New JBL speakers offer a smart feature Sonos and your Echo can’t match

Smart speakers aren’t anything new but JBL’s latest Authentics devices arrive packing an upgrade that’s a first of its kind. These latest music makers come with both Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant built-in – that’s also nothing new we hear you cry! However, where things get clever is that they both work simultaneously with one another. It basically means you can ask Alexa to start belting out your favourite playlists and then shout at Google to make the music stop.

That’s not something you can do on rival devices such as Sonos or Echo speakers with these devices needing the same assistant to start and stop tasks. “Once enabled, use either voice assistant to play your favourite music, control your smart home devices, set timers and alarms, and more, hands-free, using just your voice,” JBL confirmed.

It’s a nice touch and means there’s no more confusion as this device should know what to do when shouting “Hey Google”, or “Alexa” at it.

Along with that clever functionality, the JBL Authentics range also gets a retro design, Wi-Fi connectivity and impressive sound plus one model even includes a battery pack for portable playback.

There are three devices to choose from including the impressive sounding JBL Authentics 500 – which includes Dolby Atmos technology – along with the JBL Authentics 300 which comes with enough built-in juice for 8 hours of music without going near a plug. Finally, there’s the cheaper JBL Authentics 200 device which includes automatic self-tuning and multi-room playback

“The heritage of our brands has always been important to us, and the JBL Authentics range delivers on audio quality, unique design, and unmatched features,” said Carsten Olesen, President of Consumer Audio at HARMAN.

“We live in an era where ‘newstalgia’ is in great demand. The JBL Authentics range draws from our iconic past with its retro design while delivering the superior sound and technology that our customers expect. Innovations such as Dolby Atmos and simultaneous voice assistants meet the retro and reimagined Quadrex grille design in a speaker range that defines the future of audio.”

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If these sound enticing, here is full pricing – they all launch in the UK on September 15.

JBL Authentics 500 – £579.99
Includes Dolby Atmos Audio, dual smart assistants, automatic self-tuning and multi-room playback

JBL Authentics 300 – £379.99
Includes in-built battery, dual smart assistants and Multi-room playback

JBL Authentics 300 – £299.99
Dual smart assistants, automatic self-tuning and multi-room playback