Short answer: the JBL Authentics 200. Both are rated 3.7/5 for sound quality (#10 and #13 of 29 powered desktop speakers), and the JBL Authentics 200 costs $199.95 against $549 for the Denon Home 250, with sound quality a draw, the lower price decides it.
What the Denon Home 250 does well: A Wi-Fi smart speaker with stereo sound from one cabinet, built in Alexa, AirPlay 2 and HEOS multiroom. The catch: Trusted Reviews’ own complaints are a slightly disjointed hand-over between the bass and midrange, and a safety-first treble response that avoids sounding harsh at the cost of outright detail.
Why pick the JBL Authentics 200: A retro styled Wi-Fi speaker that plays surprisingly loud and runs Alexa and Google Assistant at the same time. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Denon Home 250 lacks. Watch for: Bass not as deep as others.
Buy the JBL Authentics 200. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $349.05 less than the Denon Home 250.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
A Wi-Fi smart speaker with stereo sound from one cabinet, built in Alexa, AirPlay 2 and HEOS multiroom.
A retro styled Wi-Fi speaker that plays surprisingly loud and runs Alexa and Google Assistant at the same time.
Prices on this page were last checked November 5, 2026 at 10:30 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.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Denon Home 250 | JBL Authentics 200 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $549.00 each | $199.95 each |
| Ranked | #13 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #10 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (HEOS multi-room, stereo pair with a second Home 250) | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter | AC Power Cable (100-240V) |
| Stereo | Yes | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Weight | 8.2 lbs (3.7 kg) | 9.3 lbs (4.2 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (2.4/5GHz) | Yes (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4GHz/5GHz)) |
| App | Yes (HEOS) | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| EQ | No | Yes |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| TWS | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 80W (Class D, combined) | 90W |
| Drivers | 2x 19mm tweeters, 2x 102mm mid-bass drivers, 133mm passive radiator | 5” full-range woofer, 2x 25mm tweeters; 6-inch down-firing passive radiator; 6-inch down-firing passive radiator; 6-inch down-firing passive radiator; 6-inch down-firing passive radiator |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, USB, 3.5mm aux | Bluetooth, Wifi, Aux, USB (US only) |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | Yes | Yes |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 11.8” x 8.7” x 4.7” (300 x 220 x 120 mm) | 10.5” x 6.8” x 6.6” (266.3 x 171.7 x 167.4 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant (simultaneous) |
| Streaming Services | HEOS app streaming (Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer, SoundCloud, TuneIn), AirPlay 2 | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa MRM |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | ~50Hz |
| Frequency Response | - | 50Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
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