Short answer: the JBL Authentics 500 if sound quality matters most, the Denon Home 250 if price matters most. The JBL Authentics 500 ranks #3 of 6 powered desktop speakers at $600. The Denon Home 250 ranks #11 at $549, $51 cheaper.
The case for the Denon Home 250: Two outward-angled tweeters plus two mid-bass drivers and a rear passive radiator give it true stereo separation from a single cabinet, each driven by its own Class D amp for a claimed combined 80 watts. The tradeoff: 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.
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 Denon Home 250 when the price outweighs sound quality for you, and the JBL Authentics 500 when sound quality outweighs the price instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Denon Home 250 | JBL Authentics 500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $549 each | $600 each |
| Ranked | #11 of 17 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #3 of 6 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 |
| Discontinued | No | - |
| 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, 5.4 | Yes, 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 |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.3 |
| Dolby Atmos | - | Yes (virtual) |
| Ethernet | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 40Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Configuration | - | 3.1 channel |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to JBL Authentics 500:
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- B&W Zeppelin vs JBL Authentics 500
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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
Denon Home 250: $549 each Amazon eBay
Pros: Two outward-angled tweeters plus two mid-bass drivers and a rear passive radiator give it true stereo separation from a single cabinet, each driven by its own Class D amp for a claimed combined 80 watts. Trusted Reviews called the sound confident and wide-ranging, with expansive, well-resolved detail and adequate low-end punch and substance. Amazon Alexa is built directly into the speaker via its own microphones, on top of AirPlay 2, Bluetooth and the HEOS multi-room app.
Cons: 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. Only network or USB-sourced audio gets full hi-res quality; MQA-powered Tidal Masters streamed through the HEOS app gets stepped down to 16-bit/44.1kHz.
Full Denon Home 250 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 80W (Class D, combined) |
| App | Yes (HEOS) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.4 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.8" x 8.7" x 4.7" (300 x 220 x 120 mm) |
| Discontinued | No |
| Drivers | 2x 19mm tweeters, 2x 102mm mid-bass drivers, 133mm passive radiator |
| EQ | No |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, USB, 3.5mm aux |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (HEOS multi-room, stereo pair with a second Home 250) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Streaming Services | HEOS app streaming (Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer, SoundCloud, TuneIn), AirPlay 2 |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa |
| Weight | 8.2 lbs (3.7 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (2.4/5GHz) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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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
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