JBL's new smart speakers offer the best of two voice assistant worlds

Enjoy simultaneous access and interoperability between Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa

JBL makes speakers for a variety of applications, ranging from studio use to in-ear and over-ear headphones. The brand also makes fantastic smart speakers suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Drawing inspiration from its classic L100 range from the 70s, Harman announced the new JBL Authentics range of smart speakers at IFA this year, which is currently underway in Berlin, Germany. These speakers give you access to Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa simultaneously, making your smart home setup much easier to operate.

This new range of speakers from JBL comprises the Authentics 200, 300, and 500 models, where only the Authentics 300 is designed for portability, featuring a “consumer replaceable” battery delivering eight hours of playtime per charge. That pales in comparison to rival speakers in the price bracket. However, the brand promises unique features like Dolby Atmos support on the Authentics 500, along with the unique combination of Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

JBL Authentics 200

Many speakers advertise support for these voice assistants, but JBL’s new range combines their capabilities, so either assistant can stop timers, reminders, and alarms, even if the other one set them. This also goes for music playback, where Google Assistant could pause streaming from Amazon Music. As a result, you aren’t forced to remember which voice assistant was used to start the action. You also benefit from Assistant’s powerful search capabilities, and Alexa-exclusive skills like tracking your recent Amazon order. Such interoperability is great for households with multiple smart devices, or multiple users who prefer different voice assistants. Lest we forget, the integration also ensures the assistants aren’t talking over each other.

JBL Authentics 300

As far as tech specs go, the indoor/outdoor Authentics 300 speaker is configured with a pair of one-inch tweeters, a full-range 5.25-inch woofer, and a 6.5-inch downwards-firing passive bass radiator. The smaller Authentics 200 packs a similar configuration — two 1-inch tweeters, a full-range five-inch woofer, and a six-inch passive radiator.

The hardware suggests the sound profile would be slightly bass-forward with adequate details and clarity in the mids and highs. The biggest in the lineup, the Authentics 500, is a 270W powerhouse equipped with three 1-inch tweeters, three 2.75-inch midrange woofers, and a 6.5-inch downward-firing subwoofer.

The JBL Authentics family

JBL promises these faux leather-wrapped speakers with aluminum frames can deliver distinct highs and deep lows, ensuring true-to-life recreation of the audio, in both indoor and outdoor settings. The speakers also come with an automatic self-tuning feature, so the sound is optimal.

Such hardware comes at a price, and you may need to wait for a while to get your hands on it. The Authentics range goes on sale in Europe on September 15, and in North America on September 17. The Authentics 200 is priced at $330, and the Authentics 300 for $430. JBL’s bigger Authentics 500 will set you back by $700.

The JBL Authentics smart speaker range comprises three speakers designed for indoor and outdoor use, with only one of them featuring a battery for eight hours of playback. Google and Amazon collaborated on this speaker to offer simultaneous access to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Interoperability ensures each assistant can work on features like timers and alarms created by the other.

Chandraveer is a mechanical design engineer with a passion for all things Android including devices, launchers, theming, apps, and photography. When he isn't typing away on his mechanical keyboard’s heavy linear switches, he enjoys discovering new music, improving his keyboard, and rowing through his hatchback’s gears on twisty roads.