Short answer: the JBL Authentics 500. It ranks #5 of 10 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 4.1/5, at $449.95; the Denon Home 250 ranks #13, rated 3.7/5, and costs $549, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
Why pick the Denon Home 250: 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 500: A large smart speaker with a built in subwoofer, virtual Dolby Atmos, Wi-Fi streaming and both Alexa and Google Assistant. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Denon Home 250 lacks. The tradeoff: Bass is specified only to 40Hz at -6dB, so deep-bass reach is limited for a cabinet this size.
Buy the JBL Authentics 500. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Denon Home 250 and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
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 large smart speaker with a built in subwoofer, virtual Dolby Atmos, Wi-Fi streaming and both Alexa and Google Assistant.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Denon Home 250 | JBL Authentics 500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $549.00 each | $449.95 each |
| Ranked | #13 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #5 of 10 in Large 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 | 100 - 240V AC, ~ 50/60Hz |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 8.2 lbs (3.7 kg) | 17.2 lbs (7.8 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 | - |
| Amplifier Power | 80W (Class D, combined) | 270W (Max @ THD 1%) |
| Drivers | 2x 19mm tweeters, 2x 102mm mid-bass drivers, 133mm passive radiator | 6.5” (down-firing subwoofer), 3x 2.75” midranges, 3x 1” (25mm aluminum dome) tweeters |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, USB, 3.5mm aux | 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 | 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) | 17.6” x 9.4” x 10.1” (447 x 240 x 255.7 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 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Alexa MRM |
| Dolby Atmos | - | Yes (virtual) |
| Ethernet | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 40Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Configuration | - | 3.1 channel |
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