From VHS Instagram effects, film-like camera filters, and even wireless speakers that resemble a turntable, retro stuff from the ’70s ’til ’90s are the “in” and “it” thing this 2023 — and it’s very apparent in Gen Z’s social media feed, interests, and even inspo in terms of #OOTDs, visuals, strings, and beats!

The Authentic Classics

Honestly, I’ve been dreaming of owning a speaker that has that ol’ classic retro-spired design while combining today’s modern features in terms of functionality and connectivity.

Well, JBL has finally answered my long time wish with not one, not two, but three classic-looking speakers in this lineup.

JBL Authentics 500

These speakers are the Authentics 200, 300, and 500. As obvious as it sounds, the Authentics 200 is the base model while the Authentics 500 is the best in class with pumped-up audio features. The Authentics 300 is then again, the one with features in-between.

JBL Authentics 200 and 300

JBL has tried to relive the past by resurrecting their L100 Classic Speaker from the 1970s and incorporating its classic design to its new line of smart wireless speakers.

All of these models have modern-day speaker features such as Bluetooth 5.3 or Wi-Fi 6 connectivity with dual 2.4GHz + 5GHz support plus streaming support via Spotify, Apple AirPlay, and even Chromecast. If you’re too lazy to find a song you’d play, don’t worry as Google Assistant and Alexa both save the day.

But if you’re that “traditional” type of listener who prefers controlling stuff manually like the ol’ classic times, a set of knobs and intuitive controls are found at the top of every speaker. That’s within the perimeter of the leather-like enclosure to make the feel as classic as possible.

To make the experience even more classic, these speakers feature a standout Quadrex Grille design which is also made from 100% recycled fabric.

For that added sustainability, most parts are made from 85% recycled plastics and 50% aluminum.

Same styles, different vibes

What makes the Authentics 500 stand out from its smaller siblings other than its size is the fact that it’s the only one to bring an integrated 6.5-inch subwoofer at its bottom part. Together with JBL’s patented SlipStream technology, it’s able to reduce wind distortion and noise with a breeze. It’s also the only speaker in the line to support Dolby Atmos Music.

And if it’s still not evident in the image above showcasing all the speaker parts and components, idk how I’ll entice you that it’s one of the most well thought-out speakers in overall design, sound quality, and functionality.

Meanwhile, the Authentics 300 has a pair of 1-inch tweeters, 5.25-inch woofer, and a 6.5-inch passive radiator. It’s also the only speaker in the line that has a built-in battery that lasts up to 8 hours and can be charged via USB-C. There’s even a convenient metal handle so you can bring it in any part of your home — or maybe in a friend’s house (or Lover?).

Lastly, the Authentics 200 offers enough JBL audio quality in such a compact smart home speaker setup thanks to its dual 25mm tweeters, 5-inch woofer, and 6-inch passive radiator.

Authentic sound experience

JBL has also let us hear and witness how great-sounding these speakers were through the experience booth. They all filled large rooms with a sound quality you wouldn’t expect from speakers of these sizes.

It’s hard to make you all believe just through words but in all honesty, the overall clarity and sound quality is greater than good with the right amount of balance in each of the speakers’ bass, mids, and treble. Whether you’re an audiophile or casual listener, you wouldn’t feel disappointed with how JBL packed a lot of their great audio tech and features.

If JBL’s self-tuning capabilities aren’t your cup ot tea, the JBL One app has got you covered where you can manually configure equalizers, audio features, and many more.

While each Authentics speaker cater to various audio preferences and needs of different types of listeners, I can guarantee that all of them offer great overall sound. JBL has fine-tuned their products for every user to experience and enjoy fully.

Turntable in the Modern Times

JBL Philippines/Harman APAC have acknowledged that there’s a continuous demand for these types of turntables despite the dominance of modern-day audio products. Thus, the JBL Spinner BT was born.

From Taylor Swift to K-Pop acts such as BLACKPINK, SNSD’s Taeyeon, and BTS, vinyls are still being produced both as a marketing advantage for the artist’s overall sales as well as an added perk to any merchandise-collector type of fan.

But having a turntable with a twist of modern-day audio features is a killer product itself. The ability to stream songs via Bluetooth 5.3 with aptX HD encoding plus having the additional voice assistance of both the Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa make audio playing as seamless as possible while still keeping that classic retro turntable look and vinyl player functionality as well.

High-quality (HQ) components are considered in this modern yet classic-looking turntable.

There’s the HQ aluminum tonearm to ensure excellent tracking of the record groove without actually making it wear and tear over time. An HQ moving magnetic cartridge also comes pre-installed as well and the hardshell is removable so the cartridge can be replaced without frills when needed.

An aluminum platter is also present and is driven by a belt drive and motor with an optical sensor beneath. This ensures that there’s a precise playback whether you’re playing a full album, EP, or single. A wooden plinth is also considered over plastic for better sound quality and sustainability as well.

The JBL Spinner BT modern turntable is being offered in either Black/Orange or Black/Gold colorways.

Classics Reimagined

JBL Philippines’ ‘Classics Reimagined’ launch event was held at Cove Manila in Okada.

Classics indeed! It looked like we went back in time with all the ’70s-inspired retro outfits, elements, and sets of entertainment around.

And with all these in mind, they’ve announced their latest audio product line that also relive the classics.

Product reveal went through several dance numbers that also showcase each notable music genre that’s now prevalent in 2023’s local music scene such as OPM, hip-hop, and even K-Pop.

From an individual’s curiosity on why bring back the classics to the modern era, Grace Koh, Harman APAC’s Vice President and General Manager confidently answered that Gen Zs are the next big thing when it comes to these products.

While all of these classic-looking products bring back a great amount of nostalgia towards millennials, keeping the younger Gen Zs intact along with their current obsession to everything retro definitely proves that reimagining and reliving the classics is one way forward towards achieving the success of JBL in such a vast market of audio and tech.

To make both the local music and Gen Zs dominance even more present, the night was highlighted by a live band performance courtesy of Lola Amour — one of the hottest and freshest local music acts in the country right now. Together with JBL’s refined sound system, we were able to hear enjoy their Raining in Manila, Pwede Ba?, and Fallen setlist crisp and clear.

ICYMI: they also performed during Power Mac Center’s iPhone 15 midnight launch a week before this happened 🤩

Pricing and Availability

Local pricing for all of these devices weren’t revealed both in the event and even when the press materials were distributed to us. But after some digging, I was able to find out that they’re already being sold at Abenson along with these price tags:

Authentics Speakers

• Authentics 200 = PhP 20,999
• Authentics 300 = PhP 26,999
• Authentics 500 = PhP 39,999

Spinner Turntable

• Spinner BT = PhP 30,999
• Authentics Spinner = PhP 34,999

The Authentics speakers line are up for pre-orders online. Meanwhile, the Spinner BT turntables are currently sold out as of this writing.