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
JBL Authentics 200!!
on January 5, 2024
Posted by: DonH
from Medford, OR
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Hello, I’m reviewing the JBL Authentics 200. I was interested in a smaller speaker to connect to my other Wi-Fi speaker in my living room. After a little research I chose this one. Physically it’s perfect for what I need. The retro look, especially the grille, matches my other speaker very well. It’s smaller but attractive. With an aluminum frame, the build is solid. It’s got some weight behind it. I like the easy to access volume, bass and treble controls right on top too. What’s better than all of this is of course the sound. It sounds like a speaker 10 times this size. The 2 tweeters produce the bright crispy treble I love. They’re angled out to the right and left for separation and it works. The midrange and bass come from a front facing woofer that sounds fantastic. The bass is enhanced even more by a passive radiator mounted on the bottom. All of the sounds can be changed by the JBL One app, the controls on top of the speaker or by the device the speaker is connected to. The choice of inputs are Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth USB-C, or a 3.5 mm jack. Built in Alexa or Google Assistant too. I can just say “Alexa, play jazz on Apple Music” and it happens. Very handy. These can be disabled also. I highly recommend this speaker. I love mine.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
4
Small but powerful
on September 24, 2023
Posted by: Meghan
from Dallas Texas
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This JBL speaker may be small but packs a clear punch. This retro styled speaker brings class, clarity, and great bass all in one compact package. The knobs on top give the perfect feel for fine tuning your listening experience. One draw back I noticed was the lack of an on/off switch. However, the speaker will go to sleep after a period of inactivity. Another draw back is that I felt that it was missing the mid ranges a little bit. But overall, this speaker has amazing sound and I enjoy using it. Lastly, it is nice that there is an on/off switch for the microphone.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
4
Tiny Beast!
on January 14, 2024
Posted by: Rainbo11
from Windsor, CO
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This speaker sounds amazing! There are sounds in songs I’ve been listening to for years that I have never heard before I listened on the Authentics 200. The speaker has such clarity and definition. The bass is tremendous, Big, HUGE! You can hear it throughout our home. I am in love with the vintage style it brings to my space. I absolutely believe it guarantees it’s value! Why not 5 stars, you ask? Well, I’m not sure if this is a kink or if something is wrong with mine, but it tends to skip. I know there’s nothing wrong with my music because it plays just fine in the car. It also needs to stay plugged in at all times to work. There’s no way to charge it. Overall, though, it is a tiny beast! Love it!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
4
Classy, cool, composed
on January 19, 2024
Posted by: Happy_dad
from Bay Area, CA
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] When I first received the speaker and started listening to my usual tracks to test the sound, I noticed that the Authentics skipped quite a bit. Every few minutes it would skip for a few seconds, as if my phone was out of reach of the bluetooth signal. But this issue went away after a software/firmware update, which itself went quickly and easily using JBL One app.
The visual design is great. It's cool looking, with either real or faux leather covering top and the sides. The front grill matches everything else in its style, but I wish it was removable, as the images outside the box suggest. Alas, the grill is not removable.
Connection, connectivity, and usage were all good, sans the hiccup in the very beginning. The speaker wakes up reasonably quickly, and keeps the signal well.
All buttons are satisfyingly tactile, and dials are a pleasure to use. Bass and treble dials briefly light up at their base to show the respective levels. Volume knob does the same, and it also incorporates the play/ff/rw button.
The smart speaker functionality is good, as is expected.
Sound quality is what you'd expect from JBL, given that this is an indoor classy speaker. It's not as heavy on bass as some of the portable JBL speakers (Charge, Partybox to name a few), and is a bit higher in fidelity. Jazz sounds amazing on this speaker, live and present.
Overall, it is a well-done speaker that doesn't excel at anything except being a classy indoor speaker.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Sound Perfection !!!
on December 30, 2023
Posted by: Walter61
from Boulder, Colorado
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Authentics 200 is the best wireless speaker I have ever used. It allows you to get the perfect balance of bass and treble, something that is unusual in wireless speakers. In addition to that you have the chance to equalize your music according to your own preference, through the JBL One app. The design is perfect for any corner of your house or office. it just looks great. The bass is amazingly great and at the same time you get a perfect crispy sound so that it is possible to get sound perfection even at a low volume. I’m definitely impressed with the excellent quality of this product. I highly recommend it!!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
JBL's most superior sound with class!
on January 2, 2024
Posted by: ANdru613
from Ft. Lauderdale FL
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Ever since the old days of the Charge 2, I've been a long time speaker fan of JBL. In all the speakers I own, JBL always grabbed the limelight in loudness and rocking bass, which is a must for any speaker, especially mine. But this one was really different.
Upon opening the box, I had a overwhelming sense of luxury and class just out of the look. I was thinking, this thing is going to look awesome just putting it in the house! Great design and look, as well as a great rectangular shape. The square boxes on the front definitely punch in those "vintage" vibes as they advertised!
Taking it out if the box, it was notably heavy. But then again, we aren't dealing with a JBL charge/flip/extreme where those are made to be carried around. The JBL vintage is much more of a Living room/bedroom type of setting then to bring along to your beach party, in my opinion
Knobs and buttons on the top have a pretty nice feel to them. It sounds funny, but being able to physically adjust the bass and treble gives much more of a "control" to your music then just using a app. There's nothing quite like turning a knob to perfect the song!
And most important, the sound. I would be honest, I was getting a bit skeptical about the sound, since the speaker had such great looks, I was thinking maybe JBL missed it with the sound quality this time? Boy was I wrong! Sound is BEYOND phenomenal! The music has such a crisp, clean sound to it, it made me feel like I'm in the studio with the song being made! It rocked out with the bass on the heavy party songs, and at the other side of the spectrum, it has the richest sounding classical music I've heard from a JBL speaker! For once, I actually left my music playlist to go for hours on end nonstop all day in the house. It can definitely get very loud, easily fill up your average room, living room, or dining room setting.
To sum it up, I got surprised at this one. Sound is simply beyond the regular with the treble, bass, and mids. Plays the highs great, notably the lows with such depth, it's incredible. Although it can be taken around, definitely wouldn't use it as my go to portable speaker. It's heavy, could get scratched up, and not practical for outdoor activity. However indoors, it really dominates. So if you're looking for epic sound for the house, office or any indoor space where the JBL authentics 200 can have a set place, it's your go to speaker, without a doubt. Highly recommend!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Loud and clear.
on September 20, 2023
Posted by: migss89
from Chicago, Illinois
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] After receiving this speaker I was surprised that it was much bigger than I thought. But after turning it on I can see why. The JBL Authentics 200 gets loud but audio remains clear. I can feel the bass thumping. I have it connected to Alexa and so far everything works fine. The only issue I had with the device was that the audio was cut in and out. I downloaded the JBL one app, and there was a software update ready to install. Once the update was complete no more audio problems. Overall this speaker is great. Definitely recommend getting one.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
Premium sound with a classy retro look!
on September 15, 2023
Posted by: Miguel C
from Kissimmee, Florida
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The JBL authentics 200 is a classy retro style speaker, that I enjoy very much. With the JBL one app, I have full control of sound adjustments and music streaming via wifi. It also has bluetooth connectivity with no lag or drops. You can voice control, using Amazon Alexa and Google assistant with the app as an option. The sound from this speaker has very well balanced highs and lows, with a punchy base from the down firing radiator speaker. Overall, the JBL Authentics 200, just gave me the sound illusion of a quite larger speaker. The leatherlike feel of the speaker cabinet and front grill is a classy style look, that gives it a look, that I came to love immediately. On the top of the speaker, the volume, treble, and bass knobs light up with the level adjustment. The volume knob pauses and plays your music with a push. The JBL Authentics 200 speaker is compact but don't be fooled by it's size when you are playing music. It's a beast of sound for its size. JBL has impressed me with this speaker with its retro style, classy look, sound, and features in a very good-looking speaker. Additional auxiliary input is in the rear of the speaker with ethernet port and usb. I give the JBL Authentics 200 an A+ on sound quality and size. I am currently using it in my garage workspace.