Short answer: the Bose Soundlink Micro. It ranks #19 of 47 small speakers by sound quality at $84; the Harman Kardon Neo ranks #43 and costs $90, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the Bose Soundlink Micro offers: Rugged rubberized coating, IP67 rated (1m submersion for 30 minutes). Very compact and pocketable at 0.68 lb. Watch for: Lack of clarity. Overly boosted bass
What the Harman Kardon Neo offers: IPX7 waterproof. Elegant matte-metal design with an attachment loop. Echo-cancelling mic for calls; goes louder than its size suggests. Watch for: Huge lack of bass.
Buy the Bose Soundlink Micro. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Harman Kardon Neo and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Skip the Harman Kardon Neo if sound quality matters to you. It ranks near the bottom of the 47 small speakers.
There is a real gap in water resistance: the Bose Soundlink Micro at IP67 (brief submersion) against the Harman Kardon Neo, which has no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Soundlink Micro | Harman Kardon Neo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $84.00 | $90 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #19 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #43 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 66Hz | 105Hz |
| Battery Life | 6 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | None |
| Bluetooth Latency | 50ms | - |
| Max Volume | 90dB | 87dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs / 289 g | 0.6 lbs / 251 g |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 3.9" x 3.9" x 1.4" (98 x 98 x 35 mm) | 4.3" x 4.3" x 1.3" (110 x 110 x 34.1 mm) |
| Drivers | 40mm with dual passive radiators | 1.6" (41mm) full-range driver |
| Charging Time | 3 hours | 3 hours |
| Output Power | 5W | 3W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 130Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- JBL Clip 5 vs Harman Kardon Esquire Mini 2
- Sony SRS-XB12 vs Harman Kardon Esquire Mini 2
- Soundcore Boom Go 3i vs Harman Kardon Esquire Mini 2
- Harman Kardon Neo vs Lenovo 700 Ultraportable Bluetooth Speaker
- Klipsch Austin vs Harman Kardon Neo
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 PM 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
Bose Soundlink Micro: $84.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Rugged rubberized coating, IP67 rated (1m submersion for 30 minutes). Very compact and pocketable at 0.68 lb.
Cons: Lack of clarity. Overly boosted bass
Full Bose Soundlink Micro review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 66Hz |
| Battery Life | 6 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 50ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Charging Time | 3 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.9" x 3.9" x 1.4" (98 x 98 x 35 mm) |
| Drivers | 40mm with dual passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 90dB |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Output Power | 5W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs / 289 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs Bose Soundlink Micro 2
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs JBL Clip 5
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs JBL Clip 4
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs B&O Beoplay P2
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs Klipsch Austin
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs Soundcore Select 4 Go
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs Marshall Willen
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs JBL Go 5
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Harman Kardon Neo: $90 Discontinued eBay
Pros: IPX7 waterproof. Elegant matte-metal design with an attachment loop. Echo-cancelling mic for calls; goes louder than its size suggests.
Cons: Huge lack of bass. Discontinued.
Full Harman Kardon Neo review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 105Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Charging Time | 3 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.3" x 4.3" x 1.3" (110 x 110 x 34.1 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1.6" (41mm) full-range driver |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 130Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Max Volume | 87dB |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Output Power | 3W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs / 251 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Neo vs Lenovo 700 Ultraportable Bluetooth Speaker
- Harman Kardon Neo vs Harman Kardon Esquire Mini 2
- Harman Kardon Neo vs Xiaomi Sound Pocket
- Harman Kardon Neo vs Muzen Wild Mini
- Harman Kardon Neo vs Noxgear 39g
- Harman Kardon Neo vs Sony SRS-XB12
- Harman Kardon Neo vs Xiaomi Mi Portable Mini
- Harman Kardon Neo vs JBL Clip 3
- See all 30 comparisons