Customer Ratings & Reviews

I feel inclined to compare this to portable bluetooth speakers, but it is not a portable bluetooth speaker. It's more-or-less intended to be setup in one spot and stay there for the most part. But, with that lack of portability, you get a fairly powerful speaker in a reasonably compact smart speaker. Admittedly, it was still bigger than I expected, so not something you'd want to stuff in a suitcase anyway. In order to set this up, you will need to install the JBL One app. Setup was nice and easy, didn't run into any issues, though it did need a firmware update once I got it connected to wifi. You can connect it to BOTH Alexa and Google at the same time. It will answer to "Alexa" and "Ok, Google" if you have them both setup. I wasn't inclined to setup Google on it, but you need to in order to enable Chromecast. You can also connect the speaker to Amazon Music, Calm Radio, iHeartRadio, Napster, Qobuz, TIDAL, and TuneIn, so it can stream from those services directly. I like having those options, because one, you can ask your assistant of choice to play a song from them without the need of your phone, but you can also stream music without needing to worry about your bluetooth connection, or something on your phone, such as a phone call, interrupting the party. You can control the volume, bass, and treble with the knobs at the top, which are satisfying to turn, and are circled with a ring of light to indicate the level. The volume knob also is a button, for play/pause. Of course, you could always ask your voice assistant to adjust volume or play/pause too. The volume on this can reach serious party levels, but I think sound quality suffers a bit at the extreme volumes. But, otherwise, sound quality is quite great. This also tries very hard at producing good bass, and while it won't rattle windows, it's got some of the best bass for a speaker of its size and sound quality. It will also attempt to automatically calibrate sound quality based on room acoustics when you "power it on and begin playing music". For me, I found it hard to tell if it was helping or not. I moved it around my room a few times to try and notice a difference, and honestly, the location of the speaker itself, relative to my listening position seemed to make the most difference. Both outdoors and indoors, the best sound quality, with the best bass seemed to be several feet away and slightly off-center of the speaker. But it was still able to fill a whole medium-large room with satisfying sound. As a final note, the retro look of this is quite striking. It is a really nice balance of retro-modern. It makes me want to put it in a conspicuous location so people can really see it.

I've been using this for the past three days or so and I have to say that it has impressed me far more than I thought it would. I ordered this to replace a unit that I have in my office at work, not because I needed to but because of the reputation that JBL has for quality products. I also liked the sort of modern/retro look of this speaker. It was very well packaged when I opened it up and had minimal documents inside of it which I prefer. Setup was as simple as plugging it in, downloading the app and pairing your device. I didnt get a chance to test the wifi connection because of the security protocols in my office, but I did pair it with my iPad Pro and iPhone and it works well. I do kind of wish it had a remote control, since that is what my previous device had, but I just turn use the volume buttons on my device to control it. A minor thing, so its not a deal breaker for me. Pairing was quick with the JBL One app and it took less than a minute to do. As i said before, the look of it is more than appealing and gives me a retro sort of vibe, but the appearance is where retro stops. The sound quality of this little speaker is amazing. I appreciated having separate bass and treble controls on the top of it because although I have it placed on a credenza across the room of my 14' x 12' office, it definitely rocked. I really don't have to turn the volume up very much at all to get high quality sound. For reference, I typically have sports talk on in the mornings and then a variety of jazz, R&B and pop on in the afternoons to wrap up my day. It can't be understated how well this thing sounds. I was completely amazed by it and some of my colleagues were impressed by it. I turned on one of my streaming video apps to see if there would be any lag between the voice on the screen and the audio playing and I am happy to report that there was none at all. This speaker is replacing a larger speaker that I have and this sounds twice as good as that one. All I can say is I this little speaker is amazing. Well built from quality materials, great sound and easy to setup and use. 10 out of 10 for me.

JBL Authentics 200 is a Smart Home Speaker that integrates both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant simultaneously in one device. The unit has a classic retro design that blends in any room. On top of the speaker, you have physical buttons to control the volume, play or pause, adjust Treble and Bass. You also have the Bluetooth button to connect to a device and a favorite button. The JBL One app lets you connect the speaker to Wi-Fi as well as customize settings. The speaker has aux input as well as USB C port for wired connections. I do like the microphone button on the back which can be used to turn off the mic for Alexa or Google assistant. The speaker also supports multi room play via Alexa or Google Home. This definitely comes in handy if you want to play the same music across all rooms. Although there is no Siri support, I like the Airplay option to support all Apple devices. The favorite button lets you play your playlist or other customized moments that you set up in the app. Another neat feature is the automatic self-tuning. Anytime you power up your speaker, it will calibrate the audio settings for any location. The sound quality from the speakers is clear and surprisingly good. This is a great smart home speaker if you are in the market for a portable speaker with added functionality.

DO NOT PURCHASE! There is a delay in audio by about a second and according to jbl this is by design. Aux connection will leave a delay in audio completely unacceptable for this price. JBL IS A JUNK COMPANY DO NOT PURCHASE SHAME ON BEST BUY FOR SELLING THIS GARBAGE.

When I opened the box and got a look at this new speaker, I was quite impressed. The grippy texture is very unique and pleasant, the rubber feet on the bottom completely isolate the speaker from the surface it’s on and allow it to resonate with the passive radiator. They’re so flexible that when I get some rocking bassy music going on it, the speaker will dance around a little, which is charming and fun for such a serious looking piece of kit. Documentation is non-existent in the box. After downloading the user manual from the JBL site, I was able to dig a little deeper into some of the functionality that isn’t immediately apparent when firing up the speaker and the app. The best sound is clearly over the Wi-Fi or ethernet connections, the Bluetooth is fine, but if anyone has forgotten the limitations of Bluetooth music streaming, this radio would love to demonstrate. I had no delays whatsoever with streaming via Airplay, and after pairing my phone with the Bluetooth, it connects quickly and also doesn’t have any real latency, but definitely still has the Bluetooth compressed sound. I like the ease of the Airplay connection as well, since it lets me skip pairing. I have listened to every kind of music I have on my phone and this “little” speaker pulls out detail similar to listening on headphones. Spatial positioning is rather weak, but is still there. If I’m listening to Tool or Pink Floyd where the left/right positional audio is important, you just sit in front of the speaker and the stereo imaging is good, not great. Anywhere off center from the speaker and it will still give you an indication of directionality, but it’s not a wide stereo image. This sounds like a detriment, but it’s great. A table radio like this should be a point of sound, it shouldn’t add a bunch of spatial processing to sound like something it isn’t. I love that I can hear the buzz of the amplifiers and hum of synths in this speaker, the sound is so detailed and full, it’s my new favorite speaker. I do wish it came with a radio. An FM tuner at least, but AM/FM should be on this radio, no doubt. I know one can stream most radio stations and that’s fine, but without a network connection via your home or phone internet, this little guy is cut off from the world and could still be useful with a tuner. The “Moment” button strikes me as a gimmick that will likely become a useless mystery function in a few years -it’s happened plenty. I don’t think a “high-end” piece of audio equipment should be dragged down with proprietary functions on the hardware, as when the software support dries up or the company moves on, you have useless hardware functions. The idea behind the Moment button is great, I would love to use it. I will not be using it, though as the selection of music services available for programming the button through the app is very limited. There is no Spotify, Apple Music, or Youtube Music integrations in the app, you’re stuck with Tidal, Pandora, Napster (?!?), and a few other limited services that are only able to run through the speaker via Google Assistant or Alexa systems, the music integration requires Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, neither of which have any right to know what I’m listening to on my JBL speaker. The ethereal nature of all of these online services pretty much guarantees any hard button you put on your product is going to be obsolete shortly. 5 years from now, I can’t wait to hear “What does this heart button do?” “-Nothing”. The microphones on the top of the speaker are apparently dual purpose, the primary purpose appears to be to interact with Google and Alexa, but they also claim the speaker listens to the room in the spot you place it and adjusts itself to sound best. There is a hardware switch on the back that turns off the mics, but does it turn off the ability of the speaker to adjust itself? I don’t know. The bright red light that is always on the front of the speaker with the mic turned off is not pleasant or necessary. Some documentation of the actual function of the mic switch would be great. I would have given this guy 5 stars if not for the “feature” creep and super-cheapo choice to skip a tuner in a table radio. It keeps 4 stars because I don’t think you can get better sound quality in anything else this size. Recommended to everyone!

I have been impressed with recent JBL products for home sound. I recently had the opportunity to experience a high end soundbar home theater system they released in 2023 and was blown away by the sound it produced as well as the surround effects it could achieve. This is the first semi portable, bluetooth speaker from JBL that I've used and I have to say I continue to be impressed. This is the smallest of this new line of Authentics products they have released, and I didn't expect too much as the speaker isn't huge. Opening the box and initially handling the speaker though surprised me for a couple of reasons. First it is a solid build. It's heavy and stable and really feels like more of a speaker than it appears. Second I was pleasantly surprised that there is a woofer installed, facing downward, and has the diaphragm style mover exposed that I was hopeful would produce much bigger bass than I expect for a small unit like this. I wasn't disappointed. The bass was heavy and clear and satisfying. I had to tweak highs a bit to balance the amount of bass I was getting. It wasn't a bad thing. The controls on top of the unit are solid and feel premium, and the grill fabric on the front is a waffle design that I found very appealing to look at. Bluetooth works flawlessly and I connected both iOS and Android devices with no issues. I didn't set up assistant services but they are there as well, making this a smart device. For a home speaker that isn't intended for much beyond music, this is a great little device. I expect the larger siblings of this unit in the Authentics line are also as impressive. This is a solid buy.

First and foremost, the design of the Authentics 200 is a testament to JBL's commitment to craftsmanship. Its retro-inspired wooden cabinet, metal accents, and fabric grille exude elegance and sophistication, making it a statement piece in any room. The attention to detail is evident in every aspect of its construction. Sound quality is where the Authentics 200 truly shines. With dual 2.5-inch tweeters and a 5.25-inch subwoofer, this speaker delivers a rich, room-filling audio experience. The bass is deep and punchy, while the highs are crisp and clear, creating a balanced and immersive soundstage. Audiophiles will appreciate its ability to reproduce music with remarkable fidelity. What sets the Authentics 200 apart from the competition is its smart capabilities. It seamlessly integrates with popular voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, allowing you to control your smart home devices, check the weather, or play your favorite music with simple voice commands. The built-in microphone array ensures accurate voice recognition even in noisy environments. Connectivity options are abundant, with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a variety of wired inputs, including an optical input for your TV or gaming console. The JBL app provides intuitive control over settings, equalization, and streaming services, making it easy to tailor your audio experience to your liking. Multi-room audio is another highlight of the Authentics 200. You can link multiple speakers together to enjoy synchronized music throughout your home, creating a seamless and immersive listening experience.

The JBL Authentics 200 Smart Home speaker really carries a nice boom. Let me explain it, when you first look at it and you think it is a very small speaker what kind of noise can it really make. Well let me tell you the base on this speaker is amazing. The sound quality is very clean and crisp. The subwoofer if that's what i call it faces down and has a lot of movement, so you have to be careful where you put it to avoid damaging anything below it. The controls are very easy to use, you have the volume the treble and bass knobs on the top, in between the volume and treble you have the Bluetooth button for a quick easy set up. You also have access to the app to be able to program the additional options such as Alexa and Google. The look is very nice simple and old school that goes well with most set ups. The bass is captured amazingly well without distortion. This speaker can be used in as the main sound system for a normal house approx 2k to 3k sqft. If you are not into too much bass just turn the know and you may set it up to your preference. Overall, a great speaker to add to your home for your next get together or your listening pleasure.

Retro is back. We are a household who loves JBL products. I use JBL speakers and a powered subwoofer in my truck. We also have several other JBL products including various Flip speakers and a home theater setup. Sound quality is excellent. The low end is shockingly strong for this size of a speaker. The extra passive radiator JBL is known for makes such a difference. That is the star of the show here. The app allows you to have a few eq sound settings and also for software updates. There are also manual tone controls and the ability to mute the microphone which is a good thing if you don't use voice assistants. Build quality seems good and the retro design obviously makes this stand out. There are other brands making retro speakers on the market. The JBL in my opinion is the best primarily due to the additional low end which really rounds out the sound nicely. This isn't the cheapest speaker but a perfect example of getting what you pay for. It has plenty of power for my 640 square foot apartment. I would recommend this for sure.

Amazing speaker. The sound is super good and the base is deep. Would definitely recommend it.

Connects quickly to wifi, Google and Alexa work seamlessly. Music sounds great at low and high volumes. Very pleased.

It's good not great. Bass is pretty good. Love the knobs.