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
(81 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 81 reviews
5 Stars
64
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
Amazing retro style home speaker
on December 31, 2023
Posted by: Davidb775
from New Jersey
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I am absolutely in love with this speaker! It has made the best new kitchen speaker with the very sleek and retro look to it and the sound is absolutely amazing. The sound quality, the deep bass, and it also has both amazon alexa and google home! You can choose which one to set up or set up both. Overall i am very impressed and very pleased with this speaker.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
JBL just keeps getting better
on January 1, 2024
Posted by: Nelly_Nel
from Philadelphia, PA
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] So I’ve used this speaker right before and on new years. First of all, the style of the speaker is so cute. I love GOLD so I was already in awe because of that but the sound, the sound OMG!!! I love this speaker so much. The base and clarity to the features on the top to make the bass and treble the way you want. Also, the Alexa feature just made it top tier. Please keep this speaker available forever. I can’t get enough of it
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
My new favorite conversation piece
on January 1, 2024
Posted by: aidan12
from Atlanta, Georgia
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] It’s hard not to love a speaker that is so aesthetically pleasing. The leather sides, dials, and every other detail are not only beautiful they are also durable and high quality. I would bet it looks good in every modern looking space and it has done so in all the rooms of my house. It’s a bit strange to talk about a speaker less as a device and more like a conversation piece, but that’s a large part of this speaker; it’s simply beautiful.
The sound that it produces is clear and perfect in all the genres I listen to. It feels like the band is right in the room with you and with the bass and treble dials you can change the sound to fit your preference. I didn’t know how much I would use these when I first got the speaker, but now they’ve become my favorite feature. The bass comes out of the bottom of the speaker which will inevitably shake a table if you have the volume up high enough. I thought this would bother me, but it’s never too annoying to not love.
The Moment button is cool, but a little confusing. The speaker itself connects to your wifi and can play music without being connected to your phone. I’ll have to get used to this because this isn’t the way that most speakers function. I’m not sure yet whether I like the feature or dislike the added complication.
The real thing that bothers me is its voice control. I like to have this turned off and there is a switch to do so, however if it is turned off a red-light glows on the face of the speaker unless you switch it back on. This takes a bit away from the good looks.
The sound that it produces is clear and perfect in all the genres I listen to. It feels like the band is right in the room with you and with the bass and treble dials you can change the sound to fit your preference. I didn’t know how much I would use these when I first got the speaker, but now they’ve become my favorite feature. The bass comes out of the bottom of the speaker which will inevitably shake a table if you have the volume up high enough. I thought this would bother me, but it’s never too annoying to not love.
The Moment button is cool, but a little confusing. The speaker itself connects to your wifi and can play music without being connected to your phone. I’ll have to get used to this because this isn’t the way that most speakers function. I’m not sure yet whether I like the feature or dislike the added complication.
The real thing that bothers me is its voice control. I like to have this turned off and there is a switch to do so, however if it is turned off a red-light glows on the face of the speaker unless you switch it back on. This takes a bit away from the good looks.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Great sound in a speaker of this size
on January 1, 2024
Posted by: loon1961
from Canton, MI
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Wow. The power cord is packed in the bottom of the carton and inside one of the "tubes". There is a plug picture noted on the cardboard but I expected to be under that packaging but it is inside.
A lot packed into this speaker! Great sound at low and higher volumes. First of all, note this is a plug in speaker...not cordless.
It was easy to set up Bluetooth and Wifi. This uses the JBL One app. You can use the app to control volume and equalizer. It was very responsive. There are three knobs on the speaker you can also use to adjust these as well. There is a white light around the knob that turns on briefly when adjustments are made. There is no power on or off button. There is a button on the back of the speaker but this is to turn on and off the assistant...Google and Alexa. There are also slots in the back of the speaker to connect via USB, ethernet, or AUX.
It was easy to set up Bluetooth and Wifi. This uses the JBL One app. You can use the app to control volume and equalizer. It was very responsive. There are three knobs on the speaker you can also use to adjust these as well. There is a white light around the knob that turns on briefly when adjustments are made. There is no power on or off button. There is a button on the back of the speaker but this is to turn on and off the assistant...Google and Alexa. There are also slots in the back of the speaker to connect via USB, ethernet, or AUX.
Very impressed with the sound quality and the quality feel of this speaker.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Beautiful speaker with great sound and features!
on January 1, 2024
Posted by: RubenGG
from New York, NY
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The JBL Authentics 200 is a fantastic medium-sized speaker, perfect for a bedroom, office, rec room, or other similar spaces, although it has the power to fill a living room as well if that’s where you intend to use it. After a couple days of owning and testing it, here are my first impressions:
THE GOOD:
- Looks great. Very cool retro look, which adds to the decor in my bedroom and complements my more modern furniture. The faux-leather looks and feels pretty real, and the faded gold accents add a nice touch.
- Sounds great. Nothing new here, the same fantastic JBL sound quality that we’re used to. Clean and clear sound both at low and high volume, and it packs a huge bass for a relatively little guy.
- Very easy to set up. This is where JBL really has made progress from older speakers. I’ve owned an L16 (which I love) for years, but whenever I need to set up a new wifi network or change any setup, it is always a pain to get it to connect to the network again (and I need to look up the manual as it's not intuitive). With the Authentics 200, setup was incredibly easy. Plug it, turn it on, open the JBL One app, and it will find the speaker and guide you through the steps to connect it to the wifi network and set up the voice assistants.
- Feature packed. Supports Alexa, Google Assistant, AirPlay, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect, and a few others which I don’t use but I’m sure other people do. In terms of connectivity, they really have covered all the bases.
- Looks great. Very cool retro look, which adds to the decor in my bedroom and complements my more modern furniture. The faux-leather looks and feels pretty real, and the faded gold accents add a nice touch.
- Sounds great. Nothing new here, the same fantastic JBL sound quality that we’re used to. Clean and clear sound both at low and high volume, and it packs a huge bass for a relatively little guy.
- Very easy to set up. This is where JBL really has made progress from older speakers. I’ve owned an L16 (which I love) for years, but whenever I need to set up a new wifi network or change any setup, it is always a pain to get it to connect to the network again (and I need to look up the manual as it's not intuitive). With the Authentics 200, setup was incredibly easy. Plug it, turn it on, open the JBL One app, and it will find the speaker and guide you through the steps to connect it to the wifi network and set up the voice assistants.
- Feature packed. Supports Alexa, Google Assistant, AirPlay, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect, and a few others which I don’t use but I’m sure other people do. In terms of connectivity, they really have covered all the bases.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT:
- Lack of battery (needs to be plugged in). I think JBL should’ve made the Authentics 200 the portable speaker in the lineup (ie. It should be the one that has a battery, as opposed to or in addition to the 300). Given it’s the smaller of the 3 speakers, in my opinion it should’ve been the one designed to be portable, as it is the lighter one and easier to carry.
- Lack of battery (needs to be plugged in). I think JBL should’ve made the Authentics 200 the portable speaker in the lineup (ie. It should be the one that has a battery, as opposed to or in addition to the 300). Given it’s the smaller of the 3 speakers, in my opinion it should’ve been the one designed to be portable, as it is the lighter one and easier to carry.
Overall, very happy with the new addition!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Nostalgia and modern functionality.
on January 1, 2024
Posted by: Juan G
from San Antonio, TX
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This product blends nostalgia and modern functionality seamlessly. Its compact design, reminiscent of classic aesthetics, delivers impressive sound quality. The sleek casing ensures durability, and bluetooth connectivity is hassle-free. This retro gem not only enhances efficiency during work but also adds a stylish touch to any setting. Despite its compact size, it's a powerful fashion statement that has become an indispensable part of my audio setup. Recommended for those who appreciate both style and substance.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Crispy Looks and Sound
on January 2, 2024
Posted by: Brian G
from Racine, WI
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The JBL Authentics 200 is a crisp looking and sounding home smart speaker that will keep you grooving!
As always, JBL puts some great thought into their unboxing experience with all of their products. It is very attractively and carefully packaged. It is well protected in its retail box, and was shipped very carefully as well. Opening the box, first things first are the handy quick start guide and manual. There aren't that many buttons, so it is pretty quick to plug in and connect. However, the JBL One app is a must-have to get the best out of it(which isn't hard to do), and that itself is simple and well thought out.
I selected this speaker specifically for the looks AND functionality. We are an Alexa house, but find most smart speakers really lacking in sound quality that we expect. We needed something nice looking and great sounding for our living room, and found it in the Authentics series. JBL has married form and functionality very well here! The leatherette covering and brass appointments, as well as the stylistic grill, will find themselves at home with most decor. The sound is shockingly well-rounded for a speaker of this size, I suspect due to the bottom-firing woofer that really fills in the low end. You will not mistake yourself for being in a night club with overly-booming bass; this speaker provides clarity and depth in the whole range from full bottom end to crisp and clear highs. It is also very LOUD! When doing some New Years' cleaning, I pumped the volume and heard it very clearly over my loud old vacuum cleaner. Perfect!
My only very minor gripes are the lack of a dedicated power button and that the speaker doesn't support streaming from Apple music through Alexa from the JBL One app. Most of my other Alexa devices support Apple music. It is an easy enough work around to airplay from my phone, but I wish I could just tell it to stream my playlists like I do other Alexa devices. RE: the lack of a power button, that is probably just my eco-consciousness coming through, and wishing that more devices had hard power switches to reduce energy draw while idle.
All in all, this is a SOLID 4.9/5 stars, and would highly recommend to anyone looking for something with boutique looks AND boutique sound! JBL for the win!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Packs a Punch with Great Features and Design
on January 2, 2024
Posted by: Roland of Gilead
from Valparaiso, Indiana
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The JBL Authentics 200 is quite the speaker that’s loaded with features. First off is the design. It looks like a classic amplifier that a rockstar would use in concert. It blends in well with most any furniture.
The packaging was very well designed to protect the product from damage. Setup was pretty simple with the JBL One App. One minor complaint I have though, is that you need a second app. I already have the JBL headphone app but this requires a second app. The volume, treble and bass are easy to control from the app though I haven’t found a mid-range control. The app has an equalizer to set your treble and bass and save your settings as well.
You can connect via Bluetooth or WiFi which allows you to connect devices seamlessly using Apple AirPlay, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect.
Voice commands are available through Alexa and Google Assistant. Alexa worked very well and was easy to set up. Voice control can be toggled on/off on the rear of the device. Some other cool features are that you can connect this via Ethernet, an Auxiliary plug, or USB not to mention the WiFi and Bluetooth. I was able to set this up to my Samsung Smart TV via Bluetooth I just wish there was a remote for the volume. I’ll have to try an auxiliary cable at some point.
Overall, based on the design, ease of use, and sound quality, I would say that this is well worth the price. Another great product from JBL.
The packaging was very well designed to protect the product from damage. Setup was pretty simple with the JBL One App. One minor complaint I have though, is that you need a second app. I already have the JBL headphone app but this requires a second app. The volume, treble and bass are easy to control from the app though I haven’t found a mid-range control. The app has an equalizer to set your treble and bass and save your settings as well.
You can connect via Bluetooth or WiFi which allows you to connect devices seamlessly using Apple AirPlay, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect.
Voice commands are available through Alexa and Google Assistant. Alexa worked very well and was easy to set up. Voice control can be toggled on/off on the rear of the device. Some other cool features are that you can connect this via Ethernet, an Auxiliary plug, or USB not to mention the WiFi and Bluetooth. I was able to set this up to my Samsung Smart TV via Bluetooth I just wish there was a remote for the volume. I’ll have to try an auxiliary cable at some point.
Overall, based on the design, ease of use, and sound quality, I would say that this is well worth the price. Another great product from JBL.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com