Short answer: pick the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 if you want sound quality that has been measured and ranked; the Bumpboxx Flare8 Pro is unmeasured so far, so its case rests on features and price.
What the Bumpboxx Flare8 Pro offers: Doubles the original Flare 8 to 400W and two 8” woofers with dual tweeters in a retro boombox cabinet with an LED display and light up logo.
On paper: The Bumpboxx Flare8 Pro has more amplifier power, 400W against 160W. The Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 is lighter, 4.7 kg against 8.6 kg.
Price: the Bumpboxx Flare8 Pro lists at $499 and the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 at $385.
Buy the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 if you want a speaker whose sound quality has been measured and ranked. It also has less weight and an app.
Buy the Bumpboxx Flare8 Pro if you want more power, and you can wait for measurements to confirm how it sounds.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bumpboxx Flare8 Pro | Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $499.00 | $385 |
| Ranked | - | #3 of 89 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Amplifier Power | 400W | 160W RMS |
| App | No | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | 10+ hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 8” woofers (4 ohm), 2x tweeters | 1x 130mm (5”) subwoofer + 2x 70mm midrange drivers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (App EQ) |
| Guitar Input | Yes | - |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Microphone Input | Yes (2 wireless mics included, plus wired mic input) | - |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes | - |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Outputs | Line out | - |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (strap) | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes | No |
| Weight | 8.6 kg | 10.4 lbs (4.7 kg) |
| Aux Latency | - | 112ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 35Hz |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
| IP Rating | - | None |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 120ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 103dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Power Input | - | AC Power brick |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC |
| Power Bank | - | Yes |
| Party Mode | - | No |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | - | 17.3” x 9.4” x 7.6” (439 x 240 x 192 mm) |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
Prices on this page were last checked September 29, 2026 at 3:43 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
Bumpboxx Flare8 Pro: $499.00 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Bumpboxx Flare 8 (rated 2.6/5).
Pros: Doubles the original Flare 8 to 400W and two 8” woofers with dual tweeters in a retro boombox cabinet with an LED display and light up logo. Two wireless microphones come in the box, alongside a guitar input and a wired mic input for karaoke or live use. Plays from Bluetooth, USB and SD cards, has line in and line out, pairs with a second unit for stereo, and includes a carrying strap and remote. Rated for 10+ hours on its rechargeable battery.
Cons: No independent measurements or tested reviews have been published, so its tonal balance, bass extension and real output can’t be compared with ranked speakers. At about 19 pounds (8.6kg) it is a heavy carry. Bumpboxx doesn’t publish a water resistance rating, frequency response or Bluetooth codec support for it, and there is no app.
Full Bumpboxx Flare8 Pro review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 400W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 10+ hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 8” woofers (4 ohm), 2x tweeters |
| EQ | Yes |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| Lights | Yes |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes (2 wireless mics included, plus wired mic input) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Outputs | Line out |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 8.6 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- These figures are manufacturer-specified rather than independently measured.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Harman Kardon Go + Play 3: $385 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 (ranked lower, rated 3.9/5).
Pros: Warm sound with boosted bass. Deepest bass out of any speaker in this size. Sound is more natural than the Go + Play2. An aux input, a built-in microphone, a power bank function, stereo pairing and hidden button combinations for adjusting bass and treble. Measured bass extension of 35Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Just a little over half as loud as the higher rated boomboxes. Only 8 hours of battery at medium volume. No water rating.
Setup: Use the hidden EQ modes to adjust the bass up when outside and down when inside. To adjust bass, quickly press the bluetooth and volume down buttons together, the number of light flashes tell you what mode you’re in. To adjust treble, quickly press the volume up and phone buttons at the same time, the number of yellow flashes on the light tell you what mode you are in.
Full Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 160W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 112ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 120ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 17.3” x 9.4” x 7.6” (439 x 240 x 192 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 130mm (5”) subwoofer + 2x 70mm midrange drivers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Maximum SPL | 103dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes |
| Power Input | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 10.4 lbs (4.7 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Harman Kardon Go+ Play 3 vs Go Play 2, the holy grail has arrived? ✔ More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 hidden eq modes - world has gone crazy! 🤣
- Alan Ross Reviews: Minirig 2.1 or the Brane X or the Harman Kardon Go Play 3?
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Distortion Fest vs my favorite speaker today! I wasn’t expecting this!
- Mateusz Cholewa: BOGASING S8 Pro Max „HiFi” 🎶🧐🆚 Harman Kardon Go Play 3 „HiFi”🔊 More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Oluv Patreon: Harman Kardon go+play 3 - best sounding? More from Oluv’Sone →
- Oluv Patreon: Harman Kardon go+play 3 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast - outdoor soundtest
- Oluv Patreon: Harman Kardon go+play 3 vs JBL Xtreme 4 - first impressions
- Mateusz Cholewa: LOEWE WE Hear Pro SUPER STEREO vs HiFi Harman Kardon Go Plus Play 3
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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