BL has done it again with their JBL Authentics 500. It’s a well-made smart speaker that taps into that JBL sound. It yields a sound that is not just room filling, but also excellent quality. Based on its design, features, quality and performance, the JBL Authentics 500 has earned our Editor’s Choice Award.

In terms of design, the JBL Authentics 500 serves up a cheeky and appealing flirtation with the past. Functionally, it has everything you need for a smooth user experience, and sonically, there’s nothing to complain about. Drawbacks include a bulky design and a hefty price tag.

The JBL Authentics 500 smart speaker justifies its $1,000 price with its great-looking retro design and powerful audio capabilities. Its unique appearance, featuring a Quadrex grille, aluminium frame, and a custom leather enclosure, sets it apart from typical speakers, and it will look good in any room.

JBL have created the perfect match of retro design and excellent sound in its largest speaker in the Authentics range. Including technology found on its high-end and pro speaker, has given the bass a hefty boost and support for Dolby Atmos takes the listening experience on step further. There’s no compromise on smart features either.

Finally, remember to install the JBL One application on your Android and iOS mobile to access a greater number of options to customize the equalizer and settings as well as find your content from different sources on the same screen thanks to the integrated music services. And logically you will not lack support for Bluetooth connections, a USB port for playing MP3 files stored on external drives and even a classic 3.5 mm audio input.

The JBL Authentics 500's look and sound may be divisive but those who are partial will find it to be a good time, all of the time

With big, bold sound to match its big, bold looks, the JBL Authentics 500 is a powerhouse of a wireless speaker that’s sure to win plenty of admirers. Mostly those who crave low-frequency action and aren’t all that fussed about the Dolby Atmos side of its specification.

The JBL Authentics 500 provides punchy room-filling sound, with a classy design and plenty of supported apps and features to make it a great buy for audio fans. It’s a little fiddly to set up, and there are some app bugs and issues, but overall you’re getting a fantastic musical experience from the JBL.

The JBL Authentics 500 is good for music. Its Self-Tuning room correction tool automatically adjusts the speaker's sound based on your room's unique acoustics. With it on, its sound is fairly even and balanced, making it suitable for lots of different music genres. Plus, it's quite customizable, with bass and treble knobs on the speaker as well as a graphic EQ in the JBL One companion app. It gets quite loud, too, albeit with some compression at max volume.

Big, loud, powerful and bassy. That's the JBL Authentics 500 in a nutshell when you look beyond the charmingly retro design.The bass and volume its capable of will impress many, but the sound needs better refinement to justify its high price.

JBL's Authentics 500 speaker supports wired and wireless playback, delivers massive sound, and offers hands-free Alexa and Google Assistant, though the fussy controls detract from the experience.