Short answer: the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro for hi-res detail, the JBL Authentics 500 for bass with no battery. The Zeppelin Pro adds titanium dome tweeters and an improved 24-bit DAC over the standard Zeppelin for slightly better high-frequency detail on hi-res streams, but it costs the same as the standard model for a fairly modest upgrade. The Authentics 500 sounds quite powerful with quite deep bass for its size, yet it has no battery.
Buy the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $449.05 you would save on the JBL Authentics 500 does not close the gap.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Prices on this page were last checked November 7, 2026 at 7:34 PM 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro | JBL Authentics 500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $899.00 each | $449.95 each |
| Ranked | #1 of 10 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #5 of 10 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| App | No | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 25.6” x 8.3” x 7.6” (650 x 210 x 194 mm) | 17.6” x 9.4” x 10.1” (447 x 240 x 255.7 mm) |
| Drivers | 150mm woofer, 2x 90mm FST midrange drivers, 2x 25mm Titanium Dome tweeters | 6.5” (down-firing subwoofer), 3x 2.75” midranges, 3x 1” (25mm aluminum dome) tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Dynamic EQ) | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 35Hz - 24kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 40Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room) |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | 100 - 240V AC, ~ 50/60Hz |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect | AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Alexa MRM |
| TWS | No | - |
| Weight | 14.6 lbs (6.6 kg) | 17.2 lbs (7.8 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, 2.4GHz/5GHz) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| DSP | Yes | - |
| Amplifier Power | 240W (80W woofer, 2x 40W midrange, 2x 40W tweeter) | 270W (Max @ THD 1%) |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect | 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 |
| Dolby Atmos | - | Yes (virtual) |
| Ethernet | - | Yes |
| Configuration | - | 3.1 channel |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant (simultaneous) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro: