JBL Authentics 500 vs Sonos Move 2

Q: Should I buy the JBL Authentics 500 or the Sonos Move 2?

Buy the JBL Authentics 500 at $600 for a powered desktop speaker, or the Sonos Move 2 at $496.11 for a large speaker instead.

Different classes, so treat this as a step-up-or-not question rather than a head-to-head. The JBL Authentics 500 ranks #3 of 5 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $600; the Sonos Move 2 ranks #25 of 78 large speakers by sound quality at $496.11.

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.

The case for the Sonos Move 2: Warm sounding with somewhat rolled off treble. The tradeoff: Not very loud.

Buy the JBL Authentics 500 at $600 for a powered desktop speaker, or the Sonos Move 2 at $496.11 for a large speaker instead.

Water resistance is not close: the Sonos Move 2 is rated at IP56 (powerful water jets), well ahead of the JBL Authentics 500 at no water resistance.

Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.

Buy the JBL Authentics 500 at Amazon ($600) →Buy the Sonos Move 2 at Amazon ($496.11) →

Specifications Side By Side

	JBL Authentics 500	Sonos Move 2
Price	$600 each	$496.11
Ranked	#3 of 5 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers	#25 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers
App	Yes	No
Aux Input	Yes	Yes
Battery Life	No Battery	24 hours (Manufacturer specified)
Bluetooth Codecs	SBC	SBC
Bluetooth Version	5.3	5.0
Dimensions	17.6" x 9.4" x 10.1" (447 x 240 x 255.7 mm)	9.5" x 6.3" x 5" (242 x 160 x 126 mm)
Dolby Atmos	Yes (virtual)	-
EQ	Yes	No
Ethernet	Yes	-
Frequency Response	40Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified)	-
IP Rating	None	IP56
Drivers	6.5" (down-firing subwoofer), 3x 2.75" midranges, 3x 1" (25mm aluminum dome) tweeters	mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters
Party Mode	Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room)	No
Power Input	100 - 240V AC, ~ 50/60Hz	USB-C
Configuration	3.1 channel	-
Stereo	Yes	Yes
Streaming Services	AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Alexa MRM	-
Inputs	USB-C (USB playback, US only)	-
Voice Assistants	Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant (simultaneous)	Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in)
Weight	17.2 lbs (7.8 kg)	6.6 lbs (3 kg)
Wi-Fi	Yes (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, 2.4GHz/5GHz)	Yes
Amplifier Power	270W (Max @ THD 1%)	-
XLR Input	No	-
RCA Input	No	-
TRS Input	No	-
Optical Input	No	-
Coaxial Input	No	-
USB Input	Yes	-
HDMI Input	No	-
AES Input	No	-
Bluetooth	Yes, 5.3	-
Power Bank	-	Yes (USB-C)
Omnidirectional	-	No
Built-in Microphone	-	Yes
TWS	-	Yes
Digital Aux Input	-	No

Buy the JBL Authentics 500 at Amazon ($600) →Buy the Sonos Move 2 at Amazon ($496.11) →

How Sonos Move 2 compares with other leading options:

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

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

Check current price at Amazon ($600) →Search eBay for JBL Authentics 500 →

Sonos Move 2: $496.11 Amazon eBay

Pros: Warm sounding with somewhat rolled off treble. Slightly better midrange clarity than the Move 1.

Cons: Not very loud. It may share the Move 1’s full-volume issues, though more sound samples at full volume are needed to confirm that.

Full Sonos Move 2 review and specifications →

App	No
Aux Input	Yes
Battery Life	24 hours (Manufacturer specified)
Bluetooth Codecs	SBC
Bluetooth Version	5.0
Built-in Microphone	Yes
Digital Aux Input	No
Dimensions	9.5" x 6.3" x 5" (242 x 160 x 126 mm)
Drivers	mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters
EQ	No
IP Rating	IP56
Omnidirectional	No
Party Mode	No
Power Bank	Yes (USB-C)
Power Input	USB-C
Stereo	Yes
TWS	Yes
Voice Assistants	Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in)
Weight	6.6 lbs (3 kg)
Wi-Fi	Yes

Check current price at Amazon ($496.11) →Search eBay for Sonos Move 2 →

Links
- Official Sonos Move 2 Product Page
Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Smart Home Sounds: Sonos Move 1 Vs Move 2: What’s The Difference? More from Smart Home Sounds →
Head-to-Head Comparisons

Specifications Side By Side

Related Speaker Comparisons

The Two Speakers In Full

JBL Authentics 500: $600 each Amazon eBay

Sonos Move 2: $496.11 Amazon eBay