These are not really the same size class, and that is the honest framing here. The Bose SoundLink Max ranks #17 of 120 large speakers by sound quality at $399; the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 ranks #15 of 113 boombox speakers by sound quality at $184.99.
The Bose SoundLink Max is the longer-running, lighter choice. A rugged waterproof speaker with deep bass, a very long real world battery and a port that charges your phone. It is rated for 20 hours of battery against 8 for the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9. At 4.9 lbs (2.2 kg) it weighs much less than the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 at 9.3 lbs (4.2 kg). It is rated IP67, while the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 has no water resistance. The catch: Big peak in the upper bass, dipped midrange and lots of peaks and dips above the midrange.
The Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 is the deeper-bass option. An elegant living room portable with balanced, smooth, non-fatiguing sound, app EQ, and stereo pairing for music lovers. Its bass reaches about 41Hz before falling 10dB, against 48Hz for the Bose SoundLink Max. It links with other speakers (Auracast), which the Bose SoundLink Max cannot. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Bose SoundLink Max lacks. The catch: It has no water resistance, aux input or USB playback, and its eight-hour claimed battery life is short for an outdoor portable.
Buy the Bose SoundLink Max ($399) for a large speaker; the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 ($184.99) suits a boombox speaker instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Bose SoundLink Max | Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399.00 | $184.99 |
| Ranked | #17 of 120 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #15 of 113 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Aux Latency | 33ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 48Hz | 41Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | None |
| Bluetooth Latency | 116ms | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | AC Power Cable (2-Prong) |
| Stereo | Partially (1 tweeter) | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Weight | 4.9 lbs (2.2 kg) | 9.3 lbs (4.2 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| EQ | No | Yes (App EQ) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Auracast) |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 10.4” x 4.7” x 4.1” (264.7 x 120.1 x 104.9 mm) | 11.4” x 11.3” x 5.1” (289.2 x 287.5 x 130 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2.5” (63.5mm) midrange drivers + 1x 0.79” (20mm) tweeter | 120mm woofer + 3x 20mm tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | No |
| Maximum SPL | - | 101dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| USB Playback | - | No |
| Amplifier Power | - | 50W RMS |
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