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- Table of Contents
- Top
- Main Differences
- Design
- Sound
- Active Features
- Connectivity
- Comments
Klipsch The Three II vs JBL Authentics 500
Side-by-Side Comparison
Products
Klipsch The Three II
JBL Authentics 500
Tested using Methodology v0.8
Updated Jan 22, 2024 07:52 PM
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Updated Apr 14, 2025 08:15 PM
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BluetoothYes
Wi-FiNo
SpeakerphoneNo
Voice AssistantNo
Battery PoweredNo
BluetoothYes
Wi-FiYes
SpeakerphoneNo
Voice AssistantYes
Battery PoweredNo
Variants
- The Three II (Matte Black)
- The Three II (Walnut)
- Authentics 500 (Black)
Our Verdict
Klipsch The Three II
JBL Authentics 500
The JBL Authentics 500 is better than the Klipsch The Three II. They're both retro-style home speakers, but only the JBL offers built-in voice assistant support and a companion app with plenty of customization features. It also brings more low-bass and, unlike the Klipsch, offers Wi-Fi connectivity.
Main Differences forMusic
Music
Threshold
Music
6.6
7.7
Frequency Response Accuracy
6.5
7.6
EQ
No
Graphic
Soundstage
6.5
7.3
Full Comparison
Design
Style
Style Photo
RGB Lights
No
No
Portability
3.7
2.9
Dimensions Photo
Volume
757 in³ (12,398 cm³)
1,629 in³ (26,700 cm³)
Weight
11.0 lbs (5.0 kg)
17.5 lbs (8.0 kg)
Power Source
AC Only
AC Only
One-Hand Carry
No
No
Build Quality
6.7
6.7
Build Quality Photo
Material Quality
Great
Great
Water Resistance
No
No
Dust Resistance
Unspecified
No
Impact Resistance
Unspecified
Unspecified
Floats In Water
No
No
Controls
5.0
8.0
Controls Photo
Controls Photo 2
Ease Of Use
Great
Great
Feedback
Great
Great
Music Play/Pause
No
Yes (Physical)
Call Answer/End
No
No
Volume Up/Down
Yes (Physical)
Yes (Physical)
Track Next/Previous
No
Yes (Physical)
Microphone On/Off
No
Yes (Physical)
Additional Controls
Yes
Yes
In The Box
In The Box Photo
Sound
Frequency Response Accuracy
6.5
7.6
Frequency Response Graph
Slope
-0.12
0.04
Std. Err.
4.87 dB
2.58 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
54.2 Hz
44.3 Hz
High-Frequency Extension
18.8 kHz
19.9 kHz
Raw Frequency Response
Raw Frequency Response Graph
Binaural Recording @ 1m
Binaural Recording @ 2m
Soundstage
6.5
7.3
Directivity Graph
Directivity Index
6.57 dB
4.99 dB
Stereo
Yes
Yes
Dynamics
8.4
8.4
Dynamic Range Compression
SPL @ Max Volume
105.0 dB SPL
102.8 dB SPL
DRC @ Max Volume
3.27 dB
2.81 dB
Active Features
Battery
0.0
0.0
Battery Life
N/A
N/A
Charge Time
N/A
N/A
Power Saving
No
N/A
Charging Port
No Battery
No Battery
Battery Powered
No
No
Voice Assistant
0.0
9.3
Alexa
No
Built-in (Wi-Fi Only)
Google Assistant
No
Built-in (Wi-Fi Only)
Speakerphone
No
No
Siri
No
No
Voice Assistant
No
Yes
Voice Activation
No
Yes
Microphone Mute
No Microphone
Yes
Far-Field Performance
No Assistant
Excellent
Ambient Noise Performance
No Assistant
Good
App
0.0
9.6
App Picture
App Name
No App
JBL One
iOS
No
Yes
Android
No
Yes
EQ
No
Graphic
Stereo Pair Mode
No
Yes
Party Mode
No
Yes
Multi-Room
No
Yes
Connectivity
Wired
Aux Input
Yes
Yes
USB Audio
Yes
No
Other Ports
Yes
Yes
Bluetooth
9.0
7.5
Bluetooth
Yes
Yes
Bluetooth Version
Unspecified
5.3
Bluetooth iOS Latency
9 ms
269 ms
Bluetooth Android Latency
22 ms
244 ms
Bluetooth Range
229.7 ft (70.0 m)
334.6 ft (102.0 m)
Multi-Device Pairing
No
2 Devices
Wi-Fi
0.0
7.6
Wi-Fi Version
No Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 6
Wi-Fi Frequency Band
No Wi-Fi
2.4GHz & 5GHz
Wi-Fi
No
Yes
Apple AirPlay
No
Yes
AirPlay Latency
N/A
161 ms
Google Chromecast
No
Yes
Chromecast Latency
N/A
N/A
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Klipsch The Three II
JBL Authentics 500
Comments
Klipsch The Three II vs JBL Authentics 500: Main Discussion
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