Short answer: the JBL Authentics 500 for better sound quality, the Amazon Echo Pop for the lower price. The JBL Authentics 500 ranks #3 of 4 powered desktop speakers at $600. The Amazon Echo Pop ranks #8 at $79.99, $520.01 cheaper.
The case for the Amazon Echo Pop: The half-sphere design is compact and light at 195g, and it still gets the full Alexa feature set: on-board Alexa, Matter and Sidewalk support, and it doubles as an eero Wi-Fi extender adding up to 1,000 square feet of mesh coverage. The tradeoff: PCWorld’s review was blunt: despite a larger 1.95-inch driver on paper, it sounded flat and tinny with only a hint of bass next to the smaller-driver Echo Dot, and called the overall value proposition a hard no.
The case for the JBL Authentics 500: JBL Authentics 500 uses 6.5” (down-firing subwoofer), 3x 2.75” midranges, 3x 1” (25mm aluminum dome) tweeters. The tradeoff: Its 40Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) specification points to limited deep-bass reach for the cabinet size.
Buy the Amazon Echo Pop if the price is the priority over sound quality, or the JBL Authentics 500 if sound quality is the priority over the price.
Skip the Amazon Echo Pop if sound quality matters to you. It ranks near the bottom of the 8 powered desktop speakers.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Amazon Echo Pop | JBL Authentics 500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 each | $600 each |
| Ranked | #8 of 8 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #3 of 4 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa) | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter | 100 - 240V AC, ~ 50/60Hz |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Weight | 0.4 lbs (195 g) | 17.2 lbs (7.8 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, 2.4GHz/5GHz) |
| App | Yes (Alexa) | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (mic mute switch; no motion or temperature sensor) | - |
| EQ | No | Yes |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) | - |
| Drivers | 1.95in driver | 6.5" (down-firing subwoofer), 3x 2.75" midranges, 3x 1" (25mm aluminum dome) tweeters |
| Discontinued | No | - |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C (USB playback, US only) |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | Yes |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes, 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 3.8" x 4.1" x 3.6" (96 x 104 x 91 mm) (H x W x D) | 17.6" x 9.4" x 10.1" (447 x 240 x 255.7 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant (simultaneous) |
| Streaming Services | Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, TuneIn | AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Alexa MRM |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.3 |
| Dolby Atmos | - | Yes (virtual) |
| Ethernet | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 40Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Configuration | - | 3.1 channel |
| Amplifier Power | - | 270W (Max @ THD 1%) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for JBL Authentics 500:
- B&W Zeppelin Pro vs JBL Authentics 500
- B&W Zeppelin vs JBL Authentics 500
- B&O Beosound 2 vs JBL Authentics 500
- Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen vs JBL Authentics 500
- Google Nest Audio vs JBL Authentics 500
Prices on this page were last checked September 22, 2026 at 5:11 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Amazon Echo Pop: $79.99 each Amazon eBay
Pros: RTINGS’ 2026 testing found its Alexa performance rivals Amazon’s pricier speakers, easily understanding commands from a distance or in a noisy room, with a mic mute button and a balanced enough mid-range that voices sound true to life. The half-sphere design is compact and light at 195g, still gets the full Alexa feature set including Matter and Sidewalk support, and doubles as an eero Wi-Fi extender adding up to 1,000 square feet of mesh coverage.
Cons: PCWorld’s earlier review was blunt: despite a larger 1.95-inch driver on paper, it sounded flat and tinny with only a hint of bass next to the smaller-driver Echo Dot, and called the value proposition a hard no; RTINGS’ more recent test agrees on the underlying tradeoff, noting it can’t reproduce as much low bass as the Echo Dot Max and doesn’t get very loud. It also drops the motion and temperature sensors the Echo Dot has, has no Zigbee hub, and feels cheaper in the hand, being mostly plastic apart from the front fabric. It is mono, has no 3.5mm output or battery, and currently costs the same as the better-reviewed Echo Dot rather than being meaningfully cheaper.
Full Amazon Echo Pop review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Alexa) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (mic mute switch; no motion or temperature sensor) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.8" x 4.1" x 3.6" (96 x 104 x 91 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Discontinued | No |
| Drivers | 1.95in driver |
| EQ | No |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Weight | 0.4 lbs (195 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Amazon Echo Pop vs Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen
- Amazon Echo Pop vs Google Home Speaker
- Amazon Echo Pop vs Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen
- Amazon Echo Pop vs Google Nest Audio
- Amazon Echo Pop vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Amazon Echo Pop vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
- Amazon Echo Pop vs B&O Beosound 2
- Amazon Echo Pop vs Google Home Max
- See all 9 comparisons
JBL Authentics 500: $600 each Amazon eBay
Pros: JBL Authentics 500 uses 6.5” (down-firing subwoofer), 3x 2.75” midranges, 3x 1” (25mm aluminum dome) tweeters. Its 7.8 kg, aux input and stereo playback make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use.
Cons: Its 40Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) specification points to limited deep-bass reach for the cabinet size.
Full JBL Authentics 500 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 270W (Max @ THD 1%) |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Configuration | 3.1 channel |
| Dimensions | 17.6" x 9.4" x 10.1" (447 x 240 x 255.7 mm) |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes (virtual) |
| Drivers | 6.5" (down-firing subwoofer), 3x 2.75" midranges, 3x 1" (25mm aluminum dome) tweeters |
| EQ | Yes |
| Ethernet | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | USB-C (USB playback, US only) |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room) |
| Power Input | 100 - 240V AC, ~ 50/60Hz |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Alexa MRM |
| TRS Input | No |
| USB Input | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant (simultaneous) |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs (7.8 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, 2.4GHz/5GHz) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Authentics 500 vs B&W Zeppelin
- JBL Authentics 500 vs B&O Beosound 2
- JBL Authentics 500 vs B&W Zeppelin Pro
- JBL Authentics 500 vs JBL Boombox 3
- JBL Authentics 500 vs JBL Authentics 300
- JBL Authentics 500 vs JBL Authentics 200
- JBL Authentics 500 vs JBL Boombox 4
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