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
(79 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 79 reviews
5 Stars
62
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
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
Customer Rating
5
A JBL Authentics 200 Review
on September 24, 2023
Posted by: Dogsnif
from Near Raleigh, NC
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I was excited to get my hands on the JBL Authentics 200. Just looking at promotional photos it immediately took me back to the 70’s college dorm room where one fellow had a pair of the storied JBL L100’s with the orange Quadrex foam grills. I don’t know why, but that design always intrigued me. The JBL Authentics 200 carries that look forward into the 21st century with an aluminum frame, a leather-wrapped enclosure and a new take on that famous grill.
My first impression upon taking the Authentics 200 out of the box was how large it is - it is bigger than it looks in pictures and is fairly hefty. That was a good sign for me! I placed the speaker on the shelf of some built-in cabinets where I could set things up. I plugged it in, turned it on and it paired to Bluetooth quickly. I already had the JBL One app so set up was very smooth. The app allows exploration of built-in music services, discovery of new songs and artists, and allows full customizable equalizer settings.
The Authentics 200 has both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, so it allowed me to choose how I wanted to listen to music. There is also support for AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and Chromecast built-in. There are Aux in, USB-C and an Ethernet port on the back of the speaker. The JBL One app allows for the chaining of several speakers together to play the same music throughout the house. One of the most interesting features of the Authentics 200 is that it allows integration of Amazon and Google for simultaneous voice control. I had never heard of that before, but is very useful, especially if you have a mix of Google and Amazon devices.
Being an audio guy, the first thing I wanted to do was play some music. I opened up Spotify and connected. The stereo sound produced was very pleasant. I had previously experienced this kind sound in my den with some of my small to midsized bookshelf speakers. The Authentics 200 filled my large living room (400 sq ft) with excellent sound without taking up near as much space. The music was clear at even low volumes. At loud volume the sound was not overbearing. The bass was smooth and the highs were crisp and clear without distortion. Even the most over-the-top songs (think Brass Monkey by the Beastie Boys) were enjoyable even at high volume. The dials on the on top of the speakers are nice looking and are illuminated as they are rotated. I personally didn’t feel like that added a lot as these functions can be controlled in the JBL One app. I actually think they detract a bit from the over look of the speaker.
One of the things I would have liked to have on the Authentics 200 is battery powered portability. I confess that I do like to move my small speakers around. I’m not hung up on that as I certainly have several speakers that fill that bill – but they are not as aesthetically pleasing as the Authentics 200. Besides JBL offers that portability in their Authentics 300.
To sum up, The Authentics 200 is a great speaker for anyone who loves the retro look and the modern features. It has a powerful sound that can fill a large room with ease. The speaker also has a lot of connectivity options, so you can stream music from your favorite apps or devices. You can even use voice assistants from both Amazon and Google to control the speaker. The JBL One app is very user-friendly and lets you customize the sound to your liking. The Authentics 200 offers both quality and versatility.
My first impression upon taking the Authentics 200 out of the box was how large it is - it is bigger than it looks in pictures and is fairly hefty. That was a good sign for me! I placed the speaker on the shelf of some built-in cabinets where I could set things up. I plugged it in, turned it on and it paired to Bluetooth quickly. I already had the JBL One app so set up was very smooth. The app allows exploration of built-in music services, discovery of new songs and artists, and allows full customizable equalizer settings.
The Authentics 200 has both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, so it allowed me to choose how I wanted to listen to music. There is also support for AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and Chromecast built-in. There are Aux in, USB-C and an Ethernet port on the back of the speaker. The JBL One app allows for the chaining of several speakers together to play the same music throughout the house. One of the most interesting features of the Authentics 200 is that it allows integration of Amazon and Google for simultaneous voice control. I had never heard of that before, but is very useful, especially if you have a mix of Google and Amazon devices.
Being an audio guy, the first thing I wanted to do was play some music. I opened up Spotify and connected. The stereo sound produced was very pleasant. I had previously experienced this kind sound in my den with some of my small to midsized bookshelf speakers. The Authentics 200 filled my large living room (400 sq ft) with excellent sound without taking up near as much space. The music was clear at even low volumes. At loud volume the sound was not overbearing. The bass was smooth and the highs were crisp and clear without distortion. Even the most over-the-top songs (think Brass Monkey by the Beastie Boys) were enjoyable even at high volume. The dials on the on top of the speakers are nice looking and are illuminated as they are rotated. I personally didn’t feel like that added a lot as these functions can be controlled in the JBL One app. I actually think they detract a bit from the over look of the speaker.
One of the things I would have liked to have on the Authentics 200 is battery powered portability. I confess that I do like to move my small speakers around. I’m not hung up on that as I certainly have several speakers that fill that bill – but they are not as aesthetically pleasing as the Authentics 200. Besides JBL offers that portability in their Authentics 300.
To sum up, The Authentics 200 is a great speaker for anyone who loves the retro look and the modern features. It has a powerful sound that can fill a large room with ease. The speaker also has a lot of connectivity options, so you can stream music from your favorite apps or devices. You can even use voice assistants from both Amazon and Google to control the speaker. The JBL One app is very user-friendly and lets you customize the sound to your liking. The Authentics 200 offers both quality and versatility.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Retro Look, Modern Sound
on September 26, 2023
Posted by: TdotCdot
from Concord, CA
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The Authentics 200 is some of the best quality sound on the market! Upon unboxing, I was impressed with the detail of the speaker; the pattern on the face of the speaker gave me vintage vibes with a modern flare. The volume, treble, and bass dials seemed retro but the light that’s emitted when turning them up or down made me feel like I was living in the future. The marriage between the old look with modern technology was done beautifully.
Connecting the speaker to my mobile device was very easy—press the Bluetooth button, find it on your device, connect, and done. I also downloaded the JBL One app for easier management and connection. Once I was paired, I turned on some of my favorite music and cranked up the volume! Before I fiddled with the treble and bass settings, I was thoroughly impressed at how clear the sound was as I began to slowly turn up the volume. The bass could be felt and the clarity of the artists voice made it feel like I was at a concert. As I began to mess with the treble and bass to gauge the abilities, it became abundantly clear that in any setting, I was going to get quality sound.
There are a couple of drawbacks that are minor but still I would’ve loved included. I wish this speaker had wireless capabilities. Having to be tethered to an outlet is ok but having the convenience of picking it up and move it to wherever I am would have been more ideal. Also, I wish there was an on/off switch. Something about turning something on or off just brings me comfort.
Overall, this is a great product. Not only do you get exceptional sound but it can definitely spruce up your decor. It’s stylish and retro and would make an impressive piece on any shelf, dresser, or wherever else you want to put. Highly recommend!
Connecting the speaker to my mobile device was very easy—press the Bluetooth button, find it on your device, connect, and done. I also downloaded the JBL One app for easier management and connection. Once I was paired, I turned on some of my favorite music and cranked up the volume! Before I fiddled with the treble and bass settings, I was thoroughly impressed at how clear the sound was as I began to slowly turn up the volume. The bass could be felt and the clarity of the artists voice made it feel like I was at a concert. As I began to mess with the treble and bass to gauge the abilities, it became abundantly clear that in any setting, I was going to get quality sound.
There are a couple of drawbacks that are minor but still I would’ve loved included. I wish this speaker had wireless capabilities. Having to be tethered to an outlet is ok but having the convenience of picking it up and move it to wherever I am would have been more ideal. Also, I wish there was an on/off switch. Something about turning something on or off just brings me comfort.
Overall, this is a great product. Not only do you get exceptional sound but it can definitely spruce up your decor. It’s stylish and retro and would make an impressive piece on any shelf, dresser, or wherever else you want to put. Highly recommend!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
4
Amazing sound, great look, no connect+
on September 26, 2023
Posted by: Achambers1978
from Chicago, IL
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Smart speaker comes right out of the box making an impression. It's packaged simply and elegantly, and unwrapping it you really feel as though you've purchased something high quality, classy. It's a modern device dressed in vintage attire, and some classic(ish) connections: 3.5mm line in, ethernet, and a good old AC plug. Also, a USB-c port.
It sounds amazing. Period. Based on size (and the fact that it's a smart speaker), I thought this would be on par with my JBL Charge 4, but it's right up there with my JBL Extreme 3, which is about twice as big. Originally I was a little miffed that they left out a battery for portability, but it makes sense. First, it's lighter and much smaller, and secondly, with the materials used, you wouldn't want to be taking this out or carrying it around. Anyway the bass delivers and I'd guess this unit could easily fill up a medium sized ballroom, much less my little living room.
The materials used LOOK vintage, but they feel newer and sturdy. For example the grille looks like the soft foam used in older speakers, but its a hard material. The exterior seems to be a polymer just patterned with a leather look. The gold bezel feels like a nice metal.
The buttons and dials look and feel great. The dials light up in a circular way as you increase or decrease volume, bass, or treble. You can play, pause, skip and rewind from the unit. Pairing was simple. From the JBL One app, wifi setup was easy, and I was able to setup both assistants quickly. I setup and used Pandora and Spotify with no issues. I have read there is Apple integration as well, so if true, JBL has covered all the bases for assistants and streaming services.
My only complaint is the lack of Connect+. Most people probably would not care about this, but having a bunch of speakers around my house that can connect to each other, it would be great to add this in. The only other issue might be the price, but you definitely get what you pay for here!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Great sound plus the aesthetic retro look
on September 28, 2023
Posted by: Anuj
from San Francisco, CA
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] JBL Authentics 200 is a very unique product from JBL. It have a retro looking style with the modern quality sound. It looks beautiful first of all, plus it sounds great and the bass is amazing. I was actually surprised by the quality of sound. The only thing minor issue is that it have to be connected to power all the time so you can't just charge it and take it to a different room or outdoor.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Full sound without distortion
on October 4, 2023
Posted by: taro
from Sacramento CA
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Speaker is packaged well but the power cord was not included at the base f the box as it otherwise indicated. This would be a problem since the 200 model relying solely on power cord rather than internal battery that higher Authentic line speakers have. We contacted the customer service and they sent it without issue.
The speaker’s Bluetooth connectivity is very stable, initially my iPhone 13 Pro has some stutter problems in sounds streaming from YouTube app, it looks like more of an iOS YouTube app issue rather than on the JBL end. Once the initial connection issues are resolved, the distance between speaker to device can be through two interior walls without distortion.
The sound level is slightly softer than the speaker size would indicate but midrange is clear without getting muffled by increasing bass boost.
The speaker’s Bluetooth connectivity is very stable, initially my iPhone 13 Pro has some stutter problems in sounds streaming from YouTube app, it looks like more of an iOS YouTube app issue rather than on the JBL end. Once the initial connection issues are resolved, the distance between speaker to device can be through two interior walls without distortion.
The sound level is slightly softer than the speaker size would indicate but midrange is clear without getting muffled by increasing bass boost.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
3
Almost Perfection!
on October 6, 2023
Posted by: GoodPizzaPie
from Falmouth, Maine
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Whoa my!!! This unit is of professional caliber, to start! Evidently every detail was carefully considered during design and manufacture. A truly lovely piece of audio gear that begs to be taken for a ride right out of the box. The unit is heavy and small, with a strong metal face frame, a textured black cover that is both sturdy and elegant, and sleek LEDs surrounding the bass, treble, and audio knobs. After connecting it to WiFi and my JBL One app, I easily updated the firmware. I connected to AirPlay after updating and started playing! The audio is clear and bold. The device can be turned up to an incredible volume, and the bass—WOW—has a thudding drum on the base of the unit! See photo.
The one drawback that I have experienced is a faint buzzing sound at low volumes, which is why I gave it three stars. I've sent a message to customer service. If the faint buzzing stops, the device deserves TEN stars. I just love this piece of hardware.
The one drawback that I have experienced is a faint buzzing sound at low volumes, which is why I gave it three stars. I've sent a message to customer service. If the faint buzzing stops, the device deserves TEN stars. I just love this piece of hardware.
I would recommend this to a friend!
By Customer Support, October 19, 2023
Thank you for your feedback on our JBL Authentics 200. We're always looking for ways to improve and we'll make sure to submit your feedback to the appropriate team. If you need more help with your unit, please contact JBL Customer Support. We're here to help.
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com