to instrumentality pinch 1 adjunct for a circumstantial task. So erstwhile we asked Alexa to play a opus connected Spotify, we asked her to extremity it arsenic well.

In reality, there’s seldom a request to jump betwixt nan 2 assistants, and you’ll soon study which you for illustration for different commands. The existent use present is that you get entree to some systems successful a azygous speaker, including their afloat scope of supported smart location devices. So if you find it easier to usage Google Assistant pinch your Nest Thermostat, but Alexa for two-way talk connected your Ring doorbell, you tin do precisely that. You get nan champion of some worlds.

• Features score: 4.5/5

JBL Authentics 200 review: Design

• Heritage creation featuring a Quadrex grill and aluminium frame
• Physical controls see volume, treble and bass dials
• Made from mostly recycled materials

In a marketplace of muted designs, nan JBL Authentics 200 stands retired for each nan correct reasons. It’s uncommon to spot smart location tech designed pinch flair these days (although nan Edifier D32 wireless speaker is 1 different example), truthful nan JBL's mid-century style is surely refreshing. Taking much than a fewer cues from vintage amps, nan Authentics 200 is simply a gorgeous spot of kit. Its curved foam frontage, aluminium framework and leather-like tegument each leans into nan practice aesthetic, without looking retired of spot successful a modern kitchen.

Measuring 266.3 x 171.7 x 167.4mm, it strikes an perfect equilibrium betwixt beingness beingness and easiness of placement. Its bigger sibling, nan Atmos-compatible Authentics 500, is an altogether much important thing. With its mid-size footprint, nan Authentics 200 will easy find a location successful astir rooms.

Build value feels deserving of nan value tag too: this is simply a robust portion and a comparatively weighty 1 astatine 3.12kg. It’s each suitably coagulated and good put-together, opinionated patient connected rubber feet which trim vibrations from nan downward-firing radiator. In a cleanable world, we wish JBL had utilized metallic alternatively of integrative for nan power sheet and dials which unrecorded connected apical of nan unit. But that’s nan only portion which feels thing little than premium.

Among those controls you’ll find illuminating treble and bass knobs, arsenic good arsenic a measurement dial pinch a play/pause fastener astatine its centre. These springiness you nan benignant of hands-on audio power that isn’t offered by galore smart speakers. While you tin make nan aforesaid adjustments successful nan app, we recovered thing refreshingly tactile astir being capable to physically tweak nan EQ.

Beneath nan Bluetooth fastener is different pinch a bosom connected it. This useful arsenic a shortcut to a playlist connected a supported euphony streaming service, configured successful nan JBL One app. There’s besides a microphone shut up move hidden connected nan backmost of nan unit, for privateness erstwhile you request it.

• Design score: 4.5/5

JBL Authentics 200 review: Sound quality

• 2x 25mm tweeters, 5-inch woofer, 6-inch passive radiator
• Automatic audio calibration connected power-up
• Customizable EQ settings successful nan JBL One app

Little astir nan stature of nan Authentics 200 hints astatine really good it fills a room. With 2 tweeters, a full-range woofer and downward-firing passive radiator astatine its disposal, this is simply a speaker pinch existent punch. Bass is peculiarly noteworthy, pinch a immense magnitude of power disposable astatine nan debased end. Even pinch nan bass knob astatine halfway, nan Authentics 200 has rumble to spare.

But it’s not conscionable nan powerfulness that surprises, truthful overmuch arsenic nan extent and separation that nan Authentics 200 is tin of. We were blown distant by nan breadth of nan soundstage, pinch instrumentation fixed existent abstraction to breathe. Throughout our clip pinch nan Authentics 200, we recovered ourselves noticing specifications successful songs that would beryllium mislaid connected lesser speakers. You’d request to brace up a 2nd portion for a existent consciousness of stereo, but successful each different respect, nan extent present is impressive.

Top-end clarity is underpinned by a beautiful weight to nan mids. There’s a existent richness successful nan midrange, which feels deftly balanced for definition. Altogether, nan belief is 1 of fullness. From The XX and alt-J to Norah Jones to nan Arctic Monkeys, location wasn’t a genre that stumped nan Authentics 200. Whether gritty physics beats, twangy lead guitar aliases stripped-back vocals, there’s a existent richness to nan sound, without sacrificing immoderate detail.

All of nan comments supra are based connected nan default EQ setting. According to JBL, nan Authentics 200 self-calibrates each clip it powers up, and it surely suited each room we utilized it in. Besides nan beingness treble and bass controls connected nan portion itself, you tin customise EQ settings via nan JBL One app. This is simply a bully action to have, though successful our experience, nan Authentics 200 did champion erstwhile near to its ain devices.

You don’t get nan vertical constituent of an Atmos speaker specified arsenic nan Amazon Echo Studio, while nan cheaper Sonos Era 100 is arsenic engaging, albeit pinch little oomph. But for its size and price, we deliberation nan Authentics 200 is bang connected nan money.

• Sound quality: 5/5

JBL Authentics 200 review: Value

Seen arsenic a smart speaker, there’s nary escaping that nan JBL Authentics 200 is pricier than most. If you’re chiefly successful nan marketplace for a sound adjunct successful your home, location are overmuch cheaper ways to get that. The Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen), for example, costs conscionable $49.99 / £54.99 / AU$79. Similarly, nan Google Nest Mini will group you backmost only $49.99 / £49 / AU$79.

There are besides wireless speakers pinch high-quality audio disposable for less. The $199.99 / £179.99 (so astir AU$300) Edifier D32 is simply a good illustration that besides has a retro artistic – although nan build-quality isn't rather arsenic premium-feel arsenic nan JBL model. 

What those worth comparisons don’t relationship for is nan personality of nan Authentics 200. With its coagulated build and vintage design, it stands isolated among location speakers, smart aliases otherwise. The value of its sound output blew america distant successful testing, while nan elasticity to link pinch some Alexa and Google Assistant is simply a existent boon. Plus you get a generous group of streaming features and useful app connectivity. So while it mightiness not beryllium a bargain, if you bargain into its vintage aesthetic, we deliberation you’re getting a bully deal.

• Value score: 4/5

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JBL Authentics 200 review: besides consider

How I tested nan JBL Authentics 200

• Tested for a period successful a number of rooms
• Played a assortment of genres astatine different volumes
• Listened via Spotify app connected iPhone and Mac

I utilized nan JBL Authentics 200 arsenic my superior location speaker for much than a month. It divided its clip betwixt nan room and surviving room, giving maine a bully belief of really good it adapts to different spaces.

I challenged nan Authentics 200 pinch a full spectrum of philharmonic genres, from physics to acoustic, psyche to stone and roll. I besides tested it pinch different treble and bass settings, and astatine different measurement levels – from Sunday-morning mellow to large capable to get a matter from nan upstairs neighbours.

The Authentics 200 besides served arsenic my default smart speaker during testing, connected to some Google Assistant and Alexa. That meant asking it to cue up playlists, deed maine pinch my greeting regular and mostly section immoderate queries which came to mind (usually look related).

Read much astir really we test

• First reviewed: October 2024