Customer reviews from jbl.com
JBL - Authentics 200 - Retro Style Smart Home Speaker with Built in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Voice Assistants, Alexa and Googl - White
Average customer rating
4.7
(83 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 83 reviews
5 Stars
66
4 Stars
14
3 Stars
2
2 Stars
0
1 Star
1
100%of customers recommend this product.
(
69 out of
69)
Customer Reviews for JBL - Authentics 200 - Retro Style Smart Home Speaker with Built in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Voice Assistants, Alexa and Googl - White
Customer Rating
5
Retro Look with modern features
on September 20, 2023
Posted by: ThatGuyYouKnow
from Spokane, WA
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Ok, this was a speaker that I was really excited for. When it was announced I immediately loved the look of the speaker as did my wife. Also the aesthics matched my wife's plant room where she likes to sit and listen to her vinyl records. So she was more excited for this speaker than I was. Well after about a week of playing with it and listening to music I have to say that this speaker is fantastic.
Sound - This speaker sounds just like many of the other JBL speakers, which is to say very very good. The bass is very good and carries throughout our house. The Mids and Highs are also very good. Bluetooth sound is good and honestly playing from our bluetooth record player, the speaker sounded fantastic. But using wifi for music is what we normally do and everything just sounds great.
Setup - One thing I have always been impressed with is how easy JBL speakers have been to setup and this speaker is no different. All I had to do was plug it in and open the JBL One app or download it if you don't have it already. The app immediately found the speaker, I setup the wifi connection, enabled Google Assistant and Alexa and I was done. I was then able to add the speaker to my Speaker groups in Google Home and/or Alexa and start playing music.
Google Assistant and Alexa - Google Assistant and Alexa were both easy to setup and work well, but having both in one device is fantastic. I was able to use Google Assitant to play music while also using Alexa to change the volume. You can also choose to use none, one or both like I did.
JBL One app - The JBL One app is great and adds easy ways to adjust the speaker without being at the speaker. While yes there are buttons and knobs on the device to change the bass, treble and sound. You can also do it from the JBL One app. You can even setup an equalizer to adjust the bass, mid, treble.
In conclusion, I seriously love this speaker. The retro look is great to the synthentic leather look and feel, to the gold trim and the knobs on the top. The sound is really great and it makes me want to place one of these speakers in every place I have smaller smart speakers with Alexa and Google Assistant. Sadly I did lose this speaker to my wife, who now enjoys all her records on the couch with this speaker by her side.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Unreal sound from a speaker this size
on October 5, 2023
Posted by: Jimbo Jones
from Overland Park, KS
The JBL Authentics 200 punches well above its weight, sounding better than any Bluetooth speaker I’ve used. No nuance allowed in the rating but it’s a solid 4.5 stars.
Pros
• Exceptional tonal clarity from top to bottom once you tweak it
• Simple setup and rock-solid WiFi connectivity
• Unique retro aesthetic (it’s grown on me)
• Big, BIG sound!
• Typical JBL reliability
• Exceptional tonal clarity from top to bottom once you tweak it
• Simple setup and rock-solid WiFi connectivity
• Unique retro aesthetic (it’s grown on me)
• Big, BIG sound!
• Typical JBL reliability
Cons
• Not designed for portability
• Styling’s not for everyone
• Bluetooth connection is spotty out of the box
• Quite pricey
• Needs another JBL app
• Not designed for portability
• Styling’s not for everyone
• Bluetooth connection is spotty out of the box
• Quite pricey
• Needs another JBL app
Right off the bat let me say that I don’t use smart speaker functions so I’ll leave that for others to weigh in on.
It’s a dense little thing, packed with bits and bobs that make the magic work. I say magic because the sound this pushes is magical.
There’s nothing in the box other than the speaker and a power cord. (There’s no battery so don’t lose it.) You can link straight to it with Bluetooth, triggering the JBL connection chord, but that limits its functionality. Hook it up to WiFi and link the JBL One app to get the update that fixes the Bluetooth glitches. Having done that, you likely won’t use the Bluetooth again as the WiFi use is solid. I’m deep in the Apple ecosystem so the inclusion of AirPlay is most welcome and allows seamless integration into existing audio setups. I can have this and my Denon theater playing the same music in different parts of the house.
The JBL One app is pretty simple, but it’s the third JBL app on my phone. Having one for ear buds, one for my Charge 5, and this one is just kinda dumb; but I don’t use any of them very much so it’s merely an annoyance.
But being Apple-centric also limits my access to the on-boarded music connections. You can set up a scene function that lets you start a selected playlist with the touch of a button. It sounds neat but Apple Music isn’t supported (though Tidal curiously is).
Yet sound is the key and the Authentics 200 delivers. I am shocked at how much sound this puts out with incredible clarity. My go-to test track is “Midlife Crisis” by Faith No More. The bass guitar rumbles, the layered vocals are clearly separated, the guitar and synth ring true, and the high-hat hits without a hint of hiss. It doesn’t have the immersive quality of an Atmos system, but it sure has the quality of any of my individual speakers.
You can read the specs in the listing, but they don’t really represent how well the whole package works together. A key element I didn’t see mentioned it the springy rubber feet; they isolate the vibrations of the cabinet allowing a bit of movement for the bottom-mounted radiator.
There’s not much to adjust, just bass and treble knobs alongside the volume knob – each is backlit in a way that indicated level briefly before fading out. A switch on the back allows voice prompts for Google and Alexa services. Siri is left out as usual, but I don’t mind. I don’t like that if you switch them off you’re stuck with a red light behind the speaker grille. It’s an eyesore.
The volume knob allows for very fine adjustment while the iPhone buttons have pretty big jumps; you can get fine control with the on-screen slider. The in-app eq only has three adjustments but it’s actually enough. This is designed for people with good ears who love music, not audiophile tweakers. JBL claims it auto-adjusts for the room each time you plug it in which accounts for the slight delay when you plug it in after moving it.
So the price… it’s a lot for a Bluetooth speaker but well worth it for all this packs in. JBL has really hit it out of the park with this line and they continue to lead the way in small powered-speaker technology.
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
3
I absolutely love this speaker!
on December 28, 2024
Posted by: Carson_48
from Utah
It’s incredible at producing loud, high-quality sound, but the highs are a bit muddy, and its aesthetics are top-notch. However, there are a few areas for improvement.
Firstly, the lack of expandability is a bit disappointing. For instance, there’s no pre-out, so you can’t connect additional speakers. While this might not matter to most people, having that option would be a nice touch.
Secondly, I wish there were a manual standby mode button on the speaker itself. It would be much more convenient to press a button to put the speaker into standby mode and disconnect it from Bluetooth, rather than relying solely on the connected device.
Lastly, while this doesn’t impact the speaker’s performance, I think the volume, bass, and treble knobs could use a slight design improvement. It would look more polished and premium if the lights on the knobs moved smoothly rather than in visible steps when adjusting them.
Despite these minor issues, this is an outstanding speaker that delivers amazing sound and style. Highly recommended for the average person who doesn't want to expand it at all!
Response from jbl.comBy Customer Support, December 29, 2024
Thanks for your feedback on our JBL Authentics 200. We're always looking for ways to improve, we'll make sure to pass this along to our development team.
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Classy!
on September 19, 2023
Posted by: BlondeAzn
from Brooklyn, NY
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I was super excited to see a speaker that was different from a regular portable Bluetooth one. Since COVID, I have been working out from home and my music is usually played through a rechargeable speaker. The problem I have been having with those, is I keep having to recharge them every few days. So I definitely liked that this is a stationary speaker, where i can keep it plugged into the outlet. I think the speaker was designed beautifully. It has a very vintage look to it and there’s a leather like trim all around that makes it look so classy and elegant. The material seems very durable and I really like the light detail on the knobs when you change the volume. For the size of the speaker, the sound quality is equivalent to having a mini home theater system in one speaker. I live in a multi family home and I want to make sure I don’t disturb my neighbors, so the option to adjust the bass and treble is an excellent feature. Since I got the speaker, I’ve been using in almost everyday. The only issue I do have is there is no “power” button so sometimes I don’t know how I can get it work without me having to disconnect and reconnect the blue tooth. Overall, I really enjoy this speaker. It is so versatile it can work for anyone, whether it’s listening to music or using it to watch a movie.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Authentics 200
on September 20, 2023
Posted by: JCin920
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] When I first opened this, I thought to myself, “this is not portable”. I planned on only giving us four stars because of that. Now that it sits at my desk, I am completely satisfied.
This is not an item to just take around to different areas in the house or outside. This is a Time piece, this is a stationary speaker that has multiple functions and can sit at your desk, sit on your mantle, or put on display. This is a beautiful piece of equipment.
The sound is crisp and clear. It is is undeniably perfect. The aesthetics is pleasing as well, the feel, the look, the sound is all there for you. It has a wide range of capabilities and adjustments for treble and bass. Which is nice. I can’t say enough about the sound it is absolutely fantastic. If you want bass it is there. You can adjust it and it can meet any type of music’s requirements.
It looks fantastic at my desk, and I am very happy to own this. Since it sits at my desk, I don’t have to turn this up very loud, but when I do it consumes the whole room. It looks very retro. The size is not huge yet it gets attention Because of its original look. The JBL Authentics 200 did a great service to honor the old school looking speaker while implementing new school technology.
5 stars, great job JBL
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Vintage look, modern technology, amazing sound!
on September 20, 2023
Posted by: efasted
from Annapolis, MD
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I’ll start off by saying I am a huge fan of JBL and have many of their audio products. Also, I’m a fair but harsh critic when it comes to reviews. I have high standards when it comes to audio devices and JBL has yet to disappoint. The JBL Authentics 200 is another impressive speaker I’ve added to my JBL collection.
There are a lot of others that might go deep into technical specs. I’m reviewing it as non-technical customer who just appreciates audio products that sound great, last, and are easy to use. The JBL Authentics 200 is awesome! Here’s why:
Sound. Incredible! Despite its compact size, it throws some serious sound. We have it in our great room hooked up to a record player via Bluetooth and it throws crisp, bright, and deep sound throughout the house. I’m sure the larger Authentics models will outperform the 200 but honestly, this does the trick perfectly for our use.
Ease of Use. Ultra simple. I pulled it out of the box, followed the simple instructions, and hooked it up within seconds to my Bluetooth device and my Wi-Fi network. Huge props to JBL for including a simple switch to turn off the microphone for those of us who don’t want “Alexa” or “Hey Google” listening to everything we say!
I appreciate that you can make easy adjustments with the top three dials (volume/play, base, treble) and two buttons (Bluetooth & Favorite) yet have access to more customizable settings with the JBL One App.
Look and feel. Totally awesome! We recently got back into vinyl which has been a lot of fun for the whole family. It has been very cool to get back into that vintage experience. The JBL Authentic completely adds to the experience with a retro design that centers around the classic L100 classic from the 70’s era. I admit, although I grew up around that time, I tend to lean towards modern looking electronics these days. However, I am impressed with the look of the JBL Authentics line. Although vintage, it has the right modernized and sleek touches that do not make it feel out of place in any way.
Size. Compact. Its about 10.5 x 6 x 6.75 inches making it fit anywhere pretty easily.
Quality. Solid! It is definitely built well. The controls feel very sturdy and I have the impression this speaker is built to last.
To buy or not to buy? Yes, I highly recommend the JBL Authentics 200. However, this is the smallest of the Authentics line. It doesn’t have a built-in battery. So, if you plan to move it around, you may want to consider the other models with integrated batteries. If you have the extra cash to spend and can afford a little more space, you may want to compare against the other two models.
However, if you are in need of an amazing speaker, that’s simple to use, want something compact, and like the vintage look, I highly recommend the JBL Authenics 200!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
New, rejuvenated JBL product!
on September 23, 2023
Posted by: knova
from Denver, CO
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I wasn’t really sure about the boombox before it arrived. Now after seeing it and having it I really like it! It has an old look to it which I enjoy for my decor. I also really like that you can connect Google or Alexa to it so you don’t always just have to use your phone with it. It’s nice that you can change your own bass and treble on it to your own liking. I have found ONE song that sounds just awful on it and I have no idea why. I have turned the bass completely down yet it just sounds terrible. All other songs sound amazing and crisp, and you can turn it up really loud so if you’re around your house you can still hear it clear as day. I would buy another one for my basement!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
4
Beautiful design and wonderful sound
on September 24, 2023
Posted by: Robocop
from California
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I love the design because its an old vintage look to it. Also the sound is incredibly sharp and the speaker can get very loud. I am happy with the quality of the build and the design. I was hoping the bass could be a lot bolder but overall the sound definitely passed my expectation for a small speaker.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com