Short answer: the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin on measured sound quality, the JBL Authentics 500 if you want more features for less money. The Zeppelin ranks #2 of 10 large powered desktop speakers at $899, the Authentics 500 ranks #5 at $449.95, $449.05 less, a narrow gap at the top of a small category. The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin is discontinued; its replacement is the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro. If you are buying new, get the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro.
The Zeppelin’s own review calls it amazingly neutral, with a wide soundstage that comes from its long, low cabinet shape, and its bass extension is described as deeper than anything else in the category. Its review does note that a far cheaper rival, the EarFun Uboom X, gets surprisingly close to it in sound quality, worth knowing if budget matters as much as measured performance. The Authentics 500’s own review calls its sound quality powerful with deep bass for its size, though its cabinet’s frequency response spec points to more limited deep-bass reach than the Zeppelin achieves.
The Authentics 500 is the far more connected speaker. It adds a companion app, EQ, Wi-Fi multi-room, Chromecast, Tidal Connect, an Ethernet jack, virtual Dolby Atmos, and simultaneous Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant support, none of which the Zeppelin offers. The Zeppelin instead sticks to AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect over Wi-Fi, plus Bluetooth with aptX Adaptive support that the Authentics 500 lacks.
Neither has a battery or any IP rating, so both are strictly indoor, plugged-in speakers.
Buy the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin if measured neutrality and the deepest bass in the category matter most to you and you don’t need smart features.
Buy the JBL Authentics 500 if you want multi-room streaming, voice assistants, and a fuller connected feature set for less money, and can accept a less neutral measured sound.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Prices on this page were last checked November 14, 2026 at 6:17 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 | JBL Authentics 500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $899 each Discontinued | $449.95 each |
| Ranked | #2 of 10 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #5 of 10 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| App | No | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~32Hz | - |
| 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 Decoupled Double-Dome aluminium tweeters | 6.5” (down-firing subwoofer), 3x 2.75” midranges, 3x 1” (25mm aluminum dome) tweeters |
| EQ | No | 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 | No | - |
| 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) |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin: reviews by JOY’s 3D Audio Show and Oluv.
- JBL Authentics 500: reviews by Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More and AudioTribe.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin: