Design
Before buying the Authentics 500, make sure you have enough room in your space to accommodate the speaker, which is nearly 8 inches deep and requires additional wall space behind it because of its large bass exhausts. Even at its size, the speaker weighs just 16 pounds, about a third of the weight of the JBL L82, the classic hi-fi speaker that inspired it.
Authentics 500 costs about 16.9 million VND in Vietnam
Instead of thick MDF veneer, the Authentics 500 has a faux leather plastic case, with gold aluminum trim and a ridged plastic back. It combines modern wireless speaker construction with some traditional aesthetics. The speaker has no battery, so users need to plug it into a power source to operate stably.
Features
As a full-featured home Wi-Fi speaker, the Authentics 500 offers an auxiliary input on the back for physical connection to other devices. The speaker can also connect to a phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, with setup done using the JBL One app. The app also lets users choose music directly from built-in features and services like AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, etc., although it would be better to use separate apps.
The back of the Authentics 500 has an Ethernet port and USB-C
As a smart speaker, the top surface of the Authentics 500 has a few small black holes that house the microphone to connect to Alexa or Google Assistant with the ability to operate quite smoothly. If you don't like the voice assistant feature and want some privacy, users can turn off the microphone with a small switch on the back.
In addition to Wi-Fi, the Authentics 500 also has an Ethernet jack if wireless is a little spotty. A USB-C port is also included, but it can't be used to output audio from a laptop and is reserved for software updates.
Sound quality
Pick up the Authentics 500 and you'll find a massive 6.5-inch subwoofer that's capable of pumping bass waves into whatever's underneath it. Behind the grille are three 1-inch tweeters and three 2.75-inch mid-range speakers, making it a 3.1 system. The speaker supports Dolby Atmos 3D audio, but the concept of creating 3D sound from a box where the drivers are inches apart is still a bit of a mystery.
The deciding factor here is the bass as the Authentics 500 is capable of producing bass at impressive volume levels. The bass depth is excellent and when the user turns on this device to play some club music, the experience really feels like being in a club.
The controls are located on the top of the Authentics 500.
However, there is also a problem with the Authentics 500 when it comes to low frequencies, even when set to high volume. It muffles the sound, sometimes encroaching on the mids and vocals. Users can “temporarily” tame it by using the two dials on the top. These are the treble and bass controls.
Changing the sound profile is also relatively easy, as these are free-spinning dials that use an LED ring around the perimeter to display the settings. Users can reduce the bass using these controls or the JBL app, and when that happens, the mids and tweets become pleasantly smooth.
General comments
Loud, powerful and with a strong bass are the impressive points on the Authentics 500. Moreover, the classic Quadrex grille design is charming, making the audio experience more enjoyable. The sheer power of the bass and its comfort level impress many people, providing them with a combination of modernity and tradition. If you are looking for a good speaker for parties and have enough budget to spend, this is a great choice for everyone.
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