JBL Authentics 200 test: our full opinion –

JBL recently offered three new Wi-Fi residential speakers with a retro look. The JBL Authentics 200, 300 and 500 are distinguished by their Quadrex foam acoustic grille. Appeared in the 1970s on the JBL L100 hi-fi speaker, this protective foam is instantly recognizable. The small Quadrex embossed squares are therefore back with the JBL Authentics 200, 300 and 500. The small Authentics 200, the subject of this test, is a stereo speaker with line, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, compatible with AirPlay protocols, Chromecast, Spotify Connect and Alexa Multiroom. More voluminous, equipped with a battery and a carrying handle, the JBL Authentics 300 has slightly more muscular bass transducers to play even louder, while the JBL Authentics 500, much more imposing, multiplies the transducers and plays the Dolby Atmos and immersive sound card. We will come back to this in later tests.

JBL Authentics 200 Technical sheet

The enclosure used for this test was loaned by the manufacturer

JBL Authentics 200 High-end finish

The JBL Authentics 200 is an elegant speaker, with sophisticated lines, which measures 26 cm wide by approximately 17 cm high and deep. From the first contact, the impression of quality is obvious. The embossed acoustic foam flanked by a small brass-colored JBL logo looks great. It is highlighted, because a pale gold-colored aluminum frame, at the top of which is a reminder that JBL has been designing and manufacturing speakers since 1946. The front face is slightly domed and its edges rounded.

The side, lower and upper sides are covered with grained synthetic leather, which is also very pleasant to the eye and to the touch. On the top of the speaker there is a clickable volume potentiometer and two others for adjusting the bass and treble frequencies, all surrounded by white LEDs which indicate the chosen setting. These “potars” have a flexible and infinite stroke and are pleasant to operate. There are also two small gold buttons, one for Bluetooth pairing and the other for launching a music playlist. On the back are all of the Authentics 200’s connectors: a 3.5 mm mini-jack line input, an RJ45 Ethernet port, a USB-C port for powering a mobile device (5 W ) and the power connector.

Finally, a switch is present at the back to possibly cut off the speaker’s microphones which it uses to self-calibrate and take commands for the supported voice assistants (Google Assistant and Alexa).

Internal design of the Authentics 200

The front panel accommodates three active transducers, two tweeters and a bass-midrange driver. The two 25mm high-frequency transducers are housed at the side ends and oriented slightly towards the edges. The main speaker, 13 cm in diameter, is centered and diffuses frontally. Each is housed at the bottom of a horn, in order to better focus the sounds emitted. JBL has opted for classic materials, coated fabric for the tweeter domes (a guarantee of softness) and a paper-cellulose membrane for the woofer, associated with a double roller suspension – one of which is grooved to damp parasitic vibrations.

This audio system is partially stereo; only high frequencies are broadcast by two transducers, while mid and bass sounds are mono (broadcast by a single transducer). A passive radiator of approximately 15 cm is installed under the speaker and diffuses the most serious sounds, driven by impulses from the main transducer. The associated amplification is generous and accumulates 90 W peak with a distortion of 1% (hi-fi standard).

JBL Authentics 200 Convenient tone settings

The multiplicity of inputs allows you to use the JBL Authentics 200 speaker in several ways. There is of course the line input in 3.5 mm mini-jack format, useful for connecting an analog source such as a portable music player, a CD player or why not a vinyl turntable (with line output). The speaker is also Bluetooth (multipoint) and you simply pair it with your smartphone to listen to music. But the ideal remains the Wi-Fi connection through the home network, because it is of lossless quality and very practical.

The JBL Authentics 200 is AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect and Amazon Multiroom compatible. In other words, whether you have an iPhone, an Android smartphone or even a MacBook, it will be very easy to play music directly from the app of a music streaming service. What’s more, the Authentics 200 can be combined with other Wi-Fi speakers – JBL or not – using one of the wireless protocols mentioned above, to broadcast music simultaneously in several rooms.

An interesting Moments function

To access the speaker’s advanced functions, you must download the JBL One application. This allows you to choose a voice assistant to associate (possibly) or to configure the “ Moment ” For example. “ Moment » is associated with the button with a heart-shaped logo located at the top of the speaker. The function allows you to instantly launch a playlist created on the music service to which you subscribe. However, Spotify, Deezer and Apple Music are not currently compatible.

The JBL One app also allows you to adjust the tone of the speaker with a 3-band equalizer (bass/mid/treble). This adjustment can be made directly on the speaker using the potentiometers for bass and treble sounds. It’s really very practical and, depending on the room in which you move the speaker or the type of music played, you can adjust the sound to your taste in an instant.

JBL says the speaker adapts its sound performance itself, but I didn’t notice anything of the sort. The Authentics 200 may detect the ambient noise level and add a little bass and/or treble to make the sound even clearer.

Power consumption of the Authentics 200

In network standby, the JBL Authentics 200 has a bird’s appetite and only consumes 1.4W. In this mode, she is ready to play in the moment. When it is awake, but not playing music, its consumption is 3.5 W, before falling after a few minutes to 1.4 W. When playing music at a quarter of the volume, the consumption does not exceed 5 W and you have to really push the volume so that the speaker swallows more than 40 W during the biggest current demands (battery, etc.).

JBL Authentics 200 Harmonious audio quality

This JBL Authentics 200 seems to come from the same barrel as the brand’s best portable speakers, in this case the JBL Xtreme 3 and JBL BoomBox 3 WiFi. The tonal signature is close and is characterized by a carefully measured balance from bass to treble. The sound produced is always clear and intelligible, with a completely satisfactory transient regime (ability to move quickly from one sound to another). The sum of small details distilled by the Authentics 200 nourishes the ear and it is very pleasant.

A quick analysis of the speaker’s response curve shows that its bass extension is sufficient to give an impression of generosity, since 50 Hz is reproduced. Certainly, not with many levels, but, considering the size of the speaker, it’s not bad. The bass is dense and nervous, pleasant on all types of music. Then, the curve remains balanced from low to medium frequencies then declines deliberately between 2 kHz and 4 kHz, which avoids filling the ear with sounds that are too harsh (our ear is very sensitive over this small frequency range). We finally observe a rise in the treble which brings airiness and silkiness. The extreme treble is a little at half mast past 10 kHz, but this has no impact on the perception of the sound and is due to the fact that the tweeters are not oriented towards the listener (and therefore my measurement microphone). In short, this curve is not the result of chance, but well studied.

Another aspect, the JBL Authentics 200 reduces the amount of low frequencies very little at maximum volume and therefore generally maintains its balance. This is rare enough to be highlighted and means that you can listen loudly without losing quality. Finally, the maximum volume flirts with 93 dB at 1 meter. To give context to this figure, you should know that such loud noise makes it impossible to hold a conversation.

• Bass: suitable extension, the sound does not drag and the impact capacity is correct
• Medium: precise and analytical, free from harshness, beautiful male and female voices
• Treble: appreciable fluidity thanks to good tweeters

Dynamic behavior and soundstage

As explained above, the transient regime of the JBL Authentics 200 is satisfactory and the dynamic differences are adequately marked, even at high volume and without excessive projection. The layout of the sound planes is quite good and the soundstage is well articulated. However, given the small size of the speaker, the stereo is not very pronounced and the speaker is directive. Note that if it is possible over Wi-Fi to use two Authentics 200 (in AirPlay multiroom for example), JBL does not allow the left channel to be addressed to one and the right channel to the other to widen the stereo.

Listening impressions

On Everybody’s Talkin’ by Harry Nilsson, the speaker surprises by highlighting the artist’s voice, truly well embodied and alive. The violins in the back are airy and fluid, never overwhelmed by the drums or bass. It’s precise and very smooth, exactly as it should be. Listening to Say, Say, Say remixed by Kygo, the voices of McCartney and Jackson are also very present and intelligible and in the same way the rhythmic part of the song never eclipses them. What’s My Name by Rihanna, a particularly compressed and aggressive track is played without harshness, while still being full of punch. Without fault also withHypnotizeby Notorious BIG, everything seems in its place, electronic drums, bass, backing vocals… clearly the mayonnaise is taking off. It goes just as well with older recordings, for exampleMr. Bonjangles(Remastered) by Nina Simone is played with delicacy.

JBL Authentics 200 Price and release date

The JBL Authentics 200 is available for 299 euros. Given its sound performance, there is little competition at this price, except the Harman Kardon GO + Play 3 offered at 349 euros, in a very different style, with an integrated battery and very similar sound – better even in sub-bass — but without Wi-Fi.