Short answer: the Sonos Five. It ranks #4 of 10 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 4.2/5, at $599. The JBL Authentics 500 ranks #5, rated 4.1/5, at $449.95, $149.05 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
What the Sonos Five does well: A big Wi-Fi speaker with deep bass, sound that stays consistent around the room, stereo playback and Trueplay room tuning. The tradeoff: A 4.8dB reference band means the midrange and treble are less even than the best speakers, so tonal balance benefits from EQ.
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. The catch: Bass is specified only to 40Hz at -6dB, so deep-bass reach is limited for a cabinet this size.
Buy the Sonos Five. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $149.05 you would save on the JBL Authentics 500 does not close the gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Sonos Five | JBL Authentics 500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $599.00 each | $449.95 each |
| Ranked | #4 of 10 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #5 of 10 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Drivers | 3x mid-woofers, 3x tweeters (2 angled), 6 Class-D amplifiers | 6.5” (down-firing subwoofer), 3x 2.75” midranges, 3x 1” (25mm aluminum dome) tweeters |
| Stereo | Yes (horizontal orientation) | Yes |
| Dimensions | 8”H x 14.3”W x 6.1”D (203 x 364 x 154 mm) | 17.6” x 9.4” x 10.1” (447 x 240 x 255.7 mm) |
| Weight | 14 lbs (6.36 kg) | 17.2 lbs (7.8 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, 2.4GHz/5GHz) |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| App | Yes (Sonos S2) | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room) |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) | - |
| Power Input | Built-in AC | 100 - 240V AC, ~ 50/60Hz |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Ethernet, 3.5mm line-in | USB-C (USB playback, US only) |
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm line-in) | Yes |
| 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 |
| Streaming Services | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2 | AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Alexa MRM |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 38.5Hz (measured, Audio Science Review data on spinorama.org) | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | about 25.5Hz (measured, Audio Science Review data on spinorama.org) | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.92 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.56 | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.3 |
| Dolby Atmos | - | Yes (virtual) |
| Ethernet | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 40Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Configuration | - | 3.1 channel |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant (simultaneous) |
| Amplifier Power | - | 270W (Max @ THD 1%) |
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